Category: Content Marketing

Here you are, scratching your head and trying to figure out how to make a hyperlink. Maybe you want to link to authoritative content from your new blog. Or perhaps you need a quick reminder on how to make a clickable link in HTML. Either way, we have you covered. What Is a Hyperlink? Hyperlinks are clickable words or images that navigate to other web content. They can connect with almost any resource on the web. When clicked, they’ll either take you to a web address immediately or, for certain types of files, give you the option to open a document with an app (like Adobe Reader to open a PDF). Hyperlinks navigate to: Another web address (URL) Images Audio files Videos HTML files Text files or other documents (PDFs, for example) A location within the same webpage Let’s look at a couple methods for inserting hyperlinks. How To Make a Hyperlink Hyperlinks are fundamental to web navigation, and using them is second nature for most of us. They show up in blog posts, word documents, PDFs, and emails. Only when it’s time to embed a link in text do we give them any thought. There are two ways to embed hyperlinks: Using a visual editor Using HTML How Do I Make a Clickable Link in WordPress? Let’s look at how to embed a link in text using the visual editor on your website: Highlight the text you want to link. Click the Add Link icon within the text editing bar, or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+K. This opens a field where you’ll enter the location you want to create a link to. Enter the full address (including HTTPS) or existing file location you want the link to navigate to in the field, and press Enter. Now you have a hyperlinked text. How to insert links in images: Select the image by clicking on it. Now click the Add Link icon in the bar (or Ctrl+K) to open the field. Enter the location you want to link to (like our previous example). In this example, I’ve linked to a PDF document stored on my Google Drive. Readers can open or download the page using an app of their choice. The same process applies whether you’re editing a Post or a Page within WordPress. How to Make a Link Clickable in Email Here is how you create a hyperlink in Gmail: Highlight the text you want to link. Click on the Add Link icon in the text editing bar (or Ctrl+K). Paste or type the URL you want to link to in the field and click “OK.” Now you have your hyperlink. The process is similar in Microsoft Outlook and other email clients. How To Create a Hyperlink in Word To embed a link in text within a Microsoft Word document, start by highlighting the text. Then click Insert on the upper menu bar. Now click: Links → Link → Insert Link (a window will appear). You can then add a URL to the Address field or link to: Another document Another place on the same document Or an Email address How Do You Make a Clickable Link with HTML? When building a link in HTML, use the  and  elements to designate the beginning and end of the link. Designate the target you’re linking to by using the href attribute:   As an example, let’s say you wanted to create the following: Smart Blogger has a popular post about blogging. This is what the HTML code would look like in the WordPress text editor: For adding a hyperlink to an image, the basic snippet is: To learn more about adding hyperlinks to images using HTML, check out this post. Happy Hyperlinking Now you know how to make a hyperlink. Most of the time you won’t need HTML and can simply add a link by clicking the icon in the text editing toolbar. Whether you’re creating a hyperlink on a webpage to someone else’s blog or linking to a PDF or a podcast recording on your own site, now you have the information to create this fundamental element of web navigation. Have fun with your new superpower! ShareTweetPinShareEmail

What is RSS? And what are RSS feeds (and how the heck do they work)? Whether you’re starting a blog or just love to consume content, it’s a good idea to understand why so many web users prefer this technology to get regular updates with the latest information from their favorite sites. In this post, we’ll take a look at the benefits of using RSS, how to get set up with an RSS feed reader, and some examples of readers you can begin using today. Ready? Let’s go. What is RSS? Before we get started, you’re probably asking, “what does RSS stand for?” Depending on who you ask, it’s an acronym for one of the following: Really Simple Syndication Rich Site Summary RDF Site Summary Whichever option you go with, they all represent the same process. So, what does RSS mean? Let’s take a closer look. RSS Meaning RSS Definition: RSS uses a simple text format that is easily read by computers (called XML) to efficiently share updates from websites, including summaries, links, podcasts, weather, news, and more. An application called a news aggregator then reads the XML file, organizing the web content into an easy-to-read format (typically a newsfeed). This feed is chronologically ordered, with new content at the top. As you can see in the example above, Feedly’s RSS feed reader app translates those text files into a human-friendly list of articles. What is an RSS Feed and How Does It Work? The RSS feed refers to a document on a website continuously updated with XML text files that represent the latest content published on a site. They contain meta-data (things like publish date, name of author, title, description, etc.), links to the original content, a summary, and sometimes full articles or podcasts. This document shares real-time updates that can