NOTE: This is blog post #1 created for the beta version of my program The 30 Day Blogging Challenge. I expect to launch the first official version of the Challenge in July, 2018. If you’re interested, join my tribe to stay in the loop and get information about the next round of the Challenge as […]

What’s a manifesto? And do you need one for your business?Did you know that Seth Godin writes a manifesto for every book he publishes?I found that out through Marcy Nelson-Garrison, creator of the Card Deck Master Class, the program I used to create my card deck, The Blog Post Inspiration Deck.(My desk is in the […]

What’s most important to you in your work?Take a look at these moving words from Benjamin Zander, the conductor of the Boston Philharmonic and the Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra.  quote-left I have a definition of success. For me, it’s very simple. It’s not about wealth and fame and power. It’s about how many shining eyes […]

Hi there.If you’re an excellence-focused online marketer, small business owner, or entrepreneur, and if you want to communicate your value and offerings in ways that lead more prospects to YES — with less friction and effort — then you want The Yes Advantage.​What’s The Yes Advantage?​Glad you asked.When your site and content have The Yes […]

My three guiding words for 2018What word or words will guide you in 2018?I follow and am in a group coaching program held by Christine Kane, who has a FABULOUS and in-depth Word-of-the-Year Discovery Tool.  Last year, I used that tool to find my word for 2017, which was CHOOSE.I’m not sure what happened to the word […]

For the love of your blog, please don’t give readers a headache like this oneA few minutes ago an email came in from a services marketing company I follow. It promised a “Top 10 Home Office Gifts” guide. Being a home office professional, I could not resist, as I still need to find a few […]

Word choice lemon: Just because we’re customers doesn’t mean you can be harsh!This morning, a word choice lemon at Rev.com took me aback, making me wonder why their content is so mean.To give you some context, I was selected several months ago to become an editor for a company called Book in a Box. Their […]

Freelance writer rates: As with all things in life, you get what you pay forThere’s a blog post over at ClearVoice entitled “15 Scenarios When to Pay Freelance Writers Higher Rates.”I wanted to respond to the post right in the comments but, alas, the comments were closed.So I’m writing my reply here as a blog […]

Imperfect action ≠ crappy content  The gurus say that imperfect action is better than no action.  In a way, I agree: It’s better to have an “imperfect” something out there than nothing at all.  BUT.  A huge BUT.  Imperfect doesn’t mean “crap.” Glaring content issues that shout “CRAP!” to everyone Imperfect doesn’t mean you let content out of the house with […]

Email marketing lemons and rewards program lemons lead to a sour stomach on my birthdayLongHorn Steakhouse lured me into its restaurant for my birthday dinner with a “free dessert” email. I wound up with a crappy steak and headaches trying to access the code for my free dessert, which I unfortunately had to leave without […]

Email marketing lemon: Sending customers pictures of products, but then not allowing them to buyThis morning, a marketing lemon in my email inbox stopped me from looking at products on Etsy, and possibly buying them. There I was, just recovering from a marketing lemon in the shape of a form tossed at me by Stein Mart, […]

Marketing lemon on a form: An illustration of just how easy it is to lose people onlineThis morning, a marketing lemon on an online form almost stopped me from becoming a registered customer at Stein Mart. There I was, purchasing Tea Tree Oil Foot Repair Balm on the Stein Mart website because prices were too high […]

A new column dedicated to documenting — and hopefully ridding the Internet of — marketing lemons, one at a timeI’ve long been a collector of marketing lemons: Mistakes, bloopers, gotchas, boondoggles, and annoyances that make it harder for people to do business with or buy from a company.Today, after running across two lemons, one after […]

When credibility takes a hit, trust does, too. A new study by the UX design folks at Nielsen Norman Group confirmed what I already knew: to sell successfully in the online space, your website must give readers a sense that your company is credible and trustworthy.  Although the study focused on B2B buyers in China, its […]

