Editor’s Note: This is a guest post from Alia Haley. Please read more about Alia in the bio footer.

The world of blogging is rocking now. There are more than 10 million blogs in the blogosphere and this is a constantly increasing number. If you are not yet into blogging, it is never late to start. And once you start, you will realize the existence of two lines of thought.

One suggests that blogging is a highly personal endeavor and one should write what one truly feels. The other line is that a blog is written for others to read. Why else would you want to publish it and not keep it in your personal diary? So one should give the readers what they want.

Both these lines of thought have their merits and demerits and thus, it would be appropriate that we adopt both of them partially. The question arises as to where do we draw the line?

A reader wants the blog to add something to his/her life. Thus, when anyone approaches a blog, they are either seeking information/wisdom/knowledge or just some enjoyable reading. This is the approach of a majority of readers. In that sense, you better offer them either one of the two if not both! If your blog is neither informative and educative nor enjoyable and entertaining, you better stop writing.

At the same time, it does not mean that you dance to the tunes of the readers. Every person has some individuality and uniqueness and the blog has to reflect that. Unless you write on topics and subjects that you are passionate about, you can expect to write creatively and well. So, when it comes to the subject and content of the blog, you better choose something that is close to your heart or something that you have expertise in.

But while you decide the content, the manner of presentation of the content should be in sync with what the readers enjoy. Whatever subject you write on, you will have a group that is interested in those topics and thus follow you. And so, it becomes your responsibility to make their reading experience as memorable as possible. And to do this, there are some tips you could keep in mind.

For instance, everyone likes a dose of humor. Do not try to force it in but sprinkle it liberally wherever it fits. Nothing pleases the reader more than a healthy dose of laughter. The most important thing, however, is to remember never to talk down upon the reader. Putting yourself on a pedestal and doling wisdom will never be appreciated. Your readers know at least as much as you if not more. Add photos, videos and illustrations wherever it is appropriate.

It goes without saying that some blogs expect a certain grammar. This varies from an academic blog to a travelogue. Read more and write more. That is the only way you will improve and develop your own unique style. Having done all that, know that there will be some criticism always. You just cannot please everyone. Be gracious in receiving positive comments and graceful in receiving the negative ones. You will definitely earn your reader’s respect.

In conclusion, it could be said that while you blog, your subject and content must be solely dependent on what you know best, what you want and what you are passionate about. But the manner of writing and the expression could be modified to make the readers happy. After all, is that not what writing is all about?

Are you writing to make money? Do you consider yourself a professional writer? Then you need an online presence. Having a website is the most logical way a freelance writer can obtain a presence online.  One of the most effective business tools in your arsenal may be your website.

Your website can be as simple and as elaborate as you want to make it. But there is no doubt about it – we live in a digital age. Even if you have been a professional writer since Microsoft was just a spark in a young guy’s imagination, a website is just a part of the world we live in.

You may be asking, can I be successful without a website? Sure you can, but if you are a brand new freelance writer, that may be tough. And it will certainly require a lot of marketing and mailing of samples.

A website makes life easier. Why?

1. Customers Search Online

When you are looking for information, I bet you turn to the web to do your research. The same holds true for finding and researching services or products. Even if you have a product in mind, you will still turn to the web to read more about that product. The Internet is not going away. Why not be a part of it?

There is a good chance your customers will do a web search to find a professional writer for their content requirements. Potential customers will likely do some of their research online. Unless they know of a writer personally, the prospect will look online to find one.  (Who looks at Yellow Pages anymore? And how many freelance writers list in the Yellow Pages anyhow?)

2. The Website Displays Your Portfolio

Potential clients may want to see your writing portfolio before they hire you. Your website offers a perfect place to post your samples and clips.

Not only can you post your portfolio on your website, but all of your blog posts and pages are available as writing samples. Remember, you never know who is looking at your website, so every piece of writing should be free of grammatical and spelling errors.

3. Establishes Credibility and Authority

Credibility and authority are significant buying triggers. Since everyone else wants to create a website for their business, content is in high demand. A website shows your prospects that you have the ability to write online. This helps establish your credibility as a writer. A website says that you take your writing serious and have no plans to skip town as soon as the client makes a payment.

There are also places on your website you can display the professional organizations you belong to. Consider publishing recognitions and awards you have received for your writing.

Your portfolio always demonstrates your professionalism. Testimonials are a huge display of credibility. A website allows you to compile all your accomplishments and put them out there for the world to see.

