Content Mastery Guide

Editor and Ghostwriter

Top 10 ways to re-use frequently asked questions

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  1. Publish an FAQ page. If you haven't done so yet, add an FAQ page to your website. If you already have one, update it with new questions as they come along.
  2. Save time on your next reply. Keep a copy of your response in a special email folder to recycle when the question comes up again.
  3. Hit the drawing board. Create a product that solves the problem – not just for that one person, but for many.
  4. Mine for content. Turn your reply into an article or a series of articles.
  5. Create an opportunity for learning. Combine five, seven or ten questions and answers into an e-course that's delivered by autoresponder.
  6. Call in an expert. Interview an expert on the topic. Record the interview and combine it with a learning guide and/or workbook to create a passive revenue product.
  7. Package the solution. Create a concrete, time-limited, flat-rate service that will address this problem or question.
  8. Search and research. Research the most current books, blogs and articles that answer the question and review those materials on your blog. Your visitors will keep coming back to you for the latest and greatest information about your area of specialty.
  9. Systemize your business. Develop terms (to share with others) and procedures (for you and your team) for your services and most common business activities. Go for maximum efficiency in minimum time.
  10. Head off questions at the pass. Edit your website and marketing materials to make sure they're as clear as possible. Try to answer the questions before people ask them!

Remember to smile and be grateful for each and every time someone asks you a question. It means they were interested enough to find out more.

A new Top 10 article prompt

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Start your next Top 10 article with this title:

The Top 10 Reasons I used to Believe……OR this one:

The Top 10 Reasons I now Believe………

I got this idea from a political news story I was listening to on the radio about Canada’s role at the G8 summit. The reporter commented that Prime Minister Stephen Harper was a great salesman for climate change because he didn’t used to believe in it and now he does. He’s changed his opinion; he’s been convinced and is trying to convince others.

Writing prompt: Have you changed your opinion about something recently? What convinced you?

A simple framework for growing your business

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I attended a meeting last week of the Alliance of Independent Practitioners [Update December 8, 2012 – This is now known as PIC – Professional Independent Communicators, part of Toronto’s International Association of Business Communicators chapter.

The speaker was Jennifer Beale, of unleashpr and BizNetworkNews.

While the topic was networking, and I got TONS of ideas about how to do that, the key ideas that I took away were these:

There are basically four ways that I’m going to bring money into my business:

  1. Sales (actually “closing the sale” and receiving the money)
  2. Marketing (generating leads, making contacts and networking)
  3. Client Retention (repeat sales to current customers)
  4. Referrals (requesting referrals)

I need to systemize what I’m doing in each of these areas. Creating a system is as simple as three steps:

  • Planning e.g. At which networking events am I most likely to find members of my target market?
  • Preparation e.g. Do I have business cards to hand out? Do I have a simple and concise way of explaining what I do and who I do it for?
  • Action e.g. After I attend the networking event, spend an hour or two on follow-up like adding contacts to my mailing list (with their permission, of course!), sending them promised information or setting up a coffee date. Jennifer suggests we schedule that time in our calendars before we head out.

For each step I can either do it myself, delegate it, and/or find a technology solution to make it easier and more efficient.

Along those lines, Jennifer also mentioned the importance of having a good contact management system. Right now I’m using Outlook, but I did experiment for awhile with a free program called Kurlo. I quite liked it, actually!

[Update December 8, 2012 – I don’t remember Kurlo at all! At this point I use Google Apps for Business.]

AWeber set-up help for delivering your email newsletter and automated follow-ups

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If you’re interested in an email delivery system for your e-courses, newsletters and special announcements, AWeber is a great solution.

I used their trial and could see they have a great service, and that’s why I became an affiliate. The only reason I don’t use it personally is because I send all of my emails through my shopping cart system, 1ShoppingCart.

If you don’t need a shopping cart, but you’re ready to grow your business with newsletters, e-courses and other automated follow-up strategies, AWeber might be just what you’re looking for.

The Top 10 Ways to Make the Most of your Next Brainstorming Session

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Today’s post is by guest author Amy Grossman, MBA. Amy is a One Page Business Plan Certified Consultant, and works with entrepreneurs and small business owners. A woman of many talents, Amy is also an expert at brainstorming and mind mapping techniques, which she uses to coax brilliant ideas out of individuals and teams.

The Top 10 Ways to Make the Most of your Next Brainstorming Session

By Amy Grossman

  1. State your topic clearly, in one sentence, at the top of the page. Be sure it is focused rather than broad.
  2. Set the timer for ten minutes.
  3. Write as fast as you can without editing. Write every idea down. Money and time are no object and anything is possible in the idea phase.
  4. Use your natural energy. Brainstorm at the time of day when you are most energetic, maybe first thing in the morning or early evening.
  5. Keep your ideas in one place. As a word document on your computer; in a notebook or journal; in a blog. This is your idea depository that you can draw on over time.
  6. Free up your creative juices with prompts such as pictures or music.
  7. Be creative on the page. Use quick sketches and symbols – instead of words – to capture some of your ideas. Place ideas all over the page. Use different color pens, crayons, colored paper, non-standard size paper (e.g. BIG) – anything to break out of your routine way of doing things.
  8. Build on your ideas. Picture a tree. One main idea is the trunk, with other sub-ideas flowing out like branches. You can draw the branches and twigs in advance so you have a structure for your ideas before you begin. Or use brainstorming software, such as MindManager®, to create mind maps as you go along. [Note from Linda: You can also try FreeMind, which is free!]
  9. Use a dictionary. Open it to a random page and pick a random word as a brainstorming jumping-off point.
  10. Stand in someone else’s shoes and think about the topic. Take the perspective of your customer, your competitor, an artist, a journalist, a doctor, a diplomat, an accountant, a mother or a child. How would they approach the question or problem?

Thanks for the great tips, Amy!

Visit Amy at Broader Vision Coaching.

Quick Writing Prompt: Set your timer for ten minutes and choose one of these ideas to launch a brainstorming session.