Write On ~ Creative Writing Services

It’s important to have a plan. After all, if you don’t know where you’re going, how are you going to get there? You might feel overwhelmed by all of the content you need to create to effectively market your business online especially when it comes to writing for the web. That’s common AND it doesn’t have to be difficult.

Once you have your web copy up to date and your website is truly ready to build relationships, attract your ideal clients and ultimately increase your income online, you’ll need to seriously consider your content, otherwise known as copy.  When marketing online your copy  is vital to your success. It’s how you’ll get new visitors to your website and give them an opportunity to decide if they want to do business with you. You must continually create new content to get noticed by search engines and help people find your website. Writing for the web can be fun  and more profitable when you have a clear strategy (even if you don’t love to write).

There are two key elements to simplifying the process of writing for the web. (more…)

Here’s a list of some items you may need or want to add to your current list of projects to update your Copywriting Action Plan.

Consider all that apply to your current or future efforts.

Online/Internet:

• Downloadable special reports to educate and build relationships with your ideal clients
• Landing Pages
• Rewrites of current web content that isn’t getting the results you’d hoped for
• Sales Letters
• Squeeze Pages
• Website copyBios (including speaker bios)

Internet Marketing Support Materials:

• Articles for article marketing
• Affiliate Program Plans
• Email Support
• Autoresponders
• Blog Postings for your blog or guest posts
• Email promotions
• Ezine or Electronic Newsletter Content
• Press Releases
• Video Scrips

As you can see there are many options for you to consider when creating copy (and we haven’t even touched on your offline efforts). It all hinges on your plan and strategy and that’s exactly why you need a Content Strategy Plan (often referred to as an Internet Marketing Editorial Calendar).

Your Content Strategy Plan helps you determine what you’re going to share with and promote to your community throughout the year and then breaks it down into monthly themes that are the basis of your marketing messages including articles, blog posts, videos and even potential promotional ideas including PR angles.

Your Content Strategy Plan will ultimately help you be more productive, save time and increase your income.

It can help you

• Have a clear plan for the next 12 months so you don’t have to do the last minute scramble to get your ezine, video, blog or articles out there
• Develop your yearly marketing theme so everything you do supports your big vision and revenue goals
• Create outlines and topics for your monthly marketing — especially your ezine and social media topics so there is no more guesswork
• Get fresh perspective to move you forward quickly and succinctly
• Plug and play your content with a clear plan to achieve your goals
• Own a plan that is all YOURS with foundation in place to move forward and the flexibility to revise as needed
• Enjoy peace of mind because you are ahead of the game and ready move forward in your business

Developing your Content Strategy Plan is essential to getting better results.

You can read how working together helped Jennifer Longmore’s business here and be sure to check out her fantastic offerings, too.

Note: These results aren’t guaranteed but I believe anything is possible. I’ve also been told my clients that the Content Strategy Plan introduced them to advance cross-sell and up-sell strategies to increase income (who doesn’t love that?) Once you’ve become a preferred client of Write On Creative, you are eligible to work directly with me to create your Content Strategy Plan.

Your website is one of your most powerful marketing tools. If it isn’t building relationships, getting clients and making money there really isn’t a reason to have an online presence.  At the same time having a website is not all it takes to succeed online.  When creating an online presence there are three foundational marketing pieces that I recommend.

These core components are essential to creating a successful marketing plan and succeeding online.  I’ve found that having just one of these in place is not enough.

1) Your Copywriting Action Plan determines what you need to write. It’s where you outline the content you need and plan the creation of your content (you’ll also want to be familiar with copywriting tips and techniques to truly connect with your ideal clients).

2) Your Content Strategy Plan (this is how you’ll strategically use your copy to reach your business goals and create your Internet marketing editorial calendar and beyond).

3) Your Publicity Plan (or a press release strategy and this should be a regular part of your efforts not a fly-by-night – hit or miss attempt) to help you spread your word and get the recognition you deserve. BUT, before you’re ready to move beyond the big picture of your Copywriting Action Plan to create your Content Strategy Plan and ultimately your Publicity Plan, you’ll need to make sure your website is REALLY working for you.

