Writing on the Web from Patsi Krakoff, The Blog Squad

Web Pages: Why it's important to write content, not just copy

What's the difference between web copy and web content?

This is an important distinction if you want your online presence to be more effective. Web content refers to all the pages with relevant information that educates, entertains and engages your readers.

Web copy refers to the content specifically designed to sell or persuade readers to take action.

Why should you care about this distinction? Most people, when they take their business online, get a website designed and put up sales pages for each product and service they need to sell.

They neglect to write multiple content pages. You need as many pages of content as you can stand if you want to get Google juice for all the versions of your keywords and keyword phrases. (Think blog posts/pages, for example.)

The most overlooked part of the online marketing picture is Web content pages - designed to inform your readers and clients. You need to write content that provides solutions to your client's problems.

Bob Bly, prolific writer and online marketer knows the difference. He'd like to teach and sell you a whole course in how to "become a six-figure Web content writer." Here's his definition of Web content vs. Web copy:

Sales Copy Review- 5 things to rewrite

How often do you go back and re-read or rewrite your sales pages? If you're like most professionals, probably not often enough.

This week I'm rewriting sales copy for our ebook on business blogging (Build a Better Blog). It's been up on the Web for more than 3 years and although it has been tweaked here and there, it needed to be written for the 3rd edition due out soon.

It's amazing to see how your writing evolves and how your sales copywriting improves over time. But if you never go back and rewrite your sales pages, you won't be able to implement your new skills and improve your sales copy.

Here's a list of things to review on your sales pages after time:

1. New insights on benefits: Your current customers tell you how your product has helped them, in ways you might not have thought about. Are all the benefits spelled out?
2. New testimonials: Some clients have written or called with amazing results you can use with their permission. Include new social proof from people who are typical and/or well known.
3. New features: Your product or book or service improves so be sure to highlight how the new edition or new version is better.
4. New stories: Your own personal and professional experiences are a great way to seduce readers and engage them into becoming fans.
5. New voice: Over time, you will develop more of a persona that goes along with your brand. Use your personality and your unique voice as much as possible.

Speak Your Way to Wealth: Success Tips from Top Speakers

Denise and I had an amazing experience at the 3-day Speak Your Way to Wealth event in Manhattan Beach. Arvee Robinson and Lee Pound were delightful hosts and well-organized.

One of the most important reasons for going to in-person events is to connect with people and find out more about what people really need in the way of Internet marketing for small businesses.

This crowd was not as computer-savvy as some, with only one fourth of them already blogging. Almost all were in service businesses, and were passionate about helping others. Many were aspiring speakers.

Since Denise and I are being called upon to speak more often at such events, we stayed throughout the 3 days to observe and learn from the line up of accomplished speakers.

Here are some notes I took:

Mark Victor Hansen: When you get up on the platform to speak, Mark says to get physical with your audience. He does this by asking them to touch their temples and say things like, "Hmmm, that's interesting."

He says to get vulnerable with your audience (which is why it is so typical for a speaker to start off by telling the audience they once were bankrupt, addicted to drugs, etc.).

Top Content Marketing Blogs - we made the list!

We made the list of Top Blogs for Content Marketing again this quarter. Thanks, Joe Pulizzi, of Junta42 for keeping us informaed about the importance of content for successful business strategies. This blog went from 25th position to 19.

I highly recommend you check out the blogs on this list and learn more about how to write content that connects and builds relationships with your customers.

For more on the whole concept of content marketing, be sure to get and read Joe and Newt Barrett's book, Get Content, Get Customers. It's a must read.

Seeking Transformation: What Is It That You Really Do for Your Clients?

Denise and I had a session with a mentor this week about our upcoming speaking gigs. I don't want to tell you who he is just yet, or what his real expertise is. But we worked with him for over an hour to flush out the core outcomes our clients derive from working with us and buying our services and products.

This is one of the most important pieces of work you must do when writing speeches, sales copy or other content that persuades people to want to do business with you.

What are the truly transformative benefits that your clients experience? What services do you provide to your clients that are profoundly meaningful to them?

When it comes to our blogging expertise and products, of course, our clients benefit from having a professionally customized business blog that is optimized for business and branding. There's no doubt about that. But what else?

But what are the outcomes they experience as a result of working with us? Now that's a much harder question to answer. It differs from client to client...but there's no doubt that asking the question and exploring possible answers leads to writing better speeches, better sales copy, better marketing.

What are the benefits that are truly transformative and extend deeply into making our clients' lives and work better, faster, more efficient, more meaningful and more enjoyable?

3 Things to Write (or Speak) About...

Here are 3 things to write about if you want to attract readers, showcase your expertise, and get clients:

1. Problem
2. Solution
3. Action steps

I know this is really simplified, but anytime you have to write a blog post, article, newsletter, email promotion, or speech, you can't go wrong if you follow these three points.

