How To Write Business Content That Converts: An Easy Guide For Entrepreneurs

Whether you’re an entrepreneur seeking to expand your reach or a well-established company looking to maintain a competitive edge, an effective business content strategy can make all the difference. But how do you write business content that not only engages but also converts?

Welcome to our comprehensive guide on how to write business content that delivers real results. From the intricacies of customer engagement to the technicalities of SEO, this guide aims to equip you with the tools, tips, and strategies you’ll need to elevate your business content strategy.

So why does good business content matter? Simply put, quality content serves as the linchpin of your entire digital marketing effort. It educates your audience, generates leads, and fosters lasting customer relationships. With so much riding on the quality of your content, it’s essential to get it right.

Ready to up your game? Let’s dive into the world of writing business content that converts…

Why Writing Matters for Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurs are jugglers—they always have multiple balls in the air. From product or service development to managing deliverables and constantly striving to raise visibility and promote their brand, the list of responsibilities is endless. But among these tasks, one often underplayed yet vital skill stands out: writing. 

Why is writing so crucial for an entrepreneur? Well, there are a lot of reasons, but three stand out: credibility, lead generation, and customer engagement.

Credibility

In the world of business, credibility isn’t a luxury; it’s a requirement. Well-crafted, authoritative content can elevate your brand’s reputation and instil trust in your audience. Think about it: Would you rely on a business that consistently produces poor-quality articles, rife with errors and ambiguities? Probably not. Effective business communication is a cornerstone for establishing and maintaining your credibility in the marketplace.

Lead Generation

When it comes to building a robust customer base, writing can be your secret weapon. Specifically, lead generation writing—that artful blend of compelling narratives and persuasive calls-to-action—can turn a casual reader into a committed customer. Strategically placed content, designed to solve problems or answer questions, can guide potential customers through the sales funnel, transforming curiosity into tangible leads.

Customer Engagement

Building a business isn’t just about amassing a group of one-time buyers; it’s about cultivating lasting relationships. Here’s where the power of customer engagement comes into play. Through insightful blogs, informative newsletters, and engaging social media posts, you can create a two-way street of communication. This form of interactive business communication not only keeps your existing customers invested but also paves the way for turning potential leads into loyal patrons.

By understanding the impact of writing on these three key areas, entrepreneurs can make more informed decisions in crafting their business content strategy. So, whether you’re penning an email to a potential investor or drafting your next blog post, remember—each word is a stepping stone to achieving your business goals.

Understanding Your Audience

Understanding your audience is like holding a treasure map. You may have the most sparkling content and a flawless business content strategy, but without a deep understanding of who you’re speaking to, your efforts may well be in vain. Fortunately, you can improve your writing and ensure you’re speaking directly to your audience by learning how to craft ideal client profiles, identify audience needs and pain points, and delving into the world of archetypes for a more nuanced understanding of your target audience.

Ideal Client Profiles

Imagine being a tailor but not having the measurements of your client. You’d end up with a garment that would fit someone, but probably won’t fit them. Even if it does kind of fit, it won’t be the perfectly tailored fit they wanted, which is a huge problem, because that’s the only reason they came to you instead of buying off the rack.

The same logic applies to writing business content; knowing your ideal client is crucial. Crafting detailed customer personas can offer a more targeted approach to content creation, ensuring that your messaging resonates with those who matter most to your business. Not only that, it ensures what you write is what they’re actually looking for, so when they’re typing their queries into Google, or asking Alexa for help, you’re the answer. 

Audience Needs And Pain Points

Identifying your audience’s needs and pain points is the key to creating content that’s both relevant and valuable. Not only does it inform the topics you should be covering, but it also shapes the tone and style in which you communicate. Pain points, those nagging problems or challenges your potential customers face, can be gold mines for content ideas. Addressing these issues in your articles or blog posts not only positions you as an authority but also draws people closer to your brand.