4. Establishes Your Brand

I started Tiffany Dow’s “Branding Challenge” Course a few weeks ago. The goal behind this challenge is to establish a brand, a personality and positive reputation everyone recognizes and trusts. As a small business owner, your brand is an important element. Customers connect with and want to buy from a brand they recognize. Likeability is a primary buying trigger. If your visitors like you, there is a better chance they are going to hire you. A website established this brand.

The writing on your website will help you connect and communicate with your readers. This is where your personality, ethics, and business style will peek through. Clients and customers will see this as well. This only further enhances your brand to your prospects, which will help sell your writing services.

5. More Effective & Efficient

Finally, your website simply means less work for you in the long run. Instead of mailing samples, marketing full throttle, and answering dozens of emails, having a website is a more effective and efficient may to run your freelance business.

Placing a FAQ page, your policies, an order form or shopping cart, your portfolio, and an About page on your website means all you have to do is send people your website address if they want to know more. This makes life easier for you and your prospects. This helps potential clients do their own research before they hire you.

If you are a writer, a website is simply a must. It really will help you grow and streamline your business.

As a freelance writer, you may feel compelled to write about any topic under the sun in order to get work or have enough material. You are not alone in this thought process.  I have to admit, I have been doing this for a long time, and only recently changed that strategy. But the truth is it just leads to having to spend more and more time researching each topic, wearing you thin. You also become a generalist.

As a generalist writer, you are competing with thousands of other writers. Places like eLance and oDesk are prime breeding grounds for clients looking for generalist writers. On the cheap. You may be a better writer than most of them, but you simply don’t stand out. One way to position yourself as a more competitive writer is to choose a niche.

Why Niche Writing Works

When you choose to write in a niche, you are presenting yourself as a specialist. What is so special about a specialist? Specialists are perceived as experts. Writers who focus on a niche tend to spend all their time, energy and attention researching and writing about their industry. To a potential prospect, this specialization matters.

It is a very simple concept when you compare it to anything you purchase as a consumer. When you want your dishwasher fixed, you call a plumber, not a general contractor.  If you are interested in buying commercial property, you would hire a real estate agent who specializes in commercial properties, not luxury homes.

There are hundreds of examples like these. The bottom line is for most large purchases, you would simply trust the specialists a bit more.  They know their stuff.

I understand this is not always the case. For certain items, you probably buy them at a super discount store. Think about why you do this. Besides saving time, you save money. Right? For shampoo and toilet paper, you are just looking for the best price. But these are not specialty items.

However, even at this level, people are still willing to spend more money on quality, right? Let’s take shampoo as an example. When consumers are looking to splurge, they still buy from a specialist, a salon quality product – Nexus, Paul Mitchell, Rusk, Sebastian, Redken.

In the writing world, many of these ideas also apply. As a generalist, you will attract many of the low-paying “budget” shoppers. For those who have a professional business and truly understand the importance of quality writing, they are willing to pay more for a writer who “knows” their business.

Your clients want to know that you specialize in their needs. Choosing a niche helps you build your business. It helps establish trust and credibility. Additionally, it makes it easier to justify higher fees.

Choosing a Niche

As a writer you basically have two choices. You can specialize in the type of content OR you can specialize in a specific industry. Alternatively, you can specialize in both. Here are a few examples.

• Content Type: Newsletters, eBooks, Sales Copy, Email Marketing, Brochures, Blog Posts
• Industry: Travel, Home Improvement, Real Estate, Financial, Business, Technical Writing
• Combination of Both: Financial Newsletters, Travel Brochures, Real Estates eBooks

How do you choose a niche?

• Your passions and interests
• Your knowledge and expertise
• Your experiences

First, decide what you want to do.  If you are not interested in the topic, it will be much more difficult to maintain your writing motivation. Maybe you prefer writing shorter pieces like articles and blog posts. Maybe you enjoy the process of crafting a catchy sales letter. Do what you enjoy!

Evaluate Supply and Demand

Evaluate both supply and demand. Ask yourself if there is a demand for that niche. Take a look at your competition and the market for your niche. If you are going to specialize in something, it is important that people are looking for content in that niche. It is also critical to examine your competition.

Do your research. One of my favorite tools to find targeted keywords is Market Samurai. I use it every time I create online writing products. It provides you with quick stats on competition, traffic, monetary value, and much more about specific keywords.

Try to go for a niche not over saturated in the market. You can still compete in a high supply niche, you will just have to market yourself more and focus on your Unique Selling Point (USP).

