Increasing Employee & Client Engagement

Strategies to Market Your Content

I heard this from Hubspot and Todd Schnick/Russell Fair – The concept was titled Blogging by thirds –

1. Spend 1/3 of time creating content - using the previous posts ideas about how to come up with content. Writing it and they will come does not work. You can have the greatest content in the world, but if people don’t read it. People will not just find your blog, you have to go spread it horizontally. You have to lead them to water so they know it exists. Read Step 2 & 3

2. Spend 1/3 reading other blogs – Find some good blogs that compliment yours or are in your spectrum. Since I am in Sales & Marketing and what my content is about, I found other great marketing blogs. I read them for ideas, thoughts etc. Which leads me to the last step.

3. 1/3 commenting on other blogs - Really adding value to the discussion. Agree with them, disagree. It doesn’t matter your stance. Just make it relevant and thought provoking. If people like your info they will click your link and check you out as well.

4. You also want to have links in your blogs that will link to other blogs - Either with similar content that would add value to your readers.

5. Get on Social Media sites to help spread your message and thought leadership
· Facebook – www.facebook.com
· LinkedIn Groups – www.linkedin.com
· Twitter - www.twitter.com
· Reddit - www.reddit.com
· Digg - www.digg.com
· Technorati - www.technorati.com
· Stumble Upon - www.stumbleupon.com
· Delicious www.delicious.com
· Ezine Articles www.ezinearticles.com
· Other Communites – Xing.com , Ning.com, and any Associations You Are Affiliated
· Ping your blog with http://blo.gs//; http://www.blogrolling.com/; www.weblogs.com;
http://pingomatic.com/

I am an avid fan of the show Seinfeld.  One episode George & Jerry were pitching a show to NBC.  They decided they were going to pitch it on the concept of NOTHING.  The NBC executive said, “why am I watching it” and George said “because its on TV” and the executive without a hesitation said “not yet, it’s not”.

Nothing won’t cut it.  I definitely think it better be something.  Valued content.   It doesn’t have to be original – you can find great resources and share info or links.

There are different types of information you need to write.  I got this general idea from Hubspot (I think)

•  Apples- Every Day posts- How to
• Vegetables – Thoughtful – Helpful, but not required.
• 5 Course Meals- Big Projects with unique perspective – Give great returns – Generate a lot of discussion – must pick them well
• Jalapeno - Bold Statement- starts a conversation – be careful because you don’t want to send too many mixed messages.  So limit.
• Desserts – Very Sweet -These can be cute, funny, cartoons or videos.  Shows human and can be sent around.

 So info can solve small problems to industry problems.  Can do Lists.  Top 5 things or 5 ways to …

 Here are some ideas & examples to get you started.  May want to look at:

• Discussing current news
• Answer Questions Asked
• Comment on Other Articles You Read
• Use Recent Experiences
• Case Studies
• Guest articles
• Opinions
• Ideas From Readers
• Do Polls and Analyzing the Results 
  

Headline – important – write headline first and imagine reader will not read article.  I like short ones.

Cupid was the son of Venus, Goddess of Love from Mythology.  He was always portrayed as a mischievous little boy who went around shooting humans with arrows that made people fall in Love. 

Story telling is the cupid of engaging your audience…  It can shoot straight to the heart.  One of the best and most powerful methods we have in our quiver.  It can also be used to arise all different kinds of emotions.  Readers do not want to just sit there and read.  They want stories that entertain, inspire, excite, install fear, surprise & wonder.

The whole world is a story…  I like to start my posts off with a story or example because I believe it can bring us to a common ground or interest.  I believe if I can get them to read the first sentence that is 80% of the battle.  The only goal of my first sentence is to get them to read the next sentence.

Studies Show Readers Scan A Page in an F Pattern...  They scan the top, then down, then scan the middle and back down the side.  Since this is the case, you have to capture them very early.

A couple of Good Resources for writing copy.

