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"STRIPS, QUIPS, CLIPS and TIPS": 4 Ways to Transform Your BUSINESS BLOG Into a Readership Magnet!
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So you’ve got a business blog or you’re thinking of starting one. There’s only one small problem. So do several million other businesspeople and businesses. And each and every one of those competitors is blogging for the next open job, project, contract, customer or client. In order to sell the commodities (goods and services) which you provide, you MUST set yourself apart in blogging, the 21st Century’s ultimate business tool!
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Yes, the world of business blogging has truly become an epic, dog-eat-dog, cut-throat battle for success and supremacy.
But keep your chin up: there is good news too! A vast majority of the business blogs you’ll find out there are black, mono-font-print on white background. They contain no photos, images, diagrams, graphics, video, color or, for that matter, life.
Though they might offer great, timely, relevant information, they can come across as bland. Dull. BORING! Not exactly good for Marketing and Advertising purposes when your goal is to demonstrate to prospects how dynamic and exciting you can be!
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Here are Four "…ips" (Strips, Quips, Clips & Tips)… to inject some life into your blog and help it and your great content stand out from the crowd! Think of them, if you need an analogy, as condiments to be added to your "Blog-Burger":
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…some mustard, mayo, ketchup or pickles, perhaps:
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STRIPS:
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I’ve written much on the value of adding pictures and graphics as a means of injecting life and a visual component into a business blog. Yes, you can find photos, drawings, infographics, and charts for use on the Internet. Just make sure that you credit the owner or the holder of the copy-write.
So how about adding a cartoon strip? They are eye-catching. They can very often be witty and humorous. They bring insight. And best of all: no matter the topic of your blog post, you can quite easily find one which corresponds with the subject you are writing about. There’s Dilbert and Peanuts, The Far Side and Calvin and Hobbes, and great sites like cartoonstock.com which offer free downloadable strips.
Give it a try!
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QUIPS:
For the purpose of blog articles, let’s think of quips as "quotes." Yes, those golden tidbits of written wisdom which have transcended the ages! Those gems of knowledge, advice and intuition.
I have used a single quote on many occasions to build an entire article around. Yup, five to ten to twenty words from a master of thought can be used as the catalyst and building-block for your next article.
Writing about greed? There’s one for you. Business? No problem. Motivation? You’ll find scores! From Maimonides to Plato, from Confucious to John Steinbeck, Einstein to AC-DC, from Emily Dickinson to Donald Trump…there are literally tens-of-thousands at your fingertips!
The best places to find quotes? Give Quote Garden, and ThinkExist a try. Their databases are filled to overflowing!
Find a great quote with business implications:
"Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
There you go…you’ve got a GREAT business article in the making!
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CLIPS:
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A short video clip which is related to the subject-matter of your blog post is an IDEAL way to spice things up!
"Oh great," you say…"it’s ideal for people who can create video clips!" Yes. Perhaps it is, though I wouldn’t know. I can no more create a video than I can text on a cell-phone. I’m a technological idiot! But take solace: Sites like YouTube, Daily Motion and Google Videos have millions to choose from. For any subject you choose to blog about you will have no trouble at all finding one which relates to your topic of choice. Simply copy the HTML "embed" code and insert it into your article!
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TIPS:
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It is, far and away, the number-one, numero-uno way to gain blog readership…offering insight, wisdom and acumen to your readers — all in the "how-to" format of dispensing useful tips and advice.
It establishes reputation and credibility, gives you thought-leader status and makes you the "go-to" person for people who are seeking to acquire knowledge. The goal? Impress your readers enough with your knowledge and "know-how" and perhaps they will turn to you as a paying customer or client. Take my word, IT WORKS!
But wait! Don’t get carried away. Don’t spill all of the beans. Too often I see people offering all the pieces to the puzzle. By doing this, you create a "How-To" manual for your readers. You teach them how to do it all by themselves. And you shoot yourself in the foot by negating the need for them to hire you. The key? Offer snippets and tidbits of advice!
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Dear Reader, As always, thanks for stopping by! I hope that you have found the contents of this original article to be useful, educational, or, in some way helpful. If so, perhaps you might consider giving it a "RE-TWEET!"
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Looking for a writer 
yo*****@******************ip.com
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Yonatan Maisel is a business blogger, history buff and author.
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If you’re looking for a "lap-dog," look elsewhere; if you’re looking for a writer who will "kick ass and take names," he might be for you!
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Yoni started a business blog one year ago. 90% of his new clients now find their way to him as a direct result of having read one or more posts. He is a regular contributor here at www.jobshuk.com.
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Image Credits: Magnet: totalwealthcoaching.com; Comic Strip: 3.bp; Quotation Marks: anitarachman.com; Movie Theatre: calgary.cityguide.ca; "Helpful Tips": jeanoram.com; Gold Star: cs.uwaterloo.ca