Writing on the Web from Patsi Krakoff, The Blog Squad

7 Ways to Leverage Your E-Newsletter Content

Michael Katz and Chad Board are experts at teaching professionals how to write and publish a successful e-newsletters. Today they reviewed ways to re-purpose newsletter materials and get the most marketing power out of your publication.

There was a lively discussion on the teleseminar, open to members of their E-Newsletter Success Program. As some of you know, I'm a big fan of Michael and Chad: I really believe that they've got the e-newsletter training stuff down to a tee, and are teaching it well.

I took some notes. They came up with 7 ways to leverage your e-newsletter content:

1. Submit your main article to online article directories. My favorite is Chris Knight's Ezine Articles. Be sure to put your name and blog URL in your resource box so people can find you on the web.
2. Re-purpose your main article for blog posts. In some cases, one newsletter article can be turned into a series of posts, depending on the length. Of course, this goes both ways. I've often turned blog posts into newsletter material.
3. Create a special report or e-book, or an e-course delivered by autoresponders. What do your newsletter readers want to know more about? Are there "7 insider secrets" in your industry that you can share with them?

Top Blog Lists: Top42 Content Marketing & 9 Best Blogs for 2009

Who are the top bloggers in your field? You need to know them and read them and leave comments. It's one of the top ways to drive traffic back to your own blog and get new readers. It's what The Blog Squad calls blog Outreach, part of the CODA blogging program which we teach in our Build a Better Blog Learning System.

Of course, it helps if you have pioneers in your niche like Joe Pulizzi (aka JuntaJoe) and his Top42 Content Marketing Blog list. Joe brings out a fresh list of blogs in content marketing every quarter.

Here's where I shed a tear and feel sorry for myself and this blog, because Writing on the Web slipped on the list from #3 to #12...but frankly, I'm just glad to be on the list in such good company. Joe has rigorous selection principles and isn't swayed by bribes.

Recession Proof Your Business: List 5 People To Be Grateful For

When the going gets tough, the tough get going. Big changes for my business in 2009 already. What about you? Are you gearing down...or gearing up?

I know plenty of colleagues who are using their time well: revising infrastructure, ramping up their web presence, creating more content on the Web to get found by the people who need them.

You see, it's undeniable: People still have problems that need solving. Do you have solutions for them? Will they find you? Are you getting your message "out there:" on a business blog, on Twitter, on Facebook and wherever your people are?

Get back to basics. What's made you successful this far? I've been thinking a lot about that lately. After my move back to Mexico at the beginning of the year, I decided to focus more on my writing talents and services that earn me the most revenue. The goal is to work less while earning more.

I know many professionals who aren't using their time well. They're spending time and money learning about what to do but they're stuck. They think about starting a newsletter or a blog, and they do the research on the best ways to do this. They aren't jumping into action.

Copywriting for Twitter- How to say more with less

Are you on Twitter yet? You know I'm not someone to jump on the fad-du-jour. But when I see something that isn't a waste of time, that makes for smart marketing, I will tell you about it.

You need to be on Twitter. Why? Because top people in your field are there. You can find out what's going on, what research they care about, what the buzz is. If you like people, especially people in your niche, this is where you can meet them, and connect. It's content marketing in 140 characters or less.

Twitter folks will follow you back to your blog, and when there, are more likely to leave comments. It's a productive way to build readership, aka drive traffic.

It's not about "What are you doing?" Forget that. Use the 140 characters to ask a question, share a quote, share a thought, be funny or be profound.

I'm not a Twitter expert. Coach Deb and Warren Whitlock wrote the Twitter Revolution handbook. Nor am I a social media and networking maven. Denise Wakeman is.

Great Options: How to create a no-brainer

I just read something in Predictably Irrational by Dan Ariely that blows me away. The Economist offered 3 options on their website for subscriptions:

1. Economist.com subscription - $59 for online access
2. Print subscription - $125 for printed issues
3. Print & Web subscription - $125 for both print and online editions

Wait a minute. Logically, this makes no sense. From a potential subscribers point of view, it's a no-brainer to choose option #3. Which is precisely what the magazine wants you to do.

This is really good marketing. It seems as consumers, we don't really understand the value of something unless it's relative to something else. When you can see options in context, it's easier to make a decision.

"In the case of the Economist, the decision between the Internet-only and print-only options would take a bit of thinking. Thinking is difficult and sometimes unpleasant. So the Economist's marketers offered us a no-brainer: relative to the print-only option, the print and Internet options looks clearly superior."

How can you apply this to your content writing? Well, if you're writing to get people to take some sort of action, give them options. Then make one option vastly superior.

Grow Business with Simple & Free Tools

The Blog Squad is being interviewed Friday February 20, 2009 on Blog Talk Radio by Paul Chaney, User Friendly Thinking show on how small businesses can use simple, often free tools to grow business, even in the midst of a difficult economy.

