Words in Effect, LLC

Becky Tumidolsky, B2B Content Writer

Copywriting

5 Reasons Your Business Needs a Ghost Blogger

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5 Reasons Ghost Blogger

 

“How do you feel about ghost blogging?”

This question was posed to a panel of experts at this year’s Content Marketing World in Cleveland. As an anonymous writer of B2B blog posts, I attended the session as a fly on the wall. Surrounding me were corporate and agency marketers who struggle with whether or how to outsource content writing.

The five panelists, including representatives of The Daily Beast and LinkedIn, tackled ghost blogging from two angles.

First, from an ethical standpoint: Not one marketer on the panel objected to ghost blogging. If the information and ideas are the brand executive’s, they argued, ghost blogging isn’t problematic. The writer simply helps communicate the company insider’s perspective in the most fluid, engaging, effective way possible.

Second, from a practical standpoint: For time-starved professionals whose specialties lie outside the realms of language and composition, ghost blogging is essentialthat is, if brands are focused on content quality. On this point, the panel was in complete agreement.

 

Not Sure You Need Blog Writing Help? Consider Your Limitations.

Even if you’re a C-level executive, subject-matter expert, or marketing professional with decades of experience, you may lack the very things you need to blog well. These include time, writing chops, passion for the task, and a fresh perspective.

Here are five reasons I would hire a ghost blogger if I were in your shoes.

 

1. You’re Too Close to the Topic.

Every day, you dwell deep inside your own bubbleyour particular industry, brand, company position, and knowledge base. Your audiences aren’t there with you. They have their own personal and professional concerns, and they may not speak your language. You have to meet them where they are, translating your expert knowledge in a way that resonates.

Do you know how to build that bridge? A professional ghost blogger builds it routinely.

 

The curse of knowledge is the single best explanation of why good people write bad prose. It simply doesn’t occur to the writer that her readers don’t know what she knows . . . . And so the writer doesn’t bother to explain the jargon, or spell out the logic, or supply the necessary detail. Steven Pinker, Johnstone Professor of Psychology, Harvard University

 

2. You’re Not a Writing Expert.

Good writing isn’t a mechanical output. Nor is it a random spark of genius. It’s both science and art, reflecting a sharp eye for grammar and a talent for assembling words and sentences in a crisp, fluid, compelling way.

As writing experts, ghost bloggers bring three things to the table: 1) a hard-wired desire to write; 2) sensitivity to readers’ concerns; and 3) years of experience fine-tuning their craft. This combination is uncommon. So are the results a ghost blogger can help you achieve.

 

3. You’re Too Damned Busy.

Your core business is your primary concern. Your daily responsibilities are all-consuming. So you shoehorn in a few minutes of blog writing time and sprint to the finish.

But here’s what you may be neglecting:

 

  • Editing for embarrassing mistakes
  • Strengthening your hook
  • Cutting the fat
  • Clarifying important points
  • Reorganizing for better flow
  • Looking for ways to go bolder and deliver more value

 

If you don’t have time to write and edit well, your blog posts will fall flat. And they won’t advance your business goals one iota. Better to hire a writer who’s dedicated to helping corporate blogs achieve peak performance.

 

Business owners and marketers are naturally a take-charge bunch. We hate asking for help. But at times, it makes sense to free up time that is better invested elsewhere. Stan Smith, Pushing Social

 

4. You View Writing as a Chore.

If you dread the writing process, you’re less likely to go the distance it takes to achieve something great. Ask yourself this: How far will you go beyond the first draft? How many editing passes are you willing to make? How well do you think will your post will be received,and how deeply do you care?

Your heart needs to be in the act of writing itself, not just the topic you’re covering. Otherwise, you should outsource to a professional writer who lives and breathes this stuff.

 

5. You Could Use a Fresh Point of View.

Seasoned content writers think strategically, all the time. No blog post is an island; it’s part of an ongoing conversation between you and your prospects and clients.

If you find the right ghost blogger—someone who’s committed to partnering with you long term—he/she can really shake things up by:

 

  • Studying how your blog has evolved over time, how you’ve promoted your blog across social channels, and how audiences have responded.
  • Following competitors’ blogs to identify untapped opportunities and help you draw clear distinctions.
  • Taking the conversation in new directions to improve audience engagement and bottom-line results.

