How to build a blog

Don’t know what to do with that blog tab on your website? This guide will put you on track to start creating content that will captivate your readers and get your phone ringing!

1  Create a table.

Create a table on a piece of paper with eight columns and nine rows – block out the top left-hand square. Alternatively, click this link to download a template we created – we’ve even put some ideas down to help get you started!

2  Topics

In the seven remaining spaces along the top row, list different areas that you work in. Keep these fairly general, such as renovations, kitchens, bathrooms, reclads, extensions, pop tops, outdoor areas, tiny homes, new homes etc.

3 Styles

In the remaining squares in the far-left column, list all the kinds of expressions or content presentation methods you can think of. For example, you might include the following:

Rant

This is something that bugs you about one of your listed topics, such as renovations. It could be that you are bugged by the shady builder who wins a renovation job because they underestimate the likely costs. Not only do you miss out, but the client ends up paying more than they expected. Once you have ranted, you can write a short snippet about a useful solution.

Q&A

This is a short question and answer session where you simply answer a question that you commonly get asked by customers. Simply state the question and develop your answer, it could be something along the lines of ‘Who should I talk to, to get an estimate of the likely cost of a renovation, so I can decide if it’s worth doing?’

You could answer this in three simple steps:

1. Get a builder’s estimate on initial suggestions before committing to high design fees.
2. Check the likely value of your property after the renovation is completed.
3. Decide if it’s important for you to stay in your area.

Expand briefly on each point above and you’ll have a completed blog post.

How to

This is an informative guide, taking your client through the steps of achieving something like a bathroom renovation without paying bucket loads!

Case study

Everyone likes a good story. Write about an interesting or challenging build you completed and talk about it from your client’s perspective. What were their concerns/frustrations? What actions did you take to resolve them? What was the outcome?

Be sure to ask your client’s permission before using their name or photos on your website.

Resource

This could be a checklist or a calculator. It might be an online communications programme you use to help your clients keep up to date with their build, or perhaps it’s a checklist to go through before deciding to renovate.

Mistakes

Write about common mistakes you see people make, such as not allowing enough cupboard or bench space in a new kitchen.

Keep it current

Inform your readers about something new in the industry; it could be anything from a product to a construction method to current design trends.

Offer

Just keep it very simple. If you have a special offer, you might like to let them know about it.

4 Fill in the gaps

Now write brief notes in each of the boxes. Using ‘Kitchens’ as an example, in the box under kitchens and in the row labelled Q&A, write a question you get asked about renovating a kitchen.

Do this for each of the boxes, it may take a little bit of time, but once complete you’ll have 56 topics that you could easily write about. That’s one a week for a whole year!

5  Video yourself

You may find that you are actually better at delivering a message via video rather than in writing. You could easily film yourself on your cell phone if you want to go in this direction. If you do, have some fun with it.

6  Schedule

Once you’re done, make a frequency plan for when you’re going to do each blog. The key is to keep your blogs simple. Don’t overwhelm yourself or your readers with too much information.

Just do it!

Graeme Owen is a builders’ business coach at thesuccessfulbuilder.com. Since 2006, he has helped builders throughout New Zealand get off the tools, make decent money, and get more time in their lives.  Grab a copy of his free book: The 15 Minute Sales Call Guaranteed To Increase Your Conversion Rate: http://thesuccessfulbuilder.com/book-15-min-sales-call/ or join Trademates and connect with builders who are scaling too: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1832794793692377/