My favorite Author wrote these articles I would like to share
Seth Godin – Stories That Resonate - http://tinyurl.com/5d6c5d
                      Ode – How to Tell A Great Story - http://tinyurl.com/a86ted

My friend Todd Schnick wrote a short post on Story Telling you might enjoy. 

Copyblogger – www.copyblogger.com
Problogger – www.problogger.net
I am a premium Member of Marketing Profs and worth the annual subscription.  www.marketingprofs.com

When you take the time to engage your readers, you provide enough value so you become an indispensable resource to your readers, who in turn become your best sales force.  The story does not replace you, but it enhances you. It should not tell the whole “story”, but help provide reinforcement & invite more conversation.

So from now on, make your storytelling a real Once Upon A Time, where they will be on the edge of their seat to know how the story ends and I promise it will be a Happily Ever After…

Dr Gregory House on Fox’s show House M.D. is always trying to solve the worlds most challenging and craziest ailments that the world has ever known. He will go through all of these brainstorming sessions that they will bat around all these solutions. He will knock them around if he feels they have merit or he will belittle the idea if he doesn’t. During the course of the show he will see something in normal life that will always be his A-Ha Moment. He will see someone pop the tab on a soda can and it will all of a sudden unleash the answer… 

My first and most important priority when I write a blog post is to get a WOW or an A-HA moment. It may not always be earth shattering, but may be WOW I haven’t thought of that before or A-HA- what a neat way to think about that.

Right now Oprah & Mutual of Omaha are haggling over who owns the “aha” moment, but anyone can create one.  Many think you have to be Einstein or Sir Isaac Newton who come up with these incredible thoughts that redefine the world as we know it.  I think that is the farthest thing from the truth. 

You can come up with unique, relevant ideas or views… that can make your target audience think.  Shed some new or different light on their situations.  Here are  things I think you can do to engage your audience and create that WOW or A-HA.

So whether you are helping someone get better ROI on their marketing or helping them save thousands of dollars on negotiating for a car

1. Be Different – Lets face it, 99% of information out there is not “new” or original thought.  So even though we agree its not new, it better be different.  Maybe take the information and look at it from a different angle.  Highlight certain parts and share your viewpoint on it.  Your view is yours and original.  Stand out & Surprise them.

2. Be Relevant & Relatable – Keep your message on target.  Make sure your target audience will be able grasp your message.  If they grasp it, then they have to be able to put themselves in that situation. They must of either felt it before or think they could avoid it by using the information.   So they may say WOW, I am glad I read that because I can use that.  Maybe they heard it before, but you put your spin on it and it helps turn on that lightbulb and that A-HA, I get it now.

3. Focused -  Try to keep it brief and to one take away.  If the can remember and recall one thing, that in my book would be a success.  I have heard that 90% of what is said or read is forgotten in 48 hours.  So you have a better chance of going to memory if you keep it simple and laser focused.

4. Make it very visual -  I don’t necessarily mean with actual pictures, but having a picture can help support your point.  Just as important,  I try to write in a way, for the person reading it, that it will create visions of what I am trying to help them see.  So I try to find stories, case studies or examples to illustrate the point I am trying to make.  The higher the emotional value the better.  If the illustration adds emotional value to the reader then it will increase the episodic memory and will help them recall it later.   

5. Connectors & Stickiness - I like to think of the brain as a climbing wall that has the anchored rungs on it.  You are trying to get something to stay on the readers mind.  Only 16 –20 percent actually have a real interest in what you are saying and you have under 30 seconds to make a point stick and worthy of their memory.  So use a real life example that will give the reader something to talk about and use those connecting experiences that provoke conversation.

The Last Point Is To Start With The End in Mind…  Think about the A-HA moment before you write the article.  Think about what would trigger that emotional feeling, just like Dr House’s epiphany.  What story might illustrate it and connect the dots.   

