Content Marketing | Writing On The Web by Patsi Krakoff, The Blog Squad

Writing On The Web by Patsi Krakoff, The Blog Squad

Content Marketing Strategies for Smart Professionals

Archive for Content Marketing – Page 43

9 Must-Read Books for Intelligent Content Marketing

By Patsi Krakoff

Monday, March 29th, 2010

What are you reading? You may not have much time to keep up with the latest biz books in your field. But some of us (me) spend a lot of time reading. Let me share with you what I'm reading now that I think is really worthwhile.

You may wonder how these relate to writing on the web, or marketing, but trust me, they do. Psychology is the meaningful connection linking marketing to people in any field or profession.

Here's what's on my night table, my desk, my lounge chair out by the pool, and next to my stationary exercise bike:

Mojo: How to Get It, How to Keep It, How to Get It Back If You Lose It, by Marshall Goldsmith
Rules of Thumb, by Alan M. Webber
Linchpin: Are You Indispensable? by Seth Godin
Flow: the Psychology of Optimal Experience, by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
The Healthiest Meals on Earth, by Jonny Bowden
The Mature Mind: the Positive Power of the Aging Brain, by Gene D. Cohen
Letting Go of the Words: Writing Web Content that Works, by Janice Redish
Drive: the Surprising Truth about What Motivates Us, by Daniel H. Pink
Driven: How Human Nature Shapes Our Choices, by Paul R. Lawrence and Nitin Nohria

What's on your reading list?

Categories : About Blogs, Article Ideas, Attracting Clients, Books, Content Marketing, On Writing Better, Online Marketing

3 Big Reasons to Survey Your People

By Patsi Krakoff

Friday, March 26th, 2010

When did you last survey your clients and prospects? Are you asking your people good questions?

There are 3 big reasons you need to be asking your potential and current clients questions:

You need to find out who they are: demographics and psychographics.
You need to find out what they want: what are their challenges, what products would they like, what kinds of services they'd pay money for.
You also want to get their feedback, especially from those who have used your products and services.

Yesterday we had a fantastic Webinar with Dr. Jeanne Hurlbert of MySurveyExpert.com. Jeanne is the go-to person when you want to create surveys and quizzes that work to grow your business. As a Ph.D. sociologist and professor, she's worked with some big name companies as well as some entrepreneurs like Tony Robbins.

Categories : Attracting Clients, Content Marketing, Online Marketing, Pathway to Profits, Teleclasses & Seminars

Creative Blogger Award from Judy King & Mexico-Insights Blog

By Patsi Krakoff

Monday, March 22nd, 2010

Okay, I'm outta here. I'm going to the beach with my gal pals this week. I'll be back in time for the Survey Webinar with Dr. Jeanne Hurlbert Thursday March 25 at 4 p.m. EDT. (If you're not already registered from last week, you'll need to sign up here: How to Use Surveys to Attract, Sell & Profit.)

Before I go, I'd like to share a Creative Blogger Award I got from Judy King, editor of the Lake Chapala Review and blog writer extraordinaire at Mexico-Insights.com:

"While I’d been thinking about returning to blogging, it was Patsi, with all her Writing on the Web expertise and coaching and marketing enthusiasm that gave me the nudge I needed to make the commitment. … Patsi maintains a pair of daily blogs and several websites, conducts webinars and has Ebooks out there to help others."

Judy had burned out on blogging a few months prior and I was able to give her some tips to make her blogging tasks easier, faster, better. Judy writes a fabulous blog about Mexico and Ajijic, where I live, and is a top-notch writer, editor and Mexico expert.

If you're curious about Mexico, subscribe to Mexico-Insights.com, Judy's blog. Then come visit us! You'll love it… both the blog and the places Judy writes about.

If you want tips to save you time and energy with your own blog, get the Time-Saving Tips for Smart Blogging program here.

Categories : About Blogs, Blogs We Love, Content Marketing

Time Saving Tips for Smart Blogging – a Tutorial

By Patsi Krakoff

Friday, March 19th, 2010

Just finished this new video clip from iFlashVideo. If you want a quick way to upgrade your business blogging skills to get better results, this program's for you: Time Saving Tips for Smart Blogging.

