Channel the Saran Wrap

The only problem with it is that it’s not environmentally friendly, so don’t channel that part of the Saran Wrap™, but grab hold of everything else and apply it to your writing, online, blogging and social media efforts.

Saran Wrap™ is:

1. Transparent. If you aren’t transparent, you’re hiding something, which makes you untrustworthy…people want to connect with people, not businesses, NOT smoke screens.Transparency is about being really genuine - don’t just be a car salesman, be a car salesman who loves sandwiches, tennis, his kids and the novel you’ve been writing for the last year.

2. Clear. Be clear about your mission, your goals, your industry, your philosophy, your blog topic, the scope of what you do. Clarity is about your own personal understanding and connection to your professional life and plan. If you aren’t clear, you’re confused, disorganized and ineffective - things that will negatively effect your productivity, overall business, relationships, etc.

3. Sticky. If folks just breeze on through your blog, website, store - you haven’t really gotten anywhere. You want to stick to them, you want them to stick to you, you want them to subscribe, bookmark, buy, sign-up, return, remember you. The point is to build a long relationship and have it expand over time.

4. Connected. Ever notice how it’s very difficult to get just a little bit of Saran Wrap™ off the roll? The wrap is so connected to itself, like brothers in arms, a VERY tight network. Use this in two ways: 1) build your own network via your blog and your social networks and, 2) encourage this network to tell their own networks about you as well.

5. Become ‘the’ word to the extent that people think your name represents the entire industry - think Kleenex™ here. Saran Wrap™ is a registered trademark brand name, the product is actually plastic wrap. Word of mouth and a good product has made them the industry leader, standard and mascot.

6. Tools. One box, all you need. Saran Wrap™ has the container, the wrap, the cardboard tube that keeps the wrap in check, the metal teeth to cut the wrap. Have all of the tools people need at the ready. Make it easy for them to contact you, purchase your product or service, use your product or service, tell their friends about their contact or service, etc.

Don’t pick the G.I. Joe action figure

Image courtesy of Destro

We have a toy philosophy for our kids that basically states: go open ended.

But, back to the toys. If you give kids a G.I. Joe action figure, you’ve basically defined for them the who, what, how and why of the toy. I mean where do they really have to go with it?

Juxtapose that with a wooden block. A wooden block can be anything. A dog, a car, a mountain…could even be G.I. Joe.

A static, brochure website is the equivalent of the G.I. Joe toy. Basically, it is what it is. You can change up your content or your images (if you have an easy to navigate content management system (CMS))…but to really expand it any way, you’d have to pay big bucks to a designer or coder. Just like you’d have to buy G.I. Joe’s new uber-tank to expand his outfit and capabilities.

But, the blog is the wooden block. It’s designed to be anything you want, anything you can imagine - and it’s made to grow by:

• the blogger him/herself
• the theme
• the blogging software
• the blog posts
• the plug-ins
• the widgets
• the links
• the readers
• the subscribers
• the sponsors
• the writer’s growing expertise
• the industry’s transformation
• the traffic
• the comments
• the search engine ranking
• the inquiries
• the relationships
• the technological advances
• the infinite possibilities…

Which one do you want??? Just askin’…

Ghostwriting blogs: at what cost?

I spend a lot of time on this blog talking about how important it is to be authentic in social media (including blogs). I’m even in the midst of writing an ebook on the subject with my good friend, Ron Miller. And, yet, I’m on the deep end of a controversial debate about blogging itself.

The debate looks like this: is it okay to have someone else write your blog? And it sounds just plain UGLY.

I’ve got to say I ride the fence, see both sides, struggle intensely and feel many things when this gets discussed. But, if I had to choose, I’d say it’s okay (and I have some guidelines that I follow).

Side ONE

I absolutely ghostwrite blogs for certain clients, I’m proud of my work and I feel good about the services I offer. My reasons for doing so:

1. I love blogging and think it is an incredible and beneficial practice that everyone should have the option to enjoy.

2. Some people seriously can’t write. Why is it that writing is taken for granted and design isn’t? Is it because we all learned how to read and write in the 1st grade, but only some people learned graphic/web design. There is a difference between being able to literally write letters and being able to write skillful copy or prose. The ‘I can write, so I’m a writer‘ assumption is inherently flawed.

3. I don’t think a writing inability should exclude a person from the power and joy of blogging.

4. Time. Many people want to focus on their business and don’t have the time to write their blog. The number one reason for blog failure is time and commitment.