Remember the #1 action on the internet is the back button…  In our fast paced society, time is even faster.  You have 3 seconds or less to capture awareness or attention.  According to Malcolm Gladwell you have less than a second.  You have to earn people’s time.  So remember, write for those who are excited to read what you have to say and are giving up their most precious asset…time.   So you have to pay them back with that WOW or A-HA 

What ways might I have missed that can create engaging a-ha moments?  Share your successes.

When a performer is on stage, they are acting out a given set of circumstances.  They try to set the mood, the tone and express it in a genuine way that will draw you into their world.  The best ones can blur the lines of reality.  By doing this they engage you.  They get you to sit on the edge of your seat wondering what is going to happen next.

I got so many responses from my blogging topics last week about wanting more information about what to write about, writing effectively & how to engage readers.  Thank you for all the feedback.  It sounds like a lot of people are on this journey and well on their way.   I decided to write a couple of posts to offer some thoughts and hopefully get some of your thoughts. 

I should be upfront, I am no means a writer or a journalist.  So I may not help editorially.  By the way I write, I am sure many wonder if English is my first language.     Yes, I do try to write in a very simple style. 

My wife wonders all the time… even though I got my MBA,  if I did in fact graduate from elementary school and am I smarter than a 5th grader…  I am a father of a 4 year old and all the parents out there know what I am about to say. The parents end up watching the shows with their child.  I am watching Super Why, Sid the Science Kid, Word Girl and all the other PBS shows on TV… so maybe a lot of that rubs off on me.  I catch myself all the time singing the songs or humming the themes.  If I do it in public and catch myself, I usually catch the eye of another parent and that little smile on their face.

I am a teacher at heart…  I love trying to take complicated things and break it down into bite size easy to swallow topics.  That is my style.  It is not for everybody.  The people who like my style may enjoy my work.  Those who are doctors and lawyers may not.  That is OK.  I have to be true to myself and who I am.  You can not please everyone, every time, all the time.

I hope you enjoy some of the topics and will try to share some resources that will guide you in your journey.  Let the Show Begin…

In Marketing We Always Say Your Message Must Match Your Audience…  What you want to talk about is much easier now that you know your target audience.     You are going to write & share valuable content around their needs, motivations & issues.  You will inform them, guide them & provide solutions to the problems that keep them up at night. 

Speak In Your Audience’s Language and In A Tone They Get…  Don’t speak in your jargon.  Talk in their terms.   Speak in a way you really resonate with your audience.  Connect with them.  This will draw them closer to you and bring them to more of an emotional connection.

Do NOT Speak In A Corporate Voice…  My point is always, you can not start off screaming product.  The conversation has to be about the bigger cooler idea your product is a part of. Your blog needs to teach and inspire around the bigger thing.  A blog is not a product spec sheet.  That is boring.  Commercials will be invisible.  Write about what people want to talk about…NOT WHAT YOU ARE TRYING TO SELL THEM. 

Corporation’s Billboards Are Always Selling…  The ABC’s of selling have changed.  It is no longer Always Be Closing, it is now Always Be Conversational and Always Be Communicating…   .  It is not about YOU… It is not about the Corporations… It is about PEOPLE…   

You Have to Speak In A Personal Voice…  I always say this is the biggest challenges corporations have.  They are so tied to the old marketing ways.  They don’t know how to speak in a personal voice.  As a branding expert, I think Corporations think their corporate brands & logos are doing business with other corporate brands/ logos.  They forget that it is people who are the ones doing research online about other companies and forming personal opinions about them.   People base decisions on personal thoughts, feelings and attitudes     

Just Remember people buy from people.  So don’t forget the HUMAN element.  It is more powerful than corporations think…

Who Is More Important Than What..  First thing in preparing a blog, is knowing who you will be talking to.  As a marketing & branding expert, to me that is always the most important decision you make with any strategy.  What target market, segmented niche or buying persona are you speaking to.  David Meerman Scott does a great job talking about the buying persona in his book The New Rules of Marketing & PR.  He describes a buying persona as “essentially a representative of a type of buyer that you have identified as having a specific interest in your organization or product.”   It was my favorite part of the book.

