Content Writing Mistakes to Avoid Like the Plague

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Mark Byrnes’ cautionary advice is meant for financial advisors, but some of the social media mistakes he’s telling his readers to avoid are warnings all content writers need to hear, and apply to blog posts, newsletters, and even email correspondence.

  • Not being authentic

Content that does not line up well with the firm’s brand or even the advisor’s unique individual brand will most likely be rejected by readers, Byrnes warns.

In your blog or newsletter, we teach at Say It For You, allow people to hear your distinct voice. Got limitations? Those may be precisely what makes you seem real to your readers. 

  • Being too salesy

Rather than boasting about all your own capabilities, put the target market first,  encouraging the audience by asking questions and conducting polls, the author suggests.

The tactic of using questions in titles is one I’ve often suggested to content writers, because often we can help searchers formulate their own questions by presenting one in the blog post or newsletter itself. 

  • Being too long winded

If content rambles on and on, viewers will click away and abandon anything that does not get to the point, Byrnes cautions.

Attempting to cover too much ground in a single blog post or even article, we lose focus, straining readers’ attention span.  Each post, I teach in content creation sessions, should contain a razor-sharp focus on just one story, one idea, one aspect of the business or practice.  

  • Taking the foot off the gas

Maintain consistency. Creating a steady stream of content takes time and patience. Interviewing other thought leaders and creating strategic alliances are ways to keep the content momentum going, Brynes suggests.

After years of being involved in all aspects of content creation for business owners and professional practitioners, one irony I’ve found is that consistency and frequency are rare phenomema. There’s a tremendous content fall-off rate, with most efforts abandoned months or even weeks after they’re begun. Yet, as online marketing guru Neil Patel stresses, websites that publish regular, high-quality content provide real value to users.

  • Hiding your personal side

Advisors should write about their involvement in community and in fundraising efforts, sharing their passions.

Content can focus on personal anecdotes relating to the owners’ community involvements and even to community happenings and concerns. 

  • Ignoring the trends

What are your clients and prospects doing online and why?  What has changed?

One rule of thumb in content marketing, we know at Say It For You, is to narrow down the target audience.  To be an effective marketing tool for your business, your content must be aimed at a specific segment of the market. Ask yourself : “Who are my readers?  What do they need?  Where are they ‘hanging out’ online?” 

All those “no-nos” listed in Financial Advisor Magazine? Content writers – take heed!.

 

 

 

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AIming to Be an Archive

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“Whereas the Big Five often let their older books fall out of print based on sales histories, some university publishers… think like a library, aiming to be an archive for authors’ books that remain in perpetuity,” Aaron Gilbreath advises in Poets & Writers magazine.

So what about online content? Does the Internet “think like a library”?
“The internet is often called a digital footprint that we leave behind us,” Mia Naumoska writes in internxt.com. Yet websites and social media platforms are constantly updating their algorithms, she cautions, resulting in some content being removed or even lost. Platforms may remove posts that violate community guidelines or terms of service, she adds. In general, though, blogs and articles posted on websites have a much longer lifespan than social media posts, because they are typically optimized for search engines and can be found through search queries for months or even years after publication.

An infographic by Content Hacker illustrates the comparative lifespans of different forms of content posting, ranging from TikTok’s few minutes to Facebook’s five hours, to YouTube’s thirty+ days to blogs, whose lifespan extends for years.

Evergreen content
It’s not only the platform on which content is posted, but the nature of the content itself that is a determinant of longevity, the Digital Marketing Institute explains. Evergreen content is not time-sensitive and can continue to drive traffic long after it is published. Instructional and informational pieces, for example, lend themselves to remaining relevant over long periods of time.

LinkedIn articles vs. LinkedIn posts
Posts on LinkedIn are short messages that can contain text, images, videos, links, and hashtags. On the other hand, LinkedIn articles are longer-form pieces of content, with more in-depth discussions, analysis, and storytelling, with a dedicated “Articles” space within your profile.

