Content Mastery Guide

How to Find Your Groove as a Content Marketer, Part Two

Other posts in this series:
How to Get Started with Content Marketing, Part One and Part Two
How to Find Your Groove as a Content Marketer, Part One
The Evolution of a Content Master, Part One and Part Two

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In Part One, we talked about the content you'll be working on in this phase of the Content Marketing Model, the systems and tools you'll want to have in place, and how you're building your relationships with prospective clients and with colleagues.

Advancing your writing skills

As a Content Marketer, you're continuing to work on your consistency, getting into a groove with more regular writing throughout the week. And this consistency applies to the quality of your writing as well. With a bigger audience and a permanent archive of your work via your blog, it's more important than ever that your pieces are well-written and error-free.

You're also applying more strategy in your content marketing, perhaps planning topics that relate to an upcoming launch, or planning broadcasts for days or even times that your readers have previously been most responsive.

If you're thinking ahead to the next phase of your development, content mastery, you may even be starting on your flagship content, writing it bit-by-bit as your ongoing articles or blog posts. Now THAT'S a savvy strategy (and how I wrote my first e-book)!

Where might a Content Marketer look for support?

Before we talk about using formal support systems, let's talk about how your broader networks can support your writing efforts.

Your audience can offer crucial feedback with their comments, questions and actions, and equally important data with their silence.

Your colleagues can offer concrete assistance such as feedback, topic ideas and collaboration. They may also share your writing with their own tribe via links, comments and/or social network updates. 

And don't minimize the power of your network as a source of pure, juicy inspiration.

If you're writing your own content, keep an eye out for some exciting new writing programs and services that are on the way. In the meantime, be sure to make the most of your support resources such as an editor, a VA with proofreading experience and one writing reference guide for everyone who sends out written communication on behalf of your business.  

Once you're comfortable delegating some of your content publishing tasks to a VA, you may be thinking about adding to your team or even progressing to an Online Business Manager model.

If you're dictating your content, it might be time to bring someone on board who can help with content strategy (watch for new support options coming soon). This is especially important as you're becoming a Content Master and building your flagship content.

How to Find Your Groove as a Content Marketer, Part One

Other posts in this series:
How to Get Started with Content Marketing, Part One and Part Two
How to Find Your Groove as a Content Marketer, Part Two
The Evolution of a Content Master, Part One and Part Two

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As you get more comfortable building your business online, you find yourself with more to say, a bigger audience that's listening and the confidence to talk to them. In other words, you're a full-fledged Content Marketer, publishing 2-5 articles or blog posts every month (not there yet? maybe you're a Content Starter).

Prerequisites for Content Marketers

Here are the things I suggest you have in place as you transition from content starter to content marketer (please note that some of these are affiliate links):

• A business coach, mentor and/or mastermind group
• A website that is targeted to a clearly defined niche
• A basic pink spoon that is also targeted
• Social network accounts and profiles
• A blog (I use Typepad) 
• An established practice of publishing consistently once per month
• An editorial calendar for your expanded publishing schedule of 2-5 pieces per month
• A style guide and/or style sheet for your recurring writing questions
• An editor or proofreader
• At least three hours per week to spend on content marketing tasks and social networking

Building your communities

You're clear about what you do in your business and who you do it for. That focus is increasing your visibility, attracting prospective clients and making it easier for colleagues to refer you. 

You'll want to be spending more time consciously cultivating that network of colleagues via social media sites such as Twitter, LinkedIn or Facebook.

Personalizing and packaging your content

You're likely offering more structured group and individual coaching programs now, based on the model that revealed itself through your successful experiences with clients. And as your services become more specific, so does your writing.

You're naturally infusing more creativity and personality into your writing. On the one hand you have more feedback from your bigger audience, and on the other hand, you're claiming your own style of writing, trusting that your ideal clients will resonate with it.

At this point you're building up enough targeted content that you can begin packaging it together to create new pink spoons or other products for your marketing funnel.

Aside from content marketing tools like articles, blog posts and products, you'll need additional written content for your coaching programs and marketing activities. This content may include coaching exercises, scripts for your videos or handouts for your teleclasses.

Hint: Remember that for visual learners (like me), audio isn't enough. In order to make the deepest connection with each learner, offer your material in a variety of formats, including written (here are 3 Ways to Enhance Your Live or Recorded Audio Offerings).