Using Archetypes To Better Understand Your Audience

To take your understanding of your audience up a notch, consider using archetypes. These are universally understood symbols or characters that can help you tailor your messaging more effectively. Whether it’s the Warrior seeking to overcome a significant challenge or the Rebel wanting to disrupt the status quo, understanding these archetypes can provide profound insights into the psychological drivers behind your customers’ actions.

Understanding your audience isn’t merely a task to check off your list; it’s an ongoing process that should underpin your entire business content strategy. Whether you’re an entrepreneur or a seasoned business professional, understanding your audience’s needs, pain points, and even archetypes can make your communication more effective, engaging, and ultimately, more profitable.

Types of Business Content (And Why You Should Be Writing Them)

These days, the online world is incredibly diverse. Variety is not just the spice in your writing; it’s the essential ingredient that can make or break your digital marketing strategy. It’s the secret recipe that makes KFC so much tastier than your local kebab shop’s generic fried chicken. 

From blog posts that inform and entertain to persuasive sales copy that converts, different forms of content serve distinct purposes in your business growth. So, what are the various types of business content you should be writing for your business, and why?

Blogs

Corporate blogging is far from being a digital diary; it’s a strategic asset. Blogs serve multiple functions: they educate your audience, boost your SEO efforts, and build brand authority. Whether it’s a how-to guide, an opinion piece, or industry news, a well-crafted blog post can be your ticket to heightened visibility and customer engagement.

Sales Copy

Sales copywriting is the art of persuasion dressed in words. Unlike informational blogs, the goal of sales copy is to prompt immediate action, be it a purchase, a sign-up, or a click on a CTA button. Skilled sales copy grabs attention, builds desire, and instils a sense of urgency, making it an invaluable tool for lead generation.

Social Media Posts

In the age of scrolling, crafting compelling social media content for business can set you apart from the digital noise. From Twitter snippets that spark conversations to Instagram stories that showcase your brand personality, social media content allows for a two-way interaction with your audience, making it a cornerstone for customer engagement.

Email Newsletters

Think email is outdated? Think again. Business emails, especially newsletters, are one of the most effective channels for direct communication with your audience. Whether you’re sending out weekly updates, special offers, or exclusive content, a well-designed email newsletter can significantly impact customer retention and brand loyalty.

Whitepapers and eBooks

When it comes to establishing yourself as a thought leader in your industry, few content types hold as much weight as whitepapers and eBooks. These in-depth, research-based pieces allow you to dive deep into topics relevant to your audience, offering not just surface-level advice but actionable insights backed by facts.

In conclusion, each content type serves a unique function in your business’s ecosystem. Whether it’s driving new leads through sales copywriting, engaging with customers via social media, or nurturing existing relationships through informative blogs and emails, a diverse content portfolio is key to a robust business content strategy.

Content Strategy and Planning

Even the most riveting pieces of content can fall flat without a sound content strategy and meticulous planning. Think of your business content as a series of well-coordinated chess moves, where each piece has a unique role to play in achieving the overall objective. In this section, we’ll discuss the importance of a content calendar, the need for consistency, and how understanding your ideal client archetype can significantly impact your content planning efforts.

Content Calendar Planning

A content calendar isn’t merely a scheduling tool; it’s the blueprint of your business content strategy. It helps you align your content with key dates, promotional events, and, most importantly, your audience’s interests. With content calendar planning, you can ensure that each blog post, social media update, or email newsletter serves a specific purpose and reaches your audience when they are most receptive.

Consistency

In the content game, consistency is king. Irregular posting or sporadic communication can confuse your audience and harm your brand’s reputation. Maintaining a consistent posting schedule, tone, and style builds trust and encourages repeated visits, turning one-time readers into loyal followers and, eventually, customers.