“Feature” blog posts
Feature posts are non time-sensitive, and in fact, the goal is to have the material be “evergreen”. (When someone searches for information on a topic, it’s quite possible for them to “matched up” with content written a long time ago.) Good informational content, after all, can have relevance even months and years later after it was first published!

At Say It For You, we’ve learned over the years, blogs and newsletters can balance feature stories with “news”. While we want content to “stick around”, readers need to know about new products and services they can now obtain, new partners or employees we want to introduce, and our recent or upcoming activities in the community.

At the same time, content marketers need to “think like a library”, providing long term value to readers and “aiming to be an archive”.

 

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Branding for Growth: Best Practices Every Small Business Owner Should Know

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A strong brand is crucial for businesses to stand out in today’s competitive market, as it leads to higher revenue and customer loyalty. This is especially important for small businesses as they tend to have fewer resources and rely heavily on customer satisfaction. In this blog post, we’ll look at the top branding best practices to help small business owners become industry leaders and achieve sustainable growth.

Discover and Reach Ideal Customers

In the journey of brand development, pinpointing your ideal customer base is a foundational step. This involves a deep dive into understanding not just who your customers are, but also what drives their decisions and preferences. By analyzing their demographics, such as age, gender, and location, and psychographics, including their values, interests, and lifestyle, you gain valuable insights. These insights enable you to tailor your branding strategy effectively. Comprehending their purchasing behavior, including how and why they buy, allows you to align your messaging and marketing efforts with their needs and preferences.

Possible Marketing Platforms

When it comes to reaching your target market, choosing the right marketing channels is crucial. Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are great for targeting younger audiences. Email marketing is a powerful tool for building relationships with existing customers, while traditional channels such as print ads, direct mail, and outdoor advertising can still be effective, depending on your target audience.

Develop a Brand Promise

Crafting a brand promise is a strategic process that entails pinpointing the core benefits and values your brand delivers to its customers. It’s about distilling these elements into a concise and engaging statement that encapsulates your brand’s commitment. This statement not only guides your external communications and marketing efforts but also acts as a north star for internal operations, including customer service and product development. It should be a reflection of what customers can consistently expect from your brand, fostering trust and setting the tone for their entire experience with your business.

Analyze Your Competition

For small business owners, understanding the competition is paramount. Business owners need to thoroughly research the branding efforts, marketing channels, and value proposition. Knowing what the competition is doing allows a business owner to create a unique brand that stands out, attracting loyal customers and building lasting brand recognition.

Color Scheme for Branding

The impact of choosing the right colors on customer purchasing decisions cannot be overemphasized. Therefore, small business owners must carefully consider the psychological effects of each color and how it aligns with their brand image. For example, blue portrays trust and reliability, while red is associated with excitement and energy. By applying a suitable color palette, entrepreneurs can effectively shape the way their brand is perceived by consumers.

Create Great Content

Small business owners can significantly boost their brand recognition and engage effectively with potential customers through the strategic use of content marketing. This involves creating and distributing informative and valuable content, such as blog posts, videos, infographics, and social media posts. By consistently delivering high-quality content, small businesses can establish themselves as authoritative and trustworthy sources.

Establish a Consistent Tone

To create a strong brand, it’s vital to establish a unified voice. Consistency in the brand’s messaging enables customers to understand what the brand represents. Small business owners can deploy the same tone of voice across all marketing channels, including social media and email marketing, to connect with their customers. A consistent brand voice can help foster robust and long-term relationships with customers.

Expand Your Business Knowledge

For small business owners, education plays a crucial role in fostering expansion and success. Engaging in business courses significantly enhances their skills in marketing and advertising, which are pivotal for the growth and visibility of their ventures. Additionally, considering an online Master of Business Administration (MBA) can be a strategic move. Such programs are designed to accommodate the busy schedules of business owners, allowing them to balance their educational aspirations with the demands of running their company. This approach not only provides a deeper understanding of business principles but also equips them with the latest knowledge and trends in the business world.

