Content Marketing Tip #2 - How to Create Content for Real People

Have you read blogs or watched sales & marketing videos that sound like a regurgitation of Donald Trump's corporate-speak? If you feel turned off when you read content that's riddled with jargon and words that belong in a PhD dissertation, you aren't alone. The average content reader wants to read "real" information, and not be exposed to content that sounds like it was manufactured in a board room. You are a human being, and so are your readers. 

1. Find & Develop Your Authentic Voice - Don't copy other people's content style. Don't lecture or talk over people's heads (or make yourself sound or look better than other people). That's a given, but you would be surprised at how 'holier-than-thou' people come across in their content. I have opted-out of newsletters, blogs, and social media because of the condescending tone people use in their content. Be kind and respectful. It's about engaging with people, and not coming across as an egotistical windbag. 

2. Share Your Real Story - Be honest and authentic. When developing content, don't pretend to be something you aren't. Do you speak five languages? Did you serve in the Peace Corps? Are you a military vet turned entrepreneur? Your background and experiences are part of who you are and people are curious to know the "real" you. Don't be afraid to share who you are - both online and offline. 

3. Create Targeted Content That Real People Enjoy - Because you are interested in the technical aspects of how to build a website, that doesn't necessarily mean your targeted audience will enjoy content on this particular topic. Research topics and trends that "real people" enjoy. Don't create content for yourself -- develop content aimed at your target audience. You can still create content that interests you, but make sure the average person will enjoy it as well. Skip the jargon and keep it simple!

Content Marketing Tip #1 - How to Develop Case Studies for Your Business

This week I will present easy content marketing tips to help boost your brand - Tip #1  how to develop a case study. Have you read case studies that were boring and irrelevant? There are plenty of case studies out there that don't pack a punch.


Follow these 3 easy tricks below to develop a case study that makes your business stand out...and actually makes sense to your readers. 


A case study is "a detailed intensive study of a unit, such as a corporation or a corporate division, that stresses factors contributing to its success or failure." 


1. Describe a situation or problem that you faced as a business owner - how did you achieve success or how did you help your customer or client achieve success? Introduce the problem in the first paragraph.


2. List the steps in order as to how you tackled the situation/problem. How did you resolve issues with customers or clients during the problem-solving process? Describe the positive outcome/results you achieved by following steps A,B,C, etc. 


3. Conclude & summarize your results, benefits, etc. that you and/or your customers/clients achieved. What lessons did you/your clients learn? How did you incorporate innovative solutions to resolve the problem? 


Make sure case studies sound "realistic" to the average person. You don't want to confuse readers. Leave out the techie and confusing jargon (unless it's relevant to your industry). Show don't tell in your case study; a case study is a chance to display your resourcefulness, creativity, and expert knowledge. What makes your business different from your competitors - how do you stand out? 


Case studies range from in-depth, researched "scientific" formats to more casual formats (depending on the industry). Case studies showcase your industry expertise and are used for marketing purposes (profiled on websites, marketing collateral, etc.) Remember that a case study presents a specific problem and shows how you solved it with clear, concise "real world examples." 

Online Vs. Offline Communication - Is Digital Media Virtuous?

I stumbled across this interesting topic on Santa Clara University's website (Source: Markkula Center For Applied Ethics). It brings up the discussion of "interpersonal virtues" and how it impacts digital media. The article delves into the psychological impact that social media plays on human communication and interpersonal relationships...a timely and important topic for business professionals who have an online presence.

From a Virtue PerspectiveMany of the interpersonal virtues we value evolved in the context of face-to-face communication. Honesty, openness, and patience, for example, are honed in the negotiations we must manage when we meet people in person. What impact will digital media have on these virtues? What, for example, would honesty mean in the context of a world where people are represented by avatars? Will other virtues emerge as more important in social networking, where we can be constantly connected to a large reservoir of others and can shut off communications easily when we are bored or encounter difficulties?

This topic begs the question: has honesty gone out the window? What's happened to our interpersonal virtues?

Is your projected self online the same person you are offline? It goes back to the smoke and mirror effect of online interactions. You can pretend to be whatever you want to be online because of the anonymity factor.

Does the online dynamic make it that much easier to create a false 'illusion'? My answer is yes. Do we REALLY know who we are talking to on the other side of the screen? We see and hear about these stories on the news every day. People who have been duped and scammed online; they were ruined financially and their identities stolen. Young women have been hurt -- both physically and emotionally -- as a result of trusting and believing they were meeting teen boys and ended up face-to-face with adult sex offenders. I don't mean to sound paranoid, but it's important to be safe and take the necessary precautions to ensure your safety.

As much as I love social media and believe in the benefits of social media, I wonder if social media has made us less "human" when it comes to our interpersonal communication and relationships. Yes, social media connects us with thousands of people across the world, and gives us the opportunity to do business with amazing people. However, do we really practice what we preach?

I leave you with this question: as business professionals, do you incorporate your offline ethics into your online world? Do you treat people the same way as you would treat them face-to-face?  