be subscribed to and viewed via email or an RSS reader. At this point you’re probably asking, “That’s all good, but why bother?” After all, can’t we simply scroll through our Facebook newsfeed where we already follow many of the sites we enjoy? And doesn’t Google do a fine job of curating the latest news stories for us? Although many people share those sentiments, some still love RSS. Here’s why: Benefits of RSS Although less popular these days, RSS feeds continue to see use by many who want to stay abreast of the latest content from their favorite news sites, blogs, and podcasts. There are good reasons to use this technology in today’s sea of information. RSS allows you to subscribe to the latest content from each site without having to regularly revisit multiple websites one by one (via bookmarks, for example). You can simply visit your inbox or news reader to see all the latest content in one convenient location. This is especially handy when you consider all the sites you follow typically have different publishing schedules. But what about social media? After all, most blogs and podcasts share their content via Facebook or Twitter, right? It’s true that these are the preferred and seemingly most convenient ways to keep track of the latest content. But many people are increasingly choosing to limit their time on these platforms. And, because of the algorithms’ selective sharing of content, there’s a good possibility you’re going to miss a lot. The goods news is that RSS allows you to avoid getting hypnotized by an algorithm or being pulled into a political debate with Uncle Bob. Instead, you can create your own distraction-free news feed from only your favorite sites. You can also use RSS to email newsletter converters to share the personalized content from your favorite websites with your friends, customers, colleagues, etc. in case they wish to receive personalized curated content in their inboxes. Although you can choose to receive syndicated content in your inbox, with RSS you’re not required to provide your email to see updates. Let’s look at how RSS works. How to Use RSS Getting started is easy. You can use what’s called an RSS feed reader (also known as an RSS aggregator), or you can subscribe to feeds and receive updates directly to your inbox. RSS content can be subscribed to and read via apps or through browser extensions like this one from Feeder.co for Google Chrome: With this Chrome extension, it’s as simple as: Going to a site and clicking on the orange RSS button on your browser’s toolbar. Then click “+” to add the site to your list to begin receiving content updates. You can also search for the name of a site from within a feed reader app. I searched for the Tim Ferriss podcast from within Inoreader, and then it gave me the option to “Subscribe.” Each app presents a variety of different layouts and methods for organizing information. Don’t worry, they’re all fairly straightforward to figure out. At this point you may be wondering what some of your options are. Below is a list of popular RSS feed readers for you to explore. RSS Feed Reader Apps & Extensions 1. Google’s RSS Subscriptions Extension Google’s RSS Subscriptions Extension allows for simple and convenient RSS subscription with one click right from your browser’s toolbar. It can be integrated with web-based feed readers like Feeder, The Old Reader, and Feedly. 2. Feeder Advanced filters in Feeder allow you to block specific keywords and topics. Download their app or get the web browser extension for Chrome, Firefox, or Microsoft Edge. 3. The Old Reader If you want a hybrid social media/feed reader experience, use the “Find Friends” feature to see which of your Facebook or Google connections are also active on The Old Reader, and then comment on each others’ posts. 4. Feedly Train Feedly’s AI bot “Leo” to prioritize specific keywords, trends, and topics to show you only the most relevant and interesting content. 5. FeedReader FeedReader works with other web-based RSS accounts and integrates with apps like Instapaper and Pocket. You can also share articles to Telegram or listen to podcasts within the app. 6. Newsblur NewsBlur comes with plenty of features that make organizing your information pain-free, including full-text search, story tagging, and the ability to track changes made to articles over time. You can also share stories with friends on your own public “blurblog.” 7. Inoreader Inoreader allows you to subscribe to RSS feeds, blogs, Facebook pages, Twitter searches, email newsletters, and podcasts. Set up rules, monitor keywords, and set filters to control the flow of content into your newsfeed. 8. RSS Owl RSS Owl works across all devices and platforms. It comes with all the standard features like labels, notifications, saved searches, and filters. 9. Feedbro Feedbro allows you to follow your favorite social media sites and RSS feeds. Robust options include tagging, keyboard shortcuts, partial to full article conversion, and plenty of viewing modes to suit your preferences. Make RSS Work for You Although not as popular as they once were, many internet users still find RSS feeds valuable. In this post, we explained how a number of apps and extensions make it easy to follow RSS feeds. If you want more control over the content you consume, without the interference of algorithms or the dangers of distraction that come with social media, then give some of these readers a try. Good luck. ShareTweetPinShareEmail