In today’s competitive business landscape, building a strong brand can mean the difference between success and failure for small businesses. From defining a unique value proposition to developing a brand promise, every aspect of branding counts. Small business owners who prioritize branding as a crucial aspect of their business strategy can establish a distinctive identity, connect with their customers, and ultimately drive growth and profitability

Today’s guest post was contributed by Candace Sigmon of At Home Helper. Candace may be reached at csigmon@athomehelper.com.

 

 

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Can You Be More Specific?

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“Capitalize on the post-holiday rush by driving incremental purchases amongst shoppers redeeming gift cards, taking advantage of longer sales windows or making returns,” the 2024 Digital Marketing Playbook advises. Just two weeks ago, at the Business Spotlight, I recall one of the presenters doing precisely that kind of “capitalizing” on post-holiday needs. When it was Troy Larson’s turn to give a 60-second “pitch” for his Alder Avenue Home Handyman business, he offered to help all of us not-so-handy parents assemble all those Christmas gifts.

“When a business understands their customers’ needs, they can tailor their products and marketing plan to better serve those needs, momencrm.com explains naming five main needs: 1. price points 2.convenience 3.sustainability 4.transparency 5.control/options. However, successful marketing messages are delivered “across channels when and where each person is most receptive”, epsilon.com emphasizes.

Researching and understanding your target market is one of the ABCs of all content marketing. Read, read, read, is my best advice as a content marketer, from local business publications to your competitors’ marketing materials – it all helps you hone your own message, we teach at Say It For You.

Using blog posts and newsletter issues to highlight specific services and product uses is a way to achieve razor-sharp appeal to prospects with an urgent, precise need. Interviewed for the article “Tips From the Inside” in Inc. Magazine, the purchasing agents of mega corporation Northrup Grumman answered: “Be as specific as possible when describing what you can do for us.”

 In Digital Marketing for Dummies, the authors stress that content marketing works only to the extent it is specific; the more specific you are in describing the shortcuts and solutions, the more engaging that content will be. What we have learned over the years at Say It For You is that the benefit of describing specific solutions holds true even if that solution is not one that fits precisely into the searcher’s inquiry – the general impression readers get is that they’ve come to a place where problems get solved!

Assembling the bicycle your daughter received for Christmas is only one of hundreds of different tasks that Alder Avenue handymen perform. But the secret of the “pow” in Troy Larson’s 60-second marketing “pitch” was that it was so very specific.

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Ageless Ambition: Mastering Marketing Strategies for Senior Entrepreneurs

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(Today’s guest blog post was contributed by Seth Murphy of PapaDIY...)

Embarking on an entrepreneurial journey later in life brings unique challenges and opportunities. This article unveils crucial marketing strategies that empower senior entrepreneurs to carve out their success stories. By embracing these approaches, you can achieve business growth and visibility without the hefty price tag of professional marketing agencies.

Embarking on an entrepreneurial journey later in life brings unique challenges and opportunities. This article unveils crucial marketing strategies that empower senior entrepreneurs to carve out their success stories. By embracing these approaches, you can achieve business growth and visibility without the hefty price tag of professional marketing agencies.

Plan Your Marketing Efforts

To start, creating a straightforward marketing plan is vital.  Your plan should incorporate the fundamental elements of a marketing plan: in-depth marketing research, a clear understanding of your target audience, and a spotlight on your unique selling points.  This blueprint guides your marketing efforts, ensuring they are targeted, effective, and aligned with your business objectives.  Remember, a well-thought-out plan is a roadmap to success.

Launch a Website With Users in Mind

In today’s digital era, a website is your business’s virtual storefront. As a senior entrepreneur, ensure your website is not just a digital brochure but a reflection of your brand’s ethos. It should be easy to navigate, mobile-responsive, and visually appealing to resonate with your audience. This digital asset becomes the cornerstone of your marketing efforts, providing a platform for customers to learn, interact, and connect with your brand.

