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Category: Blog Writing

Summer Bookkeeping Strategies for Small Business Owners

Joan Koehne Leave a comment
family on the beach to represent summer vacation.

Originally Published by Prosperity Bookkeeping
Summer is a great time of year in Wisconsin. Because of the warm weather and longer days, we have more opportunities to spend time on the beach, on the water or at the campground or ballpark. Now that the kids are out of school, it’s the perfect time for road trips and summer vacations. Unless your small business is super-busy in the summer, business owners can use summer downtime to relax and recharge. Everyone needs a break once in a while. Vacations help business owners lower their stress, resulting in a more positive outlook and renewed energy for their work. For many Wisconsin companies, business demands decrease in the summertime. Here are some ways to take advantage of the summer slowdown to propel your business forward.

Catch Up on Your Bookkeeping

Summer is a good time to tackle the tasks that you have been putting off. Busy business owners often let their bookkeeping slide. Maybe it’s been a few months since you reconciled your accounts. By keeping your accounts up to date, you won’t have the stress of recreating the past 12 months for year-end reports. QuickBooks makes it easy to reconcile accounts. You can set up your books so multiple accounts, like a savings account, checking account, and line of credit, automatically feed into QuickBooks. Reconciling the books is easier when you can see all of your accounts, current balances and the most recent transactions.

Dig Into Your Business Financials

We’re half-way through the year, so take some time to evaluate your finances. With a few clicks, you can view QuickBooks Online reports to compare the current financial year against the previous year. Have profits grown? QuickBooks enables you to create custom reports to evaluate key financial benchmarks. To do so, select a period, like a month, quarter, or year, and compare it with the matching time period from the past. For example, if your receivables are significantly lower, try to determine the cause. Are you behind on billing for the period? Did you lose a primary customer or experience weather delays? You won’t necessarily know these things unless you have a report system in place.

Explore Technology and Automation

Summer is a good time to assess your current bookkeeping systems and research technology and automation to streamline your business-finance tasks. Look for products that will speed up and improve the bookkeeping process. Test out the latest in artificial intelligence: Chat GPT, Bing Chat or Google Bard. AI can assist you with industry research, brainstorming, marketing content, and data entry. An AI virtual assistant can understand voice commands and perform tasks that make the business run more efficiently.

Declutter Your Office

Bookkeepers consistently put things in order, and your office is no exception. Cleaning and decluttering your office will make paperwork easier to find and your workspace a more welcoming place to spend your time. Reinvigorate your work space by deep cleaning your desk and office. Sort through the papers that have piled up. Discard any that no longer provide value, and scan and file the important documents before recycling or shredding. Organize your desk drawers by weeding out the extra pens, notecards, and office supplies. Place the most-used office supplies within easy reach. Discard or find a new home for anything that doesn’t belong in your office. Wipe down all surfaces, including the phones and computers.

Let Prosperity Bookkeeping Handle Your Finances

Summer gives us a golden opportunity to slow down and recharge, yet tackle some side projects, too. The Prosperity Bookkeeping staff is here to handle your bookkeeping when things get hectic. Contact us to manage your financial statements, payroll, and business advisory needs.

Discover the Ultimate Solution for Handling Downpayments: An Estimate

Joan Koehne Leave a comment

Originally Published by Prosperity Bookkeeping

Woman bookkeeper seated at computer to show way of handling downpayments.

QuickBooks Online makes running a small business so much easier. This industry-leading accounting software automates business-finance tasks and puts financial statements at your fingertips. QuickBooks Online is a real time saver, offering a range of finance and accounting solutions for small businesses. Despite all of its advantages, once in a while, QuickBooks Online throws a wrench in your ability to manage a clean set of books. For example, why does QuickBooks show a negative number when you make a deposit in Accounts Receivable? This is a frustrating feature of QuickBooks Online’s default process for recording upfront payments and downpayments.

QuickBooks Online Accounts Receivable & Aging Summary

Consider this accounting scenario. A customer owes you a $1,000 downpayment for a project that will cost $5,000. The customer pays you the downpayment, and you go through the process of receiving payment and recording it in QuickBooks Online Accounts Receivables. After recording the transaction, QuickBooks creates a $1,000 credit for the customer.
Now, suppose you want to look at what customers owe you money, how much, and how many days their invoices are overdue. You’d click on Reports, then Accounts Receivable Aging Summary. When you view this report, you’ll see that the $1,000 downpayment you recorded displays as a negative balance on Accounts Receivable.

