by Steve Shaw
Content makes the web go round. Think about it: emails, videos, articles, audio, ezines, newsletters, blog posts, tweets, web pages, and more. Every one of them led by content.

Without the ongoing delivery and production of content, it is difficult to exist in any meaningful way online. And without content, it’s certainly difficult to market yourself. You attract traffic with it. You build relationships with it. Essentially, you build your whole online presence with it.

Despite all the benefits, what stumps most business owners is the ‘A’ word – ‘About’. What do I write about? What do I create a video about? What do I tweet about? Sure, they may have the odd moment of inspiration. They may create some content … on occasion. But then they’re back at the A word again. The blank page staring at them. The pressure of being out of ideas. The knowledge that, without the content, they’re losing online visibility they would otherwise have.

But fear not, it doesn’t have to be like that. There is a never-ending source of inspiration. The best bit is, it’s right under your nose!

Where? Your customers, your prospects, your visitors — they contact you and ask for help, for information, for knowledge. They tell you exactly what they want you to produce content about: the information they are looking for you to provide. Sometimes, the incoming questions and dialog create the spark of an idea. Sometimes, several ideas. You just need to be aware and ready to record them. And sometimes, in providing an answer, you will have produced an almost complete piece of content. You can then use it in a myriad of different ways. Use it as the basis of a blog post or an article in next month’s newsletter. You can distribute it to article directories, communicate it to your list, develop a video or tweet it to your followers. And there’s an interesting side benefit: the more content you produce, the more ideas it tends to generate for further content.

Blogs are a great example of this. Here is how it works:

• You publish a great piece of content as a blog post and attract comments.
• You start getting questions you can then answer with further content.
• You get comments that spark further ideas for content production.
• And so the cycle continues.

In effect, a blog can provide you with an idea generation machine!

The starting point is using a simple ‘Idea Collection System’. And ensuring you get into the habit of using it.

For example, create a folder in your filing system where you can quickly drop ideas in. Here are some ideas on how it might be used in practice:

• You are speaking with a customer over the phone, and you get a content idea from your conversation. Scribble it down and drop it in the folder.
• A few paragraphs sent in reply to an email enquiry could be used as the basis of future content. Print it out and drop it in the folder.
• What if you’re asked a great question at a networking event? Phone your own voicemail before you forget. Then when you’re back in the office, pick the message up, note it down and drop it in.
• If you have people taking care of your customer support, train them to forward you questions that could form the basis of great content as they come up.
• If you notice a suitable comment on your blog that triggers a content idea, again print it out and drop it in.

It doesn’t have to be a physical folder, although I find that works best for me.

You could use a folder on your computer. You could email ideas to yourself and set up a filter so they’re easily retrievable in future. Or set up a separate email account. Even a pen and notepad can work well if that suits you and they’re always close at hand.

Get into the habit of using your Idea Collection System as soon as you think of an idea.

Otherwise, two things happen.

• Firstly, you’ll likely forget completely, and a great idea will be lost forever.
• Secondly, your subconscious mind will stop scanning for ideas. It will stop alerting your conscious mind when great content ideas arise.

When adding ideas to your Idea Collection System, make as many notes as you can at that time. When you go back to it in future, you will then know exactly what you were thinking at the time. It will also be easier and quicker to start creating the content right away. Otherwise, when you return to the idea later, you may find it obscure and discard what could have formed the basis of a great piece of content.

Once you are in the habit of collecting ideas like this, you will eradicate the ‘A’ word. You will start seeing ideas everywhere. The trickle of ideas at the beginning turns into a torrent. The ‘About’ question will never arise again!

So here is what you should do now:

• Decide what your Idea Collection System will be. A physical folder? A separate email account?
• Set it up, right now. Yes, right now.
• In the next hour, make sure you drop at least one idea in. This starts to get you into the habit. It’s the start of the trickle that will turn into a torrent. If necessary, review customer communications over the past week or so. Find something you can use.
• Train your subconscious to bring you content ideas by adding a new idea every day. It will soon become part of your normal routine.
• Finally start using these ideas to create some content. Set up a regular schedule of content production by blocking out time on your calendar on a regular basis. Ensure there are no distractions, and focus 100% on content production. (If you are not comfortable with producing content yourself, forward your ideas to a writer or someone else in your business to produce the content for you).