In Part Two, we'll look at how you'll be advancing your writing skills at this point in the Content Marketing Model, and how your network can support your efforts.

How to Get Started with Content Marketing, Part Two

Other posts in this series:
How to Get Started with Content Marketing, Part One
How to Find Your Groove as a Content Marketer, Part One and Part Two
The Evolution of a Content Master, Part One and Part Two

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In Part One, we talked about the prerequisites of this first stage of the content marketing journey - have you got those crucial tools in place? We also went over the process of finding your audience, developing your core content and practicing your writing skills.

There are a few other things to consider on the road to content mastery, so let's jump right in.

Building on your basic content marketing platforms

• Targeted website - As you learn more about the people you consider to be your ideal clients, you'll be able to tweak the language on your website to address their specific needs. They will feel understood, welcomed and supported once they find their way to your online office.

• Basic pink spoon - An important addition to your website will be a pink spoon, a free taste of your expertise and coaching style, delivered electronically as a downloadable document (or audio/video file). To access the pink spoon, visitors enter their name and email address, and agree to hear from you again.

• Blog - As your audience becomes more clearly defined, launching a blog is a natural way to increase your contact with them and provide different types of content. 

Where might a Content Starter look for support?

If you're a writer, or you want to become one, here are some free do-it-yourself resources that will be useful to you as a content starter. And keep an eye out for some exciting new writing resources and support programs that are on the way.

You'll also want to start getting to know some virtual assistants (VAs) who are willing to work on smaller, one-off projects while you're still building your business and managing your cash flow.

In most cases, it makes good sense to hand over the whole job of publishing your monthly newsletter instead of spending the time to do it yourself. You can earn more in that time than you will pay your VA.

If you're a talker, and you know that you're never going to have the time, patience or aptitude for writing, get started now with the tools that will allow you to create great written content with your voice. With Audio Acrobat, you can record your thoughts and share the file with a VA or transcription service.

Or try Dragon Naturally Speaking and watch your words appear on screen immediately as you speak (save $10 by using this link and the code mi6qbq39z - valid until June 30, 2010).

For additional support, watch for some exciting new programs designed specifically for those of you who prefer the "You Talk, I'll Write" approach.

What's next for you as a Content Starter?

Once you're comfortable generating one new piece of content each month, you can move up to the level of Content Marketer. This next post will help (coming soon).

How to Get Started with Content Marketing, Part One

Other posts in this series:
How to Get Started with Content Marketing, Part Two
How to Find Your Groove as a Content Marketer, Part One and Part Two
The Evolution of a Content Master, Part One and Part Two

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If you're new in business or new to online marketing, you're probably aiming to publish new content about once a month at this point. In other words, you're a Content Starter (see A Content Marketing Model for criteria of the other two stages of content marketing).

Prerequisites for Content Starters

Here are the crucial content marketing tools you'll need to have in place before you launch your journey towards content mastery (please note that some of these are affiliate links):

• Email service provider - Consider Aweber - this is the one that I use, MailChimp, Constant Contact, EzEzines or iContact.

• Basic website and/or blog - Somewhere you can publish and archive your content, so that you can link to it from emails as well as from your social network updates. I use Typepad for my blog and website (for a limited time, use the coupon code AA59D4ED and get 20% off for life).

• Mailing list sign-up form - A widget, form or piece of HTML code that you can get from your email service provider. Put this right into your sidebar template so that it displays on every page, no matter where someone may land when they visit.

• Time for your content - Commit to spend at least two hours per week on content marketing tasks.

Finding your audience, and helping them find you

You're finding new clients through connections, through former work relationships, through networking or through other forms of prospecting. You're gaining experience and confidence as a coach and as a marketer.

You're probably still saying YES to everyone, but you're noticing that conversations with certain clients light you up like the others don't. Pay special attention to these - your audience is finding you!

As you get to know your audience better and experience client successes, notice also any patterns that signify the underlying model or process that is creating those successes.

Listen to any and all feedback about the content you're publishing. Which topics generate comments, questions or inquiries about your services?

Generating your core content

Start making notes about the topics you're talking about most often with those clients who particularly inspire you. You'll develop these into core pieces of content that provide valuable assistance and concrete solutions to your readers, while introducing them to your ideas and services.

You may also write some preliminary thought pieces as you're developing your services and business model, though at this stage you may choose not to publish them.

