Content Mastery Guide

Editor and Ghostwriter

Where Do You Blog?

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Clip_holding_papersWith mobile idea catchers and connections everywhere, you never know where you're going to come up with your next blog post. But where will you settle down to finish it and go through the other steps to writing an article?

I first explored the topic of the creative environment in a 2005 article about how creative artists can connect with their surroundings, which then became a chapter of my book, Ten Ways to Thrive as a Creative Artist. 

In the article, I discuss several factors, including how you can use "deliberate decorating" to inspire your creativity and how too much clutter or not having a dedicated writing space can hinder your creative efforts.

One of the things I noticed about my own creative space was that my idea catchers were making my desk too chaotic and messy. You see, I often capture my ideas for blog posts or my business on small pieces of paper (I don't want to waste paper by using more than necessary). 

These piles of paper collect on my desk in between blog writing sessions or other times dedicated to catching up and working through my ideas. Yet if my notes were scattered all over the desk, that caused my mind to feel scattered as well.

Just the simple act of straightening the pile of papers changes how my desk looks and how focused I feel. And when it's time to turn my brainstorm of blog ideas into the draft of my next post, my notes are neat and easy to work with.

The more deliberate you are about when, how and where you sit down to blog, the more successful it will be as a marketing activity.

I am working on creating an optimal blogging environment for you at a future series of blogathon events. Stay tuned to http://www.businessblogathon.com for information and announcements about upcoming virtual and live blogathons.

How to Write a Wellness Blog That People Want to Read

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Looking-for-helpLet’s examine five things that people are looking for when they search online for health and wellness topics, and how your blog can address those needs and attract these prospective clients to your services.

  1. Am I all alone? People want to know they’re not the only ones who’ve experienced whatever problem they’re having. Blogging tips: Write about the most common complaints and issues your clients have when they hire you. Describe exactly what they may be going through. Use the same words your prospective clients would use in a conversation with a friend.
  2. Is this ever going to get better? People want to hear that you’ve known and helped others like them, maybe even that you were once like them and you found a way out (if you happen to be a member of your own target market). They want their lives to improve, they want to get better, they want reassurance and hope that things won’t always be this way. Blogging tips: Use examples, client stories and your own life stories. Balance your expertise with real-life experience. Paint a vibrant picture of how wonderful life could be once they’ve found the right solution for them.
  3. Will I be able to cope with this and do what it takes to help myself? People are looking for immediate relief, along with long-term change. They also want to know that your suggestions will be different from others they’ve tried and abandoned. Blogging tips: Give your readers plenty of straightforward, practical steps they can begin immediately to improve their situation. Remember that your readers will be at various stages of readiness for making changes in their lives, so don’t suggest too much, too soon.
  4. Is this serious? As I mentioned above, sometimes when people are researching, they’re not ready to take action yet. In terms of the transtheoretical model of change developed by addiction researchers Prochaska and DiClemente in 1983, they’re still in the contemplation or preparation stage. That’s why some of your blog posts should aim to motivate someone to address their problem. Blogging tips: Just as you painted a picture in tip #2, now you want to paint an equally vivid picture of how life might look if they never overcome this problem. What will be the impact on their physical, emotional and mental well-being? For an example, see this article about metabolic syndrome and hypertension on the Wellness Blogs site.
  5. Who can I trust to help me with this situation, and what can I expect from that process? People need to know, like and trust you before they even consider hiring you for such an intimate service as a wellness treatment. They want you to be a knowledgeable expert who is still approachable. Blogging tips: Explain how your treatment modality works. For example, there are excellent introductions to reflexology and craniosacral therapy on the Wellness Blogs site. Tell more case stories about the people you’ve helped and how you helped them. Weave in details about your approach to client care. Help people feel what it will be like to be under your care. Write to each individual reader as if he or she is already one of your precious clients.

By addressing these needs of your blog readers, you’ll be establishing a trusting relationship as an expert they can rely on. When they’re ready to take the next step and get help for their situation, you’ll be first on their minds.

Do you need help writing your wellness blog? Contact me today to learn how I can help!

What Business Bloggers Can Learn from Journalists

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Typewriter-blogAccording to Technorati.com’s State of the Blogosphere 2011 report, almost 1/3 of bloggers have worked for the traditional media. That statistic got me thinking about how business bloggers could benefit from a journalism mindset.

Hold the schedule sacred

Whether it’s a daily paper, a weekly column or a monthly magazine, it goes out. On time. With content.

I see many bloggers boast about how they only post when they have something fabulous to say. Great, but when you’re building online visibility you really can’t afford to be absent for too long, or to have your blog/website appear like an outdated ghost town. 

Not to mention the pressure of coming back after 2-3 months without posting – how fabulous do you have to be at that point?

Business bloggers, take note: I recommend posting new content on your blog a minimum of twice a month, and ideally every week. But take it easy – if you’re used to publishing a monthly newsletter, start there and then make the transition.

Know that the more you write, the easier it will be. Check out my post about how to build a daily blogging habit, and these suggestions about what you should be writing every day.

If you’re looking for more support with daily writing, my trusted colleague Cynthia Morris is offering her month-long Free Write Fling beginning this Wednesday, February 1st. Find out more or sign up here. 