Start using the ideas in this article, stick to a regular schedule of content production, and you will start to get all the benefits content can bring you. For example:

• Regular communication with your list: this allows you to start building better relationships and become more ‘front of mind’ in the minds of your prospects and customers
• Regular content syndication: this starts attracting targeted traffic to your site from other sites as well as from the search engines
• Regular publication of new posts on your blog: you will improve the position of your site in the search engines, attract new traffic, and allow your visitors to feel more connected with you
• Regular tweeting of updates: build up your followers and enjoy the benefits of Twitter through having something useful to tweet about
• A regular offline customer newsletter: improve your relationship with your customer base, your most important asset, through improved communication with them

And of course there are many other ways you can start putting your content to work. Give content production the priority it deserves, and feed the benefits back into your business.

Steve Shaw

Steve Shaw is the founder of SubmitYOURArticle.com, the web’s leading article marketing service, used by thousands of small business owners worldwide to build traffic, leads and sales for their websites. You can grab a free report on how to attract sustainable, dirt-cheap, long-term, targeted traffic to your website at www.submityourarticle.com

Now It’s YOUR Turn! What are your thoughts? Post below, I’d love to know what you think!

**Editors Note**  Cathy Goodwin is an exceptional copywriter that establishes a connection to your visitors, communicates your value and motivates prospects to buy. I HIGHLY recommend her!

Business owners who promote themselves with online marketing often neglect the “about us” page. If you own a service business or work as an independent professional, your “About” page will be especially critical to your success. Prospective clients want to get to know you before they make a hiring decision, so they may turn to this page right after they come to your website.

Many business owners make these 3 mistakes when they write their “About” page. They list facts in obituary style; they include irrelevant information; or they omit to add a personal flavor that prospects will want to find.

First, begin by identifying why you are the single best resource to solve your niche’s most urgent problem. You might list facts but it’s important to relate the facts to your expertise. Sometimes it’s difficult to see the relationship between your hobby or college major and your current business. That’s where an objective viewpoint can help. Ask your clients, friends, and mentors. Often they will make these connections readily.

Second, limit your “About” page to information that is directly relevant to your business. You need to be scrupulously honest but you don’t need to share every aspect of your life.

The decision on what’s relevant will be related to your field. If you got into trouble as a teen, your experience may be relevant if you work as a life coach or child psychologist. If you are a business coach this information will be less relevant and may actually backfire. It’s always a judgment call.

Finally, be sure to add a personal flavor to your “About” page. Include elements of your life that present you as a friendly, competent three-dimensional person. Your clients want to relate to you as a human being, not a one-dimensional robot, but they don’t want to know the most intimate details of your life.

One business consultant includes information about community activities because he wants to show that he gives back. He realizes his contribution to nonprofit organizations will show that he is a caring person with integrity.

Another consultant writes extensively about her family. She finds clients often relate to her experience as a wife and mom. She also finds she gets more comments about her cats than just about anything on the About page.

Remember to review your “About” page at least once a year. Your facts change. Your kids grow up and you may get a new dog. You also may need to change your content as your own business changes and new facts become more or less relevant.

Cathy Goodwin, Ph.D., is an online copywriter who helps business owners get more clients and sell more products online. Download The Case Of The Missing Website Profits and discover 3 clues to why your website isn’t working (and 3 red herrings that lead you down the wrong trail). http://www.CopywritingDetective.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cathy_Goodwin

1. Don’t waste your web site’s real estate with a lot of high-tech clutter. With social media today that can happen easily – add a widget here, another widget there… pretty soon, it’s cluttered like the television show “Hoarders”. Your visitors will miss your whole sales message and bail.

2. Don’t forget to demonstrate Social Proof. This means testimonials.  Be careful though – new FTC guidelines require you to secure the permission from the individual to use their testimonial in your copy.  I always do AND, put the full name, and website url of the person giving the testimonial.

3. Don’t use run-on sentences. Sentences should be no longer than 10 words. You only have so much time to get your visitor’s attention and interest; make every word count.

4. Don’t assume that everyone will automatically understand what you have to offer. BE OBVIOUS! Use powerful words and examples to get your point across.