You'll also be looking at around at what other people are doing to serve the same types of clients you want to work with. This research will lead to new relationships and potential collaborations for you, and connective pieces of content for your readers.

Learning and practicing basic article writing skills

In your online research, begin studying the basic structure of effective articles (ones that you liked, ones that have been linked to a lot or ones that have been rated, e.g., with a star system) and try to incorporate that structure into your own monthly articles.

Choose one writing reference guide so that you can make sure to handle writing issues the same way all the time.

As well, lay out all of the tasks involved throughout the month, from brainstorming about article topics all the way to publishing on the specific date you've promised (e.g., the second Tuesday of the month). Build the discipline of consistency now when there's less content to manage.

In Part Two of this post, we'll look at how to build on your basic content marketing platforms, as well as some of the support systems that will help you take the next steps towards content mastery.

A Content Marketing Model: Are you a Content Starter, a Content Marketer or a Content Master?

Your content marketing level will reflect your business level

As you learn how to effectively apply the strategy of content marketing to grow your business, you will progress through three stages of development with your content: Content Starter, Content Marketer and, eventually, Content Master.

These stages directly relate to where you're at in your business. For example, if you're a Content Starter, you're likely either brand new in your business or you're brand new to online marketing. 

If you're a Content Marketer, you're getting established online and building your following. You're crystal clear about what you do in your business and who you do it for.

If you're a Content Master, you have a high level of visibility online. In your business, you're transitioning into a true leadership role, where your systems and teams leave you free to develop new ideas and to deliver high-end services.

(Check out these similar three-stage models of business growth recently published by my colleagues Tina Forsyth and Alexis Neely.)

How much content are you generating every month?

If you're a Content Starter and brand new to content marketing, you're creating just about one new piece per month, likely a newsletter article. You're building an archive of core pieces as you learn more about the needs of your current and ideal clients.

If you're a Content Marketer, you've bumped up to 2-5 posts in a month, and it's likely that you've got a blog as well as a newsletter. Hopefully you're also posting your articles in other places.

You're more confident about your writing now, whether you're doing it yourself or you're getting ghostwriting or editing support. That's freeing up your creativity to put out more original and innovative thought pieces.

And with stronger networks and more time online, you're probably adding more connective pieces into the mix as well. Meanwhile, you're still providing lots of value to both your new readers and your regular readers with core pieces, and packaging them together for sale. 

As you move into content mastery, you're generating content at the rate of 6-10 pieces per month (or more), a rich combination of the three different types of content. You're posting consistently to your own blog as well as maybe writing some guest posts.

Your content is sharply targeted to provide stellar value to your readers and to engage with them at all levels of your product and service funnel. Your content packages are larger, serving as "flagship products" that reinforce your brand, expertise and value. And you can easily see the next flagship just up ahead.

No matter where you are right now in your business, how confident you feel about your writing and what you have to say, there is a place for you in this content marketing model. Even better, there is always a place for you to grow next.

Stay tuned for a series of blog posts where I will explain what you need to have in place before you get to each stage of this content marketing model, and the specific strategies you'll be working on as you climb the path to content mastery.

May article ideas for coaches

Just imagine - if you were to spend some time over the next couple of weeks brainstorming and drafting, your May newsletters and/or blog posts could be a real breeze! Here are some potential topic ideas for your May articles: 

• Life coaches: Happy Mother's Day! 10 Ways to Celebrate Being a Mother

• Parenting coaches: May is Family Wellness Month - 10 ways that wellness can bring your family together

• Marketing coaches: The Tweet-Up - Take your online networking offline in the warmer months

• Money coaches: Were Taxes a Pain? Take action now to create an easier tax season for next year

• Career coaches: The Spring Job Fair: Plan ahead to stand out from the crowd

Writing prompt: Use these sample titles as a starting point for topics that are relevant for your clients, prospective clients and readers.

Content Marketing à la Carte, Part Three: The core piece

Other posts in this series:
Content Marketing à la Carte: Mix and match these three types of online content (Part One: The thought piece)
Content Marketing à la Carte, Part Two: The connective piece

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The third and final type of online content we'll be discussing is the core piece. Core pieces are articles or blog posts where you present your concrete and systematic methods for solving the unique needs of your audience. Eventually you can combine these to create a larger "flagship product" that encompasses all of your products and services and reinforces your brand.

Unlike thought pieces, core pieces will always contain actionable, practical suggestions that your reader can apply to their situation. Of course there can also be coaching opportunities for reflection and learning.