How to Maintain Accurate Days Sales Outstanding

Why is this an issue? Frankly, because it messes with your books when you’re performing complex financial analysis. When you check the financial status of your small business, one of the numbers to consider is Days Sales Outstanding. Just in case you’re new to accounting, Days Sales Outstanding shows how long it takes for you to collect on an invoice. Part of the calculation of DSO involves the whole Accounts Receivable balance. When a customer’s large downpayments is recorded in Accounts Receivables, it throws off the total AR number, Downpayments falsely reduce the amount of the open invoice balance as a negative amount, and QuickBooks subtracts the downpayment.

How to Record Downpayments as Nonposting Transactions

So, here’s a bookkeeping option to consider if you want to record a downpayment and maintain a clean set of books. Instead of just receiving a payment like usual, use a nonposting transaction by creating an estimate. You may wonder how a downpayment becomes an estimate, but bear with me.
Before creating an estimate, make sure that partial billing is available to you on QuickBooks Online. Partial billing isn’t available in every QuickBooks Online version, so you may need to upgrade. You can access the option for partial billing in QuickBooks Online by clicking the gear icon > Account and Settings > Sales > Progress Invoicing > Edit. Toggle the switch to turn on “Create Multiple Partial Invoices from a Single Estimate Feature”, and click Update, Save, and Done.

How to Create a Partial Payment as an Estimate

The process to create and save an estimate is the same as creating an invoice. However, as a nonposting transaction, an estimate will not post to your sales account right away. Click New > Estimate > Customer Name. Once you create and save an estimate, QuickBooks gives you the option to create an invoice. QuickBooks’ prompts allow you to charge a percentage of the total project cost. In our example, you would charge 20% of the total amount due ($5,000) and for a downpayment of $1,000. Alternatively, you can create a custom invoice. Perhaps you want to collect upfront for the product but not the labor. To do so, click Custom Invoice and fill in the product cost. Of course, you can customize the invoice any way you choose – whatever fits your cashflow and customer relationship objectives. QuickBooks creates an invoice that’s linked to the estimate. Then, when the customer pays the invoice, apply the payment to the estimate. Click on Receive Payment, and apply to the invoice.

How to Invoice a Remaining Balance

When the project is completed, it’s time to invoice the customer for the remaining balance. To do so, look up the customer’s account, open the estimate, and bill out the remainder by clicking “Remaining Total of All Lines.” If a project takes a long time to complete, you might decide to invoice the customer in increments, instead of simply invoicing for a downpayment and final payment. An estimate allows you to do that. Additionally, estimate if the scope of work changes, you can add new product or service costs to your original estimate. It’s worth noting that applicable sales tax will be applied to the correct tax period for the additional costs but won’t affect the sales tax of the downpayment. You can adjust an estimate without affecting the transactions in a closed period.

How Creating an Estimate Improves Bookkeeping Accuracy

Collecting upfront payments helps small businesses cover its liabilities and maintain cashflow for day-to-day business operations. By creating an estimate instead of simply applying a downpayment to Accounts Receivable, bookkeepers keep a clean set of books. Small businesses gain accurate and valuable insights into their financial data in order to make smart business decisions.

Talk to a QuickBooks ProAdvisor

Prosperity Bookkeeping is a QuickBooks ProAdvisor that is eager to help small businesses get the most benefit from QuickBooks accounting software. A ProAdvisor provides accurate, up-to-date information about QuickBooks, answers questions, and offers advice. This blog is just one example of the value that a QuickBooks ProAdvisor brings to the table. Visit the Prosperity Bookkeeping YouTube Channel to see Kristie Van Pay, owner of Prosperity Bookkeeping, demonstrate how to handle partial payments. If you have questions about partial payments or other accounting processes, visit the DIY Support page to schedule a QuickBooks ProAdvisor support call.

Why Avoid the Danger of Mixing Business & Personal Money

Joan Koehne Leave a comment
Business owners paying invoices and not comingling funds

Originally Published by Prosperity Bookkeeping

Picture yourself with a shopping cart full of school supplies at the checkout – and you grab the wrong credit card to pay for them. Oops! You just paid for your kid’s backpack and everything that goes inside with your business credit card. Mistakes like these happen. In order to maintain the integrity of your financial statements, you need to go through a fairly painless process to adjust your accounting records. But if this school supply scenario is more than just a one-time glitch, we need to have a serious conversation.

