Offline Customers: Do You Build Relationships With Non-Bloggers?
Last week, I offered a few ideas on how you can make commenting a little easier for your non-blogging reader and asked whether you make room for non-bloggers to comment? Having a lively, inclusive conversation with all of your readers- whether blogger or not- is a goal that many of you are working towards.
To recap briefly, I suggested that your blog comments section can be made more user-friendly by including guidance that describes what 'Having your say' is all about. I also mentioned that welcoming a non-blogger's first ever comment with an acknowledgment email is likely to encourage them to come back again. Finally, if you offer a little coaching on what makes an 'ideal' comment, you can draw in the offline customer and encourage them to become fully involved in your community.
I was delighted to read in your own comments that so many of you are passionate about building vibrant communities. It was great to hear from those of you who recalled your perspectives as non-bloggers. After all, even the most seasoned blogger was once a fresh-faced non-blogger!
If you intend to connect with offline customers as part of your blog's strategy, it is useful to research what this target audience is looking for. For example, what are their specific needs and how can your blog satisfy them? What questions might the non-blogger have and how can your online offering answer them?
While one-off visits are fine, the ultimate aim is to build an ongoing relationship with the non-blogging reader.
Today, I'm going to consider what the offline customer is likely to be searching for in a worthwhile relationship with you. I'm also keen to learn of the kind of things you, as bloggers, hope to gain from these mutually beneficial interactions. It would be great to hear from you in the comments section below.
What Benefits Are Important To Non-Bloggers?
By spending some time working out what your ideal non-blogging audience wants, you will be in a much better position to first attract- then win over- this target reader. Alternatively, you may come to the equally valid conclusion that your content is not suited to this demographic. Of course, deciding this sooner rather than later will save you from investing resources without any decent return.
The following five basic questions will help you to focus in on what benefits the offline customer is likely hoping to gain from your blog. In any relationship, however, knowing what you both hope to achieve is the first step to building a mutually beneficial interaction. Anything less than a two-way engagement is likely not going to end up in long-term satisfaction for either of you.
Do you offer the non-blogger quality content?
The most basic need for someone looking for valuable information online is that it provides first class answers to their questions. With the sheer volume and variety of pages on the internet, it is inevitable that a large proportion of these will be sub-standard and unlikely to satisfy. By ensuring that what you offer always seeks to be well researched, informative, and reliable, those non-bloggers being inundated with places promising to give them what they require, will recognize the obvious value in what you are providing.
Do you supply the non-blogger with a fresh source of information?
The internet is awash with second rate, cloned articles and boring posts which offer no new points of view. It is not enough these days to simply repeat and copy the opinions of others. The quality conscious non-blogger is really desperate for some original thinking around those topics which interest them. If you can be the blogger who speaks to them in an original voice, you will definitely stand out in the crowded blogosphere by regularly giving innovative articles which offer consistent value over time.
Do you create an attractive place for the non-blogger to visit?
I've mentioned previously how important it is to have a well designed, easily navigated, and user friendly website. Should your online offering have features which are difficult to understand and negotiate around, there is a risk that the non-blogger with little prior knowledge of blogs will be confused enough to just click away and continue on to somewhere else more sensitive to their lack of expertise.
Do you build a welcoming community for the non-blogger?
As you've probably realized by now, I personally believe that a vibrant comments section and lively readership are two of the main factors which distinguish a blog from any other type of media. It is a very powerful benefit to the offline customer if you can demonstrate that it is possible for them to play an active role in shaping the content they are reading. Non-bloggers are excited at the potential offered by blogs- if the blogger takes the time to point out the advantages and helps to make their participation easier.
Do you encourage the non-blogger to return?
A one-time only customer is never ideal for an ongoing, profitable business. Whatever you might be offering online- be it information, products or services- the perfect scenario is to create such a positive buzz that the first-time visitor returns again and again. A good way to do this is to promote upcoming content and special features you are planning to run on your blog. Having a series of articles, for example, is a perfect way to stimulate the interest of someone and get them to come back. No one can resist the benefit of a promise of good things to come!
