It took me a long time to get started blogging. I kept thinking I didn't have anything to say! But my mentors kept telling me I needed to get started, so I asked my husband what I should talk about. He said "what do your clients want to know? Okay, so I'm slapping my forehead. It all seems so simple now! Can't imagine why it took me over a year to figure that out!
My blog posts cement my connection with existing clients, prospects, business contacts, friends and family in two ways:
Information: What people want to know. By writing informative blog posts on topics my clients and prospects have asked me about, I continue to be a source of information to past clients and I demonstrate to prospects that I know my stuff and can help them with their needs.
Entertainment: What we have in common and enjoy. People like to do business with people they know and with whom they have things in common. It makes for a more enjoyable experience when you and your clients can talk about things that are of interest to both of you. By writing posts that are entertaining and about fun and cool things we both like, my clients and prospects get to know me better, and from their feedback and comments, I get to know them better too.
Below, please follow the links to see specific posts that have been informational or entertaining to my clients and prospects.
I'm an Interior Designer and Home Stager. My clients want to know how to make their places look great, to live in or to sell. They love color, but are terrified to try it out and don't know what colors to put together. If they are getting ready to sell, they want to know "is white the color they should paint their walls?" I specialize in contemporary design, and my clients want to be sure their home feels warm and looks cool! They want to know how to decorate their house when they have soaring ceilings, or when they have a loft or open floor plan.
My clients are interested in sustainability ... so I share cool products I find that are environmentally friendly. Because many of my clients love animals, I even post about things for their PETS that are sustainable & cool!
I am totally passionate about art and most of my clients are too! So with my blog, I show how art improves their decor. Sometimes I just post art finds that will entertain them! If you didn't click on any of the other links ... you really should click on that last one ... you won't believe your eyes!!! Waaaay Cool!!
My methods of Delivery:
I post on ActiveRain, my own website, Pangaea Interior Design Blog Page, the Interior Design Society, to name a few blogs. I Tweet, I'm LinkedIn, and I'm on Facebook ... so I make it easy for people to find my information and to find out more about me.
I incorporate two articles per month into an e-newsletter that goes to all my past clients, past business connections, family & friends. It reminds my former clients that I am a source of information for them because the questions are ones they have asked. Because it is information my clients want, they even feel good about forwarding it to their friends when they see an article about something they want to pass on. That gives clients and business contacts the opportunity to be a source of information to their own contacts.
My e-newsletter is pretty short. I think that shows I respect people's time. There are just 4 parts every month.
1. Feature Article: This is my design tip of the month. The ideas come directly from interior design or home staging challenges my clients have had. I also include informtion about local resources and vendors I use. If the article is more than a couple paragraphs, I post a short version that has about half of the tips, then link back to the full post on my website. This keeps them from having to scroll too far to see the rest of the newsletter. The ones who are interested in that specific topic can see the rest with a single click.
2. Color of the Month: I choose a color and talk about where it looks good in the home, how that color affects energy or mood, and what other colors look good with it.
3. A short paragraph about ME & my photo! That's in there, so that if they forward it to someone else, the new recipient has a little introduction to who I am.
4. I include a coupon each month for some aspect of my design or staging services. This helps my clients save money on services they want.
What you won't find in my e-newsletter is any big sales pitch.
Thanks for asking how I use my blog to cement and enhance my relationships with current, past and prospective clients and contacts.
Pangaea
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