Content Mastery Guide

Editor and Ghostwriter

Social networking beyond the link: 5 ways to turn your blog post or article into a conversation starter

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In today’s post I chat with social networking and marketing implementation specialist Kristen Beireis of the Coaches’ Marketing Source.

Linda: Kristen, I’ve never heard the term “conversation starter” before, related to social networking or content generation. What’s the difference between a conversation starter and a regular status update?

Kristen: A conversation starter is intended to get a discussion going. It’s not an “in the moment” or “this is what I’m doing” post, like a regular status update would be. This is a pre-planned update that is meant to stimulate a conversation with those in your network.

Linda: My new blog posts and ezines are automatically posted to my LinkedIn and Twitter accounts already – why isn’t that enough?

Kristen: Blog posts are great information and should be posted to your accounts, but there is  much more you can do. Posting a blog link just says “read this,” and constantly broadcasting to your network can really get people to tune out. I’m sure there’s a conversation to be had around your blog post – you just need to find a way to invite people to engage in that discussion with you. That will get them tuned back in.

Linda: Great points, Kristen! So how do we do it?

Kristen: Expand on the content in your original blog post or article, and take it just a bit further. For example, you can:

  1. Ask questions that get a conversation going around the topic.
  2. Post controversial statements that get people to think about the topic.
  3. Start a conversation with a colleague to ask their opinion about the topic (you might want to email them privately first to let them know you’ll be doing this).
  4. Post quotes from some of the comments you received on the blog or by email (ask permission first for the email comments!)
  5. Ask people to share stories if they can relate to what your piece was about.

You can also include some “teaser” posts with links, the same kind of thing you might use as a promo or introduction in an article directory, but keep those to a minimum and focus on interacting with your network. People get tired of seeing those links all the time.

The point here is to create an engaging discussion around a topic that you are an expert in.

Wow, thanks so much to Kristen Beireis for stopping by and enlightening us about how go “beyond the link” when we share our content on social networking sites.

What’s the moral of your story?

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I sat down the other day to work on a case study for a client. I opened my notes from the telephone interview and scrolled through them for a minute or two. I started to think about how I might structure the case study into different sections.

Not five minutes had passed when I closed the document and moved on to another task. The magic just wasn't there. I had no inspiration for the project. And I've learned better than to try and force the process when that happens.

While this brief story is definitely meant to illustrate the importance of scheduling multiple writing sessions, and also to revere the ebb and flow of the creative process, really this was a "post within a post," meant to lead into today's real topic: storytelling.

If you were a writer or a storyteller long before you started trying to use the Internet to attract new clients, it may pain you to apply rules and structures to your writing. Please don't censor yourself, creative one! Let the writer in you write – flowingly, soulfully, abundantly, dreamingly, unabashedly.

But before you publish that story as part of your content marketing efforts, consider its real purpose – the moral of the story.

1. Is your story meant to inspire your readers? If you're a member of your own target market and you're sharing a success about the topic you specialize in, this is a great use of storytelling.

Writing prompt: End the story with a triumphant call-to-action so your reader can build on your experience.

2. Is your story meant to instruct your readers? Perhaps it is an example of a learning point, as mine was at the top of this post.

Writing prompt: Summarize the learning and give a concrete set of guidelines or tips your reader can use to apply the learning immediately, as I've done with these writing prompts.

3. Was writing this story a personal catharsis for you? Be honest, now. Don't worry, there's absolutely nothing wrong with that, and it doesn't mean you have to abandon the story or limit it to a personal blog. Sometimes the most inspiring and instructive stories came to life this way.

Writing prompt: Before you release the story, find its connection to the problem you have pledged to solve for your target market, and connect the dots for them.

Bonus tip: You don't always have to use your own stories as the starting point – client stories can help build social proof for your work, while demonstrating some of your ideas. You can also explore characters or scenes from movies or books or write from the headlines. 

Storytelling is a very effective way to inspire and instruct your readers, while stoking your own creative fire within. And your readers get to be the hero, as they each apply your guidance to find their own success.

How to leverage your written content: 25 great things you can do with 500 great words

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When you pour your heart and soul into writing an article that really hits the mark in providing solid value for your target audience, it's sad to think of it only getting one chance to shine in the world. But that's exactly what happens for so many entrepreneurs who write articles as a strategy to build relationships, trust and credibility with prospective clients.

Maybe you send the article out in your monthly newsletter. Maybe you post it on your blog, if you have a blog. Maybe you post it to your website. 

What a waste of your brilliance to only use it once!

Here is just a sampling of the many ways you can leverage your content in an integrated marketing strategy. This will not only keep you on the minds of your prospective customers, it will fuel your own creativity to think of more and more ways to play off that one original article.