Many writers avoid choosing a niche. You may have these thoughts. Maybe you don’t want to feel pigeonholed or restricted.  Or miss job opportunities, pick the wrong niche, or burn out writing about one topic. All of these are valid concerns. However, just because you choose a niche doesn’t mean you will never be able to write on other topics. Of course you can!

But you should stay within the realm of the niche for your blog posts.  If you have a blog on dog training, writing a post on refurbishing cars will probably not be appropriate, nor will your readers care. But, be yourself and ALWAYS remember your audience, and what they might be interested in!

Choosing a niche simply helps you market your writing business more effectively. It helps you position your services and profit. Choosing a writing niche doesn’t limit your business, it elevates it.

What is your favorite writing blog?  I would love for you to say, Inspired to Write, but I understand if you don’t.  I just appreciate you stopping by to read!

One of the very first blogs I came across when I began writing online was WritetoDone.  I subscribed to it and have been reading it ever since.  I posted my interview with Leo Babauta, one of the blog owners, several months ago because of his inspiration.

Each year, Write to Done has created a post for readers to vote for the Best Writing Blog. This is the sixth year the contest has been running.

My blog has not been a winner, and even though it would be great to be nominated, I know there are dozens of helpful writing blogs.

Which ones do you read?

GO ahead and nominate your favorite writing blog today!! Hurry!  The votes have to be in by December 10th!

Darren Rowse, aka ProBlogger, has done it again!

His 31 Days to a Better Blog is updated for 2012, plus additional bonuses! If you have not had a chance to grab the original version of this eBook, now is your chance to get an updated version.

I read and followed most of the stuff in ProBlogger’s first Better Blog eBook, and there was some real value in his book if you are serious about becoming a successful blogger.  I know some of you only maintain a blog for family and friends.  But even you can benefit from 31 Days.  If you want to expand your blog and reach a wider audience, then this updated ebook will provide valuable tips. In the digital world, updates to techniques and technology are critical.

I don’t promote every product under the sun as you can probably tell from reading my blog.  But ProBlogger is one person I do believe in! One reason I listen to what he has to say is his remarkable success.  Darren is no fly-by-night blogger who is trying to get rich by pushing out crappy products. He actually IS successful.  Hard work, dedication, focus, and trial and error gives him the success he achieves today. His blogging empire is world reknown.

You probably already knew that if you are a blogger yourself.

Darren will not try to sell you on creating a six-figure blog without any work. His insights are practical and actionable. His book comes from his experiences, which he passes on to you.

Do yourself a favor — buy 31 Days today.  There is no risk.  If you are not happy within 60 Days – ask for a refund. No questions asked.

Remember, YOUR success is HIS success.  And YOUR success is MY hope.

I know how challenging it is to keep up with a blog each and every day – I have several of them! Day to day activities can pull you away from your blog. Maybe your day job, Your kids. Maintaining a household. Life happens. I understand this. Why not kickstart 2012 with a new focus?

If you are looking for some good, solid advice, buy the updated version of 31 Days to a Better Blog today!!

For a limited time, you can get 25% off of his new book! Click the banner below now!

Why Buy the New Version?

This new edition sees the introduction of 7 bonus tasks – that’s a whole additional week of blogging insight and action – bundled up in a bonus mini eBook.

Plus you receive:

• All the original material updated, redesigned and refreshed
• Case studies of blogs, big and small, who are doing it right. Get insights into blogs you may not have heard of, and learn from their expertise.
• Every task includes links to further information, reading and intelligence on the topic, so readers can take Darren’s advice as far as they’d like to go.
• Integrated with social media so you can connect and share you experiences each step—and learn from others.

This bigger and better 2012 update is a must-have, even if you already own the first edition.

BONUS:  If you order through this link, I will give you FIVE LIMITED PLR website traffic articles from my Limited PLR website. (If you want another pack from there, please let me know.) Remember these are limited PLR products, so once all licenses are sold (or given to you), there will be no more available.

How to get Bonus:  After you order the Better Blog ebook  << — through my link, please email me with your transaction number at juliebmack (at) inspiredtowrite (dot) com.  I will email you the PLR  (once I know you did not ask for a refund).

Happy Blogging!!

Editor’s Note:  This is a guest post by Gary Shouldis.  Read more about Gary in the bio footer.

It's all About ME!

Building your reputation online is similar to building your reputation offline.  Through steady and consistent acts.

This can work both ways.

If you are the type of person who genuinely likes to help others? Are you interested in other people and super helpful in every way? If you answered yes, you are well on your way to building yourself a fine reputation online.