Have you been Googling “what is content marketing” and keep finding lightweight fluff or, worse, ultimate guides packed with so much info that reading them is like drinking through a water hose? If so, this simple, thorough primer is just what you need. How does this sound? A marketing channel that… Stands the test of time. You can do it for years without the channel going out of style or your work becoming less effective. Provides a compounding positive return on investment that improves as it ages. You put in $100, and by the end of year three, it’s made $10,000. Helps you attract, convert, and retain customers. It does triple duty without triple the work or investment. If it sounds too good to be true, I have good news. It’s not. This marketing channel exists. It’s not just for online influencers. It’s almost free to kick off and run. And you don’t have to do anything illegal to start it. It’s content marketing. What is Content Marketing? Content marketing is a strategic marketing channel that drives user and customer acquisition and retention through the consistent development and distribution of digital content. All types of businesses use content marketing, from individual consultants and solopreneurs, to large media and ecommerce companies. Back to Top Why Is Content Marketing Important? Many marketing teams new to the content marketing process will publish a few articles, track their performance for a few weeks, and then throw up their hands in frustration when Google Analytics shows that they didn’t make any sales. “We tried content marketing and it didn’t work” they’ll say, and then move onto the next channel experiment to find their golden ticket to marketing nirvana. But the truth is, they didn’t give content marketing a fair shake. Content Marketing Acts as the Engine for All Other Marketing Efforts The majority of content-driven sales won’t show up as “last touch” conversions. That’s because content marketing rarely gets the credit for the sales it has a big hand in driving. Not sure what I mean? Consider the following customer journey scenario: You’re traveling to Europe for business, and when you arrive at your destination, you need to be on your A-game, as you’re meeting a potential customer that would be career-making if you were to land their business. The problem? Between the dehydration, jet lag, bloating, and headaches, you never feel good when you fly. But because this is such an important business trip, and you know it’s extra important to stay healthy while you’re traveling, you try to find solutions on Google. You type in “healthy travel tips” and find this article with 12 strategies to stay healthy and feel better before, during, and after your flight. After reading the blog post, you continue planning your trip. The next day, you’re browsing Facebook or LinkedIn and you see an ad for a health supplement to support your body while traveling. When you click on the ad, you’re brought to the same site you visited the day before. When you go to leave the page, a form slides in offering you a 10% discount in exchange for your email. You enter your email address and then go back to browsing social media. The next day, you open your inbox and find an email with your coupon code for 10% off the drink mix. You use the coupon at checkout and feel prepared for the long flight ahead of you. Now, when the company’s marketing team reviews their metrics, your purchase will likely be attributed to email marketing. That’s because you bought the product from the follow-up email they sent you. However, without good content marketing, you never would have been retargeted on Facebook or LinkedIn with the advertisement that led you to become a subscriber to their email list. In other words: A content marketing campaign is often a customer’s first interaction with you. Back to Top What are the Benefits of Content Marketing? Of the many marketing channels available to digital marketers, content marketing is one of the channels with the widest-reaching benefits, because it enables many other channels to be more effective. A successful content marketing program will also benefit all stages of the marketing funnel. Here’s how: 1. Drives Sales Conversions As with any inbound marketing channel, the main purpose of any content marketing effort is to drive sales and conversions. Some content closer to the bottom of the marketing funnel, such as sales pages and landing pages, will drive direct conversions, but the majority of content captures users at the awareness and interest stages of the funnel, so they assist in driving sales, as mentioned in the earlier scenario. 2. Increases Website Traffic With a few exceptions, you can’t convert people who never land on your website. Experienced marketers look to content marketing to drive traffic to their websites and grow their customer base. The best part about content marketing is that the traffic a good content strategy can drive is targeted and qualified. You create valuable content that is highly relevant to your products or business, and your new visitors are seeking that content, so they’re more likely to be warmer leads. The warmer the lead, the more likely the lead will become a new customer. 