5. As best as I can, I approach blog ghostwriting like I approach all marketing writing: I listen to my client’s voice, personality, passions, business mission/goals/philosophy. I do market research and immerse myself in their industry. We talk regularly so that the blog really is theirs, I’m just the writing vehicle. (Disclaimer: This last part does not always happen, but it is always my goal to educate the client about its importance and then move in that direction).

6. I love blog writing - it is my all time favorite writing platform, so the work gives me great (and steady) work that I simply adore.

7. I wonder if there are two levels of blogging - or maybe a million, maybe there are as many levels as there are bloggers. The level is determined by the desired result. Are you looking to showcase a portfolio, write, hear your voice, connect with others, sell something, document a process, establish yourself as an expert, be public, be private, build a business, offer services…?

In some of these scenarios, it makes no sense, and in effect, would be detrimental to have someone else blog for you, in others…not so much. Can an architect document their process for a project with pictures, plans, etc. but have me write the accompanying text so that it sounds good? Can they tell me their philosophies and have me create copy that will be readable so that they can widen the net they cast? I’m going to say yes.

Side TWO

1. I understand the other side. The side that says that any blog value will be lost when the owner is not the author. I get it because it is all too true for my own blog. No one else could write this blog for me and get the same results (most definitively, because I’m a writer - so it would just be wrong. But if I was a prize-winning baker that was dyslexic? Different story).

2. This scenario was pitched to me: what if someone came up to one of your clients at a cocktail party or networking event and started talking to them about a blog post and they had no idea what they’d said (really, what I’d written). Of course, I see that this poses a problem. If someone writes your blog for you, you need to read it - and, as I mentioned in #5 above, it’s best if you are involved in the ideas and philosophies that stand behind the blog.

3. But, just two days ago, someone started talking to me about something that I wrote and it took me (someone literally married to and consumed by this url) a bit of discussion before I could locate the exact post they were talking about. It’s not out of the question that a blogger might need some time and help to identify each of their posts.

4. Back to #7 above, I think there are so many different kinds of blogs - some would be decidedly wrecked if they were written by someone else.

5. There’s also an honesty issue at play here…I know and understand that some people, if they found out that a blog they read was written by someone else, would feel lied to - that the blog was misrepresented. One of my clients insisted that we be transparent about the fact that I wrote for her - and the whys and hows - it was quite interesting, not to mention fun, to be a tag team visible to the world.

Wow - I’m rereading this and seeing that I’m heavy handed on the ‘it’s okay to ghostwrite a blog’ side…maybe it’s because I feel good about the how and why I do it. I’m not just filling someone’s blog with salesy, impersonal ‘crap’ (’scuse my French)…see how there are so many levels to this debate?

I know that a lot of you feel very differently and quite strongly about this topic - so let’s hear it! Because on this blog, there is plenty of room for discussion…we’re looking at the world through multi-lensed (and rose-colored) glasses ’round here.

FYI, for the record, I do not think it’s okay for a ghostwriter to write someone’s social media (Twitter, for example) conversations or to respond to blog comments (though if a client really can NOT write, I will edit the text). I know there has been a lot of conversation about how you can draw a line here, but I think it’s simple - a post is an article, a conversation or content posted on a social media site or as a comment on another blog is different. Regardless, this post is about ghostwriting blogs.

Update: I love what Alisa Bowman added to the conversation below in the comments. She is a ghostwriter and she puts this soooo well:

“I see it as an exchange of skills: One person has the idea (ideal world) and I have the skills (way of putting that idea on paper).”

What comes first? The social networking or the egg?

And by ‘egg,’ I mean ‘blog.’

Beth Harte and Geoff Livingston recently wrote a great article about weeding out the ‘carpetbagger’ social media experts. In their list of 25 things to watch out for, I agreed wholeheartedly with 22 of them - and feel quite strongly about the three I disagree with.

The first point: ‘First recommendation is to blog’ is tackled below - the other two (blog ghostwriting and personal branding) are coming soon.

I can see why it might not always be the right first step for every single person or company. But, I have a hard time swallowing the notion that blogging first might be a misstep for most people - or that its suggestion would make the suggester a ‘carpetbagger.’ I started with my blog and then walked onto the social media scene, and my chosen order was highly beneficial for me, both personally and professionally. Here’s why:

1. Slow, steady, safe pace. My blog gave me a quiet place to watch my ideas develop and be instantly published. At first, no one was even looking, then readers started to show up, then their comments arrived. I had time to find my voice and learn how to respond to people in this medium. If you haven’t noticed, social media happens fast - especially on Twitter - and jumping into the networking madness before I really knew myself online (or how ‘online’ worked) was not the best choice for me.