Knowing Your Ideal Client Archetype For Better Planning

Earlier, we touched upon the importance of understanding your audience’s archetypes. Now, let’s apply this knowledge to planning content that resonates. Knowing the archetypal profiles of your ideal clients can guide you in crafting messages that speak directly to their core desires and fears. For example, if your ideal client’s personality is dominated by the Seeker archetype, travel-related content or adventure-seeking narratives can keep them engaged week after week. But, if you also know that they have a strong sense of romance thanks to their inner Enchantress, and also embrace the ways of the Mystic, you can add a twist to your articles occasionally to discuss romantic locations, or destinations that hold mythical significance, healing powers, or sit smack on a ley line. Do this, and they’re not just going to engage with you, they’re going to become your biggest fan.

Why? Because you’re meeting their needs as a whole, complete person. Not just one element that happens to relate to what you want to sell them. 

Effective business content is no accident; it’s the result of strategic planning and consistent execution. People are complex. Your understanding of your ideal client’s persona needs to reflect that complexity. If all you know about them is their age, gender, location, and a couple of hobbies, how are you going to write content that really resonates with them on a deeper level? You don’t know enough about them. 

Whether you’re sketching out a content calendar or diving deep into customer archetypes, each step should be aligned with your overarching business content strategy. By taking the time to plan, you’re not just creating content—you’re building a roadmap to business success.

Writing Tips and Techniques

Crafting business content that hits the mark requires more than just good grammar and a flair for words—it requires a keen understanding of tone, language, and formatting. These elements, when expertly handled, can make the difference between content that merely informs and content that persuades and engages. In this section, we’ll explore essential content writing tips and delve into the techniques that make for effective business writing.

Tone And Style: Your Brand Voice

Every brand has its own unique voice, and your content should reflect this. Whether it’s professional and authoritative or casual and relatable, your tone sets the stage for how your audience perceives your brand. Finding the right tone isn’t about following trends; it’s about aligning with your brand’s core values and message.

Language And Jargon

Using the right language can empower your content, but misuse of jargon can do just the opposite. While industry-specific terms can lend credibility, overuse or misuse can alienate readers who aren’t familiar with the terminology. Striking a balance is key: use language that’s accessible to newcomers but still engaging for those who are well-versed in your field.

Formatting

In the digital age, how you present your content is nearly as important as what you say. Large blocks of text can deter even the most enthusiastic readers. Effective business writing pays attention to formatting. Use headers, bullet points, and short paragraphs to break up text, making it more digestible and visually appealing.

Writing is much more than stringing words together. It’s an art that, when executed effectively, can convey your brand’s message, educate your audience, and prompt action. By keeping these content writing tips in mind, you can not only improve the quality of your content but also its impact.

SEO Considerations

While crafting compelling and relevant content is crucial, it’s only one side of the business writing coin. The other side involves understanding how to make your content discoverable to a wider audience. In this digital era, that means delving into the realm of SEO, or Search Engine Optimization. In this section, we’ll discuss the basics of SEO and explore why it’s an indispensable component of effective business writing.

SEO Basics

SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, involves a range of techniques designed to improve your content’s visibility on search engines like Google. This encompasses everything from keyword research and placement to meta descriptions and link-building strategies. 

If the term SEO seems daunting, fear not. Even a basic understanding can go a long way in optimising business content for the web. But why is SEO crucial for business content? The answer is simple: visibility. Without proper SEO techniques, your meticulously crafted content may remain invisible to your target audience. In contrast, optimising business content for SEO ensures that your articles, blogs, and other written pieces are easily discoverable, thereby driving more traffic to your site and potentially converting more leads into customers.

Incorporating SEO considerations into your writing doesn’t just amplify your message; it helps to ensure that the right people are actually hearing it. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned pro, understanding SEO fundamentals can significantly elevate the reach and effectiveness of your content. 

Just bear in mind that your website as a whole will need to be optimised for search if you want to make any progress; you can write the best content in the world, perfectly optimised in every way, but if you’re posting it on a poorly performing site it won’t do you much good.

Tools And Resources

In the realm of business writing, your creativity and expertise are invaluable. However, having the right tools at your disposal can elevate your content from good to great. This section offers a guide to indispensable writing software, checks for plagiarism, and even the latest advancements in AI, including platforms like ChatGPT, to help you streamline your content creation process.