3. Improves Brand Awareness Say you were to launch a new yoga gear brand from scratch. You have no traffic, no customers, and no brand awareness. Nobody knows who you are. But then, you begin publishing consistent content that’s high quality. And your ideal customers — beginner yogis and yoga enthusiasts — start to see your brand name when they’re searching for yoga content. On YouTube, the 5-Minute Morning Yoga video content you developed is popping up when they’re searching for guided yoga videos. On Google, the content you developed about the different poses, and the benefits and types of yoga begins to show up in their search results. They begin to see your brandmark on the infographic you developed that’s been shared on social media. As you create and publish more relevant content, your target audience begins seeing your brand everywhere — you build brand awareness. That’s because content marketing is extremely powerful in building brand awareness online. So powerful, a whopping 81% of survey respondents in a recent CMI report touted content marketing’s effectiveness in boosting brand awareness. In short, it works. 4. Enables Other Marketing Channels Because content marketing is effective in driving traffic and brand awareness, a solid content marketing strategy can enable and drive a return on investment for other marketing channels. For example, when you attract visitors to your website via an informative, valuable piece of engaging content, you can then capture their email address, thereby activating your email marketing strategy. If you don’t capture their email address, you may be able to retarget them with a social media marketing or PPC advertisement, driving them back to your website to convert later. 5. Acts as a Backlink Magnet Whether valid or not, backlinks are still often viewed as the holy grail of digital marketing. “If we had more backlinks, we’d be able to rank for this search term, have a better domain authority, and be more trustworthy.” “If we had more backlinks, we’d be able to attract more partners, affiliates, and influencers.” But “link building” should not be used as a verb. It’s not something you should go out and do. After all, the sites that are willing to link to your article because you reached out to them and asked them to, or in exchange for a monetary reward or reciprocal action, are probably not the type of websites you want links from. Those who write for or operate the websites that you want links from — the media sites, popular bloggers, and influencers — link to the best, most relevant content, because they don’t want to waste their audience’s attention on anything else. When you publish the best content on the internet about your topic, you’re building a backlink magnet. Backlinks will come to you. You won’t have to seek them. 6. Builds Your Email List Aside from content marketing, email marketing is the channel well known for having one of the highest return on investments available. It makes sense too. A list of people who wanted to hear from you enough to give you their email address are far more likely to convert than anybody else — besides maybe your mom. Content marketing provides ample opportunity not only to drive qualified traffic from whom to capture emails, as mentioned above, but also to incentivize visitors to subscribe to your email list. Back to Top What are the Different Types of Content Marketing? When many people think of content marketing, they think mainly of written content, such as blog posts. While this is the most widely-known content type, there are different mediums through which to deliver content, including audio, visual, written, and video. 1. Written Content Written content is the most widely known form of content, and is what you’re consuming right now as you read this guide. This includes: Blogging (articles and posts) Ebooks Whitepapers Swipe files Case studies PDFs Written content is the most popular form of content for good reason: it allows you to target relevant keywords in hopes of ranking on the first page in search results for that search term. For example, the SEO (search engine optimization) friendly Happiest Baby website, which sells products to help newborns sleep, ranks #1 for the popular search term “baby sleep schedule”: This undoubtedly brings in plenty of traffic. It’ll happen eventually, but Google’s not yet savvy enough to identify these keywords in audio or video content beyond listing data, so when you’re creating a good content strategy, written content is where most content marketers start. 2. Audio Content Most of us consume audio content regularly, in the car on our way to work, on the treadmill, or in the kitchen cooking. Examples of content in audio format include: Podcasts Audiobooks Radio shows If you’re a regular listener of podcasts, you probably feel like you know the show host somewhat personally. That’s because it’s hard not to feel friendly with somebody when you hear their voice talking about something that matters to you every day! Audio content allows you to connect with your audience more personally. Many marketers supplement their audio content with written content like a blog post or transcript to help rank for relevant keywords. 