2. Reason to interact. When you first start reaching out on social networks, sharing your blog content is a great way to introduce yourself (and I don’t mean in a pushy, salesy way) - but it does give you something to say. Having written your posts, you’ve obviously formulated your own opinions on topics that you will now feel confident discussing. Also, as a blogger, you have a healthy dose of appreciation for the other bloggers out there and it’s something you have in common (writing, tech, design, functionality, etc.) to connect about.

3. Portfolio, calling card, resume. Your blog is all of these things - so when people check out your Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, (etc.) page or bio, they have a clickable link that immediately provides an in-depth look into who you are and what you do. When I go to someone’s Twitter bio, for example, and there is no site/blog listed, I have virtually nowhere to go - no way to connect, forge a relationship or network. In this scenario, there is only a small amount of information available that tells me what this person can do for me and what I can do for them. Personally, when I network, I want all of my talents and skills visible to maximize my connection possibilities.

4. Blogs, by definition, expand our ability to be found online. My blog is part of my social networking world. Before I even set foot onto a social networking site, I had built a community around my blog. Then, my blog and my social networking sites blended, merged and grew together - and they continue to do so. In fact, both my blog and my social networks feed each other via organic searches, as well as word of mouth. (people find my blog and then come to follow me on Twitter and vice versa).

A blog is a brilliant way to establish an online presence by letting the world know all about you and your thoughts on everything connected to your industry and area of expertise.

5. Blog as listening tool. I don’t care what your business is - you have to listen to clients, customers, colleagues, peers, the world to succeed. Otherwise you won’t know what they want, why they want it or how you can give it to them. Blogs are a great listening tool because you can ask questions, listen to comments and watch your stat diagnostics (what people are searching for and reading). Of course, social media is a great listening tool as well (would never suggest otherwise).

6. Freedom and ownership. With so many rules and guidelines, blogs allow you to publish, to own, to think your thoughts and explore without being at the whim of a publisher. Your own real estate is always a great place to start…didn’t Madonna start off by singing and dancing around the house in her underwear? Certainly not on the world stage.

And, at the end of the day, I love blogs because they allow for so many different opinions - no one has to be right or wrong, but the arguments can and should be heard and discussed.

What did you do first? Blog or social networking?

Do you feel strongly that one or the other should happen first?

Poor John Grogan: he had no blog

Warning: spoiler alert, though, come on, it’s obvious.

On Christmas afternoon, I went to see Marley & Me, the screen adaptation of John Grogan’s memoir about his insane yellow lab and his life as a journalist. I loved the book, loved the writing, loved his dog (because I love mine.)

But, as I watched, I got stuck on something non-doggish. Grogan, who started as a reporter, was soon pigeonholed as a columnist - because he was really good at it. And, it, in this case was humorously documenting his life, his dog, his family and his community on a ongoing, regular basis to a wide, growing and devoted audience.

At one point, he left his column to try to be a reporter, again. But, he couldn’t take himself out of his articles. He pitched a column again. At home, he had an album full of his columns, cut out from the paper and pasted in…

And all I could think about was that he was a born blogger.

Ninety-nine percent of my tears were because the dog died (that’s the spoiler, but not really, it’s obvious and was in the book). There were so many tears because I’ve lost a yellow lab and it was like losing an arm - and because I do my best crying during movies.

The remaining percent of the tears goes to the tragedy of  John Grogan not having a blog during the beginning of his journey as a writer. Let me repub this part:

Humorously documenting his life, his dog, his family and his community on a ongoing, regular basis to a wide, growing and devoted audience.

Thankfully, blogs were eventually created…thankfully, John Grogan has his own blog today. I came right home to find it, and I was correct: he’s really good at it.

When you are so 2009 & your web copy is so 1987

One of my clients, whom I’m teaching how to blog, asked the other day about my first blog post. Here’s a snippet:

As a writer without a blog, I’ve been like a butcher without a taste for meat, a dog trainer without a dog, a rockstar without a microphone….

And, as I read those words (and had a good chuckle), I realized that something was missing again. This time, the missing piece is up-to-date, umm, updates on my static pages.

When was the last time you read through your website?

Mine had been virtually ignored for a long, long time. All of my attention has been on my blog, but guess what? My site’s homepage is the #2 referrer to my blog. What’s on there is important - it is, of course, where people go to find out more, discover what’s in it for them and how they can use me to make their lives better…

Things to do when revising your static website copy:

1. Personalize. Could your website belong to anyone in your industry? My old homepage was very generic, talking about ‘results-magnetized copy’ and being ‘a full-service copywriting and marketing company’ - it didn’t stand out at all. I was noticeably absent. Where was my personal brand?

