Sizzling Summer Content Writing Tips

High ThermometerSummer is here and it’s not the time for cool, mediocre content on your blogs or website.  Send your content and website hits soaring with these successful tips to keep your rankings and indexing climbing to the top of the charts.

#1 Consider what sells you on eBay — A good description of a product as well as the imagery selected creates the motivation to buy the item, right? So it’s no different with your product or service description.  Want to heat up the return on your investment of time, money and effort expended on building your business, brand or blog?  You have to engage and inform in such a way that ignites the audience to take action.

#2 Yes, Sweat the Small Stuff — I don’t like saying the “devil’s in the details” but the small, sweat drops of critical points are what’s going to take the success of your content sky-high!  Remember, in the online world, all your competitors are just a few clicks away.  Give them more than just a simple photo and bland product dimensions; engage them visually and then close the deal.

#3 Hot Headlines & Following the News in Your Niche — News is a great source to turn up the heat on your content . You’d be surprised where great ideas can be formulated when derived from the media’s ‘hot topics’ and headlines promoted on Yahoo, CNN and various websites as well as TV. This technique can effectively increase the exposure of your content and be just what you need to jump-start your creative juices and typing fingers.  For example, while on my LinkedIn page, I saw an article about choosing the red vs. the blue pill in ‘Happiness Is Not the Most Important Thing at Work.’  It made me consider a future blog topic about the power of engaging headlines and questioning your audience within your content to fully-engage them.

#4 Test the waters with a Blog Aggregator  – A what?  You read it correctly – a blog aggregator.  It’s a website that keeps track of blog posts and where bloggers go for idea sharing with other bloggers in your niche.  This is a great way to be inspired, share ideas and even professionally debate a topic.  I recently wrote an article on Triberr, one of the prominent blog aggregators today. Not only were people engaged, but one of the founders of the company commented on my blog to address some of the points I made.  Engagement accomplished!

#5 Window Shopping & People Watching – Most of us are out & about more than usual during the summer months.  Whether at the beach, tanning poolside or BBQing in the backyard–watching others can give way to some pretty cool topics for blogging. Window shopping and long walks about town can also be the catalyst for thoughts on a product or service, from or for your own business.  Also, by watching how someone reacts to various stimuli can strike the right match to turn up creative thought within you.

I hope this ignited some inspiration in you with some great insights to consider when writing and posting your content.   I’d love to hear what other piping hot tips you have to share with me!

Psychology Marketing Techniques 101

Surprised with Laptop 2Marketing strategies run the gamut when it comes to creativity – whether it’s pushing the envelope or pushing your buttons. Psychology Marketing (also known as Consumer Behavior Marketing) is one facet used by the industry meant to do exactly that; push emotional buttons to steer a response causing the consumer to consume a businesses goods, services and even agenda. It is well understood that “emotional marketing” plays a pivotal role in reporting/publicizing world events; selling medical pharmaceuticals-even selling cars!  As a result, psychology marketing has become one of the most effective tools to gain attention and cause the consumer(s) to react verbally or financially to a cause, service or product.

Human Interest Stories: The Grandfather of Them All
Wikipedia defines it as “a feature story …presents people and their problems, concerns, or achievements in a way that brings about interest or sympathy in the reader or viewer.  Human interest stories may be “the story behind the story” about an event, organization, or otherwise faceless historical happening, such as about the life of an individual soldier during wartime, an interview with a survivor of a natural disaster, or profile of someone known for a career achievement.”  Human interest stories give consumers an emotional connection to the problem, product or service being promoted.  It makes more difference in reactions and behaviors than most consumers ever realize.

Psychology Marketing is meant to:

  • – Look at how consumers think, feel and reason-out their decisions and ultimate selections
  • – Study how a consumer is influenced by their environment such as personal culture and media exposure
  • – Consider the targeted consumer, their motivations & strategies when comparing products or services for ultimate selection


This is what marketers use to adapt and strategize for  their marketing campaigns to more effectively reach the consumer.

Best at the Game: Non-profits
Most non-profit companies have cornered the market on attaching emotional elements to their causes in all forums of media and promotion. So whether it’s a poster, TV commercial or internet ad campaign, their marketing strategies include elements that strike a chord and causes us to pause, consider and act. And once celebrities add their devotion to let’s say a particular cause or movement, undoubtedly the campaign increases its projected success.