Free, no-email-required guide on know, like, and trustYou’ve probably heard at least one expert say that people buy from people and companies they know, like, and trust. Trouble is … that’s where the guidance stops. It’s like: “Know, like, and trust. You need it, so go do it! Get to it!” But HOW? What does it *really* mean to […]

It seems that everyone loves long-form contentYou know what? I get that long-form content is great for driving traffic. Neil Patel says so. Kissmetrics says so. Search Enging Land says so. Content Marketing Institute says so. I’m not here to argue about the effectiveness of long-form content. Having a supply of long-form content on your site is a good thing. […]

When I started my business back in 2002, I was on a mission. I wanted to help small business owners, solopreneurs, and marketers lead more people to YES with clear content and strong positioning that would differentiate them online and offline.  As time went on, my motives became less altruistic. Growing more and more tired of crappy […]

Graphics are good … but think about your readers when choosing them!Two thoughts about graphics and marketing content:I love graphics, all sorts of graphics: infographics, photographs, charts, you name it.I’m a proponent of “less is more” when it comes to marketing content, especially when it comes to ebooks.​I wrote my own treatise on the topic […]

Email marketing and email newsletter love (and hate): What people are saying Because I love staying up-to-date on the latest and greatest in digital marketing, I subscribe to a lot of email newsletters.A lot.[Sidebar: I have a specific image in mind whenever I use the phrase “a lot.” If you’re curious, check out this Hyperbole and […]

Writer Experienced with Forklifts Wanted. I am looking to hire the services of a freelance writer who has some form of experience with forklifts. The writer will showcase his or her knowledge of operating a forklift by providing unique and informative articles. Please reply with details about your experience.Although the forklife ad is actually a […]

When powerful words hit home  Do you like to share and reshare meaningful words and images for the enjoyment of your online friends and connections and your personal edification? Me, too.   Sometimes the quotes and images I come across speak to me so loudly that I print them, and place them in frames around my office. Like […]

Small business marketing + deep listening = better marketing content  You know the feeling that comes over you when you see or hear something transformative? When something about life, love, or small business marketing stops you in your tracks, and becomes, at least temporarily, all consuming? You can’t think of anything else. You feel compelled to share […]

Headlines, headlines! It’s all in the headlines.   I just read a great article on headlines from Hubspot: “How to write catchy headlines and blog titles your readers can’t resist.” Now, I don’t know about you, but I happen to love finding online articles loaded with useful information like this one. I love it even more when […]

Why do bad things happen to good marketers?   Are you one of those people who always seems to run into glitches and snafus on the web — terrible email marketing messages, broken forms, unreadable pdfs, nonsensical writing, mystifying online shopping processes?  Then you, my friend, may be, like me, a damn-good, empathetic marketer. It’s my theory […]

When online chat goes wrong: Frustration, multiplied   ​ Are you now using or have you ever used Audible.com?  I was a customer several years ago, paying $14.95 a month for an ebook, and stockpiling ebooks when they went on sale. Finally, when my ebook library far outgrew my capacity to listen, I put my account on hold. […]

Here at The Write Idea, I’m all about helping you make life easier for the people who visit your website and read your content — including content on your website popups. To that end, here’s a lesson learned straight from this morning’s browsing session.The problem: Vague website popupsSo … I’m about to embark on a passion […]

In a span of just four days, I had two emails pop into my inbox with an acronym in the subject line — an acroynm I understood ONLY because I’m in marketing. What’s the acronym? It’s FOMO. Fear of missing out. Lookie here, at the first instance:Now, how many consumers are going to know what FOMO is? I asked […]

A new breed of business owner wants to help you rock your biz–so you can rock your world.It’s the mom-preneur, dad-preneur, wantra-preneur, solo-preneur, heart-centered-preneur, healer-preneur, wellness-preneur, and other-preneur. The gurus, biz bosses, thought leaders, and experts in their various topics who started online businesses a year or so ago, and are now out there full […]

Softness. Such a lovely word. It brings to mind pillows and clouds. Feathers, warm towels, and cuddly kittens.​ But I doubt “softness” is a term you’d associate with a struggling business, so it’s probably not a “solution” that’s crossed your mind.  Whether you’re finding it hard to win customers, attract prospects, gain traction, or even break even […]