If you ever do happen to miss a step in your publication schedule, don’t worry. Blogging is not a matter of life and death. Just pick up and start again.

Share the heavy lifting

Journalists enhance their writing with quotes, research and details from other sources.

Savvy reporters and business owners both rely on Peter Shankman’s HARO database to connect reporters who need information with business owners who can provide their expertise. Since 2008, HARO has facilitated 7,500,000 media pitches. 

Business bloggers, take note: A poll by Cision and George Washington University concluded that 89% of journalists use blogs for story research. The more relevant content you publish, the more chance they’ll find YOU when they’re looking for an expert in your area.  

Sharing the heavy lifting on your blog might mean inviting a guest blogger to contribute or co-write a post with you, or publishing connective content instead of a full-length feature article.

Choose every word

Journalists simply know how to tell a good story.

Their artful headlines compel, inform, inspire and motivate in just a few words. Then they pack a punch by using the inverted pyramid or another powerful article opening. Strict word counts force them to be concise.   

Business bloggers, take note: There are stories happening all around you in your life and business. Check out these posts about how to turn your story into an effective marketing piece and how to turn a client story into a news story. 

If you tend to run on in your writing, give yourself a word count limit of 500 words and pare down your writing.

On the other hand, if you struggle to get past the first paragraph or two, use these tips to add more value for your readers.  

There’s more to being an effective business blogger than using these journalism strategies. To learn more, check out the upcoming free training, The Blogging Mindset.

Blog Readers Are Your Friends, But…

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My definition of friend has changed from spending so much time online. I have many friends that I've never met in person, and probably never will. Some friendships began with a five-minute Twitter exchange; others were sparked in person and then deepened online.

I've written before about how you want to engage your blog reader as if you're already friends. After all, even as a brand new reader, that person has still come from somewhere.

Maybe they found you on Google, "Hey, my friend Google the search engine thought I should meet you because I'm looking for…" If they've come via a link on social media, the introduction was even warmer and more meaningful.

But presuming too much intimacy can backfire – both on your blog and on the popular business networking site, LinkedIn.

How to get ignored on LinkedIn

"______ (name) has indicated you are a Friend and would like to add you to his/her professional network."

There's something about that phrase that bothers me, and I click the "Ignore" button when I receive these types of LinkedIn invitations. Unless the person includes a note about how we're "friends." (I used to write back and ask them, but it became too time consuming.)

On LinkedIn, if you can't honestly say that you know someone via work, school or another institution, you have two other options other than "Friend": (a) you can say you don't know the person or (b) you can click "Other" and include a note about why you'd like to connect.

The latter option is what I always choose. You have to enter the person's email address, but don't worry, it's not a test; it just helps LinkedIn deliver your message.

Remind your blog readers why they like you

Blog readers might also ignore your advances if you get too close, too soon. While you want to take a friendly approach, keep in mind that even if they've "met" you once or twice, they may not remember whether or not they liked you.

That's why it's so important to be consistent with your language and branding – it helps remind people who you are and what they liked about you. So you're not just presuming intimacy; you're backing it up.

Keep earning your friendships

Someone recently recommended that I change this phrase in the Wellness Blogs submission guidelines: "Pretend you're chatting with a good friend who came for your help and expertise." He said people wouldn't give the same level of advice to a friend. I disagreed, and kept the phrase as is. What do you think?

This reminded me of an important point, though. Keep making the effort to impress and deliver value to your blog readers. Don't skimp on details or explanations because you assume people read them in a previous post – they may not have. 

How do you define friendship these days? Do you think people throw around the word too liberally? Do you consider your blog readers to be friends? How does that affect your approach to writing?

How FreshBooks Connects via their Blog

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In the recent "How to Write a Blog Post" webinar, I highlighted these four blogs as examples of the four different types of blog posts you can write:

  1. The Wegman's Fresh Stories blog, for this example of a "how to" post
  2. Southwest Airline's Nuts About Southwest blog, for this example of a personal post
  3. The Coaching4Clergy blog (my client J. Val Hastings), for this example of a thought leadership post
  4. The FreshBooks blog, for this example of a connecting post

FreshBooks are innovators in the field of online invoicing, so it's no wonder that their blog is so creative and entertaining (they can even sing!).  

Freshbooks

Connecting posts, like this customer portrait of Kristel Yoneda, take the pressure off the blogger to always be dreaming up brand new topics or material (making it much easier to be a weekly blogger).

In this case, the majority of the post comes from an outside source (Kristel's responses to a set of interview questions). Yet the post author's personality still shows through; in the title of the post, in the flavour of the interview questions and in the brief introduction (I might have also added a conclusion).

Client stories are a great way to demonstrate your product or service in action, and will be an interesting read for everyone who visits your blog – people love stories!

Here's another benefit to this type of post: Any blog post that features a client, blogger, author or expert can nurture your relationship with that person - be sure to call the person's attention to your post using my tips in Trackbacks, Reactions and Link Love.

P.S. Did you notice that this post itself is a connecting post? Not only did I use the FreshBooks customer portrait as my central topic (adding my comments and teaching points to make it useful and relevant for you), but the lesson itself was borrowed from the webinar I delivered last month. Now that's how to make blogging easier!