Examples of core pieces are:

• "How to" articles that take the reader through a specific set of actions (including lists)
• Question and answer posts (a different format for "how to" material)
• "How NOT to" articles that point out common mistakes or warning signs
• Articles that illustrate a theory or model that your reader will learn to apply
• Assessments that help your reader self-identify as a member of a tribe (YOUR tribe)

Continuing with the tribe metaphor, with a core piece you're taking the role of a tour guide versus an expedition leader, as Cath Duncan differentiates in her thought piece. You're guiding your audience along a path you've carved out of your own experience of using these methods yourself and/or with other clients.

The format is relatively short (500 words or so) and structured, with sub-headings and lists for better readability. There is one main topic that answers the question, "What's the point?" about a targeted topic that your ideal client cares about.

Writing prompt: One of the easiest formats for writing a core piece is the Top 10 list. Have you downloaded my free Top 10 Article Generator? Grab it now at www.growyourbusinesswitharticles.com.

So what's better to write, a thought piece, a connective piece or a core piece? That depends on your stage of business (whether you are a Content Starter, a Content Marketer or a Content Master) and what you've got to say at this point. Your choice will also depend on your writing style and preferences. Some people write a lot of thought pieces.

Until I wrote this series and really sat down to think about these three different types of content, I was usually picturing a core piece when I wrote about article marketing or content marketing. Even though I used and recommended the other types, I wasn't clear about how or when.

Personally, I loved writing this series of thought pieces because I feel like I stepped fully into a realm I haven't always given myself permission to visit.

On the other hand, I also feel newly empowered to NOT write thought pieces if I don't want to, or feel any pressure to always produce mind-blowing or stunningly innovative work. The truth is that much of what we write will combine elements from thought pieces, connective pieces and core pieces.

Since any one of these content types can help you build a relationship with your ideal client, the only important thing is to keep publishing quality content consistently.

Want to create a thriving VA business? Improve your writing skills!

Writing is a specialized skill, whether the purpose of the writing is to inform, teach, sell, direct, coach, clarify, question or connect. Bad writing will not only stop you from reaching those goals, it can actually turn people away from you and your business.

When you're the eyes, ears, arms and hands of your client's business, it is up to you to make sure that doesn't happen. Whether you're writing or editing your client's words, you are often the last stop between those words and their audience. But are your own writing skills up to par?

Join me on Thursday, April 15, 2010, for an interactive presentation where you will learn:

• How better writing can help both you and your clients build trust, relationships, credibility, sales and referrals
• A 7-point readability checklist for your own writing
• A 7-point editing checklist for your clients' writing
• Tips for how to write or edit your client's writing without losing their voice
• The one SOP document you need to make your clients look good in writing

This session is part of an amazing event called the Virtually Successful Telesummit, put on by my friends Tina Forsyth and Cindy Greenway. I'll let them tell you more:

"We’ve helped A LOT of virtual support professionals over the years and frankly, too many virtual assistants are burnt out and not making the money they deserve.

In fact, according to the 2007 Virtual Assistant Networking Association survey, 74% of virtual assistants charge $40 or less per hour.

No wonder virtual assistants are tired, frustrated and in some cases ready to throw in the towel!

But the secret to making more money as a virtual assistant isn’t to take on more clients or work longer hours.

It isn’t doing more cold calling, speaking engagements or writing more blog posts.

Instead, the secret to creating a thriving virtual assistant business is to specialize. It’s time to stop being okay at many things, and do 1 or 2 things extremely well.

Yes, it’s time to go from being a generalist to a specialist to make your virtual assistant business totally ROCK!

That’s why we’re inviting you to attend the first ever virtual event that’ll teach you how to create a thriving – and profitable – virtual assistant business by specializing in what clients really want."

At the Virtually Successful Telesummit taking place April 12-16, 2010, you’ll learn how to specialize in:

• Social Media 
• Virtual Events
• Blog Support 
• Bookkeeping 
• Membership Management
• Affiliate Management 
• And a dozen more niche areas

Including writing and editing skills, with yours truly!

Click here now for more information and to register (please note that these are affiliate links).

Content Marketing à la Carte, Part Two: The connective piece

Other posts in this series:
Content Marketing à la Carte: Mix and match these three types of online content (Part One: The thought piece)
Content Marketing à la Carte, Part Three: The core piece

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Connective pieces are articles, blog posts or social media updates that are based on external content - where you're re-printing, commenting on or building from something someone else said or wrote (Michael Katz calls this Level One content).