On the other hand, if you are that guy who stalks people at networking events and thinks eye contact is an invitation to move in for the hard close, you may be in trouble.

When you are first starting out online, whether for personal blogging or for business, you are eager to jump right into the online community and be heard. While it is important Being active online is important for building your reputation, but certain activities can quickly turn you into an online pariah.

If you are new online, here are 4 things to avoid doing when trying to build your online reputation. If you are already active online and are doing any of the following, please stop.

1. It’s All About Me

Yes, social media is a self aggrandizing platform. But those who excel at it are the ones who use that platform to give value to others — valuable content, resources or useful connections to others. The ones who tend to suck at it are those who only speak about themselves and have a me, me, me attitude.

If the most interesting thing you have to Tweet about is yourself, you’ll be Tweeting alone. Stop thinking about what you can get and start thinking about what value you can deliver to whomever might be listening to you.

2. I Only Recommend My Own Content

You’ve seen it online, the guy who pops up out of nowhere to promote his services or his newest article, without actually engaging in any sort of useful communication.  Just like the first tip, only showing off your own content makes you look selfish.

Nobody likes a person who only talks about himself. Become a resource for the people who follow you, that often means directing them to places other than your blog or Facebook page. It’s okay to recommend yourself and your content, as long as it’s not the only thing you recommend.

3. I’m a Comment Spammer

Commenting on articles is a great way to get involved in the conversation, stir up debate, and to voice your opinions online. Unfortunately, far too many people use it as a poor mans link building tool and offer little value to the conversation.

You’ve seen it before, generic comments like “great article, I’ll be sure to come back again” or even “incoherent” comments that make it obvious you didn’t read, but skimmed over the article. Only comment on articles that you actually read and feel motivated enough by it to offer some useful insight or praise.

Want a tip to build goodwill online? Instead of leaving your own two cents, next time praise another person for their insightful comment. That’s building goodwill.

4. I’m an Auto-Reply Spammer

How many times have you connected with someone on LinkedIn or Twitter and almost instantaneously received an email telling you to also “Like” them on Facebook or to follow them on their blog?

I’m not saying you shouldn’t let people know how to find and follow you online, what I am saying is that you should build up some trust equity before slamming them with multiple Like, Follow and Join requests. It’s like asking for a second and third date before the first one even started. Show some value first before you ask for a bigger commitment.

Building a Good Reputation is Easy

The underlying theme here is avoid constant “me” and instead, focus on the “you.” The quickest way to earn a bad reputation online is to make everything about yourself.

The ones who are really good at building an online reputation know that you can ask for a little, then you need to add lots of value before getting permission to ask for even more.

Have fun, join in the conversations and just like in real life, don’t look at every encounter as an opportunity to promote yourself.

What's Your Brand?

Facebook, Google, youTube, McDonald’s, Apple,Verizon, Mr. Clean, The Marlboro Man.

All of these are brands that everyone that is not living in an isolated island somewhere has heard of.  Why?  Branding.  When people hear these names, they instantly know what company is behind the name.

How does a small time blogger or business do this?  Well, it is not impossible.  Copyblogger, Mashable, and Problogger have all developed a name brand.  A following.

Branding your business is an important step in getting exposure, being recognized, and developing trust with your business.  Tiffany Dow, the Ghostwriter to the Gurus has developed a 30 Day Branding course for a few select individuals. I am one of them and today was Day 1.

Truthfully, I don’t know what my brand is, but I am willing to find out.  This may require doing some things that make me vulnerable.  I may have to take risks that expose more of myself that I typically do.  I am not sure what she has in store.

What is Branding?

The first step is identifying what I want my brand to be.

A brand is more than a name – it is who you are.  Loyal followers stick with you because of who you are.  They trust you.  These followers believe in what you represent – your niche, your product, your strategy.

Currently, I am reading Grammar Girl’s Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing.  As a writer, there is always room for improvement.  Grammar Girl is a brand.  She is the go-to girl for things related to grammar.  This is a great example of branding.

Who are YOU?

That is the question.

Maybe my thing is integrity.  Maybe it is helping others.  Could I be Inspirational?  Smart, charming, and witty? Ms. Lack of direction? Or how about Reinventing Myself? (Sounds better.)  Jill of all Trades?

No clue. Which is why I am taking Tiffany’s course.  I don’t know if I will have a brand by the end of this, but it is worth going down this road.  Maybe it will help zero in on my strengths.