Maintain Legal Liability Protection

Commingling personal and business accounts is a big no-no for any business owner, but especially if you’re operating your business as an LLC, S Corp or C Corp and not simply as a sole proprietor. (For advice about choosing a business structure, read this article by the U.S. Small Business Administration.) By mixing business and personal funds, you’re acting as if you and the business are the same entity. Therefore, you put your personal bank account and assets at risk. Your business entity loses the legal liability protection that comes with its corporate structure.

Preserve Accurate Bookkeeping Records

The second reason not to commingling personal and business accounts relates to the accuracy of your bookkeeping records. If you make personal purchases with your business account, whether mistakenly or routinely, you should record these purchases in your accounting program. Accurate financial statements are important for three main reasons:

  1. Improve your ability to make well-informed business decisions
  2. Present legitimate financial data to lenders, partners, and other interested parties
  3. Keep accurate books so it’s easier to prepare a business tax return

Can you imagine giving your business credit card to an employee and inviting the employee to buy groceries, lottery tickets, or gas? Of course not. The same policy applies to you. You shouldn’t use business accounts to pay for personal items. The correct way to compensate yourself as a business owner is to take a draw from the company or pay yourself a salary directly from a business account. After depositing the money in a personal account, you’re free to buy personal items using a personal checkbook or credit cards.

How to Adjust Your Accounting Records

Earlier in this article, I promised a fairly painless process to adjust your accounting records if you used a business account to purchase personal items. To adjust your accounting records, follow this 3-step process:

  • Confirm that you have an equity account set up for Owner’s Draws in your chart of accounts (It may be called Owner Distribution, Partner Draw/Distribution, etc.)
  • If an equity account doesn’t exist, create one
  • Record the purchase as you would any other purchase, and classify it to the Owner’s Draws account

To reimburse your company for the personal purchases, you can transfer funds from your personal account to your business account. To adjust your accounting records, follow this 2-step process:

  1. Create a deposit for the amount you are replacing
  2. Code the deposit to the same account – Owner’s Draw

This zeroes out the transaction and corrects your bookkeeping records all at the same time.

Avoid Sloppy Business Operations

In addition to the school supply scenario, there are other scenarios to avoid related to commingling funds. Perhaps a client makes a check out to your name instead of your business’ name. Maybe you use one bank account for business and personal needs or move money back and forth between a personal and business account without documentation. All of these are examples of sloppy business operations that increase your liabilities. When you treat your business’ money the same as your own, you become personally liable for business debts and lawsuits. Don’t put yourself in that position!
For more business tips, financial advice, and a full line of bookkeeping services, contact Prosperity Bookkeeping. Prosperity Bookkeeping provides a proven process that will have you spending less than one hour per month on bookkeeping-related tasks.

10 Blogging Strategies from a Ghostwriting Pro

Joan Koehne Leave a comment
mountaintop in West Virginia is reminder of blogging strategies

My husband, Bill, and I just returned from an amazing vacation to West Virginia. The Fall colors were magnificent, especially when viewed from a mountaintop after we completed a long hike. The extra effort to get to the lookout certainly made the view more rewarding. Obviously, driving by car to the mountain peak just wouldn’t have the same effect. Essentially, the same goes for blogging strategies. If blogging were easy, everyone would be writing and publishing a blog a week. Like I explain in the Secret to Blogging Success article, blogging takes times, energy, and resources. However, the rewards are worth it!

Blogging Rewards

Here are the rewards of blogging.

  • Generate leads
  • Provides relevant content to your audience
  • Builds brand awareness
  • Drives traffic to your website, where conversions take place
  • Positions yourself as an authority in your industry
  • Informs and engages current clients and prospective clients

Blogging Strategies

Here are 10 blogging strategies to get you to the “mountaintop” of blogging success.

  1. Blog about a topic of interest to your target market each month. Be conversational and informative.
  2. Follow good formatting practices regarding length, headings, subheadings, and images. Create a look and readability that appeals to the audience.
  3. Optimize content for search engines with alt tags, page descriptions, categories, titles, and links to other posts/pages.
  4. Publish the blog article on your website.
  5. Promote the blog by sharing on social media, LinkedIn, emails, conversations with clients, etc.
  6. Monitor reader feedback, and respond within two business days.
  7. Review analytics for topics that earn the most attention. Develop related blog posts on these subjects.
  8. Include a Call to Action with each article.
  9. Leverage Google’s keyword analysis by using keywords your customers search for.
  10. Narrow your focus to topics that you’re an expert in. Have a point of view. Be different and get noticed.

