Part 1: What is a Content Marketing plan? The world has plenty of mysteries, like if Big Foot exists and whether hijacker D.B. Cooper survived when he parachuted from a plane in 1971 with a bag of extorted cash. In the past decade, small business owners have encountered another great mystery – what is s…
Trim the fat and make it easy for customers to see your value and make a decision Consumers, including me, really appreciate a clear, direct message. With so many options competing for our attention we need to know up front the benefits we’ll get from your focused content. Why Readers and Future Customers Want Focused…
One of the most common marketing mistakes business owners make is talking too much about what makes them special. Instead, they should be talking about how their “specialness” benefits customers. I’ve seen this problem surface consistently in my 15 years as a marketing copywriter and strategist. Fortunately, I can usually get my clients to understand…
Influential content guides readers toward taking meaningful action and making a commitment The primary function of content is to engage, which is much more than attracting readers’ attention. Engagement implies a commitment rather than simple interest. Good content is written to influence the reader to make a commitment, whether that’s to click on a link…
To get results shape your content to appeal to your best customers. Your sweet Aunt Sally who is in her early 70’s, has a bachelor’s degree and makes $60K annually isn’t the perfect customer for every company, nor would she expect to be. But, popular chain restaurants, craft stores and easy-care, resort-wear clothiers probably have…
Creating enough fresh posts to gain search engine ranking, organic traffic and lead generation goals can create a time crunch for marketers. You and your writers could work 24-7 and you could still fall short of your publishing goals. Creating valuable content must be a priority for businesses because it’s a low-cost way to attract…
If you have to be convinced about the value of being genuine, just listen to the analysis about early presidential candidates. One whiff of phoniness and political analysts roasts the offending candidate and early supporters respond by scattering like dry leaves in the wind. The same thing will happen if you’re not genuine in your…
Most business owners know content drives web traffic when strategy is expertly executed. While creating an informational or editorial content calendar is becoming more commonplace, marketing content updates are an afterthought. Updating both types of content creates a consistent message while improving your website’s performance in two ways: • Social and editorial content attracts readers…
The holidays are coming. If you haven’t developed a campaign to take advantage of consumers’ impulse to buy – don’t panic. There’s still time to offer your clients special deals that are time-sensitive, which adds to their urgency to buy. If you haven’t put together a campaign to take advantage of the holiday shopping frenzy,…
If your business is online, you or members of your marketing team have likely spent hours strategizing about your content calendar. Your aim is to keep current clients engaged, attract new customers and strengthen your brand with targeted content. You’ve probably hired a great writer to create your blog posts and new marketing content for…