Content Mastery Guide

Editor and Ghostwriter

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.]

On the subject of subject lines

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Here is a slightly paraphrased version of an email I sent to a client, Chronic Illness Coach Sylvia Lippman, reprinted here with her permission:

Hi Sylvia,

While we’re on the subject on subject lines, I wanted to mention that I very nearly deleted your last email without opening it. There were two reasons for that.

1. The From line: Counseling and Wellness Innovations

The email was from Counseling and Wellness Innovations, who I didn’t recognize – and all I could see on my Outlook screen was actually “Counsel,” so I thought it was some legal thing and probably spam.

When you’re building a brand (and what they call “brand recognition”) it’s really important to reinforce the same key names and phrases in all of your marketing materials and messages.

I’d suggest your “From” line either read Dan & Sylvia Lippman, or Feel Better Now-CI.

[Sylvia explained later that they used that return address because so many of the people on their list were familiar with Dan’s former business name]

2. The Subject line: Your very personal opinions (read ’em here)

This didn’t tell me enough about what was inside or who it related to. For that reason, I like to include the name of the ezine and/or business in every subject line, e.g., [Idea Generator] This week’s writing prompts and updates.

Also, I think it’s wonderful to be conversational with your readers, and yet you have to remember that since you last “spoke” to them, they’ve gone in and out of hundreds of other conversations, and they may need some help getting back into yours.

In this case, a more effective subject line may have been: Thanks for your feedback on our Feel Better Now-CI website.

Here is some more reading you can do about good subject lines.

I have three subject line suggestions for your first ezine that we recently worked on together:

  • [Feel Better Now-CI] 3 self-care tools that do the trick (this option highlights the solution)
  • [Feel Better Now-CI] Firstname, are your challenges piling up? (this option highlights the problem)
  • [Feel Better Now-CI] Firstname, are you taking time for joy? (this option highlights a key emotional benefit)

Where it says “Firstname,” you’ll use your email service provider’s personalization feature.

Thank you Sylvia, for sharing your learning process with the rest of us!

Don’t be sneaky in your subject line

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In a Constant Contact FAQ post they discussed how the CAN-SPAM (anti-spam) act applies to the claims that we make in our subject lines. [Update December 15, 2012 – The direct link to this article is no longer functioning.] Are we so eager to get the reader's attention and have them click through, that we resort to deception?

There's a fine line between being clever and compelling to being dishonest and deceitful. Following the lead of some of the more aggressive (AND successful) Internet marketers, it's easy to get overly focused on compelling headings and subject lines and not focused enough on the integrity of the message.

I don't ever want to leave a bad taste in someone's mouth after an interaction with me – whether it's direct or indirect. Not everyone is going to like me or what I do, and I can live with that (sigh), but I can certainly avoid misleading someone to have an expectation that I have no intention of delivering on.

Did I cross the line with the post titled, "Win a copy of the Customizable Style Guide for Coaches Who Write"? After all, there was no fine print letting readers know that attendance at the ICF-GTA Conference was a prerequisite. But if I'd said that, then no one outside of Toronto would have clicked through and I would have lost an opportunity to remind my readers about the Style Guide resource and also my Talk-Write article service.

I'm curious to hear from you: Have you ever been duped by a "bait and switch" subject line that didn't deliver? How did you react? How did it affect your relationship with the sender? Comment below and let me know.

Also, how much emphasis do you put on composing your subject lines and titles? Are they as or more important to you than the post/article? What are your tricks for getting people to click through? Post them in a comment below. I'm also curious to know how/if you track your open rates, and which subject lines have been most successful for you. Thanks!

Your Attention Please – getting attention and getting action

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Thanks to Kathy Mallary of Spirit Spring Coaching for the review of the book Your Attention Please in a recent newsletter.