Blogging Professional

When it comes to blogging, Writer to the Rescue handles everything. Above all, our ghostwriting services make you look good. Strong headlines and lead sentences invite the reader into the blog, and careful transitions keep them interested. Nontraditional story forms, like checklists, Q&As, timelines, and Top 10 lists, are great formats blogging strategies. So, are you ready to reach the peak of blogging success? Contact us today, 920-639-1865.

5 Ways to Develop your Brand Image with FAQs

Joan Koehne Leave a comment

When creating content for a website, I often recommend that clients create a Frequently Asked Questions page or FAQs blog article. Why are FAQ pages so valuable?

FAQs develop brand image

Rich in Keywords

First, FAQ pages are rich in keywords. By asking and answering questions related to your business, you use keywords specific to your industry. These keywords help a website rank higher on Google and other search engine results pages.

Resonate with Your Audience

Second, FAQs let your brand speak for itself. By incorporating your company’s authentic personality and voice, you create messaging that resonates with the audience. Not every question/answer needs to be serious. People love a good laugh. Don’t be afraid to add a couple of fun or offbeat questions and answers, if you think your audience is open to them.

Build Credibility

Third, FAQs show the audience that you’re a knowledgeable authority in your industry. Credibility is important when clients make purchasing decisions.

Differentiate Your Brand

Fourth, FAQs differentiate your brand from your competition. By emphasizing what sets you apart, you describe the value of working with you, not someone else.

Save Time

Fifth, FAQs save you time. Once clients sign a contract, schedule an initial consultation, or register for your services, you can refer them to your FAQs page. Here they’ll learn more about you and what to expect as your client, thus saving you the time answering the same questions over and over.

FAQs in Action

Lastly, let me show you how this works – by creating an FAQ page about FAQs!

Q: How many FAQs to a page?

I suggest that clients pick 6 or 7 questions to answer. What do people really want to know about your business? Include questions that clients are actually asking.

Q: How do I arrange FAQs?

When arranging your questions, group similar topics together. This arrangement creates natural transitions between questions and improves the flow of information. As a result, readers are more likely to engage in the content, which is just what you want because engagement leads to action. You may even want to add subtitles to divide questions and answers into scannable content.

Q: How do I write FAQs?

Questions and answers should be written in language that your clients will understand, so avoid jargon or complex information that leads to more questions. Keep the FAQs simple and straight-forward, with answers written from your client’s perspective. Try to answer questions in a positive way, telling the audience what to do, not what to avoid. When feasible, add images to help explain your words.

Q: How do I format FAQs?

Make them reader-friendly. Don’t make your readers work to find the information they want by scrolling through long paragraphs. Instead, I recommend a jump feature or an accordion design. The questions are visible, and when a user clicks on a question, an answer appears. The FAQs expand and contract like an accordion. Additionally, questions can be formatted in bold or underlined to separate them from the answers.

Q: How do I promote engagement?

Promote engagement by linking the questions and answers to articles or web pages related to your topic. You’ll also want to end the page or post with a Call to Action that encourages visitors to take the next step. Be sure to update the page or post regularly to keep your content fresh and emphasize what’s new at your business.

Q: How can Writer to the Rescue help with FAQs?

By working with Writer to the Rescue, you receive professionally written and formatted FAQs that are ready for publication. FAQs are an important part of a comprehensive marketing strategy. Contact the Wonder Writer at 920-639-1865 to get started.

gathering information for a blog

Gathering information for a blog

Joan Koehne Leave a comment

When I begin blogging for a client, we review three main points. First, we talk about what the client wants to accomplish by blogging. Second, we talk about the logistics of gathering information for a blog, writing, and publishing the articles and images. Lastly, we discuss ways to market the blog. Let’s take a closer look at gathering information for a blog.

gathering information for a blog

Gathering information for a blog

As a ghost writer, I often blog in first-person, so each article has to reflect a client’s personality. A conversation over the phone or in person lets me capture my client’s individuality. I translate his or her ideas into a credible, readable article. We discuss the tone to strike with the audience. Formal or casual? First person (as if they’re writing it themselves) or second person (from an outside observer).

To make the best use of my clients’ time when gathering information for a blog, I often cover 2-3 topics in one phone interview. Additionally, we connect during their downtime, not their busy time.

Identifying specific keywords

We talk about keywords for their industry, and specifically, for their business. For example, I blog for an asphalt company that provides four services: paving, striping, seal coating, and crack repair. I work those four keywords (and other keywords) into their blogs. Keywords help a website rank better on Google and other search engine results pages. Users who type in a query like “Seal coating companies in Green Bay” can connect with companies that offer this service.