Content Writing Software For Businesses

Digital tools have transformed the way we approach content creation. Utilising specialised content writing software for business can aid in everything from research and drafting to editing and publishing. Whether you’re writing a blog post or a detailed whitepaper, these software solutions offer functionalities that can significantly improve your efficiency and output quality.

Plagiarism Checkers

Originality is not just a virtue; it’s a necessity. Plagiarism checkers provide a quick and reliable way to ensure that your work is genuinely yours. If you’ve been reading content from other sites as you research a topic, or there’s a certain tone or voice you’re trying to emulate, it’s easy to inadvertently repeat something. It’s also very easy to paste research into a document for reference then forget you didn’t actually write it yourself. It’s also good to get peace of mind if someone else has written it for you. Before publishing, always run your text through a plagiarism checker to maintain the integrity of your content.

We use the premium version of Grammarly for plagiarism checks, but there are plenty of other options!

AI and ChatGPT

The role of AI in content creation is increasingly significant, with platforms like ChatGPT leading the way. While AI tools can assist in optimising your content and even streamlining the planning process, it’s essential to be aware of their limitations. These technologies can’t replace human creativity and insight, but when used effectively, they can be a potent addition to your toolbox. For a deep dive into how AI can optimise your content, you may want to visit Optimise Your Blog with AI.

The tools and resources available today can be game-changers for those engaged in business writing. With the right software, checks, and even AI-driven helpers, you can create content that not only resonates with your audience but also stands out in a crowded digital marketplace. And you can do it more easily and efficiently than ever before.

Examples And Case Studies

Understanding theories and best practices is beneficial, but seeing real-life examples and case studies provides insights that are both practical and inspiring. In this section, we’ll showcase some successful business content examples and offer case studies that underline the real-world ROI from well-executed content strategies.

The Acme Corp Blog: This tech company consistently delivers in-depth articles that not only rank high on Google but also drive B2B leads. Their secret? Long-form content that dives deep into industry issues, backed by research and insights from key staff.

Greggs’ Vegan Sausage Roll Campaign: The UK bakery chain Greggs went viral on Twitter with their cleverly marketed vegan sausage roll launch, leading to widespread media coverage and sold-out products within hours. The campaign boosted both brand image and sales.

Tesla’s ‘Master Plan’ Blog Posts: Elon Musk’s long-form blog posts outlining Tesla’s ‘Master Plan’ and ‘Master Plan, Part Deux‘ have become seminal texts in both the automotive and tech industries. These posts have garnered widespread media attention, offering a transparent look into the company’s ambitious goals while also serving as a successful marketing tool to attract investors and customers alike.

Case Studies in Business Content

HubSpot’s Inbound Marketing Strategy: HubSpot, a pioneer in the field of inbound marketing, used its own techniques to grow its customer base significantly. They invested heavily in creating valuable, free content aimed at helping small businesses succeed online. Through their blogs, webinars, and free marketing tools, they saw a massive increase in website traffic and customer conversions. Their inbound marketing blog alone generates millions of views each month and serves as a funnel for their software products.

Airbnb’s Neighborhood Guides: To augment its core home-sharing service, Airbnb launched ‘Neighborhood Guides,’ a series of online guides offering local insights into various cities. These guides provided valuable content for travellers and helped elevate Airbnb from a simple booking platform to a comprehensive travel resource. As a result, the guides helped drive substantial traffic to Airbnb’s website, contributing to increased bookings and brand loyalty.

Effective business content isn’t just about what you say; it’s also about how your words translate into real-world impact. Whether you’re looking to increase customer engagement, make sales, or establish authority in your field, understanding the practical application of content strategies—backed by concrete examples and case studies—is indispensable.

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Creating compelling business content is a journey fraught with potential pitfalls. Even the most experienced writers can make errors that diminish the impact of their work. In this section, we’ll address some of the most frequent business content mistakes and offer guidelines to help you avoid them.

