Writing On The Web by Patsi Krakoff, The Blog Squad

Content Marketing Strategies for Smart Professionals

Books & Blogs – A Happy Marriage

By Patsi Krakoff in Ezine & Blog Classes

More bloggers are being picked up by book publishers. An article on the Delaware Online news journal called Bloggers use publishers to spread their words mentions several new books out this year that are based on blog entries.

This reinforces our Blog to Book Project launched June 15. We have 30 authors working their way through a self-paced private blog tutorial. Assuming participants follow the program and post daily, they will have enough material to publish an ebook in 90 days. Some will get their book published in either hard or soft cover editions. Others will opt to publish in digital form only.

The Project is open enrollment since you work at your own pace, so come on and join us! It’s an amazing group of people so far, who’ve chosen to go on this journey.

If you’re not sure about using a blog to write your book, check out our free Blog to Book 7 Step Mini-course and get a taste of how you can make this system work.

Is Writing for Online Ezines Different?

By Patsi Krakoff in Writing Better Ezines

Do a Google search and you will find advice galore about writing online copy. Is it any different than writing for print publications? Yes. Studies show that the eye reads online screen print differently.

I recommend this online article from MarketingProfs.com:

Marketing Challenge: 7 Ways to Super Content
by Meryl K. Evans and Hank Stroll

The Stanford-Poynter study found that nearly 80% of study participants (online readers) read article summaries rather than complete articles. When viewing complete articles, readers read only 75% of the text.

How does this impact your writing when composing a post for your blog or a newsletter article for your online ezine?

Here are three things I’ve mentioned before, but merit repeating:

Use bold subtitles, (or, as I’ve done here, bold key words)
Keep paragraphs short.
Ensure there’s white space.

Start off with the meat of your topic, give it to them right away. Then you can wax poetic, expand, or tell a story. You only have a short time to grab attention, so don’t waste words. Let them know right away what you can do for them.

Never forget to pull the reader in by addressing their concerns and challenges.

Then let them know what you are asking them to do. What is your call to action? Email you, subscribe to something, download a full report, sign up for a seminar? Give them clear instructions, links, (make sure the links are working properly) and thank them for their attention.

Red-Hot-Blog!

By Patsi Krakoff in Blogs We Love

Every time you write a newsletter article you have an opportunity to show your stuff. You are marketing yourself. Good copywriters know how to turn words into results.

So it makes sense to learn writing techniques from good copywriters. One clever copywriter is Lorrie Morgan-Ferrero, of Red Hot Copy.

And she has a red-hot-blog, with lots of good writing tips. Visit now to learn how to capture the force with your words.

Mysteries of RSS Revealed!

By Patsi Krakoff in Teleclasses & Seminars

Okay, so maybe you can wait another 6 months before you start asking yourself whether or not you should care about RSS. Maybe. Maybe not.

But if you think staying out in front of the pack is important, you will want to know now about this thing they call RSS.

If getting information to readers is important to you, and if you struggle with email issues, RSS may have some answers.

One of the best persons on the Web to explain RSS and why you should care is Rok Hrastnik. Here is what he will share with listeners:

Conversation with Rok Hrastnik: The Business Case for RSS

The Business Case for RSS
Wednesday, June 22, 2005, 8:30 p.m. ET – FREE
Guest Expert: Rok Hrastnik author of the "Unleash the Marketing Power of RSS"

E-mail marketing and publishing, search engine marketing and optimization, business blogging, internet advertising, digital public relations, branding, e-commerce and others … all key elements of a strong marketing mix, and all can be powered by RSS. Misunderstood by most marketers, overlooked by many end-users, it has the potential to power the entire internet marketing mix. It is not the solution to all of our problems, but it is the one tool that can have the most profound affect on our internet marketing and business results in 2005 and beyond. Find out more at the teleconference …

Rok Hrastnik , the author of the »Unleash the Marketing Power of RSS« report, is currently serving as the E-commerce Manager at Studio Moderna, managing their corporate and brand internet marketing operations. Studio Moderna is the leading direct marketing company and network in Central and Eastern Europe, present in 19 European countries.

Best Marketing Blog Awards…

By Patsi Krakoff in About Blogs

Several of the successful bloggers we interviewed for our ebook The Build a Better Blog System ebook were honored in Marketing Sherpas annual awards.

Best Marketing Blogs of 2005

Marketing Serpa holds annual Readers’ Choice Awards for Best Marketing Blogs. This year’s winners include several people who were interviewed in our Build a Better Blog System ebook. Congrats go out to all winners, especially our friends who helped us create a wonderful resource guide for bloggers.

Michele Miller of WonderBranding for Best Blog on Niche Marketing

Anita Campbell of Small Business Trends for Best Blog on Small Business Marketing (honorable mention)

Yvonne DiVita of Lipsticking for Best Blog on Niche Marketing (honorable mention)

Andy Wibbels of EasyBake Weblogs, who will be a featured expert on podcasting on our Conversations with Experts teleseries July 13, got the Reader’s Choice in the write-in category, further proof of his popularity.