Expert coaches thrive

Speaking of getting attention, subscribe to Kathy's newsletter here and you'll get a fabulous special report that explains precisely why "Expert Coaches Thrive," ending the debate once and for all (sigh, if only that were true) about whether or not it's a good idea to specialize. [Update December 15, 2012 – Kathy has a new special report now, which I'm sure will be just as valuable to you.]

Getting your market's attention

In searching for the book's website, I stumbled upon this equally valuable post by Seth Godin on the topic of attention. He touts the free offer as the best way to get people's attention: "The interesting thing about most products and services is that we won't buy them until we know what they are and what they do."

The refrigerator test

I opened Your Attention Please to a random page (Kathy suggested in her article that every page holds a gem, and so far she's absolutely right) and read about the "refrigerator test." The authors attribute this concept to Don Ranly of the University of Missouri School of Journalism, who actually teaches a class called "Refrigerator Journalism". The test? For journalists, it's whether what you've written will be pertinent enough for someone to cut out and post on their refrigerator door.

The action test

In our case, we're usually looking for pretty specific actions from our readers. Signs that we are deepening our relationship, gaining trust and successfully leading them into our marketing funnel. So our test becomes whether or not they take action. Will what we write in our newsletters, blogs, articles and websites be pertinent enough for our reader to:

  • Forward to someone else via email
  • Bookmark for themselves or others (e.g., on delicious)
  • Comment on our site or by email
  • Blog or write about
  • Download our free offer, subscribe to our updates or make contact

The good news is that we'll know soon enough, because the results (or lack of) will speak for themselves.

Publishing Your Article in a Print Magazine – Anatomy of a Winning Query

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In my interview with Sharon Crawford, freelance writer, editor and writing instructor, I learned how to "hook" an editor with a story idea – the first step to being published in print.

It all starts with a query – literally asking the question, "so, are you interested?"

Before you even get to that stage, though, take some time to look through a few issues of the magazine that you’re pitching the story to. Visit the website or call to find out whether they accept freelance submissions, and for their submission guidelines.

Sharon recommends that your query be no longer than one page. Here is her breakdown of a winning query, paragraph by paragraph:

Paragraph 1: This is where you really need to hook them in to keep reading. Make sure you offer some kind of quirky, unusual twist on the story you want to tell. Show how your story could tie into a current event, piece of news, research study or societal trend. This paragraph will often end up in your full article.

Paragraph 2: Now, you pitch the specifics, "so, how about an 800-word article about __ (topic)?" List the things you could talk about, with examples, and show the editor you’ve already put some thought and research into it. Point form is appropriate for this section.

Also, show that you’re familiar with their specific publication, and suggest different sections where the article could fit. Talk about why their readers, in particular, would be interested in reading your story. Point out how your story idea matches their editorial schedule.

Paragraph 3: Describe your subject, the person you could interview for the article. That means that before you even sit down to write your query, you need to have chosen someone, spoken to them briefly and they’ve agreed to be interviewed.

You’ll also want to mention any other people you could interview, such as people who know your main subject and can offer a different perspective about them or the experience you’re interviewing them about.

For example, if you’re going to interview someone who has achieved success from hiring a life coach, you could also interview that person’s spouse, boss, colleague or friend to hear about the changes they’ve witnessed from the outside.

Paragraph 4: Why are you the best person to write this article? Here is the place to talk about your credentials, and the personal and professional experiences that make you uniquely positioned to tell this story. Cite examples of any previous articles you’ve published, particularly on the same or similar topics.

Paragraph 5: As you’re closing your query, make it clear that you’re willing to work with the editor’s suggestions. Notice how Sharon suggests you use the word "could" throughout the query. The more open you are to questions, revisions and rewrites, the more likely it is that you’re query will be accepted.

Finally, let the editor know that you’re going to follow up, and when. And by all means, do it! If you show them in the query process that you’re responsible, committed and true to your word, they’ll be more interested in working with you. Deadlines count!

Thanks again to Sharon Crawford (http://www.samcraw.com) for providing this great information!