5. Don’t write your strongest point or benefit only once. You should repeat it at least 3 times because some people don’t get it right away. (how many times do you have to tell your kids to clean their room…5-6-7 times?)

6. White space is good! Don’t push all your words together on your web site. People like to skim; use plenty of headings and sub headings. Bold key phrases to make your copy “scan-able.”

7. Don’t write crap your target market isn’t interested in. If people are coming to your site to find info about knitting don’t include soccer content.  Not to be confused with “life-streaming.”  People who are following you on twitter, Facebook, etc. DO want to know what you’re doing.

8. Don’t give me a headache with your 20 different fonts and colors all over your web site. Use the same fonts, text sizes & colors, etc. If a site looks to “complicated” to read, your prospect is sure to bail and never return… worse yet, you could be “stumbled” on stumbleupon.com or submitted to websites that suck for having the worst site ever!

9. Cut out the jargon. Don’t use words your visitors might not understand. People are not going to stop and look in a dictionary, or Google the “word”, they will just go to another site. (If my 15 year old daughter can’t “get” the concept of my copy, I start over.)

10. Make your website POP! Don’t let selling words and phrases go unnoticed. Highlight important words and phrases with color, bolding, italics, underlining, etc.

11. Don’t omit your social media homes. aka. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Digg, Delicious, etc.  If you do people will think you’re behind the times.  Social media has been around long enough that most everyone online has adopted some form of social interaction.

Donna Payne is the Chief Web Coach of The Web Coach.net and is known as the gal to call when you’re feeling overwhelmed by the internet. To spend more time with Donna experiencing Web technology, Small Business Coaching and Marketing in the most SIMPLIFED way possible go to http://thewebcoach.net. Get the Business Breakthrough You Need by scheduling yourself for a free 30-minute Business Breakthru Coaching call.

Here’s the single most important part of your website: YOUR WEB COPY!

And remember: Your website isn’t about YOU, it’s about THEM

Note: May I add, this is an area where most of my clients get stuck…If you find yourself at a total loss when it comes to writing, please let me know

Write/gather/compile: prepare copy for your main pages:

Answer questions.  Frequently asked questions woven into your copy will give your visitor confidence in you because you answered their concerns right away.  Think of questions you’ve been asked and document them providing the most detailed and complete answer you can.  This will save you lots of time in the future.

Focus on the pain your prospect is experiencing.  Your client is looking for someone to take away their pain or help solve their problem.  What’s bugging them? What keeps them up at night?  Why are they looking for you? If you don’t get in touch with your prospect’s emotions they are not going to connect with you, or hire you.  Give a positive outcome for each pain they have.

Your copy needs to be as specific and clear as possible to the kind of client you want to attract. Why? To weed out the wrong kind of clients, that’s why!  Why waste your valuable time on a comp session with someone who wants a life coach and you only coach corporate executives in career transition?  If your home page message is crystal clear, prospects can determine right away if you are right for them before they contact you.

Remember to be personable and approachable.  Even go as far as to write down 10 characteristics of your perfect client and make up a fictitious individual who has all these characteristics and write your copy “to” that person.

Make your website come alive with AUDIO. Increase your sales with this inexpensive and brain-dead simple way of engaging your visitor.

Your prospects want to learn more and be closer to you.  They will love reading about your human side.  People do business with folks they like.  Remember, your business is built on relationships!

Hint: Most everything I write goes to my senior editor first—my 15 year old daughter! If she can’t understand the basic concept of what she’s reading, I need to start over.

In other words: write in simplest terms. Keep your sentences around 10 words or less.  (a client once had a sentence that had 39 words! Needless to say I was cross-eyed just trying to figure out the point of the whole sentence!) Break your writing into readable “chunks” easy to understand.  Big words don’t impress and make some folks feel like you’re talking “above” them.

Write so that your information is “scan-able.” People rarely read word-for-word.  Their eyes scan down the page when reading a sales letter or ad copy.  Bolding key phrases in your copy, makes your information scan-able and lets this person know immediately if they want to read further or bail from your site.

You MUST have a killer opening line.  Something to snag your prospects attention right now!  Start paying attention to articles and ads in your local paper…or if you’re feeling adventurous, take a gander at the tabloids in the grocery checkout.  You’ll see some pretty interesting headlines AND as corny as they sound, they SELL like crazy!

