In a previous article, Promoting your business using article marketing we looked at the benefits of writing marketing articles to generate new business. Which is all well and good as long as you have something to write about – right?

These seven tips on how to write marketing articles cover some areas you can look to for inspiration:

1. Client questions

Any client who has ever asked you: “How would I …?”  is giving you the basis for an article. Answering ‘how to’ questions provides real world solutions to real situations, which is exactly what the reading public want to know about.

To turn a short answer into a longer article, simply:

• begin with the background or context to the situation;
• describe when and how the situation occurs;
• describe how to address the problem (your ‘how to’ response);
• and describe how to ensure the issue doesn’t recur

2. The problems you solve

Write a list of the five to ten key problems that you solve for your clients. Every one of these can be used for the basis of one or more articles. If the problem is a complex one, break it down into its components and use each component as the basis for an article.

Often the process for resolving one complex problem can become a series of related articles that you can publish over a series of weeks or months.

3. Workshops or seminars

If you are running workshops or seminars then you have enough article content to last you a long time. Break your seminar down into manageable pieces and create one or more article for each piece.

4. Processes you follow

Do you use a proprietary process in your business? Or a clearly established series of steps that you follow? Again, use these as the basis for an article on how to approach a problem.

Want more articles like this? Check out the business writing section.

5. Industry trends

Keeping abreast of the latest happenings in your industry is extremely worthwhile, not least because you can demonstrate your expertise and share this knowledge in an article. Keep people updated with the latest news or innovations and discuss how these might affect your readers.

6. Case studies and success stories

Probably one of the easiest ways to identify content for articles is by using case studies from your own experience. Share with readers:

• the background of the situation;
• the problem the client was having;
• what the problem was costing (in terms of lost productivity, dollars, etc.);
• what you or the client did to resolve the problem;
• the benefits the client experienced after the problem was solved.

7. ‘Top Tips’ in lists of seven

People love abbreviated and to-the-point information, which makes a list of top tips the ideal basis for an article and research has shown seven is the optimum number.

There are numerous ways of creating these sorts of lists. Here are a few ideas:

• Seven ways to avoid ….(experiencing a certain problem)
• Seven things to do to ensure ….(success at something)
• Seven ways to improve your…(hit rate, leadership skills, writing skills, productivity, etc.)
• Seven tips for …(becoming healthier or wealthier, designing a better extension, getting better results from your accountant, choosing a solicitor etc)

Hopefully you are now confident of creating months of content for articles without having to research any new information, just by accessing what you already know. So, no excuses now. It’s time to get that article marketing strategy off the ground!