3. Video Content When you think of search engines, you probably think of Google, Bing, and Yahoo, right? But believe it or not, YouTube is one of the largest search engines in the world. Every time you watch something online, you’re consuming video content. Video content exists on: YouTube Tiktok Instagram (IGTV, Instagram Story, and feed videos) Facebook (Facebook Watch, Facebook Live) Recorded webinars Digital course sites (Skillshare, Creative Live, Lynda.com, etc.) As our friends over at Ahrefs prove, video content can be highly effective in educating, converting, and building brand awareness: 4. Visual Content Another common type of content marketing is visual. Content marketing examples of visual content include: Infographics Slide decks GIFs Memes, etc. High-quality visual content often is developed to supplement and enhance written or video content, though it can also be consumed by itself. Back to Top What is Content Marketing? A Marketing Force Multiplier Abraham Lincoln has been quoted as saying, “Give me six hours to chop down a tree, and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.” Applied to marketing, high-quality content marketing is like sharpening your axe. It makes all of your other marketing more effective. It’s sustainable, strategic, and provides long-term growth. It provides an unreal return on investment. And it’s completely organic. It’s one of the only marketing channels you don’t have to “pay to play.” Bottom line? If you’re ready to increase your traffic, improve your brand awareness, grow your email list, and make more sales; you should start building a great content marketing strategy today. 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Building strong client relationships isn’t rocket science. In fact, cultivating a strong relationship with any client boils down to just two things: Good communication; Offering lots — and I mean lots — of value with the aim of improving your client’s experience. Of course, it’s easier said than done. That’s why we’ve put together this handy guide. In it, you’ll learn how to: Set clear expectations from the get-go Position yourself as a strategic partner Build trust from the start Always meet your deadlines Impress your client with results Make the entire working process smooth Ask for repeat work Ready to learn more about building successful business relationships and landing repeat work? Let’s jump in. 1. Set Expectations from the Outset Understanding your clients’ expectations from the very beginning puts you in a better position to fulfill their requirements than if you were trying to serve them based only on guesswork. Adrienne Barnes, a SaaS Consultant and Content Marketer who has worked with her longest client for over a year, is of the same view. Barnes shares: “One of the most important things that I do to create a better experience for my clients is to very clearly communicate my expectations and truly understand their expectations. I ask a lot of questions early on, and I make zero assumptions.” Talk about building a great client relationship! Here’s what you can do to dig into your client’s expectations and build a positive relationship based on what you learn: Jump On a Call With Your Client Sometimes, email communications can help you learn your clients’ expectations. However, nothing beats the effectiveness of a good ol’ phone call for building rapport and getting to know the other person — their business goals, challenges, and so much more. And if a face-to-face client communication is needed, Zoom is a great (and free) option. Settle On a brief This 2-3-page document bears all the important details of a project. It’s the foundation of any smooth sailing project. The information included in a brief clarifies what both parties expect — getting them on the same page and minimizing the odds of unfulfilled expectations. If your client doesn’t already have a brief or it doesn’t answer all your questions, share your brief template or send over the remaining questions before you get to work. Ask Lots of Questions As a rookie small business owner, it can be daunting to question new clients. I’ve been there myself. But, my feelings on this changed when I realized that asking clients good questions reflects your interest in the job at hand. Asking the right questions also shows you know the ins and outs of your job well. Explain Your Working Process This helps set expectations for each phase of the project. Your client learns what they’re investing in and how you’re going to be working. How you work is a burning question that most clients have, so they tend to inquire about it themselves. If they don’t, take the initiative and share how you work, the steps involved, and how it has all played out with past clients. Alternatively, you can outline your working process on your site like Barnes does: Source: ANB SaaS Consulting Back to Top 2. Position Yourself as a Strategic Partner Think about this for a second: Would you like to work with someone with whom you have a purely transactional business relationship? Or, would you rather work with someone who wants to help you succeed by offering the most value to you? It’s the latter, isn’t it? New clients and old ones alike appreciate the extra value that you offer. Here’s a simple example: As a freelance writer, my job is to write research-backed content. However, in several cases, I go the extra step and share what I’ve written with my audience. By doing so, I help promote my clients’ content. Source: Twitter For B2B SaaS writer, Kat Ambrose, building positive client relationships is based on the same. She shares: “The moment I realized that I needed to be more than just someone who could write blog posts for my clients was the moment I started seeing a difference in retaining them.” So how can you position yourself as a strategic business partner? Here are some helpful tips: Research Your Client Before you get back to your potential customers’ queries, take a few minutes to research them. Even just a quick Google search helps! If you find the prospect is a good fit for your business, dig deeper. Go through their website thoroughly. Don’t forget to check their LinkedIn, Facebook, and other social media accounts to understand their goals. All this research will prove handy in understanding what the potential client’s goals are and how you