Tuesday, June 7, 2016
Which PR Coverage Produces The Highest Results? This New Poll May Surprise You
Get More Done and Boost Profits with This 3-Step Process for Hiring Help
Does your business card proudly proclaim “Content Marketing Professional, Chief Cook, and Bottle Washer?”
Now's the time to change that to simply “Content Marketing Professional.”
We often take pride in the fact that we're in charge of every aspect of running our businesses, from doing accounting to changing the light bulbs in the office.
But here's some shocking news, especially if you're new to content marketing and are still bootstrapping your way to success: Hiring help - outsourcing tasks you struggle with so you can focus on your strengths - will allow you to grow your business and your income at a crazy-fast pace.
Let's talk about how to go from “doing it all” to “doing only what you do best.”
Step #1: Determine what you don't need to do
Is there one aspect of your business that you despise - or that you're just not that good at?
Chances are, there's someone else who loves that task and offers it as a service.
And think about it: If you're doing your taxes, you're not polishing your prose. If you're cleaning your office, you're not sharing your content on social media.
Tasks you may want to delegate include:
Content formatting and finding images
Perhaps you love writing blog posts or email newsletters, but you don't have a lot of experience formatting your content or finding compelling images. Find someone who does, so you have the time to write more.
Editing and proofreading
Even professional writers benefit from editing and proofreading. The bigger and more complex the project, the more likely you'll want a second set of eyes on it. I hired a developmental editor for my new book, How to Do It All, and it ended up so much stronger after he took his red pen to it.
Social media management
Too busy creating content to share it on social media yourself? Hire a social media whiz to take care of it for you, so you have more time to do what you do best.
Interviewing
If you need to interview people for case studies, blog posts, or other content - and the idea makes you want to drive spikes through your forehead - there's no shortage of professional writers who will take this task off your hands.
Check out Copyblogger's Certified Content Marketers for experienced writers with a wide variety of expertise.
Graphic design
Unless you're an experienced graphic designer as well, consider hiring a design professional to create stellar ebook covers, custom blog graphics, and infographics.
Outreach
I hired a PR assistant to reach out to bloggers and other media outlets about my new book, and she's doing a much better job than I would have done. Not only that, you also add a layer of sophistication to your business when someone who represents you approaches big-name podcasters or reporters.
Tax prep and accounting
Take it from me - you will likely save more than you spend.
House cleaning
If you work from home, it can be difficult to focus on your work when you're preoccupied with the sticky kitchen counters and piles of unfolded laundry in your direct line of sight. Cleaning services help create an environment conducive to working (and earning).
Step #2: Decide you can afford to hire help
Hiring help may sound like a good idea for internet celebs who rake in millions by sending out a single email - but not for little old you.
I disagree, for several reasons:
Hiring help will enable you to work more, and faster
I've had months where I labored under 13 magazine deadlines, and that productivity has enabled me to make a damn good living as a writer. I could never have done that if I were attempting to transcribe 40 audio files in a month on top of researching and writing the articles.
In many cases, spending money equals making even more money!
Paying for help motivates you to only accept the highest-paying work
You'll have a good reason to stop entertaining lowball offers from prospects. For example, I hire a transcriptionist to transcribe my interview files. If I were writing $10 articles for content mills, hiring a transcriptionist wouldn't make sense - but I try to not accept assignments that pay less than $400, which is how I can afford this type of help.
Your helpers should pay for themselves
A business owner I know once told me that your job isn't to earn enough to pay for help - it's the job of the people you hire to pay for themselves. For example, if you pay a content marketer $500, they should bring in many multiples of that in terms of paid gigs or products sold.
It's not always about money
You may be able to find a local university student who wants to gain experience. Years ago, I found a proficient transcriptionist by contacting the English department at a college near me.
Believe me: I'm far from loaded, and I've been hiring most of the types of help listed above since the early years of my business. If I can do it, you probably can too.
Step #3: Find your pro
So, I've browbeaten you - er, I mean - you've decided it's time to hire pros to help you with certain tasks. Great!
Now, where do you find these people? And how do you know they're any good?
Before placing an ad or turning to bidding sites, ask around in your business community. Someone you've connected with on social media sites or in an industry forum may be able to recommend the perfect pro.
Whatever you do, don't make the mistake I recently made …
I tend to be overly trusting when it comes to hiring help because, hey, they're small businesspeople like me! I ended up getting burned to the tune of $6,500 because I didn't want to be a hard-ass and question the service provider about what they were offering, how it would work for my situation, and exactly how they were getting it done. (Expensive) lesson learned.
So ask, ask, ask until you're satisfied, and don't be afraid of offending anyone. Professional service providers will clearly communicate what they offer and their terms of service - a topic that will be covered in an upcoming Copyblogger post.