I just want to write, but I guess a brand won’t hurt.

Love to hear comments on what YOU think MY brand is.

It is not always easy to come up with original, substantial content for your blog on a regular basis.  Life gets busy, other things may be pulling you in a different direction.  Keeping regular content on your blog is important not only to satisfy the search engines, but to keep readers coming back for more.  Fresh content helps build your business and attracts regular visitors. How do you find content when you are busy?

1. Look for inspiration from the water cooler.  What is everyone else talking about?  If you are stumped, look to see what other bloggers are discussing. Expound on your own comments or other people’s comments and turn it into a blog post.  You can also look into social sites and see what the big topic of discussion is.

2. Let someone else do the talking. If you find an interesting blog post or article, why not give some link love?  Instead of writing a full blown post saying pretty much the same thing, link to that article, add a few lines with your own opinion, ask for others to comment, and there you go – a new blog post.

3. Everyone loves resources. Find a topic that your readers will love, and write a helpful list of resources from other websites, articles, or blogs.   This is also a great way to get link love back if others find it helpful.  For example, if you have a blog that focuses on finding deals, create a list of top 10 websites or services that offer coupons or deals.

4. Guest Posts!  Posting guest posts is a great way to keep the conversations going.  If I am going to be out of town or busy on another project for a week or two, I will plan a bunch of guest posts.  This will alleviate some of the pressure to try and get online and post when you are busy doing other things.

5. Bring up past highlights. Highlight all your favorite or popular blog posts from the last month or year.  This can be based on number of comments, visits, or centered around a topic. For example, “Top Ten Blog Posts About SEO.”

6. Share a photo. This is one I have not tried, but is a great idea when you are short on time or creative words.  Post a picture and ask readers to create a caption. Photos do speak a thousand words, why not ask readers to share some of their own words?

7.  Talk about the current news. This will depend on the topic of your blog.  If you have a political blog, discuss the latest headline on politics.  If you blog is more in the fashion niche, look for news on fashion. Grab a headline from the news and expound on it. Share your opinion and ask others to share theirs.

8. Quotes to the rescue. If you really are looking for inspiration, share a quote that inspires you, makes you laugh or is relevant to your niche. Often times, just reading a quote can lead to a quick blog post.

Having your own content and ideas is an important part of being a blogger, but when time and inspiration are lacking, mix it up with some of these ideas.

I know there will be a handful of you who will disagree with the subject of this post, but hear me out.  First, let me clarify the word “niche” for purposes of this blog post.  When I say niche, I don’t mean the large topic areas like blogging or health and fitness.  I am referring to the micro niche blogs that are focused on a narrow subtopic like “Pink Handbags” or “Small Car Accessories.”

Blog Fail (courtesy of Mark Ordonez)

Second, let me explain the word “fail.”

A failed blog does not get consistent traffic for an extended period of time. A failed blog no longer has updated content. A failed blog has no regular readers or comments. A failed blog has a high bounce rate – meaning people come and go as quickly as they can find the ‘Back’ button on their browser.  A failed blog gets lost in Expired Domain Name Land.

You get my point.

Look at the Top Websites

Websites like Google, Facebook, youTube, and Wikipedia are the top ranking websites in today’s Internet world.  With the exception of maybe GoDaddy.com and The Weather Channel, there are no niche sites in the top 100 top sites.

I understand that this does not indicate that there are no successful niche sites.  There are always exceptions to every rule, and this is no exception. (confused?)

Okay, what I mean by that is YES, there are successful sites out there that do not meet any of my failure definitions, but on a grand scale, this is a small minority.  There are also successful niche bloggers that make decent money from their niche sites. Most likely, these bloggers have multiple sites that bring in money or they are very proactive and smart about SEO and marketing.  They also spend a lot of time backlinking, writing content, etc.

Now, that I have clarified the terms in this blog post, let’s move on to why I believe niche blogs fail.

1. Not enough prior research was completed.

There are so many sales pitches and ebooks on the market related to niche marketing, it is no surprise that people jump on the niche blog bandwagon.  People often jump in head first without taking the time to do the proper research ahead of time.  This includes keyword research, target market analysis, content availability, if the topic is evergreen, niche and topic competition, and more.  Mostly, the blog owner goes forward without a long-term business plan.

2. The niche is too narrow and blog owner runs out of content.

Some affiliate marketers sweet talk their way into convincing potential niche blog owners that the more narrow the topic, the better.  Less competition, easy to rank, etc.  This may be true, but eventually there will be nothing left to discuss about small dog sweaters or iPhones for teens.