There are three ways your website can really become a money making machine and success hinges on the clarity of your copy and strategy.

1. Create a clear pathway to build relationships online ( Hint: If you are not requesting that your website visitors take action, chances are you have a static, brochure relationship and that’s a waste of money).

2. Get clients by continuing the relationship online so they know, like and trust you and move on to the next step.(Hint: make sure you have a clear strategy in place for continued communication and added value).

3. Connect with clients so they’ll invest in your products and services and you’ll ultimately make money (Hint: provide high value content and information and clearly tell people how they can work with you).

If your website is missing any of the three foundations to a functional website it’s time to carefully review your web flow and your copy. Often coaches, speakers, authors and entrepreneurial women need copy, have copy that needs help or you want a DIY (do it yourself ) quick fix. For solutions click here

You may have heard the saying “Facts Tell and Stories Sell”…

This is especially true when it comes to copy. Facts are definitely important and you’ll want to be truthful in any copy you create. Facts educate. Statistics can also be helpful (think data and figures) and you can weave them throughout your copy. Just remember who you’re talking to and how your audience responds to information.

Studies have shown men tend to be more interested in facts and figures. Women tend to connect emotionally on a relationship basis. Of course this is a general statement and I firmly believe a blend of facts, statistics and emotions should be incorporated in most copy.  To really connect you’ll also want to engage your audience with storytelling. Figure out a way to connect your personal and professional experiences with your core audience’s desires.

Can you POWERFULLY position your product and/or service in such a way your ideal clients will envision a better life because of your offer? Would your ideal clients relate to your story? Often they will and it’s another way to develop relationships that eventually result in sales.

Remember, your copy, especially on your website, should develop relationships, get clients and ultimately make money.  There are many ways to weave your story into your copy. For example you might consider telling your story on your “about” page on your website instead of listing only your standard bio (though both are important).

What is your story and how does it relate to your clients? What do you have to offer that makes life easier, faster, or more complete for your customers? Become an expert storyteller to increase your results. Just make sure they’re true stories and not tall tales. Truth in advertising and marketing is still the right way to go. It’s time to connect on an emotional level to build relationships with your copy and connect with the people you are meant to serve.

Take Action Challenge:

o Are you entertaining and engaging your audience with stories to connect them with you and your product or services?

o Think about ways you can build relationships through storytelling.

o How can you weave your stories throughout your copy?

You’ve undoubtedly heard the age old debate about whether the glass is half empty or half full. It’s said that people who believe it’s half empty are pessimists while those who choose to believe it’s half full are optimists.

This reminds me of two opposing views in the copywriting world when it comes to creating effective marketing and advertising copy. Especially when creating sales content. There’s one camp, we’ll call them the pessimists, that believe you have to really strike a chord by highlighting “pain points” and really sucking people into your copy by virtue of turmoil. There’s another camp, we’ll call them the optimists. The optimists believe that by offering solutions, making genuine emotional connections and being straight up you’ll win more business.

Who do you think is right? The truth is that both methods can work and at the same time there needs to be some consciousness in doing business (at least there SHOULD be). The beauty of this is that as a consumer who invests in products and services you have a choice as to who you decide to do business with. You can recognize the techniques used and decide if you are motivated by optimistic or pessimistic emotions in advertising and marketing materials.

It is said that what you believe and perceive is the truth. In the advertising and marketing arena the phrase “perception is reality” is common. So, what if it really is all about CHOICE? What if you actually have the ability to change your perception or at the very least choose the best solutions for you?

One of the definitions of optimism is” The belief that goodness pervades reality” another definition is “A disposition or tendency to look on the more favorable side of events or conditions and to expect the most favorable outcome.”

Would you rather align yourself with optimism or pessimism? Optimism seems like the best choice and when pesky pessimism creeps in, why not take a moment to notice how you’re feeling and shift those thoughts and or/question your true desires as well as the motives of the situation? It can make a world of difference.
What we choose shapes our reality. This is a powerful thought because intuitively if we listen to ourselves and our inner guidance we know the difference between good and bad choices. We know that we can be pessimistic and feel crappy or optimistic and feel joyous, just as we know we can make business decisions based on pain points or true solutions. With this being said and with the knowledge that there are optimistic ways of connecting and pessimistic ways of connecting in business and in life, why not choose optimism?

