Writing On The Web by Patsi Krakoff, The Blog Squad

Content Marketing Strategies for Smart Professionals

Happy #1000th Post: Build a Better Blog Contest

By Patsi Krakoff in About Blogs, Content Marketing, On Writing Better, Online Marketing, Pathway to Profits

Win an Amazon book certificate being given away everyday to a random commenter over on BuildaBetterBlog.com.

Denise and I started this blog in February 2005 to support our work and ebook all about blogs, Build a Better Blog: the Ultimate Guide to Boosting Your Business with a Professional Blog, and today we posted our 1000th post announcing the give away contest.

All you have to do is answer one question a day and be entered into the drawing.

Today’s question: How do you think blogging will evolve over the next few years?

There are already 5 comments entered.

So go over there now and submit your comment and enter the contest to win a gift book certificate.

www.buildabetterblog.com/2007/12/contest-celebra.html

Web Marketing Traps: Where do you struggle?

By Patsi Krakoff in Online Marketing, Pathway to Profits, Teleclasses & Seminars

About a fourth of the people who have participated in our Internet marketing poll find that their biggest problem when it comes to marketing on the Web is that they don’t know where to start. That poll is up on BizTipsBlog and I urge you to take it now.

In second place is "I don’t have any money to market on the Web." Which baffles us since so much is free now days.

Several things may be going on with this poll, including that it is a closed poll with set answers you must choose from, which limits the way you can respond. Still, it should be giving us a sampling of where readers to that blog are in regards to their marketing challenges.

What trap do you fall into when it comes to your Internet marketing? Take the poll and let us know.

This is leading up to a free teleseminar that Denise and I are giving on December 17th with Kathleen Gage, the Street Smarts Marketer:

Discover the 5 Traps of Internet Marketing that Can Derail Your Business

Join us for a lively discussion on what these traps are, and the 5 truths that can save you. Go here to read more information and sign up for the free class.

Blogging with Photos, One Bite at a Time…

By Patsi Krakoff in About Blogs, Article Ideas, Content Marketing, On Writing Better, Online Marketing, Pathway to Profits, Writing Great Blog Content

If you get stuck on what to write on your blog, start with a photo. Any photo. I usually peruse IstockPhoto.com and download interesting photos whenever I have time.

First, it amuses me what you can find, especially searching for abstract terms like, "values" or "content" or "serendipity." Secondly, I know if I’m stuck and haven’t a clue, I can find a photo and build an entire philosophical discourse around it, and even tie it into a program we have going!

Case in point: this happy elephant. I post it, then write a headline and first paragraph to tell you "how to eat an elephant, one bite at a time."

Sometimes I feel overwhelmed when faced with copywriting assignments and Internet marketing for my business. Sort of like trying to eat an elephant – there’s just too much there for one tiny fork.

I’m actually taming the beast since I’ve learned how to break big projects down into prioritized pieces.

Denise and I have chunked Internet marketing steps down into a clear Pathway to Profits. Last year we opened up our program to teach others. You can be a part of our Blogging and Beyond Mentor Group for a mere $9.95 trial month.

You get access to monthly teleseminars, including the one on copywriting with Lorrie Morgan Ferrero this Monday Dec. 10.

Related Post on Blogging and Beyond Teleseminars:
Spend Less Time Selling and More Time Making Money
Blogging Education Opportunities with the Blog Squad
Copywriting Made Easy: Faster, Better, & More Fun

Copywriting Made Easy: Faster, Better & More Fun

By Patsi Krakoff in Content Marketing, On Writing Better, Online Marketing, Pathway to Profits, Teleclasses & Seminars, Writing Great Copy

There is no question that whenever I sit down to write a sales letter for our business these days, I get the job done better, faster, and have more fun doing it.

I just wrote a 2,000 word sales letter this morning. Most of it is finished and it took me two hours so far.

I especially like the part where I talk about feeding the bulimic dragon…but wait!… You’ll read it when it’s finished!

I’m not bragging yet: the proof is in number of clicks that buy! What I am saying is that you too can learn how to do this.

Lorrie Morgan Ferrero helped me a great deal. Maybe she can help you too. Next Monday, we’re having her reveal her top tips for speed copywriting success.