I call these connective pieces because they help us connect in three important ways:

1. They help us connect the dots for our readers. As Andrea J. Lee writes in her perennial thought piece, Multiple Streams of Coaching Income, we're fulfilling the request, "Excuse me, will you be my Google?" as we filter the most relevant and accurate information in that unique way that our readers have come to enjoy.
2. They help us connect our own ideas with what else is out there (new thought pieces will naturally flow out of your connective pieces and vice versa).
3. They help us connect with our community of colleagues and the experts in our industry. These connections can lead to cross-referrals and future collaborate projects.

Connective pieces include:

• Pre-written articles that you choose from an article bank website or a specialized article service
• Articles that you commission from a guest author
• Transcriptions or summaries of expert interviews
• Case stories about clients you've worked with
• Reviews of tools, resources or services that might be useful to your readers
• Tweets or other social media updates where you share links, quotes or recommendations

As you can see, connective pieces can range in length from a 140-character tweet to a full-length article, and everything in between. While there's certainly more room and permission on social media sites to blur the line between your personal interests and those of your readers, generally your connective pieces are targeted specifically to address the needs and concerns of your ideal client.

Writing prompt: Are you stuck coming up with your own original content? How about compiling some content that's already been written? How about interviewing a client or colleague? Or add another head to the job and see what the two of you can come up with!

For more about how to use the connective piece in your content marketing strategy, see my follow-up post, "How different types of online content can help you build a relationship with your ideal client". Watch also for my next post about the third type of online content, the core piece.

Content Marketing à la Carte: Mix and match these three types of online content

Other posts in this series:
Content Marketing à la Carte, Part Two: The connective piece
Content Marketing à la Carte, Part Three: The core piece

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For someone who is just starting to produce content online, it might be confusing looking at the different blogs and articles that are out there. Some pieces are 3,000 words or more, while others are 300 words or less. What's the "right" template to follow when you're new to all of this?

In a series of three posts, I'm going to put together some of my thoughts about three different types of online content. I hope to give you a better sense of where you might fit in, depending on what stage you're at with your business and your content.

As always, I also hope to give you some concrete ideas you can use in your next piece of writing, along with the inspiration to get started with it now!

Content Marketing à la Carte, Part One: The thought piece

Today's post is about the thought piece. A thought piece is a longer, essay-type article that delves into a topic that interests you and/or (but hopefully and) your audience and ideal clients. It's a critical exploration, analysis or theoretical treatment of the topic, usually aiming to achieve one or more of these four goals:

1. Define (what is it?)
2. Deconstruct (what's it made of?)
3. Differentiate (how is it different from other things? Or how are its elements different from each other?)
4. Dispute (why another point of view is inaccurate or ineffective)

A thought piece will often come out of your own curiosity, or from a need that you've observed in the people around you. For example, the series I’ve written here is clearing up the confusion about which type of article is best for which situation, and it's also helping me better understand how I can help and when.

Sometimes a thought piece can be both highly personal and incredibly effective. This post from Glenda Watson Hyatt was clearly something she was writing as a personal reflection, AND it fully brands her as a thought leader whose courageous exploration is empowering other people to redefine themselves.

A thought piece may be formatted more like an essay, though headings and lists are still strongly recommended for better readability and to avoid that "big bad WALL of text." Thought pieces will often be longer than a typical 500-word informational marketing article, simply because it takes that long to investigate the topic. (Hint: If your readers aren't used to that length from you, divide it up as I've done here.) Thought pieces can easily be pieced together to create a larger work like a book.

A thought piece should still be able to answer that most important writing question, "What's the point?" It should stick to one main idea and support it with sub-points, though it won't necessarily provide a linear set of action steps or solutions.

In fact, sometimes the intended audience of a thought piece isn't even your ideal client or regular readers. It may be addressed more to your colleagues in the industry, or be a comment about something you've seen in the blogosphere.

Writing prompt: What are you curious about? How would you like to delve into the topic? Will you define, deconstruct, differentiate or dispute?

For more about how to use the thought piece in your content marketing strategy, see my follow-up post, "How different types of online content can help you build a relationship with your ideal client". Watch also for my next post about the second type of online content, the connective piece.