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Guest post by: Stacy Karacostas Become an Author

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If you're looking for an easy and inexpensive way to market your business, you should consider article marketing. Articles are, hands down, one of the most powerful low-cost marketing tools out there. Partly because they let you share your expertise with lots of people and give them a taste of what you do...And partly because articles are super-versatile.

You can...

• Use them in email or print newsletters to stay in touch with clients...
  
  Post them on your Website and/or blog as new content...
  
  Submit them to online article databases to drive Website traffic ...
  
  Hand them out at networking events and workshops as bonuses...
  
  Get 'em published in newspapers or magazines for all the f*ree PR...
  
  Compile them and turn 'em into ebooks or books...
  
  Turn them into white papers and offer them as free downloads to build your list
  
  Even use bits of them in marketing copy... The best part is; a single article can be used multiple times. And with everything else on your plate, you need marketing materials that do double, triple or even quadruple duty. Right?
  
  Now, you're probably thinking... "Sounds great, but how am I going to find time to do all this article writing?"
  
  Good question. And one I hear all the time. So I'm going to share a few tricks that make writing articles fast and painless.
  
  6 Ways to Write Articles at Light Speed
  
  1) Tips and How-to's are Tops
  
  The easiest articles to write are tips and how-to articles. Everyone loves to read them 'cuz they are quick and easy. And you'll love writing them for the same reason.
  
  Just pick a topic you know a lot about. Then write down 5-10 key things about it. Or the sequence of steps to doing it. Simple as that.
  
  2) Read to Write
  
  If you want fresh ideas to come out of your head, you have to put fresh ideas in.
  
  I subscribe to a monthly marketing newsletter with CD. Plus I read Entrepreneur and 5 or 6 weekly e-newsletters on marketing, copywriting, business and Websites.
  
  Whenever I run across an interesting idea or fascinating tidbit, I add it to either my electronic or physical file. Then anytime I'm out of ideas, I just whip out my trusty file, pick one, and start writing about it.
  
  You can quote info from an article. Debate it. Discuss it in greater depth. Or talk about how you've applied the same thing in your life or business. If it's an online article, you can even link to it on your blog.
  
  3) Step on Your Soapbox
  
  I admit it. About half of my articles are the direct result of something that surprised, amazed, annoyed or frustrated me.
  
  When I see someone making a good, bad or shortsighted business decision-or an interesting marketing choice-I can't help but want to talk about it. So I write an article.
  
  The key if you're talking about something negative is to make sure you aren't bitching or pointing fingers. Simply explain the mistake/problem and why it was a bad choice. Then give tips or examples for fixing it.
  
  4) Be the Answer Man (or Woman)
  
  A super-simple way to come up with article ideas is to ask "What are my most common client questions?" Or, "What problems are many of my clients struggling with?"
  
  Make a list of every question or problem you can think of. Or do a quick client survey via email or surveymonkey.com and find out firsthand. Then write articles that answer these questions, or offer solutions to the problems. Voila!
  
  5) Timing is Everything
  
  You never know when the muse might strike. So always be prepared to jot down your ideas. I have a small pad in my purse, a larger one in my car, and one on my nightstand for midnight epiphanies. And I often leave myself voice mails when I have an idea.
  
  If I'm in my office and an article idea strikes, I immediately open a Word doc and start writing it down. I don't worry at all about how it sounds, editing it, or finishing it. I just write until the idea peters out. Then I save it in my newsletter file.
  
  Whenever I need an article, I search through the file, find one that suits my fancy, and finish it off. You'll be amazed at how much easier it is to do this than start from a blank page.
  
  6) If You Can't Write, Speak
  
  Maybe you're just not a writer. Don't despair. Instead simply record your ideas on a digital recorder, or straight to your computer with a mic, then have them transcribed. Or use Dragon Naturally Speaking software. After that, a quick edit should be all you need to have your article ready to go.
  
  Once you're writing articles regularly, you'll find it gets easier each day. And you'll have tons of terrific material for marketing your business that positions you as an expert. So don't keep putting it off. Use these tips to unleash your inner writer and start growing your business today.
  
  ©2007 SuccessStream. All Rights Reserved.
  
  

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