2. Accuracy. When I first wrote my site (yes, this was the first time I’ve revised since I originally wrote the site, cough, cough, oy vey), I concentrated on different services than I offer today. My company, skills and knowledge have grown dramatically and, while this was all documented on my blog, it wasn’t reflected on the rest of my site.

3. Blog Ties. In case you haven’t noticed, I love blogs. This is where I let it all out and where you really get to know me. So, here’s what I did: on my homepage, instead of linking to static info about my services, I linked my main services: Writing, Consulting, Speaking and Mentoring to blog posts where I discuss these bits about myself and my business…might change them at any point if I write something I like more…

4. Write what you want. What do you want your business to look like? Put it on your site. Ever seen the tagline, Write where you want to go???? That’s what I meant. Take action with your words, make it happen. Your website (and blog) are your very own real estate - the rules are your own, the sky is the limit. This is what I help my clients do because it’s what I’ve learned to do for myself.

Check out the new copy by clicking on the typewriter key navigation above…specifically, the ‘H’ for home and the ‘S’ for services. And, if you change your site, let me know - I’d love to see how you grab this bull by the horns…

Talking Roads

I am the little sister to two big brothers…who kind of tortured me (okay, in equal parts to how much I tortured them) while we were growing up. Teasing was their weapon of choice - and they preyed on my knack for verbalism, ie. talking a lot. Apparently, I was am loud, too. This was their favorite routine:

Jon: THIS IS JULIE YELLING!

Steve: THIS IS JULIE TALKING REALLY LOUD!

JON: THIS IS JULIE TALKING IN A NORMAL VOICE!

STEVE: This is Julie whispering!

jon: and this is julie not even talking at all!

Yes, sports fans, it’s a miracle that I grew up to be a communicator. But, I did. An educator and teacher, a writer and a public speaker, no less.

Ever the writer, in my past life, I was also a yoga teacher and workshop leader at Kripalu Center, the largest yoga retreat center in the world. I’ve presented independently to audiences as big as 2,000 at schools across the northeast. When I’m talking about my passions, I light up.

Those of you who know me do know that I’m not one to go heavy on the cheese, but when I speak to people about my passions, I tingle, I feel more alive than I knew I could feel. I am full to burst.

This is why I love to blog…it’s an extension of speaking for me. It virtually combines my devotion to writing and speaking.

And, it’s why I’ve taken this show on the road. I’m speaking (out-loud & off-blog) about writing, blogging and using social media to network and grow your business…authentically.

Why am I so passionate about writing, blogging and social media?

• Because learning these tools to grow my business has changed my life in ways that I never could have imagined. My mind, my skills, my personal and business connections, my aptitude for self-development & learning, my wallet, my quality of life, my happiness levels, my delight with life, my ability to be part of my family…they all grow every day as a result.
• Because to me, writing, blogging and social media breed, maximize and require authenticity. Without it, you will fail - social media is built that way. I help people find their authentic voice.

Why am I telling you this?

Because without sharing - the cycle, development, growth and joy deflate, stagnate, stop. By definition, this internet, and all it brings, thrives on the sharing of information.

How we can do it?

I am available to help, guide, inspire and catapult you through:

• Conferences
• Workshops
• Guest speaking
• Teleseminars
• Podcasts
• Blog/Article interviews
• Private consulting (individual, company, groups)

Let’s do it.

I look forward to hearing from you via email or 413.281.6013.

The brilliance of blog comments for writers

Have you ever written something on a blog about grape jelly only to come back an hour later, read your comments and realize you were wrong - that you actually wrote the post about peanut butter?

It doesn’t happen to me often, but it happens.

Blog comments offer us an incredible view of what we said, how we said it and how it lands with our audience. Did we, in fact, communicate the message we were hoping to deliver? Did we sound angry when we meant to sound passionate? Negative when we meant to be realistic?

What an opportunity to learn, to be critiqued in the pseudo-privacy of our own blog’s backend.

When this happens, I go back and reread what I wrote. I’m curious to see if I can find the place(s) that led my readers to that other place. I try to figure out how I can do it better next time…or if my readers tapped into something more fascinating than I could have, originally, imagined - which is quite often the case.

Trees that make a difference and change the way we remember

Trees Instead, founded and run by Daniel Diaz (Civil Engineer) & Pablo G. Martinez (business grad), is a fantastic business that’s doing good in the world, one tree at a time, by planting trees as memorials, honorariums and gifts. I’m continually impressed by their work and generosity. And, since I found them on twitter, I became even more intrigued by the web and social media slant of their business - so I asked for an interview, and of course, they obliged. Here ’tis.