It’s important to carefully examine motives especially in advertising and marketing. If you are motivated to do business with a pessimist (someone who thrives on your pain points) instead of an optimist (someone who offers solutions and true service) does it really matter if you’re getting a similar result? I’d think you’d agree that it does because these choices extend into values and ethics.

Acknowledge that your reaction to any situation is up to you. You can feed into negativity or fuel positivity by carefully assessing your choices. You always have control over how you respond to any advertising and marketing material IF you are aware of what you really want or need and the techniques that are being used to shape your perception and ultimately your reality.

So, I leave you with these thoughts. Is your glass half full or half empty? Are you an optimist or a pessimist? What do you respond to in marketing and advertising copy? Who are you doing business with?

One of the most beautiful things in life is freedom of choice. We have the opportunity to choose what we believe, what we do and how we do it. We choose where we live and what we really want to do with our lives. It is a great blessing that we have this freedom — and a tragedy to see many people not exercising their freedom of choice.Business success is also a choice. Anyone who has started a business or followed her heart and entrepreneurial dreams knows there is work involved.

It takes a clear vision, strategic planning, marketing and more to be successful. Beyond all this, the most important element to true success is love.  There are so many things to love about being an entrepreneur. An entrepreneur makes her own rules and knows it’s OK to embrace her femininity and infuse it into her work. By understanding that we don’t have to separate our life from our work, we can live our purpose and share our gifts with the world to help more people.

TO TRULY CHOOSE SUCCESS, you must be in tune with what brings you joy. Although good business sense is a must for entrepreneurs, success requires even more — heart and love. Beyond and even before that it takes gratitude and an open mind.Living with the spirit of gratitude for all our experiences, good and bad, and absorbing the lessons from our experiences are the foundation for success in business and life.Gratitude allows you to appreciate what is, so that you can attract more of what you want. When you embrace what is, you honor the natural order of things and this allows more abundance into your life. It’s much like the age-old pendulum of the optimist and pessimist. If your glass is half full you’re likely to attract more. If your glass is half empty you’ll probably attract less.Equally as important, keeping your mind open to possibilities will greatly improve your chances of personal success and growth. When you throw love into this potent mix, combined with the power of gratitude and an open mind, anything is possible.

AN OPEN MIND is your window into what is beyond your perceptions. Knowing we’re not always right and that there is another, sometimes better, way to approach situations and achieve goals allows us to be open to all possibilities.  e infi nite beauty of gratitude and open-mindedness segues nicely into love.

LOVE IS THE PASSION, INTEGRITY AND DRIVE it takes to make decisions from the heart, decisions that move your business forward, cement the relationships you build with communication and give you a consistent inner compass to guide your success. Better yet, acting and serving in love will get you noticed for being real and uniquely you.

CONSISTENCY IS IMPORTANT because it creates staying power. When you create a strong brand and platform, and continue to be true to that, you’ll gain trust as well as brand recognition and people will know you are serious about your business.

COMMUNICATION IS KEY because it builds relationships. Relationships are essential to business success because without them you don’t have customers. It’s important to communicate with clients and potential customers to let them know how you can serve them. However, I’ve discovered that consistency and communication alone cannot sustain business success. Successful businesses move beyond consistency and communication to incorporate gratitude, openmindedness and love in all facets. It may seem foreign or inappropriate to do business with love, but I’ve found it’s the vital ingredient to the most successful businesses that really are making a diff erence.  It also tends to be second-nature for female entrepreneurs — and that’s why it’s becoming more and more prevalent. When you love what you do, your life improves in all areas and your opportunities will grow.

By incorporating gratitude, an open mind, love, consistency and communication into your life and your business you will be well on your way to success on your own terms.

“Children should be seen and not heard.” This is a Victorian-based idea that obedient, quiet children are superior to other children. Interestingly enough, it originally applied specifically to young women.