Here are few real-life examples:

• “Copywriting: The Secret Weapon Your Competitors Hope You Never Figure Out How to Use!” (Lorrie Morgan Ferrero’s Red-Hot-Copy.com)
• “Get Clients with the Proven Book Yourself Solid Lead Generation and Small Business Marketing System” (Michael Port’s BookYourselfSolid.com)
• “Publish Your Own Ezine for More Clients and More Sales!” (Alexandria Brown’s EzineQueen.com)
• “NO B.S.” APPROACH AGGRAVATES MANY, BUT ENRICHES THOSE WHO ACT ON HIS ADVICE” (DanKennedy.com)

How to… “How to lose 15 pounds in 15 days”, “How to meet the love of your life!”

7 secrets…  “7 secrets to attracting better clients”, “21 secrets of master coaches.”

If and Then… “If you have an itchy scalp, then get Head & Shoulders.”

Make sure your copy is BENEFIT RICH.  List all the benefits of doing business with you and OVERCOME OBJECTIONS.  When you’re finished with your spiel, give a clear and concise CALL TO ACTION.

For example:

“Subscribe now and receive a free doo-dah”, “Click here to buy now”.

Tell them exactly what to do.

• “Click here to schedule a complimentary coaching session”
• “Click here to get our free e-book chock full of powerful interviewing tips”
• “Take out your credit card and purchase now using our secure server”

Learn more time & money saving techniques that everyone should know when working with a web designer or building a website yourself. Download your FREE “QuickStart Web Workbook” at http://TheWebCoachTips.com

1. A SIMPLE domain name – I can’t tell you how many times people have spent weeks trying to determine just the right domain name, only to come up with something that has no keywords or is a tongue-twister.  Keep is simple folks.  If your brilliant domain name is taken, go back to the white board – add a simple word like “The” (thewebcoach) or “Your”, (yourwebcoach) “e” (ewebcoach)… get it?  Go through the alphabet if you have to.
2. Branding – today you can easily get a custom logo and/or brand identity with “contest” services like 99 Designs. Simply post what your desires are, and several graphic designers will post their concepts.  You give feedback, pick, choose and eliminate the unfavorable ones and are left with a design.  It’s very important to have a unified brand across all of your media outlets.
3. Copy – I can’t stress this enough.  Seriously, folks. 9 times out of 10 your website is to be written to woo your VISITOR to take action and contact you or purchase something.  If you can’t write compelling sales copy – you’d better hire someone.  This is money well spent.
4. Articles – the simplest way you demonstrate your expertise.  Articles are the introductory conversation you’ll have with your visitor at their convenience.  They will learn how you will solve their problem, get a feel for you, and determine if you’re likeable enough to do business with.
5. Social media – Welcome to the relationship marketing age!  At the very least, you MUST be on Facebook and Twitter.  A website simply isn’t enough anymore.  Personal connections are vital to survive in our economy, so get plugged in!
6. Follow up strategy – Autoresponders are the best for follow-up.  Autoresponders are an automated series of emails sent on your behalf to keep in touch with your prospects.
7. FREEBIE! or as I say “your single point of entry” into your business.  Everyone should give away a bit of valuable information to their prospect whether it’s from your website or brick n’mortar store.  This give-away does come at a price to the prospect, but it’s not money,  it’s their name and address (or email).  This is the holy grail of all marketing because once you have this information, you can continue to market to that prospect forever.

Now it’s YOUR turn:

• What steps do you need to take to implement the above strategies?
• What support will you need? Do it yourself? Hire an expert?
• When are you gonna do it? TODAY!

Donna Payne is the Chief Web Goddess of The Web Coach.net a web development, coaching and marketing firm, and is known as the gal to call when you’re feeling overwhelmed. Learn Money & Time Saving Techniques that everyone should know when working with a web designer or building a website yourself. Download your FREE “Quick-Start Web Workbook” and accompanying MP3 at http://thewebcoach.net “Know PAYNE – Know GAIN!”
Follow me on Twitter.com/TheWebCoach and lets connect on Facebook!

Check out this article from by Ali Hale. Ali runs Alpha Student, a blog packed with academic, financial and practical tips to help students get the most out of their time at university.

