Writing On The Web by Patsi Krakoff, The Blog Squad

Content Marketing Strategies for Smart Professionals

The Blog Squad Goes Live!

The Blog Squad is in the news this week, as we prepare our bright pink buttons, t-shirts and tote bags for the ICF conference Nov. 9-12 in San Jose, CA. (Want some cool gear? Go here!)

Here’s a press release about the live blog we set up specifically for the conference:
The Blog Squad Goes Live at Coach Conference.

And the Coaching Insider, the popular online news/journal for coaches everywhere, wrote that this conference will be the largest ever with over 1600 coaches registered. They are also blogging at the conference. Read what they say about the Blog Squad Live Blog and their own plans to blog the conference.

Andrea J. Lee (http://www.multiplestreamsofcoachingincome.com/) wrote in a newsletter mailed Monday that Blog Squad guest bloggers will include herself and Barry Zweibel, C.J. Hayden, Catherine Bruns, Dee McCrorey, Nancy Marmolejo, Suzanne Falter-Barns and Sylva Leduc.

Just How “Findable” Are You? Google Expert Reveals All

By Patsi Krakoff in Teleclasses & Seminars

This Wednesday’s Conversation with Experts is with Internet Expert Dave Taylor. He will share with us the inside scoop on what you need to know and do so that people can find you on the Web.

Dave Taylor, AskDaveTaylor.com Wed. Nov. 2, 8:30 p.m. ET

Growing Your Business with Google

The world of business has changed in the last decade and success is no longer guaranteed through a large marketing and advertising budget. Instead, we’re moving into an era that will be characterized by survival of the most findable.

That has profound implications on how you do business, far beyond just simple Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Industry expert and best-selling author Dave Taylor will explain how things have changed, why they’ve changed, and what it means for you and your business.

The call is free, every Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. ET, but you should register to get the call-in info at www.conversationswithexperts.com.

Conversations with Experts is sponsored by The Blog Squad, Denise Wakeman and I, and the Build a Better Blog System.

Write It Once, Use It Three Times

By Patsi Krakoff in Managing Your Ezine & Blog Tasks

Whenever you write an email, an article, or a web page, Milana Leshinsky of ACCPOW suggests you use it at least three times in various ways. This makes sense; why waste your valuable time and energy when an email can be turned into an article, or a FAQ’s page, or form the basis of many other uses. Here’s is what she shares in her valuable newsletter:

ACCPOW – Coaching Business FastTrack
www.accpow.com

How to Leverage Your Intellectual Property for Maximum Profits

I don’t know about you, but I would like to "squeeze" as much potential (read "profits") out of every minute I work as possible.

If I create something once, I better use it in at least three different ways, or I consider it a waste of time.

A good friend of mine said to me a while ago:

"If it only has one use, don’t do it!"

What does this mean?

It might mean different things to different people, but here is what it means to me:

1. Save all emails you send to clients and turn them into articles.

2. Collect all posts you make on message boards and discussion lists and convert them into a Frequently Asked Questions page.

3. Gather all your articles, organize them by category and create a private membership site.

4. Record your teleclassess and add all of the recordings to your membership site.

5. Turn all your articles into PDF files, burn them onto a CD and sell it as a collection of "special reports." You can also offer it as a bonus to any other product, service, or event you sell.

6. Create case studies based on your coaching sessions, then add them to your web site for content or as a special report for generating leads

7. Design your programs (seminars, coaching, training, etc.) in modules. This way you can repackage them or sell each module individually in the future.

8. Videotape your live events and offer them as products or bonuses.

9. Create an outline of your new information product (book or e-book). When you write your newsletter, focus each issue on a section or a chapter. By the end of 3 to 6 months, you might have your entire product completed.

10. License your materials (workshops, tools, assessments, coaching programs, systems, etc.) to other coaches and trainers to spread your brand while generating literally unlimited revenue

Here is a recommended resource: http://www.LicensingRevenueSecrets.com

Every minute you spend writing, speaking or coaching, will pay you twenty times over.