With history like this, it’s not surprising that the societal and generational impact of specific sayings like “It’s not polite to brag,” and rhetorical questions like, “Who do you think you are?” continue to hold back women (and men, as well) even today. It’s hard to imagine a time when keeping to yourself was seen as a superior quality.

Fast-forward to present day, and we see that many women still find themselves bound by the invisible chains of antiquated thinking and even familial programming. They shrink, hold back and don’t speak up. They are subconsciously afraid, maybe because they were taught as children that bragging isn’t polite or they simply don’t want to outshine their peers because they crave acceptance. The possibilities are endless, but the fact remains the same: Each of us is born with a unique gift.Our particular gift or talent might be similar to others’ but it cannot be fully duplicated because it is uniquely ours. To take it a step further, we must accept that we are meant to share our gift with the world. When we don’t, without realizing it, we actually do a disservice to the world.

Our unique gifts are meant to help people, to truly make a difference and to evolve our planet in a positive way.Understanding this, the antiquated beliefs of history, society, friends and even family become less impactful. Knowledge is empowering. When we know in our hearts we are meant to make a difference, we owe it to ourselves and our fellow humans to step forward and be heard. More women are choosing to express these gifts by starting a business or becoming an entrepreneur. We create new opportunities as a conduit to share our gifts by providing services and benefits for the greater good. We have the power to share our gifts in many ways, and one of the most important ways is by letting people know how our unique gift can benefit them. This is where the challenge of overcoming those old-fashioned negative thoughts begins.

When you feel your gift with your heart and soul, you know you are doing the right thing. Yet at times those ingrained, limiting beliefs can creep in and hold you hostage. We feel the gifts, we want to share the gifts and there is still a niggling feeling of guilt. So, how do we overcome this? How do we move past the uncomfortable feeling of sharing our gifts with the world, especially when we’re entrepreneurs or small business owners? It all begins with our innergame, the way we feel about ourselves, and the work we do to make a difference in the world. The more we own our gifts and support ourselves, the more we can support others. This is true both in our professional and personal lives. At the same time, it’s vital to our livelihood to share our professional message in a way that resonates with our individual authenticity and, equally important, connects with our ideal clients. Often, before we can step into a place of confidence and create marketing messages that really resonate, we have to step back and look at what has caused resistance from the inside out. We can do this by making a list of our gifts and how they truly help others. From there, it’s important to embrace those gifts and own the responsibility of sharing (after all, if you don’t tell, who will know?).

Approaching your message from a perspective of service helps your message flow seamlessly. If that doesn’t work for you, it’s time to consider reaching out for support to make sure your marketing message is effectively conveying both the gifts you have to offer and how they will make a difference for potential clients. Sometimes an objective perspective can highlight your gifts in ways you’ve never imagined.

Finally, and just as important, we must continually celebrate our wins. As women we have many roles and we are often far too hard on ourselves. Keep a journal of success and jot down all the wonderful things you are doing — big and small. No one can define your success except you. Revisit your journal of success if doubt creeps in.Once you own your gifts and find your voice, you can finally break free from the “no bragging zone,” and from there the sky is the limit. With this newfound clarity, you’ll find even more ways to help more people and make the difference you know you are meant to make.

One of the best pieces of advice I can give any entrepreneur, business owner and marketing professional (remember, if you’re in business you’re a marketer) is to invest in your copy wisely. This means making sure you’re crafting effective messages that move your prospects to take action and support your overall marketing strategies. Often, this means outsourcing your copywriting to a pro.   So, once you’ve carefully reviewed your current marketing, advertising and promotional materials and created your content strategy plan, it’s time to make an important business decision.

Will you outsource to a professional copywriter or write your copy yourself? While it’s been said that copy is one of the most expensive items to outsource, I have to challenge that a bit. I believe it can hurt your business and cost even more if you don’t have the right person writing your copy.

When selecting a copywriter there are three key steps you’ll want to take:

1) Do your due diligence. This means checking out at least three candidates and selecting the best writer for your job.