The above questions can help you begin to assess what it is that the offline customer hopes to gain by embarking upon a relationship with you. If you are, in turn, able to provide these benefits, your blog will become a much desired destination for repeat visits. Along with this, if you decide your own aims for connecting with the non-blogger and can communicate these effectively, your first meeting will most probably be the beginning of a worthwhile engagement for you both.
If you're a blogger, leave a comment to let me know what you would like to achieve from a mutually beneficial relationship with a non-blogger? What do you believe to be important considerations as you seek to build these two way interactions?
If you're a non-blogger, tell them what you are actually looking for in a long-term relationship with their blog.
Last week: Week 9: Offline Customers: Do You Make Room for Non-Blogger's to Comment?
See the entire Blogging for the Non-Blogging Customer Series on the Successful Series Page.
Offline Customers: Do You Make Room for Non-Bloggers To Comment?
Last week, I explored the different ways in which your online offering can be the source of exactly the information the information hungry customer is searching for. At the wider level, correctly targeting your potential audience makes it more likely that your blog will appeal to those readers you want to attract. And, more specifically, if you've decided to follow a strategy of connecting with non-bloggers, it helps if you do a little research beforehand to work out what the needs of non-bloggers might be.
By taking time to assess exactly what type of information your target non-blogging reader wants, you will be in a great position to begin the process of winning them over. If your blog can meet their needs, either as it exists currently or with some adapting, then your site is more likely to be the destination of choice for the non-blogger.
I've previously suggested that the community you and your readers build around your blog is definitely a major draw. A vibrant comments section is a wonderful place to be.
So, how do you help the offline customer understand how to comment on your blog? What do you do when they say things that you'd rather they didn't? I'm keen to learn of your suggestions in the comments section below.
Today, I'm going to look at how you might best explain commenting to your non-blogging reader, and what you can do if the comments they leave aren't quite the ones you'd hope for.
Once your strategy and hard work has been a success and you have attracted the offline customer to your online offering, this is the first step in encouraging them to become part of your community. It would be an ideal next step if you could draw them even further in by having them leave a comment on what they've just read.
In most cases, it takes quite a few visits before the non-blogger is comfortable enough to leave a comment of their own. By observing the nature of what your other readers say as part of the conversation over a period of time, the non-blogger can see what is acceptable.
While leaving comments on other blogs is second nature to those of you who blog yourselves, it can be a daunting thing to do for the offline customer visiting a blog for the first time. They might be concerned that what they have to say won't be regarded as important Or, they may not want to join in for fear of being embarrassed.
Do you have guidance on comments?
I know that many of you have a Comments Policy that you use to help your readers understand what is, and isn't acceptable. This kind of information can be of immense use to the non-blogger trying to understand the concept of comments. In a Comments Policy, you can describe the comments 'culture' you aim to promote and suggest how the reader can add their own unique voice in a positive way. Similarly, you can also highlight what you view to be 'unacceptable' comments. The type of comment you judge to be undesirable is very much specific to your own blog and its audience. There is a balance to be struck between allowing free speech on the one hand, and not permitting offensive and negative remarks on the other. I'd be very interested to hear of your views on having a Comments Policy, and how effective you find them in encouraging positive comments.
How do you follow up first-time comments?
Once a non-blogger leaves that all-important first comment, do you send them a message to let them know you value their contribution? Receiving an acknowledgement for having made your debut contribution is a very friendly touch and one that is likely to be well appreciated by your non-blogging reader. The very fact that you took the time to welcome them to your blog, can encourage them to comment more often. While contacting every reader after they've made their initial contribution might seem to involve a lot of time and effort, you only have to do it once… that first time commenter could become a very valued member of your community the next time they have their say.
What is an 'appropriate' first time comment?
This can be a tricky issue to deal with. I'd guess that nearly all of you have some moderation on your blog to filter the first and, perhaps, second time comments that someone leaves. There are certain comments that you will, quite understandably, not allow to appear on your blog. The reasons can relate to factors such as: the use of negative language, profanities, or trolling (there may be other factors specific to your own blog). But how do you handle a first time comment from a reader who may not be familiar with the 'etiquette' of commenting? Perhaps, they haven't said anything offensive but ,instead, they haven't said it in the 'right' way. How would you deal with that kind of comment that may be from the reader who is a novice to commenting?