When it comes to the internet, you know that there’s a lot of misleading, inaccurate or downright false information out there. By now, most of you have heard the advice, “Don’t trust everything you read.” But how can you tell what to trust and what not to?

Here are some questions that you should get into the habit of asking whilst you’re reading anything (not just online): whether it’s a blog post, newspaper article, sales letter or brochure.

1. What’s the Author’s Purpose?
   The most important question to ask, and one you should have in mind when you start to read, is “What’s the author’s purpose?” All writing has a purpose. It might be to:
   • Entertain you – make you laugh
   • Give you information
   • Sell you something
   • Encourage you to come back to a blog or magazine in future
   • Build up the author’s reputation in his/her field

   Some purposes are inherently more trustworthy than others. For example, if the author is trying to give you information, or build her reputation, then the facts in the article are likely to be ones that the author at least believes are true. But if the author is trying to sell something, then… read the rest of the article here.

1. Don’t fill your web site with a lot of high-tech clutter. Your visitors will miss your whole sales message and bail.
2. Don’t use unnecessary words or phrases. Sentences should be no longer than 10 words. You only have so much time to get your visitor’s attention and interest; make every word count.
3. Don’t make the mistake that everyone will totally understand your what you have to offer. BE OBVIOUS! Use powerful words and examples to get your point across.
4. Don’t write your strongest point or benefit only once. You should repeat it at least 3 times because some people don’t get it right away. (how many times do you have to tell your kids to clean their room…5-6-7 times?)
5. Don’t push all your words together on your web site. People like to skim; use plenty of headings and sub headings. Bold key phrases to make your copy “scan-able”
6. Don’t use content your preferred audience isn’t interested in. If people are coming to your site to find info about knitting don’t include soccer content.
7. Don’t use 20 different formats all over your web site. Use the same fonts, text sizes & colors, etc. If a site looks to “complicated” to read, your prospect is sure to bail.
8. Don’t use words your visitors might not understand. People are not going to stop and look in a dictionary, they will just go to another site. (If my 11 year old daughter can’t “get” the concept of my copy, I start over)
9. Don’t let selling words and phrases go unnoticed. Highlight important words and phrases with color, bolding, italics, underlining, etc.
10. Don’t forget to use words that create emotion. (Woohoo!) People will have more interest when they are emotionally attached.

Donna Payne is the Chief Web Goddess of The Web Coach.net and is known as the gal to call when you’re feeling overwhelmed by the internet. To spend some more time with Donna and to experience Web technology, Development and Marketing in the most SIMPLIFED way possible go to http://thewebcoach.net

Over the past few months I’ve made several recommendations to clients to read the book “POP! How to Stand Out In Any Crowd” by Sam Horn. Let me share an extraordinary break through a subscriber had the other day.

Mary Q. Contrary said:

“I got a copy of POP! (thank you for that recommendation – I’d not heard of Sam Horn) as I’m struggling with the name of my business – really with branding my business. Right now, “Group Performance” is either a brilliant name or a meaningless one – hard for me to say!”

Mary continued…

” I do much more than take my corporate client’s meetings from coma-inducing snore-fests to energized action-producing events – I teach them and their groups how to stay in the high-performance groove.”

Mary is such a fun loving kinda gal.

I picked up on the last three words “high performance groove” and checked for domain availability. HighPerformanceGroove.com is available. So is PeakPerformanceGroove.com (I already secured them in case Mary chooses to be groovy)

Why did I check these? B-e-e-e-e-cause … Group Performance is boring. Sounds like you’re sitting in an office building at the mercy of a bunch of stuffy HR folks with blue hair, suit and panty-hose, over analyzing performance evaluations for some jacked-up corporation. Ick! yeck! Phlewy! Sorry if that sounds offensive – but that’s just my FIRST impression. Of which, counts for a lot. (first impressions, that is)

HOWEVER!

High Performance Groove or Peak Performance Groove sounds way more intriguing, PLUS you can do a heck’uva lot more in your branding arsenal with the word “groove.”

• How We Groove
• Who We Groove With
• Why Your Employees Should Groove
• Groovy events, services, coaching programs
• Become a Certifed Groove Leader
• Movin’ & Groovin’ Newsletter
• Get Groovin’, and Stop Shmoozin’
• The Groove Philosophy
• 7 Habits of Really Groovy Leaders
• Why Great Leaders Groove
• Get it, Got it, Groove!