Categories : About Blogs, Content Marketing, E-Books, On Writing Better, Online Marketing, Pathway to Profits, Writing Great Blog Content

Webinars Rock, except when they don’t…

By Patsi Krakoff

Thursday, March 18th, 2010

We had a GotoWebinar system malfunction yesterday, and are rescheduling the Survey Webinar with Dr. Jeanne Hurlbert for next Thursday, March 25, 2010, 4 p.m. EDT (will be recorded.)

If you've already registered, no need to do anything; you'll get notification of the event access codes.

These things are so frustrating when they happen, and I feel bad for those of you who patiently waited on the call and on the Web. To make it up, Jeanne is offering access to some really great videos on surveys, as well as a $100 discount coupon for her survey creation wizard. We promise to make up for the inconvenience and annoyance this may have caused.

To register, go here: How to Use Surveys & Quizzes to Attract, Sell & Profit. (I'm an affiliate of MySurveyExpert.com and proud of it.)

Categories : Attracting Clients, Content Marketing, Online Marketing, Teleclasses & Seminars

Top 10 Online Resources to Learn Great Blog Writing

By Patsi Krakoff

Wednesday, March 17th, 2010

Note: This guest post is contributed by Anna Miller, who writes on the topic of online degree. She welcomes your comments both here and at her email id: anna.miller009@gmail.com

Blogging: It’s something you start out as a passion and then slowly develop as a secondary or even primary profession. If you own a blog, you know it’s like a child, one you’ve created and now want to nourish and nurture as the years go by.

The best way to feed your blog and make it grow is to get readers to stop by. To capture a steady stream of readers, you need to post quality content on a regular basis. If you’re just starting out in the blogosphere, here are a few online resources that could help you become a better blog post writer:

1. WSU (Washington State University): You may know your facts, but if they’re peppered with common and not-so-common grammatical and spelling errors, you’re going to turn away your readers. So even though you may be fluent in English, it’s best to double-check your writing using this site as a reference.

2. Diploma Guide: No matter how good you are, it’s always wise to better yourself. Take a few lessons and courses in writing when time permits and continue to hone your writing skills with this site.

3. Blog Herald: This site has pretty much all the details you need to know to master the art of blogging – from ideas to methods of implementation, get them all here.

4. CopyBlogger: The easiest way to capture a reader is through a catchy headline. Learn the art of coming up with creative titles from this site.

Categories : About Blogs, Content Marketing, On Writing Better

How to Use Surveys to Attract, Sell & Profit

By Patsi Krakoff

Tuesday, March 16th, 2010

What's the big obvious difference between a visitor to your website 10 years ago and one today? Probably not much in the sense that both are looking for information that can help them and their problems.

Only today, visitors are more web savvy and if they don't find what they need right away, if there's not something "in it for them," something that is obvious and easy, they're gone.

So how do you capture visitors' attention immediately with something that is clearly beneficial to them? I'm thinking a digital download in exchange for an email address, of course. And I'm thinking something that puts the focus on them and their situation… and I'm thinking about a tool that will engage them and get them to think…

Bingo, you guessed right! Ask them to take a quick survey or quiz that gives them answers. But it has to be done right. And it has to be fast, otherwise nobody's going to take time to fill it out.

Categories : Attracting Clients, Content Marketing, Online Marketing, Teleclasses & Seminars

How to Avoid FTC Marketing Infringements

By Patsi Krakoff

Monday, March 15th, 2010

What changes are you making in your marketing as a result of the new FTC guidelines for online testimonials and endorsements?

The new guide lines are not new news, but some people continue to ignore them. They continue to publish the extreme success experiences of their best customers. It's tempting, I know, but the rules are clear.

Last October, 2009, the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) introduced new rules about the use of testimonials and product reviews in blogs and social media. This amendment marks the first time in 29 years since The Guides were last updated in 1980.

The gist is: From now on you can't just quote the happiest and most successful testimonials, you have to disclose how "everybody" does and what "average" is.

Some people are very, very concerned about this.

We're going to be discussing how to get good testimonials and social proof for your marketing and meet the guidelines for FTC regulations on a Webinar with Dr. Jeanne Hurlbert this Wednesday, March 17 at 3 p.m. ET.

How to Use Surveys & Quizzes to Attract, Sell & Profit: Register here, will be recorded.

Categories : About Blogs, Attracting Clients, Content Marketing, Online Marketing, Teleclasses & Seminars