Over to you …
Once you've hired the help you need, you'll be able to focus on your strengths, provide the most value to your clients, and generate more income.
Have you hired people to help you with your workload? Share your experiences in the comments below.
Need to hire a professional writer to help with your content marketing?
Browse Copyblogger's Certified Content Marketers.
If you're interested in getting certified yourself, the program will reopen to new students sometime soon. You can add your email to our waiting list below to be the first to hear about it.
The post Get More Done and Boost Profits with This 3-Step Process for Hiring Help appeared first on Copyblogger.
How A Serial Entrepreneur Designed A Wheel That Makes A Bike Electric And Raised $1M On Kickstarter
Monday, June 6, 2016
Stealing Customers From Your Mega Rivals
Are You Cheap or Are You Exceptional? How to Price Your Services
The success of your service-based business will be built on the bedrock of how you answer this one simple question:
Do I want my services to be perceived as economical - or exceptional?
It seems like a no-brainer, doesn't it? I mean, of course we want to be perceived as exceptional.
But positioning your offerings as exceptional is more difficult than it sounds. It takes guts, unwavering faith in your abilities, and an unflagging devotion to producing quality work.
I've lost count of how many times I've sat down with a fellow creative person and said, “Look, you have to start charging more money. Just do it!”
In today's post, I'm going to have that little chat with you, right here on Copyblogger. If you're a writer, designer, or any type of service provider, this article is for you.
Why is it so tough to charge what you're worth?
It seems like it should be easy. You want to charge more? Just charge more!
But in reality, being more expensive than the average service provider means:
- You'll lose out on some business.
- You'll have to keep a straight face while people overreact to your prices.
- You'll have to continue to believe in yourself even when people look you in the eye and tell you you're being unreasonable.
- You'll need to navigate through potentially uncomfortable negotiation sessions.
The first “marketing tactic” many new service providers try is, “I'll be cheaper than everyone else!”
Bad idea.
Positioning yourself as the bargain service provider sets you up for problems that are way worse than having to sit through some tough negotiations.
The pitfalls of positioning yourself as the “bargain” service provider
Bargain service providers attract bargain-hunting clients. And bargain-hunting clients aren't your best clients. Actually, they're going to be your worst clients.
Here's why:
Bargain-hunting clients need education
Clients who buy services based on price don't usually know what they need. They go into the process of contracting a service without a firm grasp of the solution that will take care of their problem.
They expect you, the service provider, to help them develop (for free) the solution they'll pay you (a bargain rate) to create.
I ran my own design studio earlier in my career. It didn't take me too many sessions of sitting down with clients who'd never worked with a designer before, holding their hands through the process, and receiving their teeny-tiny checks to realize, “Gee, this would be much easier if the client already understood what I offer!”
Bargain-hunting clients don't appreciate what you bring to the table
Clients with a healthy budget for your services have developed that budget because they have:
- Bought your type of service before, so they know what it costs
- Worked on projects using the assets you provide (copywriting, content marketing, design, coaching, etc.)
- Seen the value your service provides (that's why they have a budget for it!)
- All of the above
Bargain hunters, on the other hand, need to be “sold” every step of the way.
Wouldn't you rather be doing creative work than selling creative work? I know I would.
Bargain-hunting clients view your service as a commodity
Service-based businesses are people-based businesses. And no person I know wants their creative work to be treated like a commodity that is sold to the lowest bidder.
How to begin positioning your business as exceptional - not cheap
Getting the best possible price for your services starts with the right mindset.
The first person who has to be convinced you're worth what you're charging is you.
You must go into the pricing process with the firm belief that you provide a quality service. You have to be prepared to walk away if the potential client doesn't see the value.
Because after all, wouldn't you rather earn a nice living while serving fewer clients?
That's what we're aiming for here: quality clients who value your work - and are willing to pay for it.
Get your mindset right and the rest will fall into place.
What's the rest?
It's one thing to believe you're worth it, and it's another to price your service in a way that protects you from “scope creep.”
Scope creep is the inevitable growth in complexity and time spent on a project that happens when you don't carefully nail down exactly what you'll deliver, when you'll deliver it, and how you'll deliver it.
This is the first of three articles we're going to share on pricing your services. In the next article in this series, Stefanie Flaxman will teach you how to ask the questions and get the answers you need to precisely explain what your client is paying for. And she'll provide some guidance on how to handle it if your project scope starts expanding.
Then, in the final article in this series, Beth Hayden will appear on her white horse with simple steps for pricing your service that you can apply to almost any business.
Stick around: We'll be delivering this series to you over the next couple of weeks. We want you to have the confidence, techniques, and tools you need to earn the most you can from the work you do.
Some of our Certified Content Marketers have reported a little “problem”
We've noticed lately that some of the writers we've certified and are featuring on our Certified Content Marketers page have told us about this little issue they're having.