Participants would also be more interested in working with an individual from “that groovy company”… and just think of the office toys you could brand groovy as give aways. Shucks, you could even wear a tie-die suit if ya wanted to! Tres’ Groo-vay!

Just a few more thoughts… Microsoft has a new office product for 2007 called Groove for collaborating work groups, hmm …

Plus what do you think of when somebody even says the word groove? I instantly want to chair dance. Grooving is good… people like it, it makes them FEEL good. Wasn’t there a movie titled, “How Stella Got Her Groove?”

Anyway… Mary liked the direction this was taking, although somehow combining the words groove and performance made her think of a personal lubricant. (That never even crossed my mind, but as they say… sox sells!)

So, consider this while I dance and get groovy around my office… (my web cam is turned OFF! ha!)

“Are you one-of-a-kind, or one-of-many?
When you’re one of a kind, there is no competition.”
- Sam Horn, POP! Stand Out in Any Crowd

Here’s the single most important part of your website: YOUR WEB COPY!

And remember: Your website isn’t about YOU, it’s about THEM!

Again, it’s NOT about you, it’s about THEM!

*Note: May I add, this is an area where most of my clients get stuck…If you find yourself at a total loss when it comes to writing, please let me know.

Write/gather/compile; prepare copy for your main pages:

• Answer questions. Frequently asked questions woven into your copy will give your visitor confidence in you because you answered their concerns right away. Think of questions you’ve been asked and document them providing the most detailed and complete answer you can. This will save you lots of time in the future.
• Focus on the ~pain~ your prospect is experiencing. Your client is looking for someone to take away their pain or help solve their problem. What’s bugging them? What keeps them up at night? Why are they looking for you? If you don’t get in touch with your prospect’s emotions they are not going to connect with you, or hire you. Give a positive outcome for each pain they have.
• Your copy needs to be as specific and clear as possible to the kind of client you want to attract. Why? TO WEED OUT THE WRONG TYPE OF CLIENTS, that’s why! (what an amazing idea… eliminate the tire kickers immediately!) Why waste your valuable time on a comp session with a ambitious college grad who wants a career coach when you’re a parenting coach? If parents with potty training issues are who you seek… make your home page’s message crystal clear, prospects will determine right away if you are right for them before they contact you.
• Remember to be personable and approachable. Even go as far as to write down 10 characteristics of your perfect client and make up a fictitious individual who has all these characteristics and write your copy as if that person were sitting right next to you. Your prospects want to learn more, and be closer to you. They will love reading about your human side. People do business with folks they like as your business is built on relationships!

*Hint* Most everything I write goes to my senior editor first—my 10 year old daughter! If she can’t understand the concept of what she’s reading, I need to start over. In other words: write in simplest terms. Big words don’t impress and make some folks feel stupid! Myself included!

Write so that your information is “scan-able”. People rarely read word-for-word. Their eyes scan down the page when reading a sales letter or ad copy. Bolding key phrases in your copy, makes your information scanable and lets this person know immediately if they want to read further or bail from your site.

You MUST have a killer opening line. Something to snag your prospects attention right now! Start paying attention to articles and ads in your local paper…or if you’re feeling adventurous, take a gander at the tabloids in the grocery checkout. You’ll see some pretty interesting headlines AND as corny as they sound, they SELL like crazy!

Here are 3 examples:

How to…

…..“How to lose 15 pounds in 15 days”

….. “How to meet the love of your life!”

7 secrets… (any number will do)

…..“7 secrets to attracting better clients”

….. “21 secrets of master coaches.”

If and Then…

“If you have an itchy scalp, then get Head & Shoulders.”

GO HEAVY on the BENEFITS. List all the benefits of doing business with you and OVERCOME OBJECTIONS. When you’re finished with your spiel, give a clear and concise CALL TO ACTION.

For example:

• “Subscribe now and receive a free doo-dah”, “Click here to buy now”.

• Tell them EXACTLY what to do.

o “Click here to schedule a complimentary coaching session”

o “Click here to get our free e-book chock full of powerful interviewing tips”

o “Take out your credit card and purchase now using our secure server”