Writing On The Web by Patsi Krakoff, The Blog Squad

Content Marketing Strategies for Smart Professionals

Get Published Next Month – Here’s How

By Patsi Krakoff in Teleclasses & Seminars

Web Marketers: Is it time to get published?

Join The Blog Squad for a free info call with Tips Booklet Queen Paulette Ensign
to learn how you can participate in an exclusive opportunity to tap
into the power of being a published author and leverage the marketing
efforts of your colleagues at the same time.

> Learn how a booklet gives you instant credibility
> Learn how to position yourself as an expert
> Learn how to get others to market your business for you
> Learn how you can generate more revenue with a booklet

Join us on Monday, April 16 at 2:00 p.m. ET for
a free 30 minute information call to learn how you can earn more
revenue, establish your expertise and market your services to a much
wider audience.

The Blog Squad is putting together a collective tips booklet
with our colleagues in the marketing arena! The working title is "Web
Marketing Tips: A Collection of Experts" If you have marketing
expertise you’d like to contribute, please attend this call or get the
details at www.webmarketingbooklet.com

I
don’t know about you, but Denise and I have been talking about doing a
tips booklet for a long time, and like everything else, it takes time
to write, and there are always more pressing matters – like serving
clients!

This is a collaborative co-authoring project, it won’t take much time at all and the investment is very reasonable.

Writing Online: a Few Differences

By Patsi Krakoff in Writing Better Ezines, Writing for Others, Freelancing, Writing Great Blog Content, Writing Great Copy

The Basics Of Writing For Web Readers
by Debra Simpson, www.magicinwords.com, guest author

We’ve all written before, for school, work and maybe even for a print publication. But writing for your online audience is somewhat different than writing for print. While some of these differences are readily apparent, some aren’t.

Here are some basic, basic guidelines to follow when writing for your web site readers:

• Keep your words simple. Do not use technical jargons. The point is to make your piece as accessible to as many people as possible. You are not writing for a select audience. You are writing for everyone. And people have differing levels of reading comprehension. As such, you need to use words that will be understandable to everybody.

• Keep your sentences and paragraphs short. When writing for print publications you tend to write in compact and lengthy paragraphs. On the web we don’t have that luxury. Our readers will read from their monitors, which is more stressful on the eyes. If you keep your sentences and paragraphs short, you’ll be making good use of negative space – the empty space in between characters – which will allow your readers’ eyes to rest.

• The first paragraph is important. Our readers are impatient and easily distracted by what’s offered on the Web. They can move to another website very easily, so it is essential that you keep them interested from the very first words of your piece.

White Papers Bring in Green Money

By Patsi Krakoff in Writing for Others, Freelancing, Writing Great White Papers

Five Reasons Writers Make More $ Writing White Papers
by Michael Stelzner, Writing White Papers blog, guest author

Looking to drum up some new business? Want to get more dollars from existing clients? Are you a starving writer?

Consider the five reasons why white papers could dramatically increase your writing revenue:

1. Demand exceeds supply: There are not enough writers who know how to write white papers. Businesses are aggressively looking to write more white papers. Master the art and count your dollars.

2. You can charge more for a white paper: White papers help businesses generate leads and close sales; thus, they are directly tied to revenue. For many businesses, only one or two sales from a white paper return the investment.

3. Businesses pay top dollar for white papers: Word for word, nothing beats a white paper. A good white paper writer charges between $3,000 and $10,000 for a 10-page white paper. This is the most lucrative writing business out there.

4. White papers can be multi-purposed: A well-written white paper can be converted into a contributed article or used as content on a website. This adds more value to a white paper project.

5. Many businesses need multiple white papers: Prove yourself with an excellent white paper and your client will want others. This can generate a consistent pipeline of work.

Michael Stelzner is the author of the bestselling book Writing White Papers and has written more than 100 white papers for recognized companies, including Microsoft, FedEx, Motorola, Monster, HP and SAP.

To learn more about writing white papers and Michael, go here.

A note from Patsi: I hope you have learned something about this writing niche and think about how a well written white paper can work as a marketing tool for your business. I’ll be back in the office tomorrow and looking forward to hearing from you.

White Papers: Here’s Why They Are Powerful Persuasders

By Patsi Krakoff in Writing Great White Papers

The Persuasive Power of White Papers
by Michael Stelzner, Writing White Papers blog, guest author

Information overload. Filters. Time constraints. Limited patience.

Marketing excess makes the task of influencing a chore!

Getting an audience with someone important and presenting vital points have never been harder. It is just plain tough to persuade people if you can’t speak to them.

Fortunately, there is way.

The white paper is often ushered past the guards and into the inner courts of important people.

Why?

Will you take The Blog Squad’s Survey?

By Patsi Krakoff in Uncategorized

Can you spare a few minutes of your time for The Blog Squad?

We’d like to know more about you, and what your challenges are so we can better serve you and provide more relevant information and tools for your business.

We can’t do this without your help. As one of our blog readers, we’d like to get to know you better.

At what stage are you in your career or business? What do you need from us?

This is short.. just 14 questions to help us provide better products and services that meet your needs.

It will only take a few minutes to complete. There are no right or wrong answers and your answers will not be shared with anyone, so please answer each question honestly.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=282203642440

In exchange for five minutes of your time, we’ll give you a complimentary copy of our program ‘How to Broadcast Your Ezine and MiniCourse with the Best Marketing System on the Planet’, a product we regularly sell for $57. You must complete the survey to access the program.