 

As a professional writer, marketer, strategist, and brand ambassador all in one, a ghost blogger can be a tremendous asset for your business. Ghost bloggers do all the heavy lifting, entirely behind the scenes. They don’t care about bylines; their satisfaction comes in helping brands and leading executives connect with more people, more powerfully and lead the conversation in their industries.

 

What Are You Waiting for?

What reservations do you have about outsourcing your blog? What types of outsourcing experiences have you had (good, bad, or ugly)? Let’s start a conversation below.

 

Since 2001, Becky Tumidolsky has written awareness-building content for B2B brands and their discerning audiences. Her work has appeared in leading publications such as Forbes, U.S.News & World Report, Bloomberg Markets, Newsweek, and Inc. as well as corporate blogs, websites, white papers, and other content assets.

Becky loves writing fluid, error-free prose. She’s even more passionate about building the foundation for her work—uncovering core brand distinctions, framing them thematically, and developing fresh, compelling narratives that advance corporate strategies.

Follow and connect: Twitter| Google+| LinkedIn| Facebook

How to Recognize—and Keep—Great B2B Content Writers

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How to recognize great writers

Great B2B content writers are a dime a dozen, right?

Hardly.

If you’re an experienced content marketer, you know how hard it is to find good writing talent. I hear this from my clients time and again. Sure, there are oodles of people out there selling their writing services. That doesn’t mean they’re great at it. Or even passable.

Truth is, far too many B2B content writers fall short of their clients’ expectations. Maybe you’ve experienced one or more of these firsthand.

  • Writers who turn in sloppy, error-filled work.
  • Writers who don’t respond to inquiries or requests in a timely fashion.
  • Writers who bristle at criticism.
  • Writers who can’t seem to grasp (or seem disinterested in) a company’s unique value proposition, its industry, its target audience, or the point of the project.
  • Writers who can’t (or won’t) adapt to unfamiliar channels, tools, workflows, or demands.
  • Writers who just can’t tell a good story.

Don’t you wish you could identify top B2B content writers right off the bat?

Actually, you can. You just need to look for signs of a great writer (as well as red flags that indicate the opposite).

And—more importantly—once you have great writers in the door, you must help them succeed and give them a reason to stick around.

Here’s how.

 

6 Signs of Greatness

Great B2B content writers have diverse backgrounds. But they all share a profound dedication to their clients and their profession. Here’s how those attributes shine through.

  1. Diverse portfolio. A wide range of work—across industry verticals and/or funnel stages—demonstrates versatility and adaptability.
  2. An outstanding website. Flashy design or no, it should be clear, concise, attractive, and user friendly. Ideally, you’ll find compelling client testimonials there.
  3. Professional, polished, letter-perfect communications. Just what you’d expect from someone who lives and dies by the English language (and its correct usage).
  4. Complete honesty. Great writers are candid about their experience (or lack thereof) in a particular area. That’s because they don’t want to commit to anything they can’t truly deliver. Writers worth their salt aren’t interested in shoehorning something in, and winging it, just to maximize income.
  5. Obvious interest in your company and brand. When you first reached out to them, did they do their homework? Visit your site? Check out your portfolio? Read your blog? Follow you on social media channels? You’ll know they’re into you if they bring up interesting facts or project work that resonated with them or piqued their interest.
  6. Ongoing pursuit of knowledge. Do they have any industry certifications? Are they curating content for their social media communities? Do their blogs reflect an awareness and deeper consideration of salient topics? Great B2B content writers are avid students of marketing, business, and life.

 

4 Red Flags You Can’t Ignore

I’d be leery of any writer who exhibits the following.

  1. Poor online presence. An amateurish website and little or no social media presence spells trouble. Particularly for a writer who supposedly specializes in content.
  2. Sloppy and/or spotty communications. Writers who don’t correspond professionally, or in a timely way, are like people who show up late to interviews wearing tuxedo t-shirts. It’s hard to take them seriously. I wouldn’t.
  3. Jack of all trades, master of none. Claiming they know it all, have done it all, and can do it all, with no particular niche or specialty area. This indicates one of two things: 1) They’re overselling (and will surely under deliver); or 2) they haven’t worked enough in a particular area to master it.
  4. Rock-bottom prices. At best, this one smacks of desperation. Great writers charge what they know they’re worth. (One caveat: Negotiation based on the particulars of a job or an extended working relationship is never out of the question.)

