| When we pick up a newspaper we have very | | | | have a handle on rudimentary skills in lawn |
| specific sections we like to go to. One | | | | care. They could submit photos that show |
| reader might gravitate toward the classified | | | | problem areas and you could point out |
| to look for the latest bargain, for another | | | | products or plants that could help them |
| it is the cartoons, still another always | | | | correct a problem. Of course each advice |
| hunts for the sports section or | | | | column you post should be chock full of links |
| entertainment. Yet there is one more section | | | | to products you have available on your site |
| that is sought every day - the advice | | | | that deals with the issue. You might even |
| columns. These columns are filled with advice | | | | throw in a homegrown treatment from time to |
| about lost love, wayward children, rude | | | | time. This generosity facilitates increased |
| people, classic cars, yard and garden | | | | trust in your ability to be both helpful and |
| maintenance and a multitude of other life and | | | | gracious. Getting a column like this started |
| how-to issues. Perhaps you can capitalize on | | | | is always the most difficult because no one |
| the idea of an advice column to act as a | | | | wants to be the first to ask a question. You |
| unique site promotion tool. Imagine being | | | | may have to come up with your own questions |
| able to connect with people on a purely help | | | | for a while as you wait for the first brave |
| oriented level - and they don't have to buy | | | | soul to submit their question. It can be easy |
| anything to gain access to the advice. If, | | | | to give up when you haven't seen an email in |
| for instance, your business is designed | | | | the first few weeks, but the idea is a bit |
| around the idea of lawn and garden care, you | | | | like Search Engine Optimization (SEO) |
| could answer questions from site visitors | | | | strategies. This can take a while for site |
| giving them advice about the care and | | | | visitors to find and then it can take a bit |
| protection of their lawn and plants. | | | | longer for them to view this as a spot to |
| Everybody loves free advice and your advice | | | | come back to on a regular basis. You should |
| column could double as a rather fun version | | | | make sure you make the Advice column |
| of FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions). For | | | | available through RSS (Real Simple |
| list building purposes you could make the | | | | Syndication). The use of RSS provides the |
| current advice column available to all site | | | | best chance for interested, but busy, site |
| visitors while the archive is only available | | | | visitors to have the chance to review new |
| to members, but make the membership free. | | | | material. This too remains a potent site |
| This method simply provides a mechanism to | | | | promotion tool. You're an expert in your |
| build an organic list. You can include a | | | | field - let your voice be heard while you |
| little humor in the column while resisting | | | | promote your site. |
| the urge to be rude to customers who may not | | | | |