Writing On The Web by Patsi Krakoff, The Blog Squad

Content Marketing Strategies for Smart Professionals

B is for Blogiversary…

By Patsi Krakoff in About Blogs, Online Marketing

Some birthdays you remember more than others. On Sept. 4, 2004 I got up early and went to my computer. I was sad because I couldn’t play tennis, having injured my shoulder.

Bummer. What a way to spend a birthday, behind the computer working. There was an email from Debbie Weil about blogs and how easy they were to set up that even a techno-idiot could start one in an hour.

My eyes lit up. “Techno-idiot?” That was what my husband called me. I acted immediately, went over to Typepad, got a free trial account. Bingo. I had my own blog set up and published, live on the Internet: right here at www.coachezines.com.

My own mini web page, up on the Internet, no muss, no fuss, no web designer.

I emailed Denise to tell her about my miraculous creation. It was like one of those moments when you know you’ve stumbled upon something big.

The rest is blogging history. We began working with other professionals to help them master blogging. The Blog Squad™ partnership was born, and we launched several how-to ebooks and services as we became expert in how to use a blog for business and marketing.

That’s why the first week in September every year we like to have a Blogiversary celebration by giving our dear readers and clients an opportunity to save 50% on our informational products and 10% off our services.

You can get information here: www.theblogsquad.net/blogiversary07/. There is a catch though. The blogiversary birthday sale is for 24 hours only and ends at 11:59 p.m ET Thursday, September 6. If you’ve been waiting for the right deal to get started with your business blog or take your blog to the next level, today is the day to do it.

So you see September is a double birthday month for me. This blog is 3 years old, and I am, well…old enough to not tell anymore! 😉

Know the Law: How to Protect Your Intellectual Property

By Patsi Krakoff in About Blogs, How to...Tips, Online Marketing, Teleclasses & Seminars

Blogging and Beyond Radio Show with The Blog Squad, Patsi Krakoff, Psy. D., and Denise Wakeman on Blog Talk Radio

With Guest Expert: Jay Hollander, intellectual property law attorney, www.ExpertPreneurlawblog.com

Know the Law: How to Protect Your Business’ Creative Assets
September 6, 2007, 3:00 p.m. PT (6 p.m. ET)

What are the legal issues relevant to entrepreneurs who sell
information products and services? Jay Hollander, Esq. shares his legal
expertise and shows how you can use intellectual property law to help
build brand value in your business, protect your business’ creative
assets, and avoid being sued for infringing on the intellectual
property of others.

Use this link to listen live on the air at 6:00 p.m. ET on September 6.

Great Branding Makes Your Work Easier, Faster & More Profitable

By Patsi Krakoff in About Blogs, Online Marketing, Teleclasses & Seminars

It’s true: having a brand name that’s easy to say, easy to remember, and quickly connects people to what you do for a living makes your work and your marketing easy. Having a blog makes it even more easier to get known and get the kind of work and clients that make for a successful business.

Today, August 31, 2007, is the last day to get $100 off and the bonus consultations for joining The Blog Squad’s and Ruth Klein’s Blogging and Branding workshop starting September 11th. To get more information and register now, you should visit www.brandingandblogging.com.

It’s not always easy to find a great brand name, and there are some great action steps to help you find what will work for you. The Blog Squad(tm) is something we brainstormed with friends one day over coffee. While that’s one way to find your brand, there actually are more than 25 ways you can search and find clever names for you and your business. Join us for the 4 week teleseminar and find your own great brand.

Pillar to Post: Do you have 5 pillar articles on your blog?

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

This suggestion comes from Yaro Starak, on the Small Business CEO blog, by way of Henri Schauffler who writes at www.CeoCoachBlog.com. This suggested blog writing tip makes sense to me for any business blog, especially where there are several subtopics the author is writing about.

Write at least five major “pillar” articles. A pillar article is usually a tutorial style article aimed to teach your audience something. Generally they are longer than 500 words and have lots of very practical tips or advice.

This article you are currently reading could be considered a pillar article since it is very practical and a good “how-to” lesson. This style of article has long term appeal, stays current (it isn’t news or time dependent) and offers real value and insight. The more pillars you have on your blog the better.

I’ve been meaning to do this for some time for this blog: take the 4-5 main subtopics of writing great ezines, blogs, articles, white papers and sales copy (and maybe also news releases) and put them on stand-alone pages. That way anyone visiting this blog for the first time can immediately access core information on writing better for various online purposes.