 

What Your Writers Need From You

Great B2B content writers won’t stick around if there’s no incentive. You have to treat them like the hardcore professionals they are. Impersonal transactions don’t interest them; they want to partner with you on a strategic level.

Here’s how to build a lasting partnership that will benefit you both.

  • Regular, responsive communication. This one is huge. Seems like common sense, right? Not for all organizations. I’ve experienced radio silence myself, and it’s incredibly frustrating and demeaning. Ignoring your writers is the fastest way to slough them off.
  • Proper guidance. You need to convey everything you know and understand about the job (and the context for it). Great B2B writers can’t perform at their peak without the right tools. They need both the finer details and a lay of the land.
  • Commensurate pay. Great B2B writers deliver results. When that happens, consider a rate increase. It will serve as a reward for good work—and a sign of how much you value your writers and their contributions.

 

Bottom Line: Vet Them Well, Treat Them Even Better

If you outsource content writing, you need to screen your writers carefully. And you need to treat them like true, valued partners. You have to do both to get the results you want—and to avoid the constant scramble to locate new writing talent.

What kinds of experiences have you had with freelance B2B content writers (good and bad)? How do you screen new writers, and how do you solidify your relationship with them? Please share your thoughts below.

 

Since 2001, Becky Tumidolsky has written awareness-building content for B2B brands and their discerning audiences. Her work has appeared in leading publications such as Forbes, U.S.News & World Report, Bloomberg Markets, Newsweek, and Inc. as well as corporate blogs, websites, white papers, and other content assets.

Becky loves writing fluid, error-free prose. She’s even more passionate about building the foundation for her work—uncovering core brand distinctions, framing them thematically, and developing fresh, compelling narratives that advance corporate strategies.

Follow and connect: Twitter| Google+| LinkedIn| Facebook

How to Write B2B Content People Will Take Seriously

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B2B Content People Seriously

 

 

Have you ever read B2B content you didn’t take seriously?

Of course you have.

It could have been the little things, like misspelled words or homophone confusion.

It could have been bigger things, like lackluster visuals or confusing jargon.

Or it could have been big, nasty things, like:

  • a topic that’s been beaten to death;
  • a sales pitch disguised as helpful or newsworthy content; or
  • an argument that lacks meaningful support.

Now, let’s turn the tables. Has your content ever fallen short of your ownhigh standards? Of course not (wink, wink, nudge, nudge).

 

Cursory Content Tells Audiences, “You’re a Low Priority.”

If you’ve ever hit “publish” just to get a few points on the board, you’re not alone.

We content creators all want meaningful engagement. We take pride in showcasing our expertise. We delight in sharing our passion for solving customers’ problems. But it’s really hard to carve out time for a five-star blog post or presentation, let alone a sustained creative effort.

So, what’s the answer? Should we eke out whatever we can, as quickly as possible?

Here’s the problem with that approach. When marketers don’t take content writing seriously (“We don’t care enough to do content well”), audiences don’t take brands seriously (“They don’t care enough to serve us well”).

Nothing lost in translation there. Your prospects are getting the message, loud and clear.

 

5 Critical Do’s for B2B Content Marketers

Here’s a handy list, along with some inspirational resources, that can help guide your future content efforts.

 

#1: Be Bold. Be Brazen!

You’re a disruptor at heart. You know where your industry is failing customers, and you have the formula for change. You’ve got the talent, capabilities, and success stories to back up your brand promise.

But does your content reflect all that? Is it bold, just like your brand? Or is it safe and boring?

I’ve encountered few marketers more brazen than Scot McKee of Birddog B2B. I love his brutal honesty. It’s clear where his passion lies: helping brands smash through the clutter. Check out“The Long Talk,” Scot’s take on the myopic thinking that limits B2B brands’ creative potential.

 

#2: Make Them Laugh (with You, not at You).

I’ve written before about the 5 key benefits of using humor in B2B content. One thing I would add this time around: People love sharing funny content. All people. Yes, even the B2B buyers you’re targeting.

If you understand the irritations that plagueyour buyers, you have all the material you need. Laughter is terrific medicine; by making audiences laugh, you’re providing welcome relief. You’re also demonstrating your empathy, which wins people over fast.

