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10 Reasons Why Content Matters (via Forbes)

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Picture yourself in a room full of people. You’re mingling and chatting while you snack on gourmet cheese and olive tapenade when “that” person walks us. You don’t need to ask who he is or what he does, because he’s already telling you. The details may be different, but the conversation sounds something like this:

Hi, I’m a leading innovator in my industry. I’ve published articles in six journals. I’m the most creative, best qualified person to help you. You should call me.

What’s wrong with this?

Don’t tell me you’re an innovator, show me. Let your work speak for itself.

That’s why content matters – you’re not just telling people what you do, it’s an opportunity to show the world that you really know what you’re talking about.

But don’t believe me. Check out Forbes’s “10 Reasons Why Content Matters” by AJ Agrawal.

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Three Ways to Improve Your Online Presence, One Blog

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Running a business requires more than one skill set. It’s not enough to create the products your selling or provide a certain service – you also need to have a good understanding of finances, accounting, marketing, customer service, etc.

Or you need to know someone else who understands those things.

As a copywriter, I love to share tips about how businesses and organizations can improve their online presence, but there’s more to it than just writing. That’s why I’m partnering with two other professionals who have the knowledge and experience it takes to strengthen a brand. I’m excited to announce my partnership with graphic designer Sierra Kellermeyer of S. Kellermeyer Designs and social media strategist Leslie Krukowski of Black Dog Business Group.

Sierra Kellermeyer who helps business owners who are tired of their marketing efforts pulling “okay” results. She helps them stand out online by designing a noteworthy visual brand that attracts their ideal clients effortlessly. She says, “My favorite part of brand design is the marriage of creativity and strategy. I’m not simply creating something beautiful, I’m creating something beautiful that works and has a purpose.”

There’s a lot of misconception about visual branding, with people thinking it’s just about looking good, but it’s more than that. “Your visual brand is a communication tool, and if you’re only trying to make something that looks nice, rather than telling your audience about your business, you’re missing out.”

Sierra will be sharing her visual branding tips in February, May, August, and November. In the meantime, you can find her online at:

https://www.skellermeyerdesigns.com/
https://www.facebook.com/skellermeyerdesigns2014/

Leslie Krukowski is the principal, CEO, and main consultant of Black Dog Business Group. She graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in English and sub-concentrations in both marketing and business management. After spending several years in management, marketing, and social media marketing positions, she received a Master’s Degree in Administration.

Leslie understands the power of social media (having attracted out-of-state clients through her effective use of posts and hashtags), and she wants to help other business owners learn how to harness it too. By staying up-to-date with algorithms, trends, and social media best practices, she has helped businesses grow their audiences and improve sales.

Leslie will be sharing her social media tips in March, June, September, and December. You can find her online at:

https://www.blackdogbusinessgroup.com/
https://www.facebook.com/blackdogbusinessgroup/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/25019406/
https://www.instagram.com/blackdogbusinessgroup/

I’ll still be sharing my content tips as well, but I’m thrilled to be able to offer so much more on this blog, and I hope you’ll join us to learn more about how you can strengthen your online presence!

Do you have any questions for the experts? If so, please leave a comment below!

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Four Simple Ways to Reuse Your Content in 2018

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Maintaining a blog isn’t easy, even if you have decades of experience that you can share. There are only so many topics that your audience cares about, and only so many ways to talk about those topics.

Let’s be honest – how many different ways can you say the same thing? Even I struggle to find new topics and new ways to elaborate on them, and I get paid to write creatively!

So how do you – as a small business owner, entrepreneur, or volunteer for a non-profit – find ways to share new, fresh blog posts? One easy technique is to reuse old material. You don’t necessarily want to repost all of last year’s posts verbatim, but here are some tips for recycling that information so you don’t have to start from scratch each time:

  1. Reorganize Your Lists: Did you write some top-ten lists last year? Take a look at those to see if you can create a new top-ten list that includes some of those tricks. Or maybe you wrote about several similar topics that you can condense into a new top-ten list. Or you can make a list of your most popular top-ten lists! (Don’t forget to include backlinks.)
  2. Create a Series: Remember those posts about a similar topic? Try posting them again in the same week/month, but as part of a series. Give each post a quick, new introduction, then end it with a line that will lead in to the next post. Not only are you reusing previously published material, but by organizing it into a series you’ll help your readers see the connection between topics.
  3. Give It a Good Edit: Look back to some of your earliest posts. Chances are good that you’ve grown as a writer or a professional since you wrote it, and you’ll see ways to improve the post (either grammatically, or because you found a better, new way to do something). If you change more than 50% of the material, you can comfortably consider it a new post entirely. If you change less than that, simply add Revised to the end of the title so your readers will know there’s new material included.
  4. Add an Infographic: Do you have a post that includes a lot of statistics and numbers? Why not put those statistics into an infographic? You can add to the remaining content to fill in the blank spaces if needed, and the infographic will give your readers something eye-catching to share on social media.

Using these four strategies will help you fill in your calendar this year without having to create dozens of new blog posts – that’s time you can spend elsewhere!

What tricks have you found that help you create/reuse content?

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Words (and Goals) for the New Year

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Goals make the world go round, or at least let us know where we’re going. I’ve spent most of my career setting goals for myself, but there are two main problems with my goal setting:

  1. I never remember to review them, so I never know whether or not I’m meeting them.
  2. Many of the goals are outside of my control (i.e. I can’t make anyone hire me).

Last year, I discovered the idea of “words.” Not words in general (I would hope by now that I have established a decent enough understanding of words and their usage), but motivational words. Inspirational words. An idea to encourage me through the year.

What a difference a word can make!

But what a challenge – how do you pick one word to represent all that you hope to achieve throughout a year? Is it even possible? Maybe not. I know several people who pick multiple words for the year, but I prefer to follow Colonel Sanders’ approach – do one thing, and do it well.

Picking one word for the year hasn’t been easy. I think working from home has made it more difficult, as my home and work life often intermingle. I’ve found myself searching for a word that can pull double duty at home and in my office.

Thankfully, I found it.

One word to keep my business moving forward at a reasonable pace. One word to provide me with the time needed to both improve upon and share my writing and editing skills. One word to encourage growth professionally, personally, and spiritually.

For 2018, I have chosen balance.

I will still, of course, set certain measurable goals for myself (meeting deadlines, treating all clients with honesty and compassion, etc.), but in all things I will strive to achieve balance:

  • Editing others’ novels while working on my own
  • Networking with both copywriting and fiction writing clients
  • Making time for work and play
  • Reading for pleasure as well as education

Balance.

That is my word – my goal, I suppose – for 2018.

What’s your word (or plan or goal) for the New Year? How do you plan to achieve it?

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Merry Christmas!

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And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
    and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

Luke 2: 8-15

About Me

About Me

Copywriter. Editor. Your right-hand scribe.   Karin grew up along the Lake Michigan shoreline, the product of a small farming community. An athlete, musician, thespian, and Tetris master, she graduated Valedictorian of her high school class before earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Hillsdale College. A life-long reader and writer, Karin wrote a novel in 2007 after … [more]

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Copywriting

Copywriting

Karin understood my advertising and marketing writing needs and accomplished the project in record time. She asked all the right questions up front to equip herself with enough … [more]

Editing

Fiction Coaching

Fiction-Writing Coach

Whether you have an idea that needs development or skills that need honing,  I will work with you to strengthen your writing and help prepare it for publication. No need to have a complete … [more]

Resources

Resources

Press Release Tool Kit Stop waiting and hoping for people to notice you and your organization! With this Press Release Tool Kit, you’ll learn to apply the step-by-step process I use to … [more]