Since taking the Certified Content Marketers course, passing their certification exam, and getting featured on the page, their business has exploded.
They can't handle the volume of work they're bringing in.
Be a Better Teacher and Writer: 6 Teaching Techniques You Should Know
Marketing is a chance for education.
Sometimes, marketing takes the form of entertainment, but often, you get to assume the role of a teacher.
This is really powerful. You can become one of the few educational influences in most people's lives after they leave school.
Beyond helping your business grow, inbound marketing allows you to make a real impact.
Partly, that's why I'm still so passionate about it even after all these years.
Once you start thinking of yourself as an educator, you can become an even better marketer by learning from traditional teachers.
I'm going to show you 6 different teaching techniques you can use to make your marketing content even more useful to your readers.
1. Use the “desire” method
You might already be using this method even if it's not intentional.
The “desire” method is all about getting students' attention.
Think of an average class, even at the university or college level. Most students don't want to be there.
They feel like they're learning something that probably won't be very useful and just want to know what's on the exam so that they can pass it.
One of the main reasons for this is because lectures are set up to teach about a topic, not to satisfy a desire.
For example, in a computer science course, you might have a lecture about sorting algorithms or asymptotic complexity.
Even if you have an interest in computer science, those titles alone won't get you excited about learning.
What happens in the first few minutes of those lectures?
More or less the same thing every time. It's usually a slide about “what you will learn,” which again just lists the specific things included in that topic.
The solution is to build desire: What if you started off with the benefits of learning the topic?
Back to our example about asymptotic complexity, which basically just classifies how fast an algorithm can run (how complex it is).
What if, as a teacher, instead of saying that your students will hear a lecture on “asymptotic complexity,” you say that they will learn how to “find inefficiencies in code and speed up their applications.”
That's already more attractive and speaks to what students really want to learn.
The intro slides could focus on how coders at Google use the concept of asymptotic complexity in their daily work. Or how a long-time coding problem was solved because someone found a way to reduce the complexity of the coding solution.
Using the desire method in your content: This concept is all about focusing on benefits to readers and customers. More so, it's about conveying those benefits in the headline and at the beginning of any content.
While many marketers don't know why they do it, this is the reason why having a benefit-driven headline is so important. If you're teaching something that will help your reader accomplish something, make it clear!
In addition, your introduction is your chance to show your reader what could be possible if they learned what you are about to teach. Cite statistics, case studies, personal experiences, and anything else that shows how great the results can be.
2. Games are more fun than work
Ask anyone whether they'd rather read a textbook or played a video game, and you'll get the same answer 99% of the time.
Educators have realized that students learn better if they are fully engrossed in a lesson, which happens if they are having fun.
That's where the concept of “gamification” came from.
No, you don't have to create a video game for your content, but there are ways to make your content more game-like and fun for readers.
Let's look at a few ways you could do this.
Example #1 – Quizzes can be fun: A quiz can be either fun or boring, depending on the topic.
Online quizzes draw engagement and grow in popularity when done right-that's a fact. A study of 100 million articles in 2013-2014 found that 80% of the most popular pieces of content were quizzes.
For example, the top one was: “What Career Should You Actually Have?”:
By framing it around fun careers (Oprah on the intro image), the creators drew people to the quiz.
When you create a piece of content, consider designing a quiz to go with it.
There are many free tools, such as Qzzr, that you can use to create a quiz. You just copy and paste the HTML code that it gives you into your content:
If you use WordPress, you could try the SlickQuiz plugin, which allows you to create quizzes from inside your admin panel:
Another benefit of using quizzes is that most people who take them will consider sharing their results with friends, bringing you additional traffic.
Most quiz tools include social sharing buttons on the results screen to encourage sharing.
Example #2 – The M&M's pretzel scavenger hunt: This was a fun but simple game that M&M's made in 2013.
The whole came consisted of one simple picture in a Facebook post.
The objective was to find the hidden pretzel man in the image. Even without getting any prize, Facebook users loved the simple game and shared it with their friends.
This game resulted in 25,000 new likes on the product's Facebook page plus over 10,000 comments and 6,000 shares.
Example #3 – How Heineken successfully used an Instagram game: During one of the biggest events in tennis, the 2013 US Open, Heineken created an Instagram account.
A new account was loaded with 225 pictures of people in tennis audiences.
To win the game, you had to follow clues in the pictures that led you to the final picture.
It was essentially a complicated scavenger hunt.
This game lasted only 3 days, but Heineken increased its follower count by 20%.
3. Start with pain
This tactic goes well with the desire method (from #1 above).
People are motivated in two main ways:
- To get benefits
- To avoid pain
It's natural to want to get good things and avoid bad ones.
Focusing on inducing desire was about the benefits. It's achieved through showing what learning about your topic will do for your reader.
Here, though, you want to drill home what will happen if they don't learn from your content.
