A million times you’ve heard that you need a blog to get more customers. Maybe you even created a blog for your retail business. You created the blog, wrote a bunch of articles with eager anticipation of the customers who would stampede through your door. You stare at your door waiting…

The flood of new customers never arrives. Heck, it seems like not a single additional customer came in due to your blog. What’s wrong? Maybe you’ve avoided creating a blog because of similar stories you’ve heard from others who have tried and failed. Whether you have tried a blog and had no success or avoided starting a blog, this article is for you.

What nobody explains about blogging for a retail business

Nobody explains just HOW to blog to bring customers through your door, but I’m here to help you with that. The first mistake that everybody makes is blogging about them self. The truth is your customers don’t care about you. Customers care about themselves. They’ll never come into your shop just to put money in your cash register; they’ll only come to get something they want or need for themselves. So, blog about how your customers benefit from your products.

Here are 3 things that will help you attract customers to your store.

1. Demonstrate your products being used

Few stores show their product being enjoyed or put to best use.

Write a blog post showing how your product can be used. If your product is a tool, show it being used by an expert to fix things. If it is clothing, show it being worn with other items you sell and inspire your customers to make their own fashion statement. How-to articles are one of the most popular types of blog posts. People are always searching for ways to do something. Demonstrate what problem your product solves or how people are happier using your product.

IKEA’s Share Space blog allows people show the creative ways they have used IKEA products. The blog is written in a casual, friendly tone and includes lots of pictures of people’s projects.

2 Establish trust in your industry

Over 80% of people do research on the web before making a purchase. A blog is the perfect place to give people a buying guide to the products you sell. Start by answering questions that your customers regularly ask.

River Pools and Spas started writing content on their blog that simply answered their customers’ questions. Today their blog gets more traffic than any other pool company site in the world.

Do not be a salesman when you write a guide. Write the post as if you were talking to a dear friend that you wanted to know the honest truth. Use some photographs in the article and help people understand why one feature is better, in what circumstances, and what its shortcomings are. Giving people honest expert advice to make a purchase will build a rapport with your customers.

Create an article that explains, step-by-step, how to use or make something with your product. Add a checklist, or questions to ask when shopping and you have given your customers a goldmine of information. Strive to inform in a way that doesn’t have the goal of making you money. Instead, help everyone better informed about your products.

3. Show off your shop’s personality

More and more, people are buying from those who they know, like and trust. A blog gives your shop personality. Like I said earlier, you don’t want to sound like a salesman. When you write blog posts, be personable.

Use empathy with your customer when writing. By sharing common experiences with your customers, you are building a relationship with them because you have a shared interest in common. This increases the bond you and your customer have and will increase traffic through your door.

The Artists Frame Service does a good job of mixing in their personality with their blog.

Your customers are online and you should be there too

Retail blogs fail because they don’t focus on what the customers want; blog about topics that your customers find interesting. A blog is the easiest way to link your brick and mortar store with the online world. If you use it right, you’ll have a major advantage over your competition.

Your customer will be much more likely to find you in search engines. You’ll not only answer all their questions but show them that you really get them. They will remember you for it, and from then on they will much rather come to your shop over others.

Rob Newman is CEO of Get Web Clients. If you’d like to learn more about what it really takes to get more visitors to your website, build your email list, and become an authority in your niche, subscribe today.