How’s THAT for leverage!
Milana Leshinsky
ACCPOW Founder & CEO
ACCPOW Coaching Tele-Summit 2006
AssessmentGenerator.com

P.S. To subscribe to Milana’s worthy newsletter, go here: www.CoachingBusinessWeekly.com

Who Would You Like to Have a Conversation With?

By Patsi Krakoff in Teleclasses & Seminars

Who are the Experts You Want to Hear From?

As you may know, we — The Blog Squad — host weekly Conversations with Experts every Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. ET. We’re in the planning stages for 2006 and we are inviting you to complete a short survey — only 6 questions — about who you would like to hear interviewed, your burning questions about business building, and how we can better serve you.

You can take the survey here:

http://snipurl.com/CE_Survey

As our ‘thank you’ gift, we are giving you exclusive access to our presentation on ‘What the Heck is a Blog? 4 Reasons Every Business Should Start Blogging Now’ (a $47 value).

Survey:
http://snipurl.com/CE_Survey

Thanks in advance for your time and attention to our survey.

Denise Wakeman and Patsi Krakoff
The Blog Squad

Conversations with Experts is sponsored by Build a Better Blog System.

What are Your Newsletter Needs?

By Patsi Krakoff in Managing Your Ezine & Blog Tasks

I’ve just posted a brief survey about what people need as far as a newsletter or other marketing strategies.

You are all invited to take this assessment; it will clarify your newsletter challenges, and give me an idea of what people struggle with.

Here’s where to go: http://www.customizednewsletters.com/AssessmentGenerator.html.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Why Blogs Are Good for Working Moms

By Patsi Krakoff in About Blogs

I always feel a little maternal when I get an email from a client who’s bought our ebook The Build a Better Blog System. Pamela Stewart tells me she’s been having fun building her blog over at www.escapefromcubiclenation.com. And I can see why. She’s got a great niche, writes well, and already has several readers commenting, even though her blog is less than a month old.

Here’s an excerpt from her recent post "Why blogs are great promotional tools for working moms":

You only need a few minutes to create a good post. When you are running as fast as you can behind your little one, the prospect of writing a long sales letter or ezine article can seem impossible. A blog post, on the other hand, can be easily formulated in your head while you are mixing rice cereal, putting in a load of laundry or changing a diaper. Then you can take 15-20 minutes to write it while your baby snoozes or occupies himself with an amusing toy.
You can post from anywhere. As long as you have internet access, you can keep good posts coming as you travel, take a long weekend or visit friends.
You can do it all yourself. If you want to make changes to a website, often you have to work with a designer. This can take time setting up conference calls or writing out instructions in an email. With a blog, you can do it all yourself, whenever you have the time. I tend to do most of the design work on my blog late at night when my son Joshua is sleeping.

All three points I have been preaching, although not with the mom in mind. (About the closest I’ve ever come to motherhood was when I adopted Huey and Dewey, my lovable Maine Coon cats.) But working mom or just working solo, blogs are a quick and easy way to communicate with your targeted readers (AKA your potential clients).

Take a stroll over to www.escapefromcubiclenation.com; there are some interesting articles there about this whole concept of people who live and work from cubicles. You’ll enjoy the reading.

A Conversation with The Common Sense Guy, Bud Bilanich

By Patsi Krakoff in Teleclasses & Seminars

I’ve worked with Bud now for probably three years, maybe more. He’s a great guy, very knowledgeable, yet so down to earth that in the management consulting field he’s earned the moniker The Common Sense Guy.

This Wednesday, Bud will be our featured expert on the Conversations with Experts teleseminar series. Here’s what you’ll learn:

The Common Sense Guy’s Advice For Building and Running a Profitable Consulting Business
Wednesday, October 26, 2005, 8:30 p.m. ET

Guest Expert: Bud Bilanich, BudBilanich.com and CommonSenseGuy.com

Bud Bilanich, The Common Sense Guy, has been in business as a solopreneur since 1988. He is a management consultant, executive coach and keynote speaker. Bud will share how he coached himself using the ideas in his book "4 Secrets of High Performing Organizations":

Clarity of purpose and direction
The sincere Commitment of everyone in the organization
Skillful Execution of the things that matter
Mutually beneficial Relationships with important outside people

Bud has used these principles to create a successful and profitable consulting, coaching and speaking business.