can go above and beyond to help reach them. Give Free Advice The idea is to increase the value you provide to improve your client’s experience with you. For instance, Ambrose shares that she: “Offers[s] guidance based on my experience and knowledge of the industry, tell clients what they *actually need* instead of what they think they need, and be a sounding board for ideas especially in the early stages of a project. That initial collaboration sets the tone.” Monfa C. ex-freelance designer did the same and ended up working with his client, Visme, a DIY infographic-making software, full time. Monfa explains: “In my case, I always try to maintain the same level of professionalism, accessibility and emotion with all clients, but there are clients who excel at making you feel comfortable. With these clients you feel the need to offer more than what is asked of you.” The folks over at Visme made Monfa feel comfortable and maintained good communication from their side as they worked on design projects together. Consequently, Monfa adds: “I looked for a way to give him [his client] confidence, fulfilling and improving my delivery times. Sharing ideas even when they were not requested of me and maintaining clear communication and organization in my work.” Back to Top 3. Build Trust from Before the Prospect Knocks on Your Door As in any other lasting relationship, a solid business relationship stands on trust. When prospects know you as someone reliable and authoritative in the industry, they’re more open to the idea of striking a long-term relationship with you. But you can’t build trust overnight. Instead, it’s a slow process to become your potential client’s trusted advisor, guiding them through each stage of their journey until they decide to work with you. Put on your client relationship management hat and get to work by taking these steps: Build Yourself as an Authority in Your Field Start with building a relevant writing portfolio and a trusty website that’s easy to navigate, clearly explains what you do, shares your bio, and answers questions that prospects may have in their mind. Want some more ways to gain your visitors’ trust? Share client testimonials, businesses you’ve worked with in the past, results you’ve achieved for them, and case studies. Share social proof with your clients. Next, go on to offer freebies (such as an eBook) or share valuable content on your website and/or social media to build authority. Get Back to Your Potential Customers Right Away Respond to queries as soon as you can. You can also set an estimated response time on your website to set expectations. Lastly, build trust by sharing how you’ve helped other clients with whom you did similar projects for and the results you achieved. Gain Your Clients’ Trust Further as You Work Together Keep your client looped throughout the process by sharing project updates weekly. This destresses your client as they don’t have to worry about how things are going. Back to Top 4. Always Meet Your Deadlines By meeting deadlines, you tell your client you value their time, which improves their experience working with you. Unfortunately, freelancers and other service-based business owners have developed a bad reputation when it comes to deadlines. On the bright side, this leaves you with a long hanging opportunity to impress your clients and further your business relationship. In fact, B2B Freelance Writer for SaaS, Elise Dopson, shares delivering work before the deadline as her “best tip for improving a client’s experience.” She explains: “I usually set my own deadlines once a client comes to me with a brief — usually within 5-7 working days. However, I try to deliver the draft at least one day before the deadline I’ve said. It doesn’t sound like much, but it surprises them and sets me apart.” Some steps you can take to honor deadlines: Use a Project Management Software to Map Out All Your Work When you have a visual understanding of all your client work — what’s due, what’s in progress, and what’s delivered — you’ll be able to follow through with your schedule. The following four project management tools can help you keep an eye on your ongoing projects: Trello: Gives you ten free, Kanban-style boards that you can use to manage your work. On my main Trello work board, I have the following four columns: To-do, In progress, Review/Edits required, Done. Notion: This one’s completely free for personal use. You can create Kanban boards as well as task lists, and jot down project notes. Todoist: While I use Trello to track each project’s progress, I use Todoist as my daily to-do list app so I have a clear idea of what I’ve to work on each day. HubSpot CRM: Depending on the size of your team, a versatile CRM (customer relationship manager) tool like HubSpot’s free option could come in very handy. Only Take On Work that You Can Deliver On Time Remember that retaining existing clients is far less expensive than getting new business. And, no, I’m not the only one saying so. 70% of businesses say it’s more cost-effective to retain customers than acquire new ones. So, prioritize completing pending projects within their due dates instead of working on landing more work than you can handle. Give Yourself Fake Deadlines This one’s my favorite way to reach my deadlines. If a content piece is due on the 20th of the month, I’ll add 15th to my calendar. This way, even if I’m unable to finish all the work, I still have time to deliver the project on time. Back to Top 5. Impress Clients with Results Not only will delivering the results you promised