For example, if you write a guide to correct posture, you could point out that if the readers don't learn from your guide, they may develop poor posture, accompanied by back and neck pain and chronic discomfort.
Desire and pain can be used together, or they can be used separately.
Here are a few headlines that focus on benefits:
- 4 Ways to Boost the Conversion Rates of Your Link Building
- 5 Ways to Make Your Content Mobile-Friendly for Increased Traffic and Engagement
Here are a few that focus on pain:
- 7 Warning Signs Your Free WordPress Theme Is Sabotaging Your Blog
- Don't Get Left Behind: The 8 Most Effective Link Building Tactics For 2015
The same goes with your introduction. Pain, especially if the reader is already aware of it, is a great way to get their full attention.
If you illustrate the pain well, readers will pay close attention to your work, which will result in better learning.
4. Chunking works wonders
There's more to teaching than just getting the attention of your students.
You also want to teach your material in a way that maximizes how well a student learns as well as remembers what you taught.
That's where chunking comes in:
Chunking involves breaking up a complex topic into smaller “chunks.” Studies have shown that this improves short-term memory retention.
The classic example is phone numbers.
Most phone numbers consist of 10 individual numbers, for example: 2338223948.
If someone just read out those numbers, they'd be hard to remember. However, if you separate them into three chunks, it gets a lot easier: 233-822-3948.
Applying chunking to content: The main principle behind chunking is breaking down something tough to learn into smaller bits.
When it comes to content, you can use that in two ways.
First, divide up your content into smaller subsections by using subheadlines.
If you look through any of my posts, you'll notice that I have subheadlines every 200-300 words.
While there's no specific length you need to aim for, make sure the subsections don't get too long. If they do get long, break them up again into further subsections (usually h3 or h4 tags).
Next, you can apply chunking to paragraphs. It's hard to focus and learn reading long paragraphs.
You should have 2-3 sentences per paragraph maximum in almost all situations. You can see that I have short paragraphs like this one in all the content I create.
This is a simple change that makes a big difference.
5. Understand and use VAK
Something that educators need to understand is that not everyone learns the same way.
One popular viewpoint is “VAK,” which stands for visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. Or in regular terms: seeing, hearing, and touching.
Different people learn best in different ways. Some need to touch things to learn, while others prefer seeing.
However, the vast majority of people learn best when more than one (or all three) ways of receiving information are involved.
To illustrate this concept, let's go through an example.
Pretend you were teaching how to pump up a basketball. Here are examples of different ways to teach it:
- Visual: Write a blog post on how to pump up a ball; you could include pictures. Or create an infographic, detailing the process.
- Auditory: Create an mp3 recording explaining the steps.
- Kinesthetic: Give a student a deflated ball and pump, and explain how to pump it up (would also include a visual or auditory explanation).
- Visual+Auditory: Create a video that shows you pumping up a ball and explaining how to do it.
As you can see, there are multiple ways you can teach a topic for each learning type.
In addition, you could create multiple forms of content for a single topic. For example, you could create a podcast narration of a blog post so that your audience could both read (visual) and hear it (auditory).
The takeaway here is to try to involve multiple ways of learning for all your content. If you can get your audience to take action (i.e., go find a ball to work on), you can involve kinesthetic learning as well.
6. Engagement leads to knowledge
Many studies have shown that the more engaged students are, the better they learn.
The term engagement covers a bunch of different concepts, but it usually refers to any time when a student is actively doing something while learning. Examples would be things like asking questions, talking productively with peers, thinking, and answering quizzes.
While some of the other techniques we've looked at are difficult to apply online, improving engagement is very possible-not only in your content but in other areas of marketing like social media and email.
For example, we've already looked at including quizzes in content, which is an opportunity for students to engage.
Additionally, you can change how you write content and the type of content you write in order to get more engagement.
Here are some other guides that dig into this topic in more detail:
- 7 Psychological Principles to Get More Engagement on Social Media
- How to Cut Your Bounce Rate in Half with Interactive Content
- 5 Engagement Metrics That'll Help Improve Your Search Rankings
Conclusion
Being a teacher is a big responsibility, especially online, where you could be teaching thousands with your content.
By using the proven teaching techniques described in this post, you can help your readers learn better and take more action.
Ultimately, you'll make a bigger impact, which will also benefit your own business.
Many of these techniques can be combined, so use any or all of them-whatever applies to your content.
If you have any questions about how to be a better teacher, just leave them in a comment below.
Blogging Isn't Dead
Blogging Is Not Dead
Blogging is alive and well. People create content of varying levels of value every day. There are dozens and dozens of posts created on some sites each day while other people have switched to a weekly frequency. But millions of new pages of content are created daily, no matter where you fit in the spectrum.
The post Blogging Isn't Dead appeared first on chrisbrogan.com.