2) Get really clear on the process. Copywriters have processes, turn-around time, policies and specific ways they work. Make sure the copywriter of your choice has a work style that gels with you and the way you want things to work in your business.

3) Talk shop. Be sure to review websites, check out testimonials and, if possible, speak with clients who have worked with the copywriters you are considering.

Remember: All your advertising, marketing and promotional efforts are INVESTMENTS not expenses. If you choose to write your own copy it’s wise to, at the very least invest in topnotch copywriting training or, as I like to say, do what you do best and outsource the rest. Return on investment should drive all of your decisions, so make those decisions wisely and remember, your copywriter should save you time, bring real value to the table in form of creative ideas and experience and make the process as painless as possible for you.

Where is your message going to be seen or heard? This is an important question to consider BEFORE writing a single word. Consider the medium or channel of placement and this will help you create a content strategy to support your overall marketing goals.

Will you reach your audience via radio or television broadcasts, viral video marketing, billboards, online marketing via blogs or websites, direct response mailings, email, trade publications, newspaper ads, press releases, social media or some other method?

Knowing your delivery method is crucial to deciding the length of copy.

• Do you need a long sales letter to speak to already qualified leads?
• Is a short, pithy ad in order?
• Or, is this a campaign requiring a skillful balance of long and short copy?
• Perhaps you need social media posts that pack a big punch with just a few words?
• Have you considered that length, placement and deliver matter?

The bottom line is — what works in print might not always work in broadcast or online. That’s why it’s important to understand your delivery options and educate yourself on what is effective and what is not. If you don’t want to take on this task yourself, the key is finding a crafty copywriter with experience spanning the mediums so your message is carefully tailored to work with the delivery vehicle of choice.

While you must cleverly craft copy in accordance to your content strategy plan, you must also realize the importance of creating messages that are a fit for each particular medium. For example – copy you create for your social media status updates probably isn’t completely appropriate for your print ads for various publication.

Once you’ve determined where you’ll place your message, you’ll also need to educate yourself on what type of copy really works for that particular medium. For example: hard sell tactics (generally never a great idea) are especially ineffective on social media platforms. Take the time to do your homework — know your ideal client, know your deliver method and know how to craft compelling copy that connects with your ideal client no matter what medium you use.

Take Action Challenge:

o Before you write a single word of copy, consider your medium.

o Are you ready for a new approach with your marketing materials?

o Jot down your general ideas and then match your idea with the appropriate medium.

What’s working for you? Do you have a strategy? I’d love to hear from you — so, post your comments here?

Often clients come to me because they truly want to get the recognition they deserve in the form of publicity both online and in the media. They’re looking for a starting point to get the word out so they have a general understanding of press releases and strategies. This is an important step in building your brand awareness and increasing credibility. At the same time there are often key foundational pieces missing. Pieces that need to be in place before you really start creating publicity buzz. And, I’m always upfront about that.

It’s important to be ready for publicity because publicity is more valuable than paid advertising and it’s more believable. This means that the right publicity can bring you more customers and create immediate trust. It can also be the most cost effective way to build brand and business buzz. BUT, you do need to be ready and I often see people trying to get publicity when it’s just not time yet.

Here are the top four reasons your business might not be ready for publicity.

1) You haven’t truly defined what success means to you. This could take the form of not knowing what it looks and feels like and it could also mean that you don’t know how to measure success.

2) You don’t REALLY have a plan or strategy. This could mean that you have a loose business plan but you haven’t fully looked at your big picture plan to create the lifestyle of your dreams personally and professionally.

3) Your website isn’t up to par. This could mean that your site is lacking key information that your business needs to appear credible to the general public and to the media

4) You don’t have a publicity plan. This could mean you don’t know how to craft a press release that will be media worthy and/or you don’t know where to start when it comes to submitting your press release both online and offline. This could also mean that your bio is not as juicy as it needs to be

Take a moment to assess your business. Ask yourself:   What does success TRULY mean to me? Do I have big picture plan to support my ideal life (personally and professionally)?  What could I do to improve my website today?Do I have a publicity plan and/or is that realistic for my business right now?  Should I consider Marketing Success tools to make my dreams a reality?