Think you have a boring brand? Can’t think past sell sheetsand white papers? Read Humor and B2B Marketing: A Love Story by Ann Handley.

 

#3: Be a Friend, Not an Entity.

A warm, conversational tone. Relatable stories and experiences. What’s not to love?

When we reveal our inner selves in our content, we’re touching human beings who happen to be decision makers, not the other way around. B2B marketers who dare to be authentic and vulnerable are still a rare breed. Thus they’re more successful at generating interest, forging connections, and building trust.

Here’s a great example of authentic content: What If PR Stood for People and Relationships? a manifesto for building relationships in the digital era, a highly successful eBook from Cision (with Brian Solis of Altimeter Group).

 

#4: Flex Your Intellectual Muscle.

Everyone wants to be a thought leader. Few, however, accomplish this goal. To have any hope of success, you have to delve deeply into the issues your customers and prospects face.

Take a look at the content you’re producing, and ask yourself:

  • Are we merely providing data, or are we using it to tell a larger story?
  • Are we challenging conventional wisdom in our industry?
  • Are we simply defining our niche, or are we communicating a vision?

Dr. Liz Alexander, cofounder of Leading Thought, helps companies around the world become industry-leading influencers. You can read my interview with her about what thought leadership is (and isn’t), or you can read her post “8 Reasons You Really DON’T Want to Be a Thought Leader.”

 

#5: Edit Like a Maniac. And Not Just for Errors.

Maybe you’re like me: you edit as you write. But that’s not good enough. Make several passes after you think you’re satisfied. Scrutinize every detail.

  • How’s your hook? Could it be simpler? Funnier? More intriguing? Give audiences a reason to care about what comes next.
  • Spelling, punctuation, and grammar—yeah, you know the drill.
  • There can be no doubt about the use of a word. If you’re the least bit hesitant, choose a different word.
  • Language must be clearandconcise. Trim the fat, then trim again.
  • Flow is everything. Give audiences the gift of an effortless read. If anything trips you up—a phrase, a sentence, a paragraph, the way you’ve organized your thoughts—do whatever it takes to get the flow just right. This could require shortening, rewording, or ditching a sentence. Breaking up or reordering paragraphs. Or scrapping an entire section altogether. (Painful, yes. But content that bombs is 10x more painful.)

Copyblogger has a wealth of great posts on this subject. Here’s one by Stefanie Flaxman, Copyblogger’s editor in chief: “15 Copy Editing Tips That Can Transform Your Content into Persuasive and Shareable Works of Art.”

 

What Critical Do’s and Don’ts Would You Include?

When you’re out there consuming content, what makes you roll your eyes? Slap your forehead? Wish you could get those precious minutes back?

I’d love to know your thoughts on this topic, this post, or anything else related to B2B content writing. Let’s start a conversation in the comment section below.

 

 

Since 2001, Becky Tumidolsky has written awareness-building content for B2B brands and their discerning audiences. Her work has appeared in leading publications such as Forbes, U.S.News & World Report, Bloomberg Markets, Newsweek, and Inc. as well as corporate blogs, websites, white papers, and other content assets.

Becky loves writing fluid, error-free prose. She’s even more passionate about building the foundation for her work—uncovering core brand distinctions, framing them thematically, and developing fresh, compelling narratives that advance corporate strategies.

Follow and connect: Twitter| Google+| LinkedIn| Facebook

10 Perfect Gift Ideas for Your B2B Content Audiences

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http://www.dreamstime.com/stock-photography-festive-christmas-gift-snow-image26291432
Are you a B2B marketer who’d like to say “thank you” to the busy, distracted, time-starved professionals who somehow manage to consume your content?

Would you like to show them how much they mean to you, and how much you care?

For starters, aim higher. Give them the quality content they deserve.

As a consumer of B2B content myself, I take timeout of each workday to read and curate fresh insights, anecdotes, wit, and debate—the kind of content I not only want to share, but can’t wait to share. Finding that one-in-a-million surprise—be it informative, quirky, or scintillating—is a real joy, because it momentarily lifts me out of my stressful daily routine.

That’s how your prospects should feel when they read your article, paper, infographic, social media post, or blog post. You’d like to think they do, because you’re creating content just for them in a spirit of selfless service. (Right?)

