Liz Strauss at Successful Blog

Thinking, writing, business ideas … You’re only a stranger once.

September 11, 2008

Offline Customers: Do You Build Relationships With Non-Bloggers?

ME Liz Strauss wrote this at 11:51 am

by Scott McIntyre

Scott McIntyre — The Avid Blog Reader Without a Blog

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!

It can be a very enlightening exercise if you consider your blog and its content through the eyes of that information hungry, inquisitive but tentative, first-time visitor…

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.

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.

–Scott McIntyre

Related
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.





Filed under Marketing, Successful Blog |




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3 Comments to “Offline Customers: Do You Build Relationships With Non-Bloggers?”

  1. September 11th, 2008 at 7:00 pm
    Nancy Brown What a Trip said

    What an interesting and thought provoking post.

    As the ‘What a Trip’ travel blogger I would love for the non-blogger to feel welcome at my site and want them to be a return reader. In fact, I would like them to click on the RSS button on my home page and become a subscriber to my blog.

    Of course, I need to remember that some non-bloggers are not necessarily tech oriented and don’t know what an RSS feed is or why they would want to click on it. I also realize that my non-blogger readers don’t always feel comfortable leaving comments. I try to respond to every comment and provide a welcoming community.

    Please stop by ‘What a Trip’ at http://www.nancydbrown.com if you feeling like traveling without boarding a plane.

  2. September 12th, 2008 at 4:58 am
    Scott McIntyre said

    Hi Nancy,

    Thank you.

    Indeed, encouraging the first time visitor to click on your subscription options is an ideal goal.

    The key is to make it as simple as possible for someone not familiar with RSS. It can often help to have a brief description of what subscribing actually involves.

    Responding to comments individually is great for building a welcoming community. Different ways of handling comments can work equally well. It really depends what your readers expect and what they regard as welcoming.

    It sounds as if you’re putting practical steps in place to connect with the non-blogger.

  3. September 13th, 2008 at 8:04 am
    love ely said

    Thank you for sharing this thought. As new blogger, I’m not thinking yet whether I wish my reader are from blogger or non-blogger until I read your post here. I only expressing my thought into my blog and now become my joy. Of course, I wish my reader will return but… technically my problem was I don’t know how to creates an interesting interface.

    I see many blogger uses much of widget to make their blog more interesting but the loading time is impacted, especially at slow connection. My question are what the most important : quality content or interesting interface. I’m glad if I receive an advice from you.

    Sincerely,
    love-ely

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