Furthermore, keywords are my guide to optimization techniques. SEO (Search Engine Optimization) includes links, images, tags, page titles, and page descriptions. I use the keywords I gather from a client to complete this behind-the-scenes optimization.

Giving clients control over content marketing

Once I’m done gathering information for a blog, I begin writing. After a blog is written, it’s time to get the client’s seal of approval. Thereby, my client maintains control over the message, which is so important when defining and maintaining a brand image. The first set of revisions is included in my base price.

Working together to tell a story

Gathering information for a blog is just part of a comprehensive marketing strategy. By working with a professional blogger, my clients develop marketing and branding strategies that get results. A content marketing expert like Writer to the Rescue skillfully tells each client’s story.

Contact the Wonder Writer at 920-639-1865 to discuss how we can work together on blogs, website content, news releases, or magazine articles.

written content

How good content builds your customer base

Joan Koehne Leave a comment
content writing

I previously worked with a client who needed fresh content for his revamped website. As it turns out, the text on his old website had been “borrowed” from another company. Needless to say, it didn’t reflect my client’s products, brand identity, or way of doing business. It was just a quick way to fill a page. Copycat content certainly is never a good idea.

Website pages are more likely to engage the audience by being authentic, original, and conversational. Above all, this is what builds customer trust. The audience will be pulled into the message as a result. They’ll see the company as a solution-focused adviser and expert.

Emotionally connect with the audience

The goal of good content writing is to emotionally connect with the audience. This involves sharing useful information that answers the customers’ basic questions. Furthermore, the focus needs to be on the consumer’s desire to learn “What will this product/service mean to me?” and “How does this make me feel?”

Focus on your customer’s success

Here’s an example of a shift in focus, from company-focused to consumer-focused. The first example is written from the perspective of the marketing company, working for a manufacturing firm.

“Company X is a team of marketing and branding professionals based in Janesville, Wisconsin. We help manufacturers tell their story and build their brand. Our customer-focused, proven strategies allow manufacturers to develop a comprehensive marketing campaign at a small price.”

Write from the customer’s perspective

In contrast, the second is written from a customer-focused angle. It describes what the marketing services will mean to the client (growth and success). This example also spikes an emotion: anxiety. It also provides a solution (simple, understandable strategies).

“Company X, Janesville, helps manufacturers grow and succeed through smart marketing and branding strategies. We understand the marketing anxiety manufacturers face. That’s why we offer a full scope of simple, understandable strategies. We provide everything a small manufacturer needs to present a “big company” presence.”

Most importantly, the second example shows a concern for the client’s success. It has a “We’re in this together” feel of a partnership rather than a top-down approach.

Build relationships via written content

Essentially, relationships are at the heart of sales conversions. Building these relationships through clear and compelling content is the key to developing loyal customers. Certainly, original content that tells a company’s unique story is a good place to start.

Work with a marketing professional

For website content that builds a loyal customer base, contact the Wonder Writer, 920-639-1865 or Joan@WriterToTheRescue.com.

blogging

Bloggers’ Bible: 10 Tips to Get You Rolling

Joan Koehne Leave a comment

First time blogger? Blogging is an effective way to define your niche and interact with others online. Blogging fosters your relationship with your audience and sets you apart as an industry expert. Bloggers who capture the attention of their audience reap the benefits, becoming well-respected sources of products and services.

Here are 10 tips to get you started as a blogger.

  1. Brainstorm ideas. Consider what people want to know. I chose this topic after talking with a business owner at a banquet. He wanted to start blogging and didn’t know how. What questions did you answer today?
  2. Consider your brand image. The content you create and share is a reflection of your company. Make sure your messaging style is consistent with your overall marketing plan.
  3. Write an outline. Consider your key points and put them in order.
  4. Share your expertise. You’d be surprised by how much knowledge you have of your industry.
  5. Keep it interesting. Write in a conversational style that fits your audience. Use transition words (in addition, because, seems like, etc.) so people read it start to finish. Make it a readable length (300-350 words), and use subheadings, lists or bullet points to break up the copy.
  6. Write an introduction and a conclusion. Begin with a sentence that draws people into the blog, and end with a sentence that leaves them satisfied.
  7. Read it aloud, slowly. Look at every word individually and how it fits in a sentence. Remove or rework awkward phrases. Divide lengthy sentences (20 words or more) into shorter sentences.
  8. Use spell check. Save yourself the embarrassment of typos and misspellings. If your blog is peppered with errors, you undermine your authority as an expert.
  9. Create a list of headlines. Incorporate attention-getting phrases, like “How to…, Why you should…, The future of…, 5 ways to…” Take your time and write a winner.
  10. Promote your blog. Share it on Facebook and LinkedIn. Link to it in your company’s eNewsletter. Send it to media outlets as a feature article or letter to the editor.