Writing Roads: How did you get started? What was your inspiration, motivation, raison d’etre?

Trees Instead: In 2001, a dear friend of ours passed away after a long battle with cancer. At his funeral, the family made the request to donate money to the American cancer society in lieu of Flowers. Instead, we decided to make a picture slide of all the good times we had with him. We noticed that our best memory was a camping trip we all did to a national park while in college. We called the park and had a tree planted there in his memory; we then made a certificate and give it to his Mother…she loved it. Then the funeral director who was present at that time asked us if we could do one for another family…the rest is HISTORY.

We noticed that the available services for memorial tree planting were very impersonal, so we did some research and made our business plan with the mission to have a service that would be elegant, original and sustainable. We put our savings in and 100,000+ trees later - here we are! We now plant trees in all 50 states, Canada, The Amazon & Israel.

Writing Roads: How do you use social media for your business? How do you use your blog? (I know blogs are part of soc med, but I just wanted to make sure you talked about both…)

Trees Instead: We are in the business of making green trendy & thoughtful, to position our service/product as a unique experience for both sender & receiver. We’ve found that social media is the best way to let people know about us. There are many tree planting companies, and they are in it for many reasons we are - the “end result of the service,” the satisfaction of going green & doing it in an elegant & original way. Blogs & social media engines like Facebook & Twitter allow us to get in touch with the people on a one by one basis and have a long term relationship that will end up with us positioning our service in their minds.

Writing Roads: Any thoughts on the importance of content to your business? (The writing in particular…)

Trees Instead: Well there is an ongoing debate about global warming and the need for sustainable living. We like to stay out of the debate. The extremists & alarmists about global warming are not doing any good for their own cause and those who think nothing is wrong are in lala land.  A business like ours enjoys the balance of doing good actions for the environment while facing one absolute truth: “Sustainable living is good for the wallet, the earth & future generations…. No matter what.”

Writing Roads: Do you have an opinion on the difference (benefits, hardships) of running a nonprofit web business as opposed to a for profit biz?

Trees Instead: We’re a not-for-profit because we like the freedom of decision we have with an LLC - there’s little bureaucracy. Nevertheless, we use our income not only to plant trees, but to find ways to make sustainable reforestation projects in developing countries. I admire organizations like the Arbor Day Foundation or American Forests, but I don’t want the government, a board, nor powerful activists telling us how to act, what to believe ad how to live our dream. We do miss the grants and goodies available to non-profits, yet we don’t want to be huge, just big enough to matter.

Writing Roads: Anything I missed that you want to say?

Trees Instead: Well, we really appreciate your generosity. Also, we like to support any group or cause that makes sense - our only enemies are ignorance & narrow minded people. Daniel is on the liberal side of things and Pablo is the Conservative, yet, we don’t let media or agendas dictate common sense.

Keep up the good work, Daniel and Pablo - knowing people like you exist in the world helps me sleep better at night…Thanks!!!

The best things you could ever write about

While I’m interested in a pretty wide range of things in this world, there are plenty of things that I’m profoundly not into. GI Joe & Barbie, Velveeta, heavy metal, comic books, hunting, skydiving, fruit cake and video games top the list.

Can you imagine if I had to write about them? Sitting down in front of the blank screen, I can imagine searching wildly for my muse to no avail - she hightailed it to a beach in Tahiti at the first mention of Toys-R-Us.

Whether you’re a marketing copywriter, a freelance writer, a blogger and/or a business owner, you will always be looking for good content, the next job and the mojo to write and make it good.

Of course, I understand the argument that the need for a paycheck might necessitate that we write about things we aren’t inspired by. But, really?  I’m taking issue with that concept.

What if I follow my interests and because these things light me up so brilliantly, I write so well that I get accolades for that work and then more of that same kind of work? What if it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy?

I’ve written before about the fact that your energy comes through to your readers via your writing. That readers pick up on your writing emotions, even if they can’t really identify why they feel a certain way. So, if you write about GI Joe and don’t like him (or what he stands for or how he directs kids’ play into war and fighting), the reader will get that - no matter how subliminally. And let’s just say it won’t be the best ad copy we’ve ever seen.

If you’re a great or solid writer, it’ll be fine. But, don’t you want more than that? Don’t you want to be inspired, fed by your work creatively, satisfied, feeling good, making a difference with your words?

I do.