It can be daunting to think about starting a blog.
What do I write about? How long should a post be? How often? Who will read it?
These questions get in the way and keep you from sharing all the considerable expertise that you've gained through your experience. You and your clients will benefit from taking the time to share all that information. We all give advice and share antidotes, so why not write them down and establish your expertise in a way that will reach a greater audience?
Let's address the first question, what do I write about? Sit down with a piece of paper and write down all the questions that clients ask you. As a photographer, I am asked, "what do I wear?", "what should I do with my hands?" and "should I smile or look more serious?" All of these would make great blog posts!
Now that you have some topics, it is time to write. The actual writing is where most people have trouble. Writing is kind of like public speaking because you are putting yourself out there, and it can be scary. But if you shape your writing around a formula, it can be straightforward. Do you remember in grade school when you first learned to write an essay? The structure was natural: intro paragraph containing your topic and three supporting facts, a paragraph for each point, and a conclusion. That is just five simple paragraphs. Take them one at a time, and you are done!
Then, proofread! Are you using vocabulary that is specific to your industry? Explain what it means. You want it to be easy to read, but it is better to explain than to "talk down" to people. After all, you are providing education about your industry. Have someone else proof it as well. They will catch things that you may not, and they will have a perspective closer to your readers and will help you refine unclear passages.
When you are have completed your writing, it is now time to post. Now you might be thinking, "Who is going to read this?" At first, you may not get a lot of readers. But that is normal, keep going! You will grow your readership as you go along. Your writing will improve, as well! Try to be consistent: set a goal for how often you will post. You should be posting at least once a month. Weekly or bi-weekly is even better. If you are posting more frequently, your readership will grow more quickly, less regularly, and people may forget about you.
Writing a blog is one of the more difficult things that you can do to grow your client list, but it is also one of the more rewarding jobs. I will never forget the first time someone posted a comment about my blog post; it leads to a great conversation, and I ended up gaining more clients from it. By following these simple steps, you can get there too.