What do you think? Would this be helpful to readers? And, have you done this for your own blogs?

Are You Under-Branded? What you need to know about branding & blogging…

By Patsi Krakoff in About Blogs, Online Marketing, Teleclasses & Seminars

You don’t want to miss this class today August 29, 2007. – our recent analysis of business blogs show that most are brandless or at least under-branded. That makes your marketing really hard and far less effective.

Learn how to get good results by combining branding with your blog.

Join The Blog Squad and branding guru Ruth Klein for the first ever teleseminar on Branding AND Blogging: what many experts consider to be the new ‘success secret’ of smart professionals and entrepreneurs with online businesses.

There is no charge to attend.

Branding & Blogging: The new ‘success secret’ of today’s smart professionals

A complimentary teleseminar brought to you by The Blog Squad and Branding Guru Ruth Klein

Wednesday, August 29, 2007
5:00 p.m. ET (2:00 p.m. PT)
No charge!

Register here. You’ll get the dial-in number and information about how to listen live online via simulcast, if you prefer.

This is a preview class to our 4-week workshop in September. Check it out at www.brandingandblogging.com.

Automate Your Business: The Shopping Cart Queen on Radio Show Blogging and Beyond

By Patsi Krakoff in Managing Your Ezine & Blog Tasks, Online Marketing, Podcasts, Teleclasses & Seminars

Blogging and Beyond with The Blog Squad, Patsi Krakoff, Psy. D., and Denise Wakeman

With Guest Expert: Christina Hills, aka The Shopping Cart Queen

How to Automate Your Business with the World’s Best "Cart"
August 30, 2007, 3:00 p.m. PT (6 p.m. ET)

Ever wondered how the online super gurus manage everything they do?
They all use an automated database management and e-commerce system
rolled into one.

The Blog Squad interviews shopping cart "Queen,"
Christina Hills on how to get your business systems automated. "The
Cart" can manage your leads, list building, autoresponders, email
broadcasting, affiliate program, AND handle purchases and follow-up
marketing.

Related Post
Shopping Cart Systems (3 part article)

Branding AND Blogging: our free teleclass on this ‘secret success formula’

By Patsi Krakoff in About Blogs, Online Marketing, Teleclasses & Seminars

Right on the heels of Lorrie Morgan-Ferreo’s free teleclass Monday night on copywriting, we’re giving our own free class on Branding and Blogging – the two missing ingredients to many online marketing campaigns.

You don’t want to miss this class on Wednesday – our recent analysis of business blogs show that most are brandless or at least under-branded. That makes your marketing really hard and far less effective.

Learn how to get good results by combining branding with your blog. Do these marketing problems sound familiar to you?

Not enough people know what you do
Not enough people have heard of your business
Not enough people are moved to action by your message
Not enough people can find you

Things to Do When You’re Brain Dead (part 2)

By Patsi Krakoff in Uncategorized

Just having some fun…

Star in Your Own JibJab! It’s Free!

Copywriting: The MOST Important Skill You Need to Grow Business

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

As our reader poll shows, most professionals and entrepreneurs find copywriting the most challenging. And it is by far the most important writing skill you’ve got to learn if you want your business to flourish.

I found out about a killer copywriting teleclass my friend, Lorrie Morgan-Ferrero of Red Hot Copy is giving away for free. (Lorrie has the reputation of being one of most knowledgeable and best teachers of copywriting working today, teaching superstars like Michael Port and James Roche.)

Tom Antion also speaks highly of her copywriting teaching skills.

This Monday, August 27 at 5pm Pacific/8pm Eastern Lorrie is giving a promo teleclass –

*Introductory Teleseminar to Kick Start Your Copywriting Process* ($97 value)

It’s a preview training call for Lorrie’s Red Hot Copywriting Bootcamp. I’ll be going back to the bootcamp as a refresher course, and I encourage you to at least make the preview call.

If you struggle with writing to get your readers to buy or hire you, then you need to learn how to use words to influence. Lorrie will show you how to connect with readers so they know, like and trust you.

http://snipurl.com/copycamp

FAIR WARNING: You don’t have much time because there are only 200 lines available. (Yes, there will be a replay if you miss the call, but you must sign up to get access. The replay will only be up for 24 hours.)

Here’s some of what you’ll hear on the call…