Thanks in advance for your time and attention.

Patsi and Denise
The Blog Squad

P.S. The survey will be open for 5 days (until Friday, 4/13). Please take a few minutes now to answer the questions and get your complimentary copy of ‘How to Broadcast Your Ezine and MiniCourse with the Best Marketing System on the Planet.’

Seducing Prospects with White Papers

By Patsi Krakoff in Writing Great White Papers

Luring Prospects With White Papers
by Michael Stelzner, Writing White Papers blog, guest author

Looking to drum up new business? Need to generate some leads?

Finding new business is hard work!

If you want to persuade, white papers are the hot new marketing trend.

Different than the brochure or ad, the white paper is used to plant seeds among prospects early in the buying cycle (think first-time home buyer finds helpful resource guide).

Research by KnowledgeStorm shows that white papers are the most effective form of lead generation – even better than free trials and webinars!

If well written, the white paper provides valuable information to prospects who are searching for guidance. That information has magnetic value to the right readers, creating a steady stream of opportunity.

By giving away some important insight, you establish trust with readers. Trust is the first step toward building a relationship, and ultimately asking for the sale.

This article is the third in a five-part series on the advantages of white papers. The next article will examine how white papers can persuade others.

To learn more about writing white papers and Michael, go here.

Viral Buzz with White Papers

By Patsi Krakoff in Writing Great White Papers

By Michael Stelzner, Writing White Papers blog, guest author

Trying to get everyone to beat your drum? Love the sound of others singing your praise? Word of mouth still reigns.

A good white paper is like the Energizer Bunny. It keeps going places you never imagined.

Why?

People like valuable information AND can easily forward it (especially packaged as a white paper).

White papers should present some of your best value in an easy-to-digest package. It should be a free taste of what you have to offer the world (think sample Cinnabon roll).

White Paper Details & Insider Secrets

By Patsi Krakoff in Writing Great White Papers

In the next few days, I’m featuring guest author Michael Stelzner of Writing White Papers blog to teach us about writing these important business marketing tools. I recently asked Mike questions in an email:

Hi, Mike. Some questions arose for me after reading your great posts on white papers. I was wondering if you could answer them and then I’ll post this short email interview as well?

1. Where does the name "white paper" come from?

The term takes its roots from Parliament in the UK. When they needed to get a bill to the floor quickly, they would wrap it in white paper rather than a formal binding.

2. How does a white paper differ from an article or a special report?

White papers have elements of persuasion which are typically absent from an article. Special reports and white papers are virtually the same. However, the white paper tends to have a sales angle where a special report may not.

3. Is there any special formatting, customary length, or frequency of publishing that makes a white paper a white paper? Do they have any special covers?

Typically a white paper has lots of "white space." It also has wider margins to allow folks to write notes on the piece when it is printed. Usually 6-12 pages in length. Covers are optional but not necessary. If you want to see examples, go here for samples.

4. How does a company distribute white papers?

White Papers: 5 Reasons to Write Them by Michael A. Stelzner

By Patsi Krakoff in Writing Great White Papers

While I am on vacation this week, we are fortunate to have some excellent guest authors. The first guest, Michael Stelzner, is author of the bestselling book Writing White Papers and has written more than 100 white papers for recognized companies, including Microsoft, FedEx, Motorola, Monster, HP and SAP.

So while I am basking on white sands in Mexico, here’s the first of five posts about white papers.

Five Reasons to Start Writing White Papers NOW
by Michael Stelzner, WritingWhitePapers.com

By now you have heard that the hot new trend in writing is white papers.

These are short documents that help people make decisions. Think informative article meets persuasive brochure and births something new.

There are five very compelling reasons you ought to leap on the white paper wagon. White papers help:

1. Establish thought leadership (for yourself, your blog or your business)

Writing for the Web: What You Need to Know

By Patsi Krakoff in Newsletter Nuggets Ezine

Newsletter Nuggets – April 05, 2007
…tips and tricks for writing great ezines and blogs

Table of Contents

1. A Note from Patsi – Writing for the Web: What You Need to Know
2. April 07 Featured Article: No More Jerks at Work: Preventing Desk Rage
3. What’s New on the Blogs?

A note from Patsi
Tomorrow I’m off to Mexico, but instead of going to Ajijic where my husband and I have a home, we’re visiting Loreto Bay in Baja, on the Sea of Cortez. They are developing a large resort with villas targeted to retiring baby boomers.

We’re always on the look-out for emerging paradise communities, although I suspect you really carry paradise with you in your heart and imagination more than anywhere else.

This week there were some great posts on other people’s blogs about writing for the web and I point you to them from my Coach Ezines blog post “On Writing: Stephen King’s Advice Extended to the Web.”

How much writing are you doing for the web these days? I didn’t know this when I first started writing newsletters in 1997, but writing for the web is different than for other media. If you’re online in any way — ezine, website, or blog – you need to learn a few things.

To read about the importance of good writing to good blogging, read Lorelle Van Fossen’s post on the Problogger site.

And more about rereading and the importance of waiting before you save and publish from Glen Stansberry’s post on Problogger here.

To read excerpts from Stephen King’s book: On Writing:
37Signal’s Signal vs Noise blog

Are you ready for a blog? 20 question assessment to find out if a blog is right for your business: http://nextlevelpartner.typepad.com/bbab/2006/01/blog_assessment.html

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