All the winning blogs are worth reading and reviewing to see what makes them excellent. Plus you’ll learn a thing or two!

Your Story: Telling It Like It Wasn’t…

By Patsi Krakoff in Writing Better Ezines

Everybody has a story.

As Benjamin and Rosamund Zander say in the book Art of Possibility, it’s all made up anyway.

Your story is certainly inspiring to others. You have been there, done that, and now you can help or teach others.

But don’t get too caught up with your story. Some of it, as it turns out, is only interesting to you and your mother or spouse. Keep your stories short and to the point. Besides, we both know it…admit it: your story changes over time!

Remember, WIIFM, what’s in it for me? Always write with the reader in mind, and never forget that you don’t need to share every detail.

Focus on the learning points. But do tell stories, lots of them. Along with quotes by famous people, stories are a great way to keep the reader interested.

Some people are good at turning the mundane into a teaching story. Last night I had a conversation with Andrea Lee, of Multiple Streams of Coaching Income. I asked her a question, and she proceeded to tell me how she used one of those round-wheeled pizza cutters at dinner.

She made a mess out of cutting up the pizza, and she realized she hadn’t been decisive enough, hadn’t held the cutter down with enough determination. So her point was, things are easier once you are clear and determined in your actions.

She held listeners attention by telling a mundane story to make her point. You gotta love it…

How can you write and teach by using everyday events in your life? It requires an exquisite attention to details and an observation of your own thinking.

Of course, more obvious inspiration comes from big stories and life-changing events. But stories can come from the simple things, the everyday events as well.

Inspiring others comes more from being real and authentic. There are universal experiences that everyone can relate to. Your own experiences and stories will tap into your readers’.

Last Days: Blog to Book Project

By Patsi Krakoff in E-Books

At the end of the day, June 15, the 50% off intro prices on the ~~Blog to Book Project~~ ends, so this is a blatant promotional announcement! Sign up now, or be lost in the world of “Oh dear, I know I should write and publish a book, but I don’t have time!”

Sound familiar? I’d say at least 9 out of 10 busy professionals that I talk with have a book inside their heads, but complain they have no time to write.

Denise and I have both been there, but we discovered that blogging was a great aid in getting the written word out onto the screen. Follow our guide and get your book out in 90 days.

Need more time to think about this? More info? Go over to ~~www.blogtobook.com~~. Also, read what Denise has been saying on her blog, ~~www.biztipsblog~~, about Ten Reasons You Need to Write a Book…

Patsi

From Blog to Book in 90 Days?

By Patsi Krakoff in Teleclasses & Seminars

They said it couldn’t be done, but we think you can do it!

From Blog to Book in 90 days? Do you think it’s possible? I do… here’s why:

10 Things that Keep You From Writing Your Book…
and What You Can do About It

9 out of 10 professionals and small business owners have at least one book or information product inside their head, but lack the time and organizational skills to get it out into digital or print form.

You may cringe when you read this list of ten things that are keeping you from writing your book, because it rings too close to home for you. You may have already written a book or an e-book, or have come close to starting it. It’s hard, we know it, and we’ve been there too. But go ahead and read this list, see if you can identify, and let’s discuss a possible solution to the book writing problem.

To read the full article, go here (www.blogtobook.com) and request it in the sign up box…

Patsi

Ezine or Blog? The Battle Continues…

By Patsi Krakoff in About Blogs

Ezine or blog? Which do you prefer? Since blogs are so easy to use, why not just blog and forget about the hassles of putting together an ezine? No, no, no, says Christopher Knight of Ezine Universe:

"Ever since chicken little said the sky is falling and RSS (Really Simple Syndication) would replace Email, there have been a very vocal group of bloggers (term given to people who write or maintain a blog) that think blogging will replace or exceed ezines in value. They are wrong and I’ll tell you why."

To read his post, go here.

I agree with Christopher. Besides the fact that he really knows ezines and email marketing, his points are all good.

Here’s an interesting point: he sends out his Ezine Tips to 12,000 readers, expects that 2500 of them will open and read the Tips within 36 hours, of which 250 will click through to his site. That’s a 20% open rate, which sounds really low… Still, he has high numbers that make up for it.

I still vote for doing both an ezine AND a blog. And if that seems like a lot of tasks to take care of when you’re running a busy professional practice, you can always outsource.

P.S. I just happen to provide ezine services, article content, and blog set up services! Email me if I can help you out!

Patsi

Hold the Presses, Patsi Gets Podcast!

By Patsi Krakoff in Podcasts

Thanks to Michael Pollack, of Savvy Solo-preneur fame, for interviewing me over on his blog. My first time at being podcast…and for a writer, I do go on a bit when given the chance!

Michael’s blog is all about small business branding, and he does a great job of giving resources to his readers. Be sure to visit him soon.