It Is More Than Merely Picking a Wish List of People…  You have to be very specific in this targeting approach.  Make sure you research them, understand them.  I don’t mean like a job description.  I mean their personal behaviors.  There is usually more than one persona per product.  So you have to really segment per buyer persona.  So if you are going to educate, you must do it to each group individually.

One size does not fit all…  Do not try to be everything to everybody.  A bank for instance caters to several groups.  They want to lend money to people and get people to sign up for checking & savings accounts.  They cater to personal & corporate accounts.  For personal, they may want to educate students so that when they are ready, they will become a customer of theirs.  First time home buyers maybe another group.   May want to educate small businesses on ways to run their business.  Each group needs to be spoken to differently.  They need different information because they have different needs.  

So do whatever it takes to make sure you know your audience.  Choose wisely.

Lets uncover the world of blogging and the power it can have on your personal branding, corporate branding and all of the in between.

The Blog has to be the centerpiece of your strategy. Lets dig down about the world of blogging.

What Is A Blog???  Wikipedia says it is a type of website with regular entries of commentary, videos or event updates. If I were to build upon that, I would say it is like a personal diary that you write for the world to read. It is a way to share your thoughts, ideas, insights, & expertise on anything you are passionate about. It is your microphone, your stage, & your daily pulpit. It is a place to collaborate with friends, suspects, prospects, employees & customers. Blog’s come in hundreds of different flavors, sizes, shapes and colors. The reason is because they are all individualized. It is your world and we get a chance to live in it. Because the content is always updated and changed, it creates a dynamic & engaging web application.

Why Should You Blog???  The main reason you want to Blog is INFLUENCE. That is it in a nutshell. It allows you to provide thought leadership, share your experience, demonstrate your expertise and gain credibility. Everyone has something to say, whether it is unique, intelligent, inspiring, entertaining, funny, creative, or even controversial. With your remarkable content, you will leave your readers wanting more. You will attract an audience & build a community of like minded people. This platform will inform them, allow interaction with them and foster learning with them.

It allows you to be the Media for almost free…  Your Blog is like your own newspaper column. Instead of Dear Abbey it is you calling the shots. You want your own TV show, you can now create your own user generated video content and now your Oprah. If you want your own Radio Show, set up a podcast and you are now Ryan Seacrest On Air. Post & upload to your blog for your fans to see.

What is great, is when people like what you have to say, they will sign up or subscribe to you and give you permission to give them more information. That information could be in the form of ebooks, special reports, enewsletters, white papers, podcasts, emails etc. They reach out to you. They are excited now to receive your information.

Now that you are ready to dive in and take the plunge we will cover more in depth tomorrow.

What is a Blog to you?   Why do you think you should blog?

We have talked tirelessly about the foundation and behind the scenes. Now the fun part.  Lets start shaping your Social Media Strategy…  We talked about three “watering holes” right now in the Social Media World.  1.  The Blogosphere   2.  Search Engine Optimization   3.  Social Media Tools

In my opinion The Blogoshpere is your home…  It is like your website.  It is dynamic, rich in content, engaging and your engine.  Everything you do will be built around your blog.

Let me Illustrate this for you really quick…  Social Media is networking on steroids.  It is a PARTY 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  So you go to all of these parties at LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Social Communities etc.  You meet all of these people.  Some you like.  You carry common interests, ideas, and similarities.

So the ones you like, you invite them over to your home…  In real life it may be to watch a game, cook out etc.  In Social Media you are inviting them to your blog.  They are now your friend, connection or follower.  While they are over, you offer them, chips, dip, drinks etc., in the form of great content, value etc.

While they are there, you get to know each other better.  You talk about kids, work, what you do, how you can add value to them.  So on and so forth.  You have engaging two way dialogue just like you were in person.  Mutual benefit. 

Tomorrow will dive into Blogging.  What it is and why you should do it.

Do you agree that blogging should be your conrnerstone?  How do you view Social Media?