Best at the Awww Factor: Pampers
About 95% of consumers love a cute baby and Pampers is kind of capitalizing on that with their marketing campaigns.  One of my personal favorites is the Silent Night campaign by Pampers.  This great commercial plays annually during the New Year and has a profound effect on all its viewers.  How profound?  It actually remains one of their most successful campaigns since 2008. Why? Because their Silent Night commercial causes you stop, awww out loud and think about the beautiful sweetness of babies sleeping peacefully.  Their marketing team knew your affection and love meter would go up several bars half way through it and they’ve been reaping the benefits ever since the campaign’s inception.

Crying womanCurrent Events-Shockwave Effect
Nothing is works in the favor of news media more than shocking news.  You know the kind that makes you sad or enraged as what’s going on in the world. It might be hard to conceive that there’s marketing in calamity but there is. Ever since the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, CT, President Obama’s team has been hard at work to market the President’s legislative position in his responses orally in his speeches and with his actions as he continues to meet & address the Sandy Hook victims parents and school officials. His speech writing/marketing team penned an emotionally moving  speech that he himself found hard to emotionally contains as he teared-up during his public address.  His recent bashing yet inspiring Shame on Us speech moved many with a strong call-to-action for legislative changes in gun control and social responsibility.

These are 2 of my personal picks which includes one of the most watched and emotionally charged marketing campaigns to date.

The CDC’s Anti-Smoking Campaign uses scare tactics by showing us the horrific consequences of smoking. Some of the commercials are just sad but there are some that are inspirational for smokers to do whatever it takes which creates a sense of resolution.  Ah yes, they’ve tapped into our fight vs. flight responses and the former outweighs the later.

Liberty Mutual’s Half Acre Campaign reflected a Pay It Forward theme that inspires all of us to take just a moment to do something for someone else, big or small, recognized or not.  But it was recognized as the commercial captures.  Over and over again people take notice and act in the perpetual the cycle of “do right”.

Other Resources

http://www.sitepoint.com/how-to-use-emotional-marketing/

http://www.marketingpsychology.com/reports.htm

 

4 Elements for Managing Client Expectations Successfully

Good morning all – Jean and I had a great discussion during our video blog yesterday and we hope you enjoy it.  However, if you don’t have time to watch it or take notes, we’d like to share some of the key points made.  The next time you take on a new client, consider these questions or issues to raise, dialogue about and seek answers to in order to successfully manage your clients expectations.

1st Element: Understanding Who Your Client Really Is

A. Find out the type of personality they have & how they best communicate (email, text, telephone or in person).
B. Through discussions, try to extract the purpose of the website and their business goals even if they aren’t clear on them.
C. Stress the importance of branding & being clear about their business identity & its goals so that the website and/or branding efforts are successful.

2nd Element: Brand Identity & Strategic Marketing Initiatives

A. What’s the vision of the company?
B. Who do they believe their customers & consumers are?
C. What do they think their consumers & audience want to see & expect from them?
D. Take the initiative through dialogue/research to get a firm understanding of their product or service and how they want to market it.
E. What are the goals they want their website and branding to achieve?

3rd Element: Setting Client Expectations for the Project

A. What is the projected costs & overall budget (with wiggle room)?
B. What are the time frames for benchmarks and completion?
C. Are you requesting and receiving all relevant content for each page of your website upfront? Consider how this affects time & workflow of project.
D. Are their images web-worthy (i.e. are clear, look professional), of high-resolution and large enough to scale down for editing if needed?
E. Have you established a good client relationship that can endure project delays and/or disappointments?
F. Can that rapport endure if there are issues with responsiveness from the client that affect workflow, benchmarks & completion dates?

4th Element: Clients Expectation for ROI

A. Make sure you set realistic expectations of the actual ROI and timeframe in which they might see the fruits of their investment.
B. What do you do with a client that has unrealistic expectations of ROI?
C. Explain why advertising their website is crucial once it is launched and the need for continued marketing efforts.
– They need figure out how they are going to notify current customers about their new website.
– Make announcements via Social Media platforms.
– Invest in marketing materials that reflect an online, worldwide presence.
D. Encourage them to think outside the box to market their website.
– If you’re a Mom & Pop, consider Small Business Association meetings, posting marketing materials in coffee houses & restaurant/business lobbies.
E. All businesses need to focus on and execute strategic customer outreach campaigns to see profitable ROI.

The Wrap Up 
Bullseye  It’s important to set the expectations from both parties from the beginning.
Bullseye  Set your workflow & do your best to stick to it.
Bullseye Hold your clients accountable for their website’s success.  Help them understand that the success of their website requires THEIR initiative, drive
& passion for THEIR business.
Bullseye Remember, good content does wonders for customer engagement and willingness to purchase the product or service.
Bullseye Understand it’s about client relationship & the longevity of that relationship.

