Article Marketing Success: Inspiring Your Readers To Do Something!
In the same way that a can of paint can't transform a room until the paint is actually applied to the wall, so knowledge in itself is not helpful, unless we put the information to work in our everyday lives.
I'm sure you've been to seminars or have taken classes where you came out with a notebook full of information, but when you got back home or back to your office, the notebook was put on a shelf for a rainy day.
We all do this--it's the human tendency to resist change. Unless we have some specific instructions for making changes in our lives we're likely to just keep on doing the same thing.
What does this have to do with doing article submissions? The articles that you are writing serve the purpose of providing solutions to problems that people have. They also serve the purpose of teaching your readers how to do things that will improve their lives in some way.
You may have thought that providing the information was good enough--the next logical step would be to take the information and put it into practice, right?
That seems logical enough, but knowing what we do about human behavior and our need to have the first step in place before walking down a new path, you can create your articles in such a way that you actually inspire your readers to do something as a result of reading your article.
Here are some article marketing tips that will help your readers to put the information you provide into action:
1 - Teach your readers to do something practical.
The value of your article starts with your topic--are you writing about something that your readers will benefit from?
Does your article address a problem that your readers have, giving practical tips for addressing the problem?
You'll need to put yourself in your readers' shoes and try to empathize with readers at different levels of experience. Beginners have problems that veterans of your niche don't have, and vice versa.
When deciding on an article topic, think in terms of "How To" articles. Articles that teach readers how to do something will automatically be practical and be most likely to inspire your readers to take action.
The article should clearly state the steps for doing the thing you're teaching, and ideally the steps will be indicated by a number. Putting the steps or tips into a numbered list is a great way to engage your reader. When we're trying to learn how to do something, we process 1-2-3 type instructions best.
2 - Provide "Action Steps" at the end of your article.
After giving your practical tips or steps for solving a problem or teaching how to do something, go the extra mile and tell the reader exactly what to do with the information in the article. You can put this application part of your article at the end in the form of "Action Steps" or "Homework" for your reader.
Be very specific in the steps, and keep them brief and doable. If you make your action steps too hard, then readers will be less likely to do them. Start small. List anywhere from one to three "next steps" for your readers to do or choose from.
Another great tactic is to ask questions that get the reader thinking about what he or she will do as a result of reading your article. These questions should require some thinking and not be of the "yes" or "no" variety. For example, you could ask:
"Which of these tips will you put into place this week?" Or "What is standing in the way of you taking the next step? What can you do to remove that obstacle so that you can move forward?"
These types of questions get the reader thinking about their next step and how to move forward.
3 - Write a concluding paragraph that sums up the main points of the article and what the reader should do next.
You could also write a concluding paragraph that summarizes what the article taught. You can offer encouragement for putting the steps you've just taught into place. I would still recommend either telling the reader exactly what the next step is or asking a question that makes the reader make a decision about what he will do with the information in the article and when.
Your Homework:
*Make your next article a "How To" article.
*Select a topic that solves a practical problem that your readers have.
*Include an "Action Steps" or "Homework" section at the conclusion of your article.
I'm sure you've been to seminars or have taken classes where you came out with a notebook full of information, but when you got back home or back to your office, the notebook was put on a shelf for a rainy day.
We all do this--it's the human tendency to resist change. Unless we have some specific instructions for making changes in our lives we're likely to just keep on doing the same thing.
What does this have to do with doing article submissions? The articles that you are writing serve the purpose of providing solutions to problems that people have. They also serve the purpose of teaching your readers how to do things that will improve their lives in some way.
You may have thought that providing the information was good enough--the next logical step would be to take the information and put it into practice, right?
That seems logical enough, but knowing what we do about human behavior and our need to have the first step in place before walking down a new path, you can create your articles in such a way that you actually inspire your readers to do something as a result of reading your article.
Here are some article marketing tips that will help your readers to put the information you provide into action:
1 - Teach your readers to do something practical.
The value of your article starts with your topic--are you writing about something that your readers will benefit from?
Does your article address a problem that your readers have, giving practical tips for addressing the problem?
You'll need to put yourself in your readers' shoes and try to empathize with readers at different levels of experience. Beginners have problems that veterans of your niche don't have, and vice versa.
When deciding on an article topic, think in terms of "How To" articles. Articles that teach readers how to do something will automatically be practical and be most likely to inspire your readers to take action.
The article should clearly state the steps for doing the thing you're teaching, and ideally the steps will be indicated by a number. Putting the steps or tips into a numbered list is a great way to engage your reader. When we're trying to learn how to do something, we process 1-2-3 type instructions best.
2 - Provide "Action Steps" at the end of your article.
After giving your practical tips or steps for solving a problem or teaching how to do something, go the extra mile and tell the reader exactly what to do with the information in the article. You can put this application part of your article at the end in the form of "Action Steps" or "Homework" for your reader.
Be very specific in the steps, and keep them brief and doable. If you make your action steps too hard, then readers will be less likely to do them. Start small. List anywhere from one to three "next steps" for your readers to do or choose from.
Another great tactic is to ask questions that get the reader thinking about what he or she will do as a result of reading your article. These questions should require some thinking and not be of the "yes" or "no" variety. For example, you could ask:
"Which of these tips will you put into place this week?" Or "What is standing in the way of you taking the next step? What can you do to remove that obstacle so that you can move forward?"
These types of questions get the reader thinking about their next step and how to move forward.
3 - Write a concluding paragraph that sums up the main points of the article and what the reader should do next.
You could also write a concluding paragraph that summarizes what the article taught. You can offer encouragement for putting the steps you've just taught into place. I would still recommend either telling the reader exactly what the next step is or asking a question that makes the reader make a decision about what he will do with the information in the article and when.
Your Homework:
*Make your next article a "How To" article.
*Select a topic that solves a practical problem that your readers have.
*Include an "Action Steps" or "Homework" section at the conclusion of your article.