enhance the client experience, but it also boosts the likelihood of them turning into repeat customers. For example, as a freelance writer, I take the time to understand clients’ brand voice and formatting style closely, which means they get an end product that doesn’t require extra edits. Here are some ways you can achieve results for your clients: Set Up Results Tracking Metrics This one’s a hat tip to Michael Kennan, another SaaS writer and content refreshing expert. Kennan explains: “You want to know exactly how many leads, conversions, sign-ups, or traffic your articles are getting month over month. Build a case for how you contribute to the company’s business objectives. If your articles perform well, it’s an easy up sell to get more, higher-priced work than just sending articles into the void without any check-up.” Keep the Results You Want to Achieve in Mind This way, you have the results you want to achieve on the top of your mind. But, instead of writing elaborate paragraphs of what you want to accomplish, summarize your goal in two lines and keep it front and center. Back to Top 6. Make the Entire Work Process Smooth Building relationships boils down to giving your client’s a smooth experience. All the tips I’ve shared so far have this idea at their heart. When everything is effortless and straightforward for your clients, their experience working with you is A1, making you their go-to person for more work. So, in addition to sticking to the tips above, consider taking these steps too: Make it Easy for Clients to Work With You This extends to both before potential customers reach you and once they’re working with you. For the former, make it easy to contact you. How? By sharing your contact info clearly on your website. And, make sure you make contacting you an easy decision. Share one email address instead of making them think about which one to use in case of multiple addresses. As for the latter, be communicative. You already know that you should keep your client updated. Other than that, complete any edits requested with 1-2 business days, 3 at most. If your schedule is packed and you can’t get back with the edits any sooner, specify the time you’ll take to do so. Have a Clear Process for Onboarding Clients Have a checklist of questions you need to ask so you can ask them in one go. For instance, I ask some of these questions each time I work with a new client: “What exactly do you need my help with?” (This will help you better understand the client’s needs.) “Who will be my point of contact for the project?” “How in-depth is the brief (or do you need me to make one)?” “What turnaround time do you’ve in mind for this work?” “Are there any specific payment terms you have in place?” “How do you prefer making payments?” Also, know the raw material that you’d require, so you can request it all at once instead of getting your client to exchange tons of emails. Communicate Clearly This means you need to write no-fluff emails that instantly get to the point. Remember: your clients are pressed for time, so make things mindless for them. Have a question you forgot to ask? Get straight to it in your email. Have a few things to ask or bring to their attention? Use bullet points to share them in your email. This makes your message easy to read and, therefore, easy to respond to for your client. Lastly, if you find yourself writing a page-long email, consider creating an audio explainer or Loom video. Back to Top 7. Ask for Repeat Work If you’ve done everything right, there’s no shame in asking for repeat work. I like to ask my clients how their experience was or if they liked the work to see how they felt. Often, I also go on to ask them if there’s something that I could have done better. In several instances, clients will themselves ask you to work long-term with them. Michelle Garrett, PR Consultant and Writer, says: “Once they see that they can trust you and that you deliver quality work, they may ask you to take on additional tasks.” So, how do you ask for repeat business? Ask How the Client’s Working Experience Was (and If You Could Help them More) Garrett suggests you ask: “’Is there anything else I could be helping you with?” or suggest something. For example: ‘I’m writing blog posts for you now, but would it be helpful if I also wrote social media posts?’” You can also try: “I’m planning my work schedule for next month, should I save a spot for you?” or “It was a pleasure working with you. Would you be interested in working together further?” Follow-Up with Clients After a Few Months A good retention program doesn’t need to be complicated. Setting up a simple calendar reminder that tells you to check in with your client and ask if you could help them with more work will do the trick. Back to Top Start Building Strong Client Relationships Right Away There you have it! You’re now armed with tips to build good client relationships — ones that can win you repeat work or even referrals. Admittedly, in the beginning, putting all this work into relationship-building can feel overwhelming. But remember: lasting client relationships can take you from rags to riches. Simply focus on giving your clients a smooth experience and you’re all set. To recap: start building trust, take the time to understand and set client expectations, and make working with you smooth sailing. Don’t forget to meet your deadlines. And, most importantly, never be afraid of asking for repeat work. So what are you waiting for? Go build new relationships. Here’s to your list of happy clients. ShareTweetPinShareEmail