Design Theory References on This Topic
They Trust Me, They Trust Me Not? A Client Relationship & Retention Discussion
Navigating Troubled Client Waters in Web Design

Building Your Brand Through Your Brochure

The keys to persuasive, effective marketing materials are great design and informative, persuasive content. Content is both words and supporting imagery that conveys what benefits a consumer will derive from the product/service you are offering.  Think of brochures as either the initial “handshake” of your business with a client or the last impression.  Your business cards and brochures are essential parts of your brand and can certainly impact the marketability of your business and attracting potential clientele.  This week I’d like to highlight the key components to a stand out & effective brochure.

Content can include charts, images, diagrams, listings and other graphic elements that highlight key benefits of your business services/products.  Also use of calls to action can be critical to persuasion and getting the consumer to act on your solicitation.  Also know that the caliber of writing of your brochure will certainly determine the effectiveness of your message and brand.  If you aren’t the greatest writer, farm it out to a business or colleague that can.

White space is an essential part of every single marketing piece, namely brochures. The lines between text and imagery are white space; which allows your readers’ eyes relax and gives them a momentary break from the content.  You never want intake overload but also don’t want your content to look too sparse.  White space can also be used to separate important points.  For example, the brochure below is an example of too much white space & too little content.

Colors evoke feelings and emotions, and can certainly help to build a customers’ first or last impression of your business. The colors you select for your brochure design should definitely compliment or match the colors in your logo or company name.  Use of vibrant colors should be done in selective areas and in moderation.

Font selection be stylistic but be easily readable and the size should be chosen based on the volume of information you are trying to convey. It should not be too large (over 14 pt.) or too small (less than 10 pt.) The font should reflect your brand style and set the tone of your organization – elegant for a bridal shop, powerful for an auto body shop. Lastly, the body copy font should differ from your headlines, but you should not exceed the use of 3 different fonts within your brochure design.

Paper selected should be reflective of the quality of your business…Yeah, I said it.  Using flimsy paper or a cheap card stock may give a flimsy impression of your business. Choosing glossy or matte finish is purely subjective.

Imagery plays a critical role just like your written content. Take your time when selecting the right imagery and the placement of them.  Also, do not forget to check your resolution on the images you select.  The higher the resolution the better your picture will come across in print. The lower the resolution, the more blurry and unprofessional your brochure will look when printed. FYI -300 dpi or higher is best for clear, color printing.

The Design of your brochure should be simple but effective.  Feel free to break away from the normal trifold and display your brand & company character.

 

Among the sea of typical trifolds, how do you make your brochure stand out?


 

Dear Designers, Please Learn Development

(and vise versa)

It’s been an ongoing debate since perhaps the beginning of time– can a person use their creative and analytical brains (right and left, respectively) with equal skill. Obviously, there were some who did it well–artist and inventor Leonardo da Vinci comes immediately to mind–but what about in today’s society, in particular the gap between web designers and developers.  Should there be an overlap in skill sets?

While I admit that having specialization of labor, as a whole, has brought many benefits to society, in this particular case of website creation the two divergent mindsets are working toward a common goal. It is less like a composer and a biochemist and more like an interior designer and an architect.

Because there is a shared purpose and desired product/outcome, even if the design and development work is split between two individuals, there is the expectation that they will have to communicate to each other to reach the client’s goals. It becomes necessary,even on a basic conversational level, for both the designer and developer to understand parts of the other’s job and associated vocabulary. Ignorance here will benefit no one.

How much more of an overlap might be necessary depends on what type of services you offer  individually. Obviously if you are a lone designer offering a PSD to HTML service, you’ll need to know HTML and CSS. If you are a solo web developer putting together a web app, being able to put together a cohesive user interface is a must. The right brain/left brain skill set overlap becomes then an extending of the basic level of understanding needed to interface with the other half–be it designer or developer. This is more, I believe, a matter of personal preference than a mandatory learning because it requires the individual to be confident enough in his or her skills to carry out the tasks of the other

While we can argue the merits of separation all day, the fact is that neither designers  nor developers operate in a vacuum, completely cut off from the other.  There is a symbiotic relationship between the two, put in place by the very nature of the work.  Considering how tightly the Internet connects us all together, it seems even more counterintuitive to fight to keep the right and left brains completely divided. After all they do make up one mind.