The questions above can act as a starting point to help you work out the best way to assist the offline customer to understand your blog community as demonstrated through your comments section. If your non-blogging reader has a clear understanding of what kind of comments are ideal and which are not, then all members of the community, blogger and non-blogger alike, will benefit from the positive aspects of a vibrant blog conversation.
If you're a blogger, leave a comment to let me know what you do to help non-bloggers understand your own comment 'culture'? How would you encourage non-bloggers to leave the 'right kind' of comment?
If you're a non-blogger, tell them what they can do to help you to contribute to the conversation.
Week 7: Engaging the Offline Customer: Do You Talk With Non-Bloggers?
Week 8: Offline Customers: Do You Meet The Needs of Non-Bloggers?
Offline Customers: Do You Meet the Needs of Non-Bloggers?
Last week, I discussed ways in which you might help to involve the offline customer in your blog community and, in particular, make it a little easier for them to participate in your comments section. It was very interesting to learn of the different ways you are already talking with non-bloggers.
Without doubt, one of the most exciting and unique features of a blog is the opportunity it provides for a dialogue to take place between the blogger and the reader- and, indeed, the chance it gives for conversations to take place between your readers themselves. By fostering a community around your blog you are also helping to create a sense of loyalty towards your online offering. Whether you are providing information or an alternative form of product or service, customer loyalty is the most powerful factor in long-term success. One-off visits are fine, but return trips are even better!
So, how do you begin to build a positive, long-term relationship between yourself and the offline customer- one which satisfies both of you? What do you do to provide value to the non-blogger? I'd be very interested to hear your ideas in the comments section below.
Today, I would like to look at how you can develop an ongoing dialogue between yourself and the offline customer, one that has advantages for you both.
What does the non-blogger want?
This is, perhaps, the most basic- and critically important- factor to address. Successfully targeting your offline audience and delivering exactly what the non-blogger wants or needs is the first step to building any relationship. Each visitor to your blog has his or her own individual needs. For offline customers, these needs could be slightly different to those of your readers who are already familiar with blogs. It can be extremely useful to carry out some form of market research to work out what is of value to your potential non-blogging reader. Even if you do not have a profit generating website, it still helps to know that there is some level of demand out there for what you can supply. Every blogger wants an audience. It is even more vital to know what your target audience wants if your aim is to generate a profit.
Can you meet the non-blogger's needs?
In today's information overloaded society, the offline customer is bombarded with choices regarding where they can get the information they want- both via traditional media like newspapers and magazines, and through new media like blogs and online knowledge banks. There are also multiple places for them to access the products and services that they demand. Is what you offer what the non-blogger is searching for? Put yourself in the position of a non-blogger coming to your site for the first time. What might you have that they want? If the format of your information does not match their requirements, then you can either adapt so that it is more suitable or else you might decide that targeting the offline audience will not provide an attractive return on investment. Your existing blog business model will dictate whether you embark upon this strategy.
How do you assess whether you're meeting the non-blogger's needs?
To find out whether the offline customer is satisfied with your information, product or service, you can simply ask them. I know some of you gain feedback from your audience by having a 'suggestion box' on your blog. Another basic way of judging whether you are keeping your offline customer happy is to simply keep a watchful eye on what they are saying in your comments section. Of course, we previously discussed the fact that non-bloggers are somewhat reluctant to actively participate in the conversation by way of comments sections. But, why not consider emailing the ones who do to gain their feedback? If they're already moved to be involved in your blog community, they will likely be enthusiastic about sharing their opinions with you. I know that I was very pleased when Liz contacted me to hear my perspective as an avid blog reader without a blog.
The three basic questions above can help you to focus on the process of building mutually beneficial relationships with offline customers. By thinking of the specific answers in relation to your own blog, you can take action to delight the non-blogger right from the start… and keep them coming back for more!
If you're a blogger, leave a comment to let me know what you do to deliver benefits to non-bloggers? What other things might you consider as you aim to satisfy the non-blogging customer's needs?
If you're a non-blogger, tell them what they can do to give you value from their blog.