Call-in Number: (347) 215-7248
Upcoming Show: 2/20/2009 10:00 AM ET  
Host Name:     UserFriendlyThinking
Show Name:    Attract. Sell. Profit. Simple Tools and Tactics to Grow Your Business Online
Length:     1 hr

I (still) Love Kindle...one year later

Are you using a Kindle for reading books yet? The 2nd generation just came out and it's getting rave reviews.

I use my Kindle all the time now. It took me a couple of months to get used to it, and then I was only using it for trips. Instead of lugging the two or three books I read at one time with me on the plane, the slim and light electronic book reading devise is convenient and easy.

Now I use it all the time. For one thing, the Mexican postal service charges duty for books when they are delivered here. The Kindle avoids delivery problems and extra costs.

Books downloaded to Kindle only cost around $10 and are delivered instantaneously. I love that because I spend way too much on books and am impatient to get them delivered. Plus, I couldn't possibly have enough book shelves to keep all the books I buy and read, so many end up being donated.

Problem solved with the Kindle. And the new version is slightly cheaper, but at $359 it's still a chunk of change. But if you read more than a couple of books a month, then the savings will more than make up for the extra cost.

The reason I'm writing this is not to sell some Kindles and collect a few dollars of Amazon associates commission (although that would be a good way to support my addiction ;-))...

If you're an author, I think you need to pay attention to innovative ways books are being read and published.

The Future of Books?

I want you to go read Bob Sutton's post Is the Kindle a Disruptive Innovation? If You Ran a Large Publishing House What Would You Do?

As usual, Bob Sutton stimulates me to think deeply about what we take for granted and he raises good questions. How will book publishing be different in the future?

How will authors adapt and survive, or better yet, how will they stay ahead of the curve?

How to Decide What to Write, What to Read...

 I'm immersing myself in a slew of Amazon Kindle books on decision-making that I recently downloaded:

• Sway: the Irresistable Pull of Irrational Behavior by Ori and Rom Brafman
• How We Decide by Jonah Lehrer
• Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions by Dan Ariely

Apparently, it doesn't matter what field you're in, everyone wants to know how come smart people make dumb decisions. To help, some very smart authors reveal the interplay between instincts, emotions, and our rational logical brains. These authors are very astute in translating the brain research along with fascinating stories.

Recently we've seen plenty of irrational behavior, whether in politics or the world of finance. And in these times of uncertainty, it's harder for everyone to make decisions. None of us can rationally predict just how hard hit we will be.

Why I Love Blogging, after all these years...

It's hard for me to express all the ways and reasons I'm in love with blogging. Denise did a fine list over on our Build a Better Blog. Andy Wibbels posts a great read over on Typepad's blog.

Like a good husband, you might not always treat your blog right, but you always come back to it. Here are a few of my reasons why:

1. It helps me think. I go to write a post and I try to answer this question: What do readers need to know? How can I teach them key points about writing on the web that will be useful and fun? What am I learning myself that needs to be shared?
2. Publishing my posts helps me stay in touch with key people and connect with new visitors. Readers often stimulate my thinking. When they stop by and leave a comment, I'm really touched.
3. Blogging forces me to grow. I can't afford to do, think, and write the same 'ol stuff. I have to learn what my readers need so I can help them, and they help me by driving me to learn.
4. Since Typepad makes blogging so easy for us non-techy folks to do, I love it because I feel powerfully geeky and smarty-pants-like... heh, heh, even I can do this!

I would like to reprint some gems of Andy Wibbels' post here, just in case you don't click the link and read his entire worthwhile post over on Typepad...

Get Inspired, Write Better...A List of Great Ego Blogs

I really like using Alltop.com to find blogs in niches. But recently I discovered a different category through their aggregated lists of top blogs... personalities, or as they call them, Egos!

I have no idea what their requirement is to get listed as an Ego blog, but looking at the individuals who are included, I'd say these are all big names in the Blogosphere and they have big readership followings.

Heck, some even have big heads, but for sure, they all write with larger than life personalities.

It's worth studying their blogs to learn the ways they write and include their personalities. These blogs are completely different, in various fields of expertise. But they are all strong personalities.

Here are a few of my favorites:

• Pam Slim, Escape From Cubicle Nation
• John Jantsch, Duct Tape Marketing
• Guy Kawasaki, How to Change the World
• Chris Brogan, Community and Social Media
• Bob Sutton, Work Matters
• Darren Rowse, Problogger

Folks, I could go on and on, but you make your own list of great blogs to read so you get the kind of inspiration you need for writing better blogs and newsletters. I didn't put on my list the more famous people in this category, people like Seth Godin, Donald Trump, Mark Cuban, Robert Scoble. They are also excellent.

These people all know how to write well, adding their authentic personalities into their posts. I believe we all have it in us to write just as well, if we study people who do it and do what they do, only in a way is true to our own styles, remaining authentic.