Have you ever seen a blog headline that says something like this:
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>How to lose 10 lbs. fast!</strong></p>
You quickly go check it out to find that the blog post doesn't really exist. You will not be losing 10 pounds fast, but you may be asked to pay ten pounds (if you were in England, perhaps 10 dollars here in the U.S.).  In some cases, the blog post will consist of one line providing a bit of the information you are looking for, and then you will be hit with this: <span style="color: #ff0000;"><em>click here for more</em>.</span> The "more" is that  you are likely being asked to buy a book, seminar, program, etc. to learn the many secrets of fast weight loss (or increasing sales, or whatever).

A variation on this is the pop-up that appears before you can even read the blog post asking you to sign up for a "free" newsletter or sign in as a "member" to read more. In this case, the blog owner wants your information to add to a database as an exchange for providing information.

I may not know how to lose weight fast, but I do know what makes blogs lose readers in a second:
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Tease them or try to sell them.</strong></p>
Readers come to your blog to pick up some knowledge, insight, advice, tips or motivation. They do not come to your blog solely to buy something. They do not want to give you their name and email and credit card information. They don't want to be added to your email list.  They simply want to learn.

If you aren't willing to give information to your blog readers for free, with no strings attached, I suggest you forget blogging and look to other methods of content delivery.

Am I suggesting you have to give away all your secrets for free in your blog? Of course not! But you must think of your blog as a way to help your readers learn something while showing them that you know your stuff.

You <em>can</em> promote your events and e-books and seminars, but not by teasing your audience or bullying them into giving you money now.  Do it like I will below, and your readers won't be turned off.

<em>Avoid blog errors like this one. Attend my <strong>How to Write Your Blog</strong> workshop on April 1 in Washington, D.C. Early registration discount ends tomorrow at midnight, so register today to save $10. More information and registration on the <a href="http://www.eventbrite.com/e/how-to-write-your-blog-a-hands-on-workshop-tickets-10592044089?aff=eorg" target="_blank">Eventbrite page. </a></em>