Writers sometimes experience ‘white page syndrome’, that dreaded condition where you know you need to produce relevant content for an article, and, for some reason, the muse refuses to produce worthwhile fodder for your effort.
Muses are fickle, and have their own agendas, so any experienced writer knows that having a more concrete approach to writing pays off. Your blog falls directly into this arena, doesn’t it? Do you find yourself wishing you had something to say? Do you become intensely self-critical, and edit yourself into nonperformance? Do you procrastinate until you finally release yourself from the obligation to write ‘until another day’, where you most likely will repeat the avoidance?
Guess what? You’re not alone! Very few people really enjoy writing. Seriously, most of the world prefers to have other people handle their content work, and trust me, there is no shame in that, none at all. But you can break through the content wall, the key is a simple plan and consistent follow through.
Set a schedule. If you create a real schedule around producing your blog posts you’ll feel an obligation to produce, and when you’re focusing elsewhere, like on providing client services, you brain can also be working on possible future topics, or be developing one you’ve already slated for creation. Start simple, maybe by opting for two articles a month at first. In time, increase that to one a week. Your clients will gradually build an expectation around your blog posts, and you’ll garner interest in the form of readers and comments, both of which help direct your future topic efforts.
Mix it up. Once you’ve set a theme of sorts for your articles, think variety. People love to feel like they have the inside track on information, so if you’ve introduced a new service to your menu, be sure to share your rationale on why you chose that, describe it in detail, and request feedback in your article. Are you active in your community? Be sure to mention events and share your passion for charitable efforts or various causes. Sharing your enthusiasm will engender more interest for a given endeavor as well as enlighten your clients about your breadth. When they begin to see you for more than a great salon or spa, their sense of loyalty and support will grow as well. Did you just bring in a new product line? Talk about it on your blog! Why did you choose it? What is special about it? Is there a relevant back-story to share? Over time you’ll find yourself viewing daily activities in your spa, salon or massage practice as potential topics for blog posts, and you’ll probably want to adjust your schedule to accommodate more articles.
Writing is a skill, one that simply needs practice to become adept at. Simple, clean, direct writing on topics that you truly care about will go a long way to filling your blog space and engaging your clients.