We’ve discussed the benefits of adding a free short report to your website. If you missed that post, you can read it here. So, how do you go about getting started? What do you write about and in what format?
First, before you psych yourself out, I guarantee that there’s something you know that you can write about. Think about the services that you offer as a Virtual Assistant. Now think about your target audience that needs those services and how you can help them. The report doesn’t have to be really long. About two to three pages would do just fine.
What do I write about?
I’ve used the example of writing a free report about having a Pinterest account for your business so let’s use that again here. Let’s say that you’d really like to get more clients on your roster that need help with Pinterest.
You can write a free report on all of the benefits of having a Pinterest account for your business. You can give an overview of what’s involved with account creation and upkeep. But here’s the secret. Add in lots of good information but don’t include every little detail about exactly how to do it all. Then you end your report with how you can help them with this service. Another option is to give them all the information they would need to do it themselves but explain that having a Virtual Assistant do it for them would save them time and money. You can decide which angle you want to take with it.
What if I’m not a writer?
Maybe you’re not a fan of writing or you just don’t feel like you have enough info for a report. You don’t have to come up with all of the information yourself. You can take advantage of PLR (private label rights) articles. This is material that was written by someone else who is giving you permission to reuse it. You can take that information, fill in the gaps and add your own spin and personality. Now you have a free report written in less time and hassle.
How do I finish my report?
Now that you’ve completed the meat of your report it’s time to add some finishing touches. You want to be sure to brand your report with your business name, logo and perhaps a picture of yourself. Be sure to link to your website in the footer of the report so that they can easily find more information about you.
Feel free to write a short bio about yourself in the beginning so that your audience can get to know you. Then be sure to end with a call to action. What do you want them to do next? Do you want them to visit your Facebook page? Perhaps you want them to head over to the Services page of your website so that they can start working with you. Whatever it is, you need to tell them at the end of the report. You want to be clear. Don’t assume that they will just take the next step without asking them.
Now what do I do with it?
Your report is done and now you want to get it up on your website. You want to pull double duty here and link it to an optin form so that the reader signs up for your email list in order to receive the report. You can create an optin form via MailChimp or Aweber and display it on your site in a sidebar widget. That’s a great place to attract attention. Make sure that it’s visible no matter what page of your site they land on.
There you have it! Your report is written. It contains lots of valuable information. You’ve included the importance of working with you and added a call to action. The report is prominently displayed on your site and is ready to help you capture names for your list so that you can keep in touch with your readers and remind them of your valuable services. Don’t forget to share the news about your report via your social media channels.
Did I miss anything? Do you need some help or have any questions? Write a note in the comments section or leave us a voicemail message by clicking on the big purple tab to the right. We’re here to help!
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