Writing Without A Strategy

One of the most common mistakes is diving into content creation without a clear strategy. A lack of planning can lead to inconsistent messaging, irregular posting schedules, and, ultimately, a diluted brand voice.

Ignoring Your Audience’s Needs

Understanding your audience is fundamental to effective business writing. When you disregard your reader’s needs or pain points, your content loses relevance and engagement suffers as a result.

Overuse Of Jargon

Businesses often make the mistake of using industry jargon excessively. While it’s crucial to speak the language of your field, over-reliance on jargon can alienate readers who may not be familiar with these terms.

Poor Structure And Formatting

A well-structured article makes for a more enjoyable reading experience. Poor formatting can not only discourage readers but also undermine the credibility of your content.

SEO Errors

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) plays a vital role in the effectiveness of your business content. Common SEO mistakes can easily devalue your work. For tips on how to steer clear of these pitfalls, take a look at this comprehensive guide on common SEO mistakes.

Producing high-quality business content isn’t just about what you say; it’s also about avoiding the common pitfalls that can compromise its effectiveness. By adhering to these business writing guidelines, you can craft content that resonates with your audience and stands the test of time.

Business Content Examples Of Epic Writing

When it comes to effective business writing, a few standout examples can serve as benchmarks for what high-quality content should look like. In this section, we explore specific pieces of written content that have had a remarkable impact.

Ad Zombies’ ‘Words That Sell Anything’ Video Script

Ad Zombies is known for its powerful copywriting services, and their video titled ‘Words That Sell Anything’ is a masterclass in scriptwriting. The writing was so engaging and persuasive that the video became a go-to resource for businesses looking to understand the mechanics of effective sales copy.

‘The Long Tail’ by Chris Anderson in Wired Magazine

The Wired article ‘The Long Tail’ by Chris Anderson revolutionised the way businesses think about niche markets. The article was not only groundbreaking but also exceptionally well-written, making a complex concept accessible to a broad audience.

‘The Airbnb Story’ on Medium

I promise, I’m not secretly an Airbnb affiliate, it just so happens they have another good example of great business content writing. Airbnb co-founder Brian Chesky wrote an in-depth Medium post detailing the company’s journey. This isn’t your typical company update; it’s a narrative, filled with hardships, triumphs, and lessons learned. The writing is so compelling that it serves as a brand storytelling model for startups everywhere.

Slack’s ‘So Yeah, We Tried Slack …’ 

Slack’s clever and self-reflective video about their own journey in using their product serves as a brilliant piece of inbound marketing. The writing is conversational yet informative, providing valuable insights while also serving as a gentle sales pitch for the platform.

These specific examples of business content demonstrate that excellent writing can not only inform but also inspire and convince. By examining these examples, we can gain a deep understanding of how effective writing functions in a business context. And, you may have noticed that a couple of these examples of writing are videos. Don’t forget, really effective marketing videos still need to be well written. Just because you intend to film them rather than post them in written form doesn’t mean you can skimp on your writing efforts.

Writing Really Great Business Content

In the labyrinthine world of business content writing, it’s easy to lose one’s way. Whether you’re a startup looking to establish credibility or a seasoned entrepreneur seeking to elevate your brand, mastering the art of effective writing is crucial. 

From understanding the needs of your audience to mastering SEO considerations, we’ve explored the many facets of how to write business content. Remember, a solid business content strategy is not just about stringing words together; it’s about conveying your brand’s ethos and driving actionable outcomes.

If you’re eager to delve deeper into the nuances of effective content creation, signup below to start reading Divine Blogging, for free. My book is a guide walking you through doing exactly what I do, both for my own businesses and my clients, by creating your ideal client archetype profile and planning a comprehensive content marketing strategy driven by the psychological needs, wants and desires of your audience. You’ll learn how to drive organic traffic, use your content to effectively convert leads, and even create new passive income streams.