Why Repurposed Content Improves Lead Generation

Quality content can be used as an effective lead generation strategy, but it helps to know HOW content  actually translates to your ROI. You could have the most polished content written by a professional copywriter, BUT how does "content" generate leads and ultimately, improve your bottom line? And remember...you don't have to create "new" content every time. That's where repurposed content comes into play with your content marketing strategy. 

I recently wrote a white paper for my marketing agency partner. The white paper topic tackles a very HOT topic in social media -- how to reduce online negative reviews (geared towards the hospitality and restaurant industry). As a result, this free white paper generated over 200 downloads and resulted in sales leads for the agency. The feedback from the decision makers in the restaurant and hospitality industry was positive...with requests for MORE valuable content. And that happened as a result of just ONE free white paper. I then spun the white paper content into a series of blog posts and articles to be used for article/content marketing. 

White papers are just the tip of the content marketing iceberg. Here are three easy ways to repurpose your content and improve your lead generation. People get tired of the sales and marketing spiel..."buy my innovative product blah blah blah." Valuable content is an easy way to open up "real dialogue" between you and your target markets, and could translate into viable prospects and sales leads down the road. 

1. Turn articles and white papers into visually-appealing PowerPoint presentations. Upload your PowerPoint presentation to free content sharing sites such as Slide Share. 

2. Break up a long white paper or report into a series of blog posts and short social media updates. For example, if you wrote a white paper about "20 easy tax tips for small business owners," break up the information into chunks and share on your blog. Do the same thing for your social media posts, and share a new tip each day. You don't have to reinvent the wheel when it comes to your content marketing...and it allows you to cohesively and consistently brand yourself as a "leading expert" within your social networks and blog readership. 

3. Turn content into a short video or audio podcast. Take key points of your article, white paper or blog posts and create a short (no more than 2 minutes) video or podcast. People love visually-appealing entertainment. You only have to look at the popularity of YouTube videos. Post your videos on free video sharing sites such as YouTube and Vimeo. Make sure to carefully read posting guidelines before uploading videos. Don't forget to include optimized keywords in your video tags so your content can be easily found via search engines. 

Always follow the DMCA guidelines and do NOT plagiarize content. It is against the law to steal content (articles, copy, artwork/images, brand/trademarks, etc.,) and you could be fined and/or your website shut down if you break copyright laws. 

WOW! Writer Vanessa Nix Anthony Interviews LinkedIn Speaker & Author, Victoria Ipri

Yayyy for women power! "The Portland Writer", Vanessa Nix Anthony, (my good friend and copywriter colleague) recently interviewed sought-after LinkedIn speaker & author, Victoria Ipri. Victoria passes along easy-to-implement LinkedIn tips, and gives the inside scoop on how to use LinkedIn effectively.

Victoria and I share similar views about how authors should and should not use LinkedIn for their book marketing. LinkedIn should NOT be used as a platform to sell your book, BUT you can still use LinkedIn to share information about your book...in a non-spammy way.

Victoria offers these helpful hints for book authors (especially for self-published authors).

• Add a link to your book’s sales page to place under your name when accepting invitations.
• Mention the book on your profile.
• Add appropriate applications to your profile to draw attention to the book.

For more useful LinkedIn tips, check out Victoria's article on WOW! 

Great interview, ladies!!

Don't Be a Social Media Mercenary

I'm a fan of seasoned marketer and entrepreneur, Seth Godin. I like how he weaves an inspirational message in between the lines of his articles. Seth wrote an interesting article this week that focused on the dangers of "trading favors" when it comes to social media. This paragraph especially caught my eye:

The problem occurs when the trading of favors become mercenary, when alert individuals start manipulating the system for personal gain. Suddenly, every favor is suspect, measured and not at all generous. Suddenly all the likes and links and blurbs become nothing but currency, not the honest appraisals of people we can trust. It means that bystanders have trouble telling the difference between honest approval and the mere mutual shilling of traded favors. 

He brings up a great point. Social media brings out the "mercenary" in people. Do your followers REALLY like your blog? Are fans just "liking" your page because they want to win an iPad?

For small businesses or anyone who sells a product or service online, take Seth's words to heart. Before you retweet or like, think about your intention BEFORE you click the button. Social media has turned into a popularity contest..."how many likes do you have?" And do 500 likes on your Facebook page really mean anything at the end of the day?

Before you start begging people to like your Facebook page or follow your blog, think about Seth's message of trading favors. Social media is about helping other people, and sharing information without asking anything in return. My advice for 2012: don't be a "mercenary" on your social media networks. Don't go into social media thinking that people owe you a favor, because they don't. An aggressive "me-me" approach won't get you far with your marketing...or your online reputation.

