ideas and tips for busy business owners… like you!
Using a content template is sort of like filling in the blanks on a form. It will get you started and make your writing time more productive. The purpose of this content template is to help people learn something new… and the best way to … Keep reading…
Every part of your business needs some type of content. And you need to develop content consistently to reap the benefits. There’s a content creation trick that can speed up the process by providing structure. Using a content template is sort of like filling in … Keep reading…
Anita Hovey and I acting out I thought I would be spending the day with other business owners. I thought blogging was a marketing tool. I thought that swearing in public wasn’t nice. None of these turned out to be true at BlogJam2015 at the … Keep reading…
Whether it’s an article title, a blog post title, a subject line or a call to action, there is no doubt that crafting a good one takes a little art and a little science. “The job of the headline is to get the first line … Keep reading…
Were you reading my blog on December 26, 2013? Maybe not but someone was because I had over 800 pageviews that day. Up to that point, it was the most pageviews I’d ever had in one day. In fact, it was 10% of the monthly … Keep reading…
Wondering why you might need a content strategy? To stay current, sharp, and develop opinions To build your reputation by demonstrating your expertise To inform about your products and services To get found when people are looking for the services and products you provide To … Keep reading…
A friend asked me to help her out by finding images of people talking on the phone to be used to market a new service. I like crestock.com for images (because they’re reasonably priced and easy to buy from) so I logged in and started … Keep reading…
December and January are good months to publish articles that sum up the past year and preface the new one. If your newsletters (or blog posts) are informational, this can be a good strategy for several reasons: Website traffic is increased by directing your readers … Keep reading…
Your newsletter (or blog) has to be both useful and interesting to be successful. If one of your goals is to be seen as an expert, consider that the usefulness of your content can have a big impact. What types of content are useful? Here … Keep reading…
Mistakes happen – appointments get missed, deadlines slide by, and that phone call doesn’t get returned. These things happen to everyone sooner or later. Sometimes these are things that can be avoided next time, sometimes they’re unavoidable, and sometimes they’re just plain old stupid mistakes. … Keep reading…
Do you really need any more information than what you’re already getting? Do your readers? How do you compete with ALL that content that’s readily available? You give them something they can’t get anywhere else! A list is easy – here’s one way to think … Keep reading…
“Write when you’re inspired,” I always suggest. But sometimes deadlines loom, we need content, and inspiration is nowhere to be found. Here is a checklist you can use to come up with quick content when you’re out of bright ideas: Fix a problem. You solve … Keep reading…
I’ve been talking to a lot of people lately about creating and organizing their content for various purposes and places. In the process of conducting a recent lunch and learn on the subject, I collected lots of tips and ideas, and here’s a good one. Share … Keep reading…
Sometimes things are easier if someone else will just tell me what to do. That way of thinking especially applies to our websites and newsletters. Your call-to-action is critical – it’s the reason for people to contact you. Use your website and newsletter to convert … Keep reading…
How long should a blog post be? It’s a common question that has no definitive answer. Some experts recommend keeping your posts under 800 words and others, under 500. One thing we all seem to agree on is that you have a brief moment to capture the … Keep reading…
A routine is not necessarily a bad thing but if blogging topics have become routine for you, chances are that your audience feels the same. One way to break the routine is to put very short survey questions on your blog asking your readers what … Keep reading…
Keeping blog content relevant to your target reader is a key factor in blog success but can easily get lost in our rush to get everything done. One way to slow down and remember your audience is to sit quietly at your keyboard for even … Keep reading…
Although I’ve set up the odd blog for other people, I’ve never really considered having one myself… until 2 days ago. My friend, Danielle, convinced me to contribute to a ‘photo a day’ blog. In 2 days, we’ve explored WordPress, Tumblr and Blogger, but ended … Keep reading…