Writing Engaging Blogs or Articles
Since book authors also often write articles or blog posts, I want to share some tips on how to do it effectively. But instead of writing a how-to post, I want to show you an example of engaging short-form copy, such as might appear in a blog (on leadership, which is another of my businesses as a speaker and consultant). I’ll break the article itself down by sharing elements [in bold and brackets, like this] that, obviously, wouldn’t typically appear in a published article. These are tips you should be mindful of when you write. But first, here’s the setup….
Purpose of article: Generate interest in hiring me to speak or consult in your business on customer service. In this example, I’m writing from the perspective of a business consultant offering services. This purpose statement isn’t something you add in your copy, but it’s certainly something you need clarity on before you write.
Audience: My leadership consulting/speaking followers, who have signed up for my blog or newsletter, meaning they’re already interested in and likely work in customer service.
My Post: Depending on your purpose, audience, and platform, the ideal article length ranges from 750-1,500 words. If you want to see an example from a true master of short-form writing, check out Seth Godin’s blog here.
Title: Customer Service on a Saturday Morning
[This title introduces the topic clearly. I added “on a Saturday morning” to make the reader curious about, “Why on a Saturday morning? What happened?” OK, I’m jumping in…]
I can’t say I had high expectations when I pulled up to my local AutoZone to purchase a rear wiper for my wife’s car last Saturday.
[The first sentence hints a bit at my personality: dry and a bit pessimistic.]
That doesn’t mean I expected poor service. But I thought I’d go in with my money, buy the wiper, drive back home, and spend the next few hours trying to figure out how to put the damn thing on.
[The last phrase, again, shows my a piece of my persona: impatient, irritated, and mechanically incompetent. Also, start with a story. Stories get stuck, facts get forgotten. But I’m also setting up context. If you’re curious about what happens next, I’ve already engaged you.]
But things didn’t go according to plan.
“Good morning, sir!” a too-cheery voice called out from behind the counter when I entered the shop. “How’s your day going?”
I get up around 3 a.m. each morning, so my day had started about five hours and three cups of coffee ago. Not expecting a conversation but a quick, impersonal transaction, I stammered, “Um, good. Been a long day already.”
[Again, I’m using some self-disclosure, wanting the reader to know and perhaps share my attitude and mindset.]
“Then let me make your day a little easier,” he said. “What can I help you find?”
I gave him the year, make, and model of the car, and asked for a rear wiper blade. He checked the shelves. Nothing. After a few taps into his computer, he confirmed that the part was out of stock.
“Well, @%$&,” I mumbled.
[I’m juxtaposing my negative attitude with that of the man helping me—for effect, to make the image stickier. Most readers will relate to me, the curmudgeon, or the man at the shop.]
“Not to worry,” he said. “Another store has them in stock. I can have it here by 3 p.m. today. I can call you when it’s in, or you can just swing back by.”
I told him I’d come back later that day. Which turned out to be untrue. I forgot about it for a week. But when I finally returned, I heard a familiar voice from the back of the store.
“Good morning, sir! I’ll be right with you,” he called out.
A minute later, he’d rung up my purchase. And then I got a nice surprise. Instead of handing me the wiper, he walked out of the store with me. Quickly and expertly, he installed it on my wife’s car.
His name is BJ Braggs. After serving in the US Navy, he took a job at Auto Zone and worked his way up to store manager at my local Hillsborough, North Carolina, location. When I thanked him for putting the wiper on my car, he told me his philosophy about service.
“Life’s too short, right? If you’re coming into my shop, something’s probably gone wrong with your vehicle, so maybe your day has already thrown you a curve ball. It takes so little to show up, be kind, and make people’s day a little bit easier. I get up an hour before I start work so I can shake off my sleep and set a positive outlook for the kind of day I’m going to have. That’s what service means to me.”
Technology isn’t a differentiator. Every company uses some sort of technology to serve customers. Products aren’t a differentiator (unless you’re a diehard iPhone fan … which I’m not). In my small town, I could have popped into five different auto parts stores within five miles. Hell, a few of them might have even had my part in stock.
Your people make the difference. BJ made enough of a difference in my life that I’m still thinking about his service weeks later.
[Note the contrast between what doesn’t drive customer service…and what does.]
As a leader, hire and train people who choose their attitudes, choose how they show up at work, and choose to see their purpose like BJ’s: to make people’s day a little bit easier.
[Repetition of the word “choose” signifies that providing good service isn’t genetic or just for a paycheck. Instead, it ties into someone’s life purpose.]
In all of my work, I’ve witnessed that the best organizations know how to keep a service mindset active and alive. How will you engage people to help your customers today?
[As a consultant, I work to help people reconnect to this purpose and improve their customer service skills, so this is a subtle reminder to my clients of my philosophy and services — even if I do act like a curmudgeon sometimes. Ending with a question allows the reader to consider how they may apply the principle from the article.]
—————-
Happy writing!
Scott
P.S. If you remove the bracketed sections, this entire post was just over 600 words, which is about a four-and-a-half minute read.