Regardless of your content past, ’tis the season to commit to giving the gift of great content in 2015 and beyond. Here are 10 items you’ll most likely find on your audiences’ wish lists.

 

1. Don’t try to impress. Be humble and helpful.

Are you creating content just to seem smart or relevant? If so, please stop.

Crowing about your next-generation, industry-leading awesomeness will only leave your audience feeling like a third wheel next to you and your ego.

Ditch the ego, and let your audiences decide your worth. Share knowledge and ideas freely—with your prospects at the center of your subject-matter universe—and you’ll demonstrate your passion for helping people expand their knowledge and improve their game.

 

2. Be transparent.

I understand the temptation to hurry your prospects through the sales funnel by promoting your brand in your content. Everyone wants to see a return on the content they produce. But here’s the thing: B2B content is a crummy vehicle for sales.

Most business professionals are slow and deliberate about making purchasing decisions, they recoil from aggressive marketing, and they have a keen nose for B.S. The last thing they want is bait-and-switch content (a sleek headline, the promise of useful or entertaining information without strings, and a sales pitch at the end).

If you want to earn your audiences’ respect and trust, don’t try to close the deal too early. If you do, it will backfire on your brand.

 

3. Communicate clearly and error free.

Writers like me aren’t the only sticklers when it comes to grammar, spelling, syntax, punctuation, and sentence structure. Your prospects are a nitpicky bunch, too. They see silly mistakes, confusing verbiage, and disorganized thought as a sign of carelessness and/or incompetence. They’ll make the unfortunate association with your brand. In an instant, the damage will be done.

“Write drunk and edit sober,” that famous line frequently attributed to Ernest Hemingway, is about the best (and most succinct) advice you’ll ever read. You’ll want to write without fear or shame, but you’ll need your feet firmly planted when you edit. And you’ll need to edit on multiple level—everything from spelling and readability to organization and visual presentation. You can’t afford not to.

 

4. Serve ice cream, not whipped cream.

Your audiences want to digest something that’s hearty and satisfying—something that sticks with them for a while. Weightless and fluffy won’t do the job. It’s useless and forgettable.

Do anything you can to avoid rehashing well-worn topics. If you do, offer readers a unique perspective. Don’t just regurgitate facts; take a position. Provide credible support to shore up your material.

If you invest a little more thought and effort, you may wind up creating less content. But your content quality—the bigger concern anyway—will no doubt improve.

 

5. Make your content a two-way street.

Content writing isn’t copywriting. It’s conversation. Think of it as a running dialogue rather than a static presentation.

Make sure you’re speaking directly to your buyer personas in an easygoing, relatable way, as though there’s no one else in the room. Invoke shared knowledge and experiences. Ask for feedback and perspectives. Convey your desire to learn from your audiences, too. And mean it.

 

6. Take an intellectual risk.

The rest of your industry may be thinking or doing X, but you’re tired of seeing X. You’re bursting to do Y.

So do it.

Show what makes you a leader: confidence, expertise, and the courage of your convictions. Boldly go where others in your industry won’t. Welcome resistance and debate. Field questions and counter challenges like the happy warrior you are. Your audiences will appreciate it.

 

7. Take a creative risk.

Your prospects are getting buried in a growing heap of boring, uninspired, conformist content. The risk-averse B2B marketers creating it feel bound by current industry practices or perceived standards and expectations.

The best gifts, however, are the ones we least expect.

Give your audiences a happy surprise: an off-the-wall graphic, an intriguing hook, or a dash of self-deprecating humor. Trade in your corporate voice, your stuffy suit, and your torturous heels for passion, empathy, and authenticity—you know, the stuff that makes people laugh and nod in agreement and start to think of you as a trusted friend.

 

8. Emphasize good design.

Your content needs to be as user friendly and aesthetically pleasing as it is well written.

  • Choose your image(s) wisely—no stock photos, unless you can haul them into picmonkey.com and add your own distinct touches.
  • Pay close attention to colors, fonts, and white space.
  • Be on guard for potential distractions, and eliminate them.
  • Make your content easy to scan and easily digestible by breaking up monolithic paragraphs and using subheads and bullets.

 

9. Provide real value—every time.

Content that serves as a handy, useful reference has a good chance of easing your prospects into a closer relationship with you. If done and marketed well, an eBook or white paper may just be the incentive they need to trust you with their contact information.