Chasing down broken emails  Just this morning, I filled out a form on the Holiday Inn Express website because they’re sending me email messages I can’t read.Here’s what I see:​ Broken in the browser, tooI use Outlook, which presents this message for all emails with images: “If there are problems with how this message is […]

Have you ever been swayed by a company’s testimonials? You know, those customer statements that tell you why you should buy? As a prospect, you read through the glowing testimonials thinking, “Gee, if all these people were happy, then maybe I will be, too!”​ Trouble is, no company willingly publishes negative testimonials. Amazon and Yelp aside, could you […]

Marketing content: Heaven (and sales) is in the details.  Quick question for you:What do you see when you look at this postcard? It’s nice, right?Maybe, if you like snow.But to truly appreciate the image takes a little imagination.​ For instance, imagine standing in the scene yourself, right where the photographer stood, seeing that exact view. Your hands […]

Don’t get me wrong: Infographics done right are GREAT. People love to look at them, read them, and share them.​ I’m one of those people.​ Lately though, I’m seeing more and more infographics that are so dense, so complex, that they frustrate rather than help readers. (Well, this reader, at least.) This trend mirrors a quote by Jay […]

Differentiation is the name of the writing (and selling) game.   I’m into personality assessments and have taken lots of them over the years. Recently, I took a Myers-Briggs test over at www.16personalities.com (great site and presentation, by the way), and saw something in the results that I thought you, my client or prospective client, ought […]

The email may as well been headed: “Hey, you already paid full price, so this deal is not for you.” I’m so annoyed with MarketingProfs.  And a little with myself. I’m a PRO MarketingProfs member, which means I pay an annual fee for access to special content and events like webinars. I also get PRO member discounts […]

In my last post, part two of a three-part series on the value of negative feedback, I talked about a painful instance in which I knew a project was wrong for me right from the start, but I pursued it anyway. In part one of the same three-part series, I talked about yet another instance […]

In part one of this three-part series about the value of negative feedback, I talked about one particular instance where I wasn’t able to satisfy a client, and why I think the engagement went wrong.Here, in part two, I’ll share yet another painful, personal example of a failed client engagement. In this instance, I really […]

I received an ad in my inbox this morning, inviting me to a new, online shopping venue. The images in the ad appealed to me, so I clicked.And this screenshot shows you the FIRST thing the site presented to me, a potential new customer.​ That pop-up box appeared immediately on the site. And there’s no way […]

This morning, just as I finished my “social” stuff . . .. . . liking and sharing information of interest on LinkedIn, Google+, Twitter, and Facebook — an email from LinkedIn Groups hit my inbox, informing me of a new discussion: Because part of my job as a marketing copywriter is to help you differentiate […]

If you were to pull apart this article, lining up each tip one after another, as in a long list of bullet points, you’d find more than four tips here — thus the title “4+”. Perhaps I should have called this article “4 groups of tips,” but that feels too wordy. In any case, keep […]

I hate most About pages. How about you?We have to read them before doing business with others, yet they’re so formulaic.​ “So and so is a professional blah-dee-blah. She has been blah-ing and blee-ing for more than a decade. Her focus is on meeting clients’ needs by providing the highest quality blah blah blah. She earned […]

“Just keep blogging, just keep blogging, just keep blogging….”(Imagine Dory from finding Nemo as you read that first line.)Yep. I said it. Despite my best intentions, I struggle to keep my blog fresh with new content.​It’s not that I don’t have anything to say or share. On the contrary. My Evernote account is loaded with […]

Poke around my website and blog. You will quickly notice I carry the banner of usability: Usable websites! Usable documents! Usable applications! Usable hardware! Usable … memes? Okay, so your business may not be in the business of creating memes. But, if it was, I’d say that even the lowly meme and how you present it deserves consideration and attention to […]