Author Dr. Annabelle Charbit Shares The Inspiration Behind Her First Novel, A Life Lived Ridiculously

How does a busy mom juggle her writing and neuroscience careers AND the launch of her first novel? It makes my head spin just thinking about it, but Annabelle is proof that women writers can do it ALL! I interviewed Dr. Annabelle R. Charbit about her deliciously sinister yet humorous fiction novel, A Life Lived Ridiculously. When I read the first chapters of her book, I was doubled over with laughter. If you have ever dated a sociopath (or someone with sociopathic tendencies), you will definitely want to check out Annabelle's book.


A Life Lived Ridiculously is the story of one girl with obsessive compulsive disorder, and what happened when she was seduced by a sociopath...

When a girl with obsessive compulsive disorder falls in love with a sociopath, she must fight for her sanity and her life.

Maxine’s brain is stuck. Everything around her feels wrong and the only way to fix it is to check, double-check, rearrange and count everything. What Maxine can’t fix though is her parents’ constant nagging over the absence of a Jewish husband. A humiliation that is further compounded when her younger brother runs off with Miss Perfect. 

Then she meets Sam, a smooth-talking charmer with the weight of the world on his shoulders, and enough terminal diseases to wipe out a small village. Maxine decides that Sam is her salvation, never mind that his life is more depressing than a Greek tragedy, and others are urging her to get away from him. The problem is that Sam has Maxine under his spell. Will Maxine escape from Sam before it’s too late... ?

Dr. Annabelle R. Charbit grew up in London, UK, and has been writing since 2006 when her comedy play, Sound Advice, was performed by CP Theatre Productions in London. In 2007, she was published in the London Paper and in the British Neuroscience Association’s Summer Bulletin. 

Annabelle holds a PhD in Neuroscience from University College London. She has been researching migraine headaches at UCSF in San Francisco in which she has been published in scientific journals. Her inspiration behind A Life Lived Ridiculously stemmed from her research as a neuroscientist.

Annabelle is a guest writer for TheFrisky.com, an online magazine that took notice of her humorous blog, Crazy in a Crazy World, which explores life’s big and little annoyances that could drive even the sanest person mad.

Interview with Dr. Annabelle R. Charbit 

1. What inspired you to write a contemporary fiction book that tackles two very serious subjects about OCD and sociopaths? 

A: I wanted to write a story from the point of view of people with distorted thinking. As a neuroscientist, I’ve always been fascinated by mental illness especially obsessive compulsive disorder. There are too many people suffering in silence. Sociopaths are fascinating too, because they are everywhere (4% of the population). Whether a spouse, partner, colleague or relative, most people (whether they know it or not) have a sociopath in their life. I had one in my life and found him fascinating. The way they look you right in the eye and lie. The fact that they are capable of anything, because they are not limited by the same moral boundaries as the rest of us. Even the way they talk -- they have this amazing ability to monologue incessantly while actually revealing nothing. I wanted specifically to capture this trait in my sociopath’s voice.

2. I know you’re a busy mom. How do you juggle marketing and promoting your book? Any helpful tips or tricks to pass along to fellow mom-writers/authors?

A: It's all about time management. Once you've passed the 'dark stage,' which is first three months of baby's life and you are able to sleep and have a schedule, then you can work on it for a guaranteed amount of time each day. In my case, my daughter takes a nap at 12 noon and by 8pm is asleep for the night. Those are times when I can work every single day. It's not always easy, because sometimes I need to be doing other things while she sleeps. But at least, I know I can do something book-related every day, no matter how small -- even if it's just a matter of responding to an email.

3. What's the ONE thing you wish you knew NOW that you didn't know before your started your writing and publishing journey?

A: You need to have low expectations. Sometimes agents will request full manuscripts and then you'll never hear from them again. When you enter a writing contest, don't expect to win. Rather see it like playing the lottery. You'll always hear news of other people winning, but don't take that as a sign for yourself. If a writing contest costs more than a few dollars, don't waste your money entering.

Finally, I don't recommend wasting your time querying agents. Find publishers who accept direct submissions and go to them first. Keep agents out of the equation. Some publishers have an electronic-only arm, which allows them to accept more first-time authors at little risk and cost to themselves. Then you get to market your novel and if it does well, they'll then publish in print. For example, Ampichellis Ebooks is the electronic arm of Martin Brown Publishers. I suspect this will happen with more and more publishers and eventually, we'll be able to do away with agents altogether.

4. What are the best marketing tips/advice you want to pass along to authors, especially for those who are lost and don't know where to start?

A: The best advice I could give is to be a guest blogger on other people's blogs -- that way you are reaching an already established audience. Most bloggers welcome guest bloggers as it enriches their site. So it's a win-win relationship.

5. Are you working on your second book? Can you give us a "hint" as to what it's about?

A: For my next novel, I'm researching personality disorders. I want my main character to be borderline or schitzotypal, but that's as much as I'll say for right now. 

6. Where can readers find more information about A Life Lived Ridiculously? When is your official release date?

A: The official book release date is April 12, 2012. It will be available in print and eBook on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Books-A-Million. If you would like to order an author-signed copy of my book, you can pre-order from my website www.ridiculouslife.net. There's also a book giveaway on SheKnows from February 20 to March 20.