Every blogger begins somewhere. I hope you use these tips to start blogging.

If you’re still gun shy, contact Writer to the Rescue at 920-639-1865 to discuss how we can work together on blogs, website content, news releases, magazine articles, and more.

blogging
blogging

The Secret to Blogging Success

Joan Koehne Leave a comment

As an experienced professional blogger, I have discovered the secret to blogging success. Commitment. Blogging isn’t a flash-in-the-pan experience. Instead, it’s an ongoing campaign that takes time, energy, and resources. Simply put, a successful blog takes work. That’s why it helps to partner with a professional like Writer to the Rescue. We are your accountability buddy, motivating you to stay on track.

Envisioning the outcome

There are lots of good reasons to blog. For example, blogging is a great way to express your brand’s identity through images and storytelling. Blogs help you separate yourself from the competition by explaining what’s uniquely you. Plus, you can share your company culture. Give readers insight into how and why you do what you do. This helps you attract good employees.

blogging

Increasing traffic

If your company is active on social media, it’s smart to amplify the reach of your blog by posting it to Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. You share your original content while building relationships with your social media fans. Fans go from your social media networks to your website. In this way, blogging increases traffic to your website where visitors are converted to customers.

Striking the right chord

You want fans to think: “How interesting.” “What a great read.” Then you’re hitting on the right cylinders. Your blogs are readable and informative. Plus, they demonstrate your authority on a topic of interest. Who doesn’t want to be known as an expert in their field? As a go-to resource when a person needs your product or service? In a blog, you can announce changes to your location or services, promote upcoming events, introduce new products, or celebrate milestones.

Getting noticed online

Surprisingly, blogs aren’t written just for the human eye. They also get the attention of search bots on the web. Blogs add depth to a website, further cementing your company’s authority and digital presence. If optimized properly, blogs can be rich in keywords, links, and images, thereby helping to improve a website’s organic ranking. Bottom line: Blogs help you get found on the internet as an essential part of SEO (Search Engine Optimization).

Trusting a blogging professional

Interested in learning more about blogging? Ready to sign on with the professional blogging services of Writer to the Rescue? Give us a call today, 920-639-1865.

inbound marketing

Why Inbound Marketing Fits Today’s Advertising Landscape by Being Attuned to Your Clients

Joan Koehne Leave a comment

inbound marketingAt Writer to the Rescue I interact with a lot of savvy entrepreneurs who know how to generate leads and make sales. One of my newest clients mentioned “inbound marketing” when he contacted me about blog writing, e-newsletters, and website content. What exactly is inbound marketing, and how can it help me grow my business?

Inbound marketing is less about transactions and more about relationships.

Gone are the days of selling products by touting their advantages. People today shy away from the overt advertising and hard-sell techniques of outbound marketing. Instead of using direct tactics, you want to blend in. You don’t want to look salesy.

Inbound marketing relies on creating valuable experiences and making positive impressions.

The foundation of inbound marketing is content that provides value to customers, builds relationships, and forms connections. For example, when blogging for a wedding venue, my message needs to answer the questions the bride is asking. A blog about decorating explains who’s responsible for set up and clean up, what decorations come with the venue, when the venue is open for decorating, how many decorations are needed, and other information specific to the wedding. The bride isn’t looking for general tips–she’s probably pinned tons of ideas from Pinterest. She’s looking for a personalized guide to one, specific venue. You want a blog article geared to brides who are detail-oriented and motivated to organize as much as possible before their big day. When choosing a venue, the bride wants to know the venue is attuned to details large and small.

Inbound marketing can be modified to fit your business and target market.

So, now it’s time to consider your own business. What will provide value to the clients you serve? Do you have insider tips to share? Concepts that seem ordinary to you may be something new and interesting to your clients. They visited to your website or read your blog post because they have questions, and they leave with answers. More importantly, they leave with a fuller understanding of how you do business. Create content that addresses their questions, and you build credibility and trust for your company while attracting interested prospects.