The sold-out webinar: Is it false scarcity? Or is it for real?I confess: Since the dawn of the webinar, I’ve always thought that statements like these from webinar hosts were nothing other than feeble attempts to use scarcity to try to convince people to “sign up now”:There are limited seats and we’re almost full up.​Seats […]

How do you help prospects self-qualify when they click through on a link of yours? Maybe it’s a link on your website, a link in a blog post, or a link in a social share. Maybe the link takes a prospect to a special landing page, a form, a download, or a static page on your […]

Why, oh why, in the year 2016, would any company think it’s okay to interrupt one of its blog posts with a sales offer–even before the reader gets to read word one?This happened to me just moments ago.​I was so offended by the untimely interruption, that I had to stop what I was doing and […]

My goal is the same as yours: Differentiate! You’ve heard it said that one of the chief goals of marketing is differentiation: Showing, telling, and illustrating to prospective customers why your product, service, or solution is better, faster, stronger, the right choice.I faced the differentiation dilemma when developing a logo for my freelance writing business; perhaps […]

Have you heard of Youtility? It’s a concept coined by Jay Baer, author of a book by the same name. Jay defines Youtility as “marketing so useful, people would pay you for it.” You create Youtility when you’re useful where customers are–when they need it, where they need it.Is your company Youseful? In other words, […]

Is your ecommerce site loaded with minefields, each of which may cause shopping cart abandonment, and inadvertently kill a sale? What kind of minefields? Consider:​Site speed, or how long customers wait for stuff to load​Product reviews, either on your site or elsewhereProduct visuals, whether images, videos, or the lack thereofContact details, whether easy to find or […]

A mystery, a shock of disbelief, a realization. I couldn’t believe it. It took me a moment to figure out what this strange email was, and what it was doing in my inbox. First, I looked at the name of the sender. Next, I looked at the name of the organization.  Huh?Still no clue.​ Next, I noticed that they […]

EXTRA! EXTRA!So you want free publicity? Thinking about writing a press release? Great idea! In the age of the Internet, most major news outlets and publications get a high percentage of news from press releases.Your goal is to get your release noticed rather than ignored or trashed. But keep in mind that a new website, new […]

Get your free Resource Guide with my most “Can’t-Live-Withoutable” tools Are you a small business owner? Marketing pro? Freelancer? Or are you just starting your entrepreneurial journey? Either way, chances are that you, like me, are always looking for business tools and resources to help you get stuff done.I’ll tell you this: I’m one of those […]

The other day, I ran across an inspiring, motivational image for small business motivation in an email from Gapingvoid Art. To me, the image communicates, in a nutshell, that it’s easy to look at a person you admire, a company you’d like to emulate, or some end result you want, and feel discouraged.From the email:​It’s easy […]

What’s so special about you? Why should your prospects care? What’s your disruptive? Whitney Johnson’s HBR article on career change, innovation, and disruption really got me thinking—not just about my disruptive skills (although I am thinking seriously about them), but also about a company’s disruptive ability, or even a document’s disruptive power.By “disruptive,” Whitney means unique, […]

Text is the new email. Several of my clients have taken to texting me content ideas while on the go rather than saving up their ideas to share with me later by email.And that’s okay by me: I work on a laptop from my home office, with my phone on a cordless charger by my side.​ […]

Save time for yourself … save time for your readers … with annotated screenshots. How many times have you visited a website, read an ebook, or downloaded a document loaded with screenshots?And how many times have you had this experience?You read the text leading up to the screenshot.Then you look at the screenshot.Then you read the […]

A few years ago, while pursuing a master’s certificate in professional and technical writing, I dabbled in a grant-writing class. Something I read in that class stuck with me because it’s as relevant to content marketing and content writing as it is to grant writing.From Miner and Miner, 2005, p.5., emphasis mine:​During the review process, […]

I don’t know about you, but if I have to read (or write) one more piece of stuffy, fluffy, jargon-filled marketing content, my head will literally explode.(Okay, not literally … although “literally” apparently can mean “figuratively” these days, so … there you go)​You know the kind of stuffy marketing content I’m talking about, right? The […]