25 ways to re-use a great article

  1. Put the words in a different order (explore your topic from another perspective and write another article about it)
  2. Read the article out loud and make a podcast  (Audio Acrobat is a handy tool for this)
  3. Interview someone else about your topic (e.g., an expert, a colleague, a client)
  4. Create a poll about the topic (ask your blog readers and social networks to answer)
  5. Ask questions about your topic on your social networking sites
  6. Send the article out in a newsletter to your mailing list
  7. Post the article to your blog
  8. Link to your blog post on your social networks (you can set this up to happen automatically)
  9. Print your article out as a handout (add photos, graphics and your logo and contact information)
  10. Submit your article to a general article directory (e.g., EzineArticles)
  11. Submit your article to a targeted article directory (e.g., Coach Spotlight)
  12. Submit your article as a guest post to someone else's blog
  13. Present a tele-seminar about the topic
  14. Present a workshop about the topic
  15. Combine these words with other great words you've written and share them online (e.g., as an e-book or home study program)
  16. Combine these words with other great words as a printed book
  17. Create an actionable worksheet about the topic
  18. Start a debate about the topic (post a provocative statement to your social networks)
  19. Challenge another blogger to a duel (find someone with an opposing view and ask them to write about it)
  20. Send the article to clients or prospective clients who ask you about the topic
  21. Select some key words or phrases from your article and make them into a slideshow (add some photos and turn it into an online video)
  22. Discuss the topic in front of your webcam (and turn it into an online video)
  23. Create a diagram out of the topic (give your readers a visual map to follow of the topic)
  24.  Make a word picture out of your article (http://www.wordle.net/)
  25. Link a song (http://blip.fm/) or movie to your topic and share the connection with your social network

Please don't be limited by these 25 things, my friend. Go forth and turn your content into new and wonderful solutions for the people you serve. 

[Update December 31, 2012 – This article was originally posted on the snap! va marketing blog, until Karri Flatla moved on to a new career.]

Content marketing: Turning strangers into clients

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On a phone call last week, I heard: "Would someone really hire a stranger that they just found on a website? I provide a service – don't people need to be referred to me by someone they trust?"

An excellent two-part question, to which I'll write a two-part answer:

Turning strangers into clients

When a stranger lands on your website and they're greeted with information that will help solve their problem, they can very quickly turn from a stranger to a fan. If they really like what you've written, they may share it with someone they know or bookmark your page to come back to later.

But it gets even better if you're employing pink spoon marketing techniques (and hopefully you are!). Now, that stranger has now downloaded your free resource and given you permission to follow up with more useful information and ways to get to know you.

As you stay in touch over time, you won't feel like a stranger to that visitor anymore. You will feel like a trusted source of useful information, a valuable resource and the first person to consider when it's time to look for solutions.

Making referrals easier

When you take good care of a client, you make the person who referred that client look really good! With an impressive collection of informative content on your website, blog or social network profile, you can give your referral sources even more clout.

Imagine them being able to say, "Sorry to hear you're having trouble with X, Jen. I just read a fantastic article with some great tips – here's the link."

Just as your articles build trust with prospective clients, they also build credibility with potential referral sources, and give you an easy, no-pressure way to stay in touch with your network of colleagues.

So while it may not happen immediately (and sometimes it does!), I say YES, strangers will hire you just from seeing your website. IF your website includes some great content.

And for those who need a little social proof, your content can solidify your standing as the go-to expert in your specialty and guarantee a steady stream of referrals coming your way.

Bringing your abandoned articles back to life

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A reader recently told me: "Linda, I read your articles and I get so inspired to write, but then I always get stuck. For example, I started writing a Top 10 list awhile back, but I couldn't think of more than four points so I stopped. I saved it somewhere but I can't remember what I called it so I couldn't even find it if I wanted to."

When it comes to your abandoned, half-written articles and blog posts, you've got two choices:

1. Mine them for gold.

When you look at the article draft with today's eyes and perspective, you bring a fresh energy to the table – you can make new possible connections or call on your most recent conversations with clients and colleagues.

Personally, I rarely (if ever) start and finish an article in one sitting. So adjust your definition of a successful article writing session and see what you can build today out of your abandoned articles from yesterday.

2. Trash them for fertilizer.

This is one of those times where it's okay to have a little bit of clutter in your life. Feeling guilt or pressure to finish something we started can block our creative flow and can even drain our energy from other projects we're working on.

I'm not saying you have to go in and purge all of your files, but let go of them in your mind and be willing to start fresh with a new blank page. Trust that the best ideas will always come back to you.

Writing prompt: If your article writing efforts are being haunted by the ghosts of article ideas past, take action now to either try again or start fresh.