Most of us try to include the kitchen sink. We go into all the problems, the history of the problems, and all of the manifestations possible. Keep it simple: Problem - solution - action.

This is a great outline to follow if you've got to write a speech or presentation. Denise and I are using this outline for our speech about The Blog Squad's expertise in business blogging. This week we're in Manhattan Beach at the Ayres Hotel, addressing a group of professionals at the Speak Your Way to Wealth conference.

Problem - Solution - Action: Now, for those readers who are more experienced in making presentations, this may seem like a no-brainer. The problem is that when you're an expert in a particular niche, you want to teach everything you know to your audience.

Building a Freelance Business on the Side

As I got on the freeway at 8 this morning a noticed the guy next to me, a car with a surf board on top. And I thought this is a great life and a great place to be. Here I am off to the tennis courts and this fellow is going to ride a few waves. Where were you going in your car this morning?

I used to be in a suit and heels driving off to a job at 8 in the mornings. Well, to be truthful, most of my life I've worked for myself, but I had a brief period of driving and working for companies in an office somewhere, sometimes commuting as far as 70 miles each way.

What drove me crazy about working for someone else in an office was the amount of wasted time. I like to be productive, not waiting for someone to 'get back to me,' or sitting through mindless meetings.

If you're still working at a job and would like to be freelance or self-employed, start like I did. Start your Internet business while you're still getting a salary and build it up until you can afford to become independent.

You can be creating content and blogging or at least working on some parts of your side business during some of those meetings or in the time after you've done your regular work. This is important because if you're like many entrepreneurs, you have more ideas than brains, and you probably can't tell which idea will end up being worth it.

Marketing on a Budget: An open letter to entrepreneurs

Recently I was contacted by a client who was frustrated that her marketing efforts were not producing results like she expected. In an attempt to address her concerns, I realized how many other professionals are in the same boat. What follows is an open letter to professionals everywhere who are struggling to attract new clients and make money online.

Dear Entrepreneur and Professional:

First, let’s address the issue of finances. I understand fully what it is like to invest in your own business, work hard, and see little income.

Sometimes it seems as if you work for pleasure, and indeed there is much pleasure involved. It’s not unusual for entrepreneurs to be passionate about their business and services and many would do what they love for free.

But it can’t work that way, and you must see the money or your business will perish. After a couple of years of trickle income, Denise and I are now seeing great results in our own online business, and are making a very comfortable living solely from information and services sold over the Internet.

So let me offer some advice about the process...

It takes time. And it involves having lots of digital information products people can download instantly.

You must have a powerful web presence and be easily findable to the millions of people who search on the Web for solutions to their problems.

3 Must-Do Business Keys: Marketing, Speaking & Success Principles

We've got an opportunity for you to spend an hour with the fantastically successful speaker and Internet marketer Tom Antion on Thursday, August 14, at 5:00 PM Eastern Time.

Can't make it? Register anyway and we'll email you a link to the recording.

Tom, our marketing mentor, will be discussing his new concept seminar "Fusion" where he is mixing Internet Marketing, professional level speaking and timeless success principles.

This interview will NOT be just a sales pitch for Tom's seminar. Tom is known for his high content. We're sure he wants you to attend his event, but we've known him for years and there is no way he'll get on a call without giving you great tips.

Tom has been our mentor for the past two years and he's helped us bring in well over $300,000.00 since we've met him.

Don't miss listening to him Thursday, August 14. We'll be discussing with him what it takes to be successful on the Internet and in your business.

Visit http://www.blogsquadteleseminars.com/fusion/ to register for the call. There's no charge and you'll get a copy of the audio program if you cannot attend the live event.

P.S. Tom is in the top 1 percent of speaker income in the world and only speaks 5 or 6 times a year. We're going to make sure he tells you the exact methods he's used to get and stay there.

Check out Denise' video about how Tom Antion has helped The Blog Squad

Press Release: Expert Click.com

What Do Readers Really Want? Some personal musings...

I am writing this off the top of my head and from the depths of my heart. The truth is I'm not sure where I'm going with this post, but I know I have some worthwhile nugget for you.

Yesterday when I wrote the post about blog ideas, it's true, I'd been struggling with finding good topics for this blog, and for keeping my focus on how to write good content on the Web that informs and markets for you.

This morning, I was still struggling. My blockage is coming from an interview we did last week with Yvonne DiVita of Lip-Sticking Blog. I wrote about her ideas for writing quality posts over on BuildaBetterBlog.com, Blog Content Ideas, What's the best source? Yvonne has had tremendous success with her blog, and it's established her as an expert and thought leader when it comes to marketing to women online.

She says her success is due to always writing what readers want.

And that's my problem. I'm never sure what readers want. Oh, I'm very grateful for the lovely comments and feedback, especially since most readers seem to agree with me (;-0)...

But let's face it: there aren't a whole bunch of comments or emails flooding in. And people aren't in dire pain, begging me to please - oh please, tell me how to write a blog post, or an email promo...!