Category Archives: Communications

How to write an email for a guest blogging proposal?

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How to write a guest blogging proposal email

How to write a guest blogging proposal email?

A typical guest blogging request email reads like this:

Hello and greetings!

I’m a great fan of your blog. Your posts are wonderful and highly useful. Do you accept guest blog posts? Then I would like to contribute. Here are some suggested topics:

At the first glance, there seems to be nothing wrong with this message. That is, if you get such messages once or twice a month and you are eagerly looking for people to write guest blog posts.

But, if you get such requests regularly, it often becomes difficult to reply to messages that have not been specifically written for you. I will explain what happens.

On and average I receive 3-4 messages offering to write guest blog posts for my blog that is, I won’t say very popular, nonetheless, decently popular.

A majority of the messages are not personal. I can immediately make out that they have sent out a mass email without even going through my blog. I normally don’t reply to such messages unless there is a compelling reason.

On the other hand, there are certain messages that are quite direct and targeted. Take for example a message like this:

Hello Amrit

While doing research for a blog that I’m working on I came across your link {the link is mentioned} and I was thinking of writing something that can add value to your blog. If you’re open to the idea, I can send you some topics.

Here are some links to give you an idea of how I write:

{links are mentioned}

Best,

Such a message shows that the person has actually gone through my blog, and even if not the blog, then at least the link he or she is talking about. He or she has got a basic idea of what sort of content I publish.;;;

Obviously, I reply to such messages.

How to write an email when you’re offering to write a guest blog post?

Make it personal. Begin with the name, something like “Hello Amrit”.

Quickly go through a few blog posts on the blog to get an idea of what type of content is published on the blog and how you can add value with your guest blog post.

Then mention it in the email that you have gone through a few blog posts and you have gotten the hang of what sort of content is accepted and published. Accordingly, make some suggestions.

Keep your email conversational. Don’t try to impress because a successful blog publisher receives anywhere between 10-20 (even more) guest blogging proposals. There may be plenty of people trying to impress. Just be original. Just be yourself.

Make sure the topic suggestions that you have made are in sync with the content being published on the blog.

For example, my blog is about content writing, copywriting and sometimes, content marketing & SEO. These are the topics I’m interested in. Not how to sell real estate in Tokyo.

Of course, if you can write on a topic like “How to promote your real estate business in Tokyo through strategic content writing”, this is quite acceptable.

In the case of my blog, one of the main topics (content writing, copywriting, content marketing, and SEO writing) must be there in your guest blog post idea.

Don’t blast off a template message to multiple blog publishers. It is immediately clear that you haven’t even visited the blog you are proposing to write a guest blog for.

How to keep your emails personal yet professional?

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Every email marketing guru advises you to keep your emails personal.

What does being personal mean?

Here is a list to keep in mind:

  • Use your name for the “From:” field.
  • Know the name of the person and start with “Dear name” or “Hello name”.
  • Use a conversational style – write in a manner you would talk to someone sitting across the table.
  • Be specific in the message; this way the person knows that you’re specifically talking to him or her.
  • Mention something familiar (but not intimate).
  • Introduce yourself in the first line without sounding salesy.
  • Inform the person why you are writing.
  • If possible, inform the person why you are writing to him or her, especially.
  • Avoid using long sentences.
  • If it is a compound or complex sentence, keep just one sentence in a paragraph.
  • You can have 2-3 simple sentences in a paragraph.
  • Be genuine and come to the point as fast as possible.
  • Remember that your language represents your business, and more importantly, you.

How to keep your email message professional at the same time?

There is no need to do something extra. Professional writing doesn’t mean writing highfalutin sentences or injecting jargon in every expression.

Being professional simply means sticking to the business. No need to bring up intimate knowledge even if you possess it.

Be culturally sensitive. Remain as gender neutral as possible. Don’t use words and expressions that you wouldn’t use when talking to your child or someone you care for.

What is conversation marketing?