When your prospects do sign up, continue to treat them with respect. Don’t flood their inboxes. Only send them emails that are worth their time and attention. Your continuing purpose should be to lead your prospects down the path to improving their own lives.

 

10. Be your audiences’ biggest champion.

Work hard to understand your prospects. Be empathetic. Respect their feelings, concerns, and reservations—particularly when it comes to making leaps of trust (i.e., reaching out to do business with you) with their brand reputation and career aspirations hanging in the balance.

Ultimately, your content success depends on whether your audiences feel valued. If you show them the best side of your brand and make clear they are your raison d’etre, they may just become ambassadors or clients. And these are the gifts that keep on giving.

 

 

Since 2001, Becky Tumidolsky has written awareness-building content for B2B brands and their discerning audiences. Her work has appeared in leading publications such as Forbes, U.S.News & World Report, Bloomberg Markets, Newsweek, and Inc. as well as corporate blogs, websites, white papers, and other content assets.

Becky loves writing fluid, error-free prose. She’s even more passionate about building the foundation for her work—uncovering core brand distinctions, framing them thematically, and developing fresh, compelling narratives that advance corporate strategies.

Follow and connect: Twitter| Google+| LinkedIn| Facebook

The Perils of Writing Poorly: 5 Ways to Kill Your Audience

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Psycho Collage

 

 

Do you believe content writing can be delegated to just about anyone? If so, here’s a disturbing vision that might just scare you straight.

A weak, wandering narrative. Sentences and paragraphs that don’t flow logically or stylistically. Incomprehensible bloat. Ideas randomly introduced. Awkward or missing transitions. Tangents that lead readers astray, out into the dark forest, then lose them altogether.

One by one, your audience disappears—picked off by that evil, murderous duo, Confusion and Irritation.

 

 

Haphazard Writing Is Murder.

Long-form content requires much more than a catchy headline and subject-matter expertise. It needs lots of forethought, finessing, and fine-tuning to engage readers and move them to act.

Whatever you do, do NOT write long-form content without having mastered the basics of English composition. If you attempt it anyway, you’ll be doing your brand a disservice.

Writing rules and best practices aren’t necessarily intuitive. Nor are they negotiable. They must be learned and practiced and practiced again. No matter how well-intentioned you might be, if you’re poorly equipped or halfhearted in your writing efforts, your content will reflect that. And your audiences will suffer for it.

 

Say Goodbye to Those Pesky Prospects for Good! Here’s How.

1. Whip up Something That Has No Discernible Purpose.

Maybe you’d like to help readers solve vexing problems, showcase your thought-leading ideas or practices, or spur discussion by weighing in on an industry debate.

All fine and good. But what’s the backstory? Why this topic, this channel, this moment in time? What unique contribution can you make? How does this fit into/support your broader marketing campaign/strategy?

 

Who cares, really? I mean, if you want your audience gone, forget purpose. Forget personas. Let your tone, structure, and style—your entire approach—be a matter of personal whim. Writing is easier that way.

 

2. Seize on a Topic That’s Been Beaten to Death.

No one needs to read another post about what content marketing is and why it bolsters business—unless you can make it so illuminating and entertaining that people will be dazzled, come away with something new, and eagerly share it.

In an earlier post (“Is Your B2B Blog a Real Snoozefest?“), I tackled this very subject using the following example of supposedly groundbreaking content:

 

Top 10 Tips for Writing a Blog Post

Create a top-10 list.

Include visuals.

Share on social media.

[ . . . ]

Pinch me! I must be dreaming, because I’m deep in REM sleep mode.

If your blog marches to this same predictable rhythm, you’re not giving readers much to look forward to or talk about in their social circles. You might as well stop posting and revisit your purpose, your objectives, and what’s really driving your efforts.

 

Go ahead: Follow that familiar format, hammer those cliches, and play it safe. Keep things easy for you and predictable for your readers. To ensure your audience’s quick demise, you’ll want your content to blend in nicely with the content everyone else in your industry is producing.