POLL: What Are Your Internet Marketing Traps?

By Patsi Krakoff in Online Marketing

We’ve got a new poll on BizTipsBlog…Internet Marketing Traps: What are yours?

Please help us help you and let us know where you get stuck when it comes to marketing your business on the Web. Take the poll, then, register for our free teleseminar…

Discover the 5 Internet Marketing Traps That Can Derail Your Business.

Shocking: 68% of Bloggers Do This in Bed

By Patsi Krakoff in About Blogs, Content Marketing, Getting Read, Online Marketing, Writing Great Blog Content

The results are in. I surveyed our blog clients and friends, and over 68% of them admit to thinking about their next blog post while in bed!

Next time your lover gets that starry-eyed look, better offer a penny for thoughts. You may be surprised that he/she is actually creating a killer headline.

For example, Brian Clark of Copyblogger uses Cosmo, that conservative women’s magazine and bastion of great journalism. He suggests stealing provocative headlines for the sole purpose of luring in unsuspecting blog readers.

He goes so far as to say, forget content: start with a sexy headline and see what that gets you. Here’s a few of the headlines he wants bloggers to use:

“Guys Spill: White Lies They Tell Women All the Time”
“The 22 Best Relationship Tips Ever”
“Get Ahead Faster: 12 Brilliant (and Slightly Badass) Ways to Do It”
“Your Sexual Health: Crucial New Facts Your Gyno Forgot to Mention”

Go ahead and try re-wording these attention grabbers and see if your traffic spikes. (Don’t forget to link to Brian for a little link Karma!)

Storytelling Is Good Copywriting

By Patsi Krakoff in Content Marketing, On Writing Better, Online Marketing, Writing Great Copy

Can you tell a good story? Do you easily reveal what’s going on with you in your business? Better learn how to do this. Storytelling may be the most important key element to writing copy that persuades.

I’m reading The Story Factor by Annette Simmons, and it’s full of wisdom that you can apply to writing sales copy. Stories do what facts can’t: they connect with readers on a feeling level. They do more for building trust and credibility than anything else you can do in a sales letter.

In fact, here’s my own story about this:

I’ve been studying emails and the authors who demonstrate what I
clearly see as effective marketing copy. One such person whose emails I
always scan is Lorrie Morgan Ferrero. This copywriting expert knows how
to tell a good story.

Mind Masters: How to change your business mindset

By Patsi Krakoff in Coaching/Personal Development, Content Marketing, On Writing Better, Online Marketing, Writing Great Blog Content

That book by Carol Dweck, The Mindset of Success, has me getting out from behind my computer this month more than I have all year. Last night I went to an old colleague’s open house and reconnected with people I hadn’t seen in at least 5 8 years!

John Leach of John Leach Associates provides assessments and training to companies such as city governments and NASA. I partnered with John in the late 90s to deliver workshops on Emotional Intelligence, communications, and other training. John is relaunching his company in San Diego with some great plans for training workshops and assessments, including partnering with CMC.

The highlight of the evening was seeing Barbara Eldridge again. Barbara is one smart cookie, with tons of business coaching expertise. She runs Mind Masters, mastermind groups of entrepreneurs who put their heads together for business success.

Mastermind groups are a clever way to harness the wisdom of others. Instead of working in a vacuum, you can run things by other business owners and get feedback from experts. Barbara has over 28 years of business experience to draw upon, with a specialty in helping entrepreneurs.

Denise and I participate in an online virtual mastermind group where we can share what works and what doesn’t. What are you doing to open your mind for business success?

Big Idea Wrapped in Small Package

By Patsi Krakoff in Content Marketing, Online Marketing, Pathway to Profits, Teleclasses & Seminars

Just got off the phone with Kathleen Gage, of Street Smarts Marketing with a Big Idea in the works… But I can’t tell you what it is because we’re not ready yet to take the paper off!

The Blog Squad is teaming up with Kathleen to bring you a really important gift on December 17th… but that’s the problem – when you’re not working alone you can’t spill the beans ahead of time… Denise and Kathleen swore me to secrecy…of course they can’t stop me from letting you know the date and just the fact that something’s coming…