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Conversation marketing

Although the meaning of the term “conversation marketing” is self evident there is lots of confusion regarding what it actually means and what are its benefits. You must be wondering why I am talking about a marketing concept on a content writing blog. Content writing is basically a form of marketing:you communicate your marketing message to your readers so that they do business with you. In the same vein conversation marketing encompasses communication both ways; it is an exchange of ideas in real time. You are not only marketing your message you are also aptly listening to your customers and clients.

But listening and communication doesn’t just happen. Why would anybody be interested in knowing what you have to offer or in communicating what you want to know? To know people better and to make them know you better you have to strike up conversations. Interesting, direct conversations that make people think constructively. When they talk about ideas seeded by you it becomes easier for them to remember you and associate you with the service or product you provide.

These days I am closely observing companies and organizations indulging in conversation marketing through their social media and networking profiles. There are many few who get the hang of it. Most of them simply want to accumulate hundreds of thousands of followers and friends and dump their marketing messages upon them as if they are carrying out the usual advertising campaigns using traditional media channels. What is the use of broadcasting your message to those who don’t want to listen to you or have no idea what you’re saying?

They don’t realize that more than marketing they have to initiate conversations. The marketers call this the conversation age due to a plethora of social networking tools available on the Internet and almost everybody using them. You throw a stone and it will probably hit somebody having a Facebook or a Twitter account. It shows people are desperate to have conversations among their friends and new people to stumble upon on these websites. Okay, let us not use the negative word “desperate” but everybody wants to converse with everybody else. May it be common folks or celebrities everybody is talking to everybody.

Amidst all this talking you rise like an uninvited Sphinx and start blaring out your marketing message urging people to do business with you. Nobody cares. It’s not that people don’t want to buy but when they are interacting among their friends, relatives and the loved ones they don’t want somebody to butt in and make offers. It puts people off.

Conversation marketing helps you get over this psychological hurdle. Become familiar to your prospective customers and clients by striking up conversations with them. You need to be a part of the crowd, while standing out at the same time. You have to be interesting and useful. If you’re simply there to spout your marketing messages nobody is going to follow you unless you are targeting the MLM industry.

When both the sides talk you develop a rapport. People don’t take you as an irritating marketing person when you talk to them about their day-to-day concerns. Of course if you are a bigger company talking about mundane things may not be possible all the time and in this case it is better to stick to your brand but here too you can be interesting. Share interesting stuff about your business. Ask people how they prefer to use your product and so far what has been their experience. Be prompt in replying because people very soon lose the thread due to scores of other ongoing conversations.

The basic idea behind conversation marketing is to familiarize people with your presence without bothering them with too much marketing speak. It is a great opportunity in fact. If you are an adept conversationalist you can quickly develop a following and people begin to pay close attention to what you say and how you respond. The actual benefit manifests when people begin to talk about your product or service among themselves even without your presence. This is the actual essence of conversation marketing — people begin to converse about you or your business and preferably in a positive manner. I will talk more about this in my future posts

While writing content focus on the why part

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“Why” is a very important part of your content writing and copywriting process because very often this is the first expression that crops up in your visitor’s mind as soon as you tell him or her to buy your product or service. When you focus on “why” you highlight the tangible benefits of your product or service and not superficial features.

Many of my clients, when they send their briefs for me to go through, they get so much embroiled with terminologies and rhetorical claims that sometimes I am not even able to make out exactly what they intend to offer to their customers or clients. This can be a big business killer. When you are not even able to tell your customers or clients what you’re selling how are you going to sell it? The end user is least interested in going through the nitty-gritty of your technology, he or she simply wants something that enables him or her do better in life and in business.

That is why in the page title and the first paragraph I focus on the problem and the solution my client’s business offers. It is not necessary to ponder over the name of the business or where it comes from or what a great team it has. I concentrate on, “Is this the problem you have? This is how we can solve it.” This is the “why” part.

This is the sure shot way of grabbing your visitor’s attention. Assuming that when people arrived at your website they are not fooling around and are looking for a solution it pays to straightaway come to the point and address the problem. If I am looking for an e-book reader I immediately want to know whether you have the one I’m looking for or not.