Passions That Pay

Image via Wikipedia

Time to tackle this old chestnut, the number one question asked.

First I would like to suggest you stop calling it traffic and instead ask how can I produce content that people will enjoy reading and how can I get in front of the kind of people who will like my blog so that I can tell them about it?

I am a big fan of Gordon Ramsey’s show, “Kitchen Nightmares” show and every show his advice is pretty much the same to the diverse restaurateurs and can be boiled down to these few points.

1. KISS – keep it simple. It is much better to cook a few things well instead of lots of things badly. Have a simple menu that makes sense to the customer instead of a sprawling great thing that confuses the diner.

2. Serve fresh local produce.

3. Serve what your customers want to eat, at a price they want to pay in surroundings they want to sit in.

4. Once changes are made he invites in would-be customers with a great offer or an attention grabbing stunt.

5. Be passionate

So let’s translate that to an online business.

1. Your blog and the products/services you sell should be tightly focused. Specialize in a niche instead of being all over the place. Try to please everyone and you end up pleasing no-one. Think about your ideal customers and focus on their needs and wants. Make your navigation clear and simple to use and have call to actions so that when your customer lands on your page, it is clear what you are offering and how to get it.

2. Keep your content as fresh as possible and use what is unique to you – your point of view.

3. The way that Gordon Ramsey finds out what the restaurant’s clientele want is by doing 2 things. First he asks the diners in the restaurant and then he canvasses would be prospects on the streets. He finds out their current perspective on the restaurant and asks them what they would prefer. He also visits the competition, the restaurants in the area that are thriving so he can get a good idea of what works in the neighborhood. You can do exactly the same. Ask visitors to your site what they do and do not like. Send surveys to your niche asking what they would expect from a site like yours. Then visit popular blogs and sites for your target market and get from them a good sense of what works. Then put your own spin on it. Deliver the products and services that they want, price it well and make your blog attractive and appealing to your target market.

4. Get in front of your target market using social media such as Facebook, Twitter, forums and message boards. Hang out with your peeps. Be engaging and interesting and offer some free samples of your work such as the ubiquitous free report and sample sessions. Draw them in with a great offer. Serve them at every opportunity. Build up a loyal fan base who will keep coming back and will help spread the word.

5. Be passionate.

The restaurants who make it are the ones who listen to the advice and make the necessary changes. Will you?