Bud will provide specific examples of what he did, how he did it, and answer your questions about how you can build a successful and profitable business. Bud will send a copy of his book to the first 10 people who register for this conversation.

A management consultant, keynote speaker, executive coach and author specializing in "Common Sense Solutions to Tough Business Problems", Bud Bilanich’s pragmatic approach to business, life, and the business of life has earned him the title The Common Sense Guy, and made him one of the most sought after speakers, consultants and executive coaches in the USA! Dr. Bilanich’s work focuses on improving the performance of individuals, teams and entire organizations. Bud is Harvard educated, but has a no-nonsense, common sense approach to his work that stretches back to his roots in the steel country of Western Pennsylvania.

Conversations with Experts: How to Build Your Business On and Off-line Hosted by Denise Wakeman and Patsi Krakoff.

Conversations with Experts is sponsored by Build a Better Blog System.

6 Point Outline for Writing Great Sales Copy

By Patsi Krakoff in Writing Great Copy

Want to know the essentials for a writing a long sales letter or landing page for an info product or teleseminar? These tips come from Laurie Weiss of EmpowermentSystems.com.

Headlines that tell the outline of the story, for people who are in a hurry and like just the facts.
Testimonials for people who want to know what others think about something to help them decide whether they might like it, too.
Juicy gossip is for people who love stories. Most people who have read this letter say, "I didn’t know that about you."
An explanation of why I am qualified to write such a program, for careful people who want to be sure I am trustworthy.
Explanations for skeptical people who don’t know if the program will work for them.
Special bonus offers to convince people that their investment will be well worth the price.

Of course, the value is in writing in a way that is authentic, interesting, emotional, friendly and respectful. So many sales pages I see follow this template but are so overly-hyped that they lose readers along the way.

Oh, another big turn-off for me is a long list of bonuses! This has been so over-used on the Internet. Quite frankly, I don’t want all those ‘free’ bonuses, who has time to even read them?

Leadership by Persuasion

By Patsi Krakoff in Executive Coach Ezine Article Topics

I’ve just finished writing a 1800 word article about how to lead using persuasion. Jay Conger, Professor of Organizational Behavior at the London Business School and author of Winning ’Em Over: A New Model for Management in the Age of Persuasion is an expert on this topic, and I use his quote in the article:

“Effective persuasion becomes a negotiating and learning process through which a persuader leads colleagues to a problem’s shared solution.” —Jay A. Conger, PhD

The main concept is that leaders today in any kind of organization must use persuasion rather than authoritative pressure to get people to whole-heartedly back projects. Come to think of it, this is also true in real life and family situations as well.

You can use this article for you own consulting/coaching newsletters, upon purchase of full reprint rights. It’s available in long, short and shorter versions, and can be modified with your own writing.

Please check out my website www.CustomizedNewsletters.com to see options and to read a brief synopsis of the article here.

And if you need any kind of help with your newsletters, blog, or ezines, let me know. I can help you get the most out of your efforts.

Smart at Love Blog Wins Seal of Approval

By Patsi Krakoff in About Blogs

Annie Dennison has proved that she is not only Smart at Love, but Smart at Blogging.

The Blog Squad has awarded their coveted Seal of Approval to Annie Dennison and her Smart at Love blog. After 4 weeks of weekly coaching sessions, Annie’s blog is now generating more traffic — up from practically nothing to an average of 200 visitors per week, she’s creating dialogue with her readers and the blog is easier to navigate.

Annie’s blog, Smart at Love: For the Single Woman who Wonders "If I’m So Smart, How Can I be So Dumb About Love?" is a great resource for both men and women who are looking for smart advice about dating, mating and relating. Annie is smart, funny, an excellent writer and very charming. Check out her blog!