Content marketing

Instead of shouting "buy", you answer the questions your customers actually have. An accountant writes about VAT deadlines. A dentist explains what happens during a root canal. The content lives on your website, and can be shared onwards in newsletters and on social media.

Good content keeps working

Good content works for a long time. An article that answers a common question well can bring in visits from Google long after it was written, and build trust before the customer has got in touch. Someone who has learnt something from you is more likely to choose you when the need arises.

The downside is that it takes time, and half-hearted content does nothing for you. Three good answers beat thirty thin posts. Think about search intent: what does the person searching actually want to know?

What you can do today

Write down the five questions you get most often by phone or email. Pick the one you answer most often, and write the answer as its own page on your website, with the question as the heading. The next time someone asks, send them the link. Then you have started.