My pleasure! Glad it is helpful.

Thanks Kevin! It sounds like you’re saying you were preaching to the choir on Twitter, so to speak, instead of engaging with potential customers?

Join the club, Nancy! Haha. Glad I gave you a light blub moment.

I agree that it can be done that way, Marcia, but as I note in the article, many business owners I work with anyway aren’t thinking that far ahead or deeply. They aren’t creating their how-to content with the aim of converting the frustrated to their service, they’re simply trying to be helpful — and in so doing are attracting a lot of the wrong readers, even if they get a few of the right ones.

Good point, Stefanie!

Very true! I also see case studies as being “desire” posts a lot of the time — building desire for the service rather than being how-to posts, but I get your point!

I had some success with that back in the day.

I 1000% agree with this:

It’s actually quite difficult to write high-quality how-to material that has a distinctive voice, the right level of detail and an air of well-earned authority. But those who can do that will experience a payoff from it, regardless of the extent of the apparent competition.

Sonia, You make some good points. I agree that thoughtlessly creating how-to content is unlikely to be effective.

My main point, however, was that people don’t divide neatly into “want to hire someone” and “want to do it myself.” Many people educate themselves about a task before deciding whether to hire someone or do it themselves. Your how-to article can bring them to you and help them make that decision. It can also attract some “want to do it myself” people who have a light bulb go off from your how-to article, so that they realize it would be dangerous, wasteful or counterproductive for them to do it themselves. You’re right in front of them at that point.

In addition, I agree with Ivan Kreimer’s point above that “The more personable, relatable, and realistic the how-to becomes, the better it is.” It’s actually quite difficult to write high-quality how-to material that has a distinctive voice, the right level of detail and an air of well-earned authority. But those who can do that will experience a payoff from it, regardless of the extent of the apparent competition.