Link building takes time and the very nature of the task ensures it becomes tedious after some time. The sheer monotony of the task makes us complacent and we stop being creative, stop testing, and stop iterating. This is the classic ‘link building block’. Here are some ways you can break this link building block.
Let the ideas flow
Get all your team members in a room and ask them to throw an ideas as you list them one by one. Some of the ideas may be ridiculous or outright wacky, don’t discourage them. Let your team have a good laugh while they propose such ideas. After an hour or so you will have a substantial number of ideas. Now ask your team members to pair up and shortlist 10 good ideas from the whole lot. Once this is done the next task is to zero in on the top 10 ideas for the whole team. This way you arrive at a consensus very easily.
Try the 70-20-10 method
There may come a time where you will probably be doing only one thing to build links e.g. guest blogging. You need different approaches to have great links. When this happens gather your team in one room or meet over lunch and discuss the issues and list out the things that can be done. Use the 70-20-10 method. In this method you identify 70% ideas that can be implemented immediately, 20% ideas that will need some clearance like finance or budgetary approval. Keep them aside. There will 10% ideas that just cannot be implemented. Chuck them out!
Analyze your clients buying and sales process
Sales process
Ask someone from your client’s sales department to have a meeting with your team and understand their sales method. Find out answers to questions like:
Where do they source their leads from?
How do they decide which leads are worth following?
Where do they research for potential customers?
Buying process
Talk to your client’s existing and potential customers and find out:
How they shop for a product or service?
What features tilt the balance when making a buying decision?
What is the time difference between deciding to buy a product or service and the actual buying of the product or service?
Once you have all the details about your client’s sales process and their customers buying process you will be able to analyze where the gaps exist. This will help you understand the type of content that is required to close such gaps.
Well, these are just some of the ways you can break link building blocks. Not all of them will work for you; however, if you are creative in your approach you will definitely be able to break the link building block.