Learn How to Integrate SEO

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a critical tool in your marketing arsenal. By integrating SEO best practices, your website becomes more visible to potential customers. Focus on embedding relevant keywords, offering quality content, and ensuring a user-friendly experience. These steps not only enhance your website’s search engine rankings but also establish your brand as a credible and authoritative voice in your industry. Learn more about content marketing by consulting online resources.

Diversify in Online Advertising

Semrush notes that digital marketing channels offer cost-effective and targeted advertising options. Utilize online platforms to reach a broader audience without straining your budget. Whether it’s social media advertising, email marketing, or pay-per-click campaigns, these tools allow you to tailor your message to specific demographics, increasing the likelihood of reaching potential customers who are interested in what you have to offer. 

Promote Within the Community

Engaging with your local community is a powerful way to build brand awareness. Master the art of attention-grabbing typography and create compelling posters to display in your neighborhood. Harness the power of online resources to design impactful and visually appealing posters. This grassroots approach to marketing not only increases local visibility but also fosters a sense of community involvement.

 Get Creative with Networking

Networking is of paramount importance for businesses as it provides a myriad of opportunities for growth, collaboration, and resource-sharing. It enables businesses to establish and nurture valuable relationships with clients, partners, suppliers, and industry peers. Furthermore, maintaining a robust network can prove beneficial on a personal level as well, as highlighted in the given scenario.

By reconnecting with old friends and acquaintances through tools like search engines and social media, businesses can tap into a wealth of knowledge, potential partnerships, and support from individuals who share a common background or interest. By typing in an old classmate’s name, graduation date, and school in a search engine for a school in Indy, for example, you’ll get quick results with options to reach out to long-ago friends. These connections can lead to valuable insights, referrals, and even new business ventures, illustrating the dual role networking plays in both personal and professional spheres.

Draw in Customers With Freebies

Freebies are universally appealing and serve as a great tactic to draw in new customers while keeping current ones engaged. Providing free products or discount coupons effectively captures attention and sparks interest in your brand. This approach allows potential customers to try your offerings without any financial commitment, lowering their risk. The excitement generated by freebies often translates into word-of-mouth promotion, a highly valuable and budget-friendly marketing method. Incorporating giveaways into your strategy is a smart move for both customer acquisition and retention. 

Encourage Referrals From Happy Clients

Referrals serve as a valuable asset in business growth. Referral Rock recommends motivating your happy clients to share their positive experiences with your offerings with friends and family. This strategy is highly cost-efficient and enhances your brand’s trustworthiness and reputation. The likelihood of individuals trying out your product or service increases when it’s endorsed by a trusted source. Leveraging customer referrals becomes an indispensable component of your marketing strategy. 

Beef Up Your Business Acumen with an Online Degree

If you feel the need to get up to speed with your business knowledge, you should be considering an online MBA program. It provides a comprehensive education in various critical areas such as economics, accounting, corporate finance, marketing, human capital management, strategic planning, and research and statistics. These core subjects equip individuals with the knowledge and skills needed to make informed decisions, analyze market trends, manage finances effectively, and develop and execute strategic business plans.

What’s particularly advantageous is that many MBA programs, including online options, offer flexibility, allowing students to balance work, family, and school commitments. This flexibility empowers aspiring business leaders to continue their professional careers while acquiring the essential expertise required to navigate the complex and dynamic world of business successfully.

These marketing strategies provide senior entrepreneurs with a clear route to achieving business success. By implementing these tactics, you can efficiently market your business, connect with your desired audience, and drive growth, eliminating the need for costly marketing firms. Success in marketing hinges on a deep understanding of your audience, maintaining authenticity in your communication, and delivering consistent value. Adopting these approaches ensures a strong and sustainable business presence in the market.

 

 

 

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