There may be a decent amount of searches every month for your niche, but you will eventually run out of things to say.  Another reason for failure is a blog owner may create TOO many niche blogs to manage and then he gets burnt out!

3. The blog owner is bored with the topic.

Even if there is a lot of info for content, the blog owner may simply get burnt out on the niche.  Without the room for creative expansion that is easier on a larger topic blog, a small niche can get boring to write about.  Once boredom kicks in, it can be quite a chore to stay on top of the blog.  Eventually, the blog is no longer updated and joins the large accumulation of abandoned blogs.

4. The  topic is no longer relevant or has a small target audience.

A topic may have a lot of content potential and be exciting to discuss, but it is so 2006.  Think about technology blogs and how difficult it can be to stay on top of the latest trends.  While CNET does very well, it covers a broad range of tech products and stays current on its reviews.  If you focus in on a topic that may be irrelevant or only have a small group of dedicated followers, your entire blog will no longer be interesting or successful.

5. The blog owners skip the marketing part.

Even if the niche is fantastic, and the blog is filled with quality and relevant content, it will not get traffic on its own.  Many blog owners fail to market their blog.  They instead buy a bunch of cheap backlinks and think the blog will instantly rise to the top of search engines.  If it was this easy, everyone would have a successful blog, niche or not.

It takes marketing, and smart marketing.  This takes time and work.  Many people fall short here.  But, just like a brick and mortar business, you have to market your website.  No matter how great it is, if no one visits, none of that matters.

Lastly, as a bonus tip – quality content is key!  Many niche blogs fail because they are using crappy PLR content or duplicate content from an article directory to fill their blog.  A successful niche blog will have relevant and quality content that pleases not only the reader, but the search engines as well.

While niche blogs may be wildly successful for a short period of time, it is hard to keep that momentum going when the blog has little room for expansion.  For long term success, consider some of the niche blog failures above and ask yourself if your niche topic could also risk falling into the failed blog category.

Editor’s Note:  This article is courtesy of Filbert Publishing. Make your writing sparkle, write killer queries, get published. Subscribe to Writing Etc., the free e-mag for freelancers and receive the e-book “Power Queries.”

Ever since I began my “Drive Thru Coaching Program,” (Note: this program has been discontinued), I’ve received a steady flow of freelancers who need just a little nudge in the right direction concerning their career. As I’ve spoken with these incredible folks, I’ve noticed a bit of a trend and thought I’d address the most pressing issues here.

For starters, most questions revolve around websites. To give you a leg up on the competition, here are the answers to the top five questions I’ve received so far:

1. Keep your website “clean.” Eliminate clutter. Create a logical flow to your information. Ditch silly graphics/animations that don’t propel your message forward. Choose readable, dark, fonts on a white or cream background. No red print/black background color scheme. Keep it simple… and profitable.

2. The number one rule in selling is to focus on your customer, not your product. Don’t talk about yourself either. Count the number of time you use the word “we/I” versus the word “you.” If “we/I” outnumbers “you” you’re talking about yourself too much. So, what do you write about? Talk about what you can do for your customer.

3. Next rule: people purchase products for emotional reasons, not logical. This means your writing needs to strike an emotion chord with your reader. Help them imagine a better life because of their affiliation with you. Show them how your product will improve their day. Logic is only used to justify that emotional decision, and your web pages needs to reflect this.

4. Features versus benefits. Here’s an example from a candle-maker site: “Our candles are highly scented and guaranteed to stink up your home in minutes.” This is a feature. It tells me what the candles do. But what’s in it for me, the potential purchaser? Why do I want my house “stunk” up? The candle maker knows the reason for that answer, but I (as a reader) may not know this.

Turn this feature into a benefit. Try this: Our candles are highly scented and guaranteed to stink up your home in minutes. This means that… (fill in blank)… so that… (end sentence).

5. Finally, make sure your website is online. This means you’re using a reliable hosting company. If someone, a prospective customer, heads to your site only to receive an error message, you’ve lost a customer despite the hard work of constructing your site.

Final word: If your site can be interchanged with any other freelancer, then your site will never rise above the teeming crowd. Make it a reflection of you. Go completely overboard doing this and you’ll probably be close to the mark. Remember that the very fact that you are in charge of your business makes it unique. You need to pinpoint that uniqueness and capitalize on it every chance you get.

Oh and all these tips apply to every piece of sales materials you distribute, including labels, brochures, etc.