 

3. Use Lofty Language, Blase Boilerplate, and Industry Jargon.

Perhaps you’ve heard of this phenomenon called the “curse of knowledge.” It’s the inability of smart, knowledgeable people to translate their genius into broadly relatable content. To me, this challenge is completely understandable—and entirely surmountable. We B2B content writers make our living translating industry expertise for the benefit of target audiences.

When B2B marketers resist using plain language and rely instead on lofty words, industry cliches, and soul-drainingboilerplate, it’s not a curse of knowledge that plagues them. It’s the fear of being authentic and vulnerable. Breaking the industry mold is just too great a risk.

In her post “20 Devastating Content Marketing Mistakes,” Tatiana Liubarets writes, “It’s almost never acceptable to hide simple concepts behind confusing language or buzzwords. Keep it simple, stick to the basis of your ideas, and never let yourself slip into this content marketing mistake.”
cartoon-gallery-of-management-consulting

 

If you want to keep audiences engaged, Liubarets’ advice makes sense. If you want them gone, keep pushing the meaningless blather and testing the limits of readers’ patience.

 

4. Deny Them Food and Compass. Then Lead Them Far Astray.

When they begin their journey with you, readers want and expect to be able to follow your train of thought. They need sustenance—solid support for your assertions and an emotional connection with you. They need to understand the lay of the land, and they need a clear sense of direction.

If you want to muddle your message without mercy, try these smooth moves:

  • Provide as little context as possible. Force your audience to navigate in the dark.
  • Don’t clarify relationships between and among ideas. (No clear framework, no logical progression, no transitions.) Also, jump back and forth for no apparent reason and without warning.
  • Clog the works with irrelevant details, pointless tangents, and unnecessary words and phrases.
  • Be as dry, dull, and formulaic as possible. The last thing you want is to seem passionate about your topic and give readers a reason to care.

 

5. Build a Giant Wall of Text and Force Your Audience to Climb It.

The look of your web page or document is as important to the reader’s experience as the writing itself. Readers want and expect scannable information, transitional cues, appropriate fonts, visuals that reinforce key messages, ample white space, and aesthetic appeal.

So don’t give them the pleasure! Ditch the subheads. Keep paragraphs big and monolithic. Use tacky or inappropriate fonts and visuals. Or skip the visuals altogether.

Then sit back, relax, and watch those pesky prospects drop like flies.

 

Since 2001, Becky Tumidolsky has written awareness-building content for B2B brands and their discerning audiences. Her work has appeared in leading publications such as Forbes, U.S.News & World Report, Bloomberg Markets, Newsweek, and Inc. as well as corporate blogs, websites, white papers, and other content assets.

Becky loves writing fluid, error-free prose. She’s even more passionate about building the foundation for her work—uncovering core brand distinctions, framing them thematically, and developing fresh, compelling narratives that advance corporate strategies.

Follow and connect: Twitter| Google+| LinkedIn| Facebook

 

 

The Perils of Writing Poorly: You Call That a Hook?

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http://www.dreamstime.com/royalty-free-stock-photography-woman-holding-hook-image21075567

 

Do you remember sitting beside the campfire as a kid, being taught to fear the creepy guy with a hook for a hand?

(You know, the hook that could be heard scraping the teenagers’ car door: Screeeeeeeee.)

Maybe that’s why, as adults, many content writers give scant attention to the hook in their stories—the opening sentence (or two or three) designed to capture readers’ attention and interest and draw them in for the kill.

If this describes you, it’s time to face your fear. Take a big breath, make a creative leap, and give your readers apleasant surprise.

 

 

Why Your Hook Must Be Fierce

Neglecting your hook can be a fatal mistake.

A dull hook can’t cut through the clutter, and it won’t reach readers at their core.

When people are lured by a great headline and begin wading into the body copy below, they want to be hooked. They’re begging for it. If you don’t hook your readers right away, they’ll make themselves scarce in a hurry.

 

Publishing brand content without a good hook is like launching into a major speech without acknowledging your audience. In a sea of competing content, where consumers’ attention so easily drifts, your success or failure will depend largely on how you craft your opening lines.

 

 

now this here's a hook
Now this here’s what I call a HOOK!

 

 

How to Write a Hook That Will Slay ‘Em

Here’s a great exercise: Look closely at the hooks used in feature stories, in-depth news articles, blogs, and opinion essays. Assess their creativity and effectiveness. Think about what you might have done differently.

Below are some classic tricks writers use to pique their readers’ interest.

