Although there are many types of articles you can write to help
you promote your business, i.e. features, interviews, etc. I'm
going to teach you how to write the two easiest forms of
articles that will help you get the sale.
1. Types of Articles
a. Lists
List articles are easy to write because all you have to do is
write down several related items, which becomes your basic
outline, and then write several sentences to explain each short
topic more fully.
An example of this would be an upcoming article I will be
writing called "4 Secrets of the Super Affiliates". In this
article I will tell you the four things that affiliates do to
make more money from their affiliate programs. Under each topic,
I will explain how you can use this item to make more sales from
your affiliate business.
b. How To/Directions In a how to article, you would show your
reader how to do something. This is especially good if you have
a physical rather than a digital product.
A friend of mine, Mac, sells all types of metal polishes. An
excellent way for him to write an article about one of his
products would be to explain the best way to use the product.
For example, using a soft lint free cloth will give this result,
while a towel will do this.
2. Article Writing Tips
These tips will work regardless of which type of article you
plan to write.
First, make your list of items. If you are writing the how
to/directions article, write it in steps and make sure you
include all of the steps. Test your steps if you have to, to
make sure they work.
Create a title. It could be "4 Ways to...", "How to make..."
etc. Eliminate any items that don't belong.
Type your title and list leaving space for you to flush out your
article. Write several sentences explaining each item. A good
length for any article is about 500 to 750 words. You don't want
to make it too short, but if it is too long, your reader won't
take the time to read it.
If your article includes items you will need, make sure you
include a list at the top of your article, including
measurements, etc.
As Ernest Hemingway would say, use short words, short sentences,
and short paragraphs. This is especially important online
because readers read about 25 per cent slower.
3. Article Submission
Once you've written your article, you want to submit it for
publication.
There are two ways you can do this.
First, you can search for ezines related to your topic. Write
the editor a personal email explaining what your article is
about. I would also recommend that you paste the article into
the body of the email message, as most people are hesitant to
open an attachment they haven't asked for.
Second, you can submit your articles to article directories.
Here are five that I would recommend. There are many more, but
it is up to you to decide where you want to submit your articles.
http://www.marketing-seek.com/ http://www.makingprofit.com/
http://www.ideamarketers.com/ http://www.ezinearticles.com/
http://www.goarticles.com/
4. Some final tips
When you submit your article, don't forget to include your
resource box.
Your resource box is no more than 65 characters wide and no more
than 6 lines deep. It is similar to a signature file, but it
also includes information about you, the author of the article.
Here is an example of the one I will use to submit this article:
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ Jinger Jarrett is
the author of the ebook "10 Ways to Promote Your Business For
Free". You can download your own copy for free by clicking here:
http://www.smallbusinesshowto.com/newsletter.html
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
You also want to make sure you include the copyright information
on your article and a word count. This should go at the top of
the article, below the title, or you can put it after the
resource box at the end.
For example:
© By Jinger Jarrett 2003. You have my permission to reprint this
article in your newsletter or on your web site provided you
leave the resource box intact.
Word count: 750
Finally, before you post your articles, or send an editor an
email, read the guidelines on their sites. This is time
consuming, but you only have to do it once, and you have a
better chance of getting your article published.
Target your market with razor like precision, and you'll get
your article published. You'll establish credibility as an
author/business person, and this will increase your sales
because your customers will see you as an expert.
About the author:
Jinger Jarrett is the author of "10 Ways to Promote Your
Business for Free", and the free ecourse, "How to Really Start
Your Business in 30 Days." Get your free copy of her ebook by
subscribing to her newsletter. Send a blank email to
SBS@parabots.com or SBSecourse@parabots.com to get the ecourse.