 

Begin with an intriguing anecdote.

Give a few key details so readers will want to know what happens next.

An example from GE’s content hub, gereports.com:

Hilary Monaco has a black belt in Taekwondo, and she can take a few punches. When her sparring partner landed a hard kick to her head during practice last fall, she didn’t think much of it.

 

Pitch something out of left field.

Jolt the reader. Make him or her wonder where you’re going with this. Then clarify your meaning and purpose by providing the necessary context.

Here’s an example from New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd:

The Right to Be Forgotten.

It sounds like the title of a classic novel about desire and memory, perhaps Marcel Proust’s sequel to “Remembrance of Things Past.”

It is, in fact, based on a French legal phrase, le droit a l’oubli, the “right of oblivion,” which allows criminals who have paid their debt to society to object to the publication of information about their conviction and jail time.

 

Ask a relatable, thought-provoking question.

The moment readers start to answer in their own heads, jump in with a unique perspective.

Here’s a great example, courtesy of Copyblogger:

Have you ever stared at something, knowing you’re doing everything right, but it still won’t … freaking …work?

That’s how Copyblogger has felt about its Facebook page for quite some time.

 

Reference a historical event, a familiar yarn, or a classic movie.

But frame it in a new way. Draw parallels that help illuminate your topic or strengthen your position.

This is the opening paragraph for a recent essay in Time magazine. The author goes on to poke fun at the decision by Toys R Us to sell Breaking Bad action figures:

Human history is often defined by its very worst pitch meetings. Take the one in 1812, when one of Napoleon’s generals told the Great Emperor, “I’ve got an idea. Let’s invade Russia—in the winter!” Or the one in 1985, when the anonymous product developer at Coca-Cola said, “How ’bout we take a product everyone loves, quit making it and replace it with a different formulation no one is asking for! What could go wrong?”

 

Turn conventional wisdom on its head.

Start with a statement about something most people assume to be true. Then explain why the assumption is false.

Such a hook might look something like this:

As everyone knows, attempting to network with strangers on LinkedIn is a major breach of etiquette.

Marketing maven Matt Matthews couldn’t disagree more. In his latest bestseller, The 2014 Marketer’s Guide to LinkedIn Success, he argues . . . .

 

Try a punchy quote.

Choose a quote that captures the perspective and/or personality of a featured individual. For example, if you’re writing about the late Steve Jobs, you might begin with a quote from him: “Stay hungry. Stay foolish.”

Say you’re tackling the subject of gutsy corporate leadership. You might try a quote from a revered leader in another arena—for example, General George S. Patton: “If everyone is thinking alike, then somebody isn’t thinking.” You could weave in a little battlefield history to boot.

Whatever quote you use, make it a memorable one. Short and direct works best.

 

Make a general observation.

It could be about the importance of this, or the nature of that, or the certain result of a given action. It could be about a cultural, marketing, economic, or other big trend as evidenced by an interesting statistic. It could even be an old adage (e.g.,”A rolling stone gathers no moss”). Then demonstrate how your featured person, company, or topic is a perfect example—or a notable exception to the rule.

From National Review‘s Jonah Goldberg:

On the Internet, you’re never really alone. Name any fad, any cause, any hobby or passion—Shaker furniture? Dungeons and Dragons, Bolivian tree frogs?—and you’re only a few clicks away from someone who shares your obsession.

 

Use a metaphor or simile.

Just make sure you clarify the relationship in a colorful or offbeat way.

By way of example, here’s a variation of Mark Twain’s classic quote:

Politicians are like used diapers: They both need to be changed often, and for the same reason.

 

 

And Now, Some Penetrating Questions

How much attention do you give opening lines? Which types of hooks do you rely on most in your writing? Which are most effective at capturing your interest? Please share your perspective below.

 

Since 2001, Becky Tumidolsky has written awareness-building content for B2B brands and their discerning audiences. Her work has appeared in leading publications such as Forbes, U.S.News & World Report, Bloomberg Markets, Newsweek, and Inc. as well as corporate blogs, websites, white papers, and other content assets.

Becky loves writing fluid, error-free prose. She’s even more passionate about building the foundation for her work—uncovering core brand distinctions, framing them thematically, and developing fresh, compelling narratives that advance corporate strategies.

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