Happy Labor Day!

Posted on September 3, 2012 by admin

To many people, Labor Day feels like the unofficial last weekend of summer. Swimming, boating, time spent at family cookouts – but do you know the history of the holiday? We wanted to know and so we did a little research. Here is what we found:

http://www.dol.gov/opa/aboutdol/laborday.htm

We are proud to be a productive part of the American workforce and hope you are too! The SJC team would like to say thank you to everyone who works hard and makes our country a great place to live. We wish you a happy and relaxing Labor Day!

 

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Copywriting Services – Do They Work?

Posted on August 31, 2012 by admin

You may be aware that other companies use copywriting services but haven’t given much thought as to what they could do for your business. Copywriting services fulfill a myriad of different functions, but the bottom line is – if your organization maintains a web presence or is looking to establish one, then you stand to benefit financially by utilizing a reputable copywriter.

For those wishing to make their presence known, the right copywriting services can strategically utilize search engine optimization techniques to help potential customers find your website. These efforts maximize visibility and can assist with quality lead generation. But this is really just the beginning.

Well-written copy also serves to keep customers at your site longer, because it engages and peaks interest. Statistically, the more time someone spends at your website, the more likely they are to buy. Good copywriting services can actually elicit an emotional response from potential customers, make them aware of a need, and compel them to act on it.

Copywriting services can help continuously drive traffic to your site through the creation of blogs, e-mail lists, and newsletter subscriptions. By providing informative and interesting content, these communications leave visitors wanting to know more and solidify your reputation as a source of quality information. Trust is what leads to loyalty, and a loyal follower will repeatedly visit your site. These types of information are also more likely to be shared with others and can be a great source of referrals.

Having great copy is especially important on the homepage of a website. We all know that we only have a few seconds to make a good first impression. What kind of impression is your business making with its site? Does it make people want to stay and increase conversion, or do visitors browse then move on down the road?

The seasoned writers at Susan J. Campbell Copywriting Solutions want to help you make your presence known. Whether it’s creating an online brochure, structuring an entire marketing campaign, or just keeping your content fresh and relevant, we can help. Contact us today.

Posted in Blog Writing, Brand, Content Marketing, Copywriting, Press Release Writing, Website | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

What is a Business Blog?

Posted on August 30, 2012 by admin

You have a website, so that is the best way for your customers to reach and learn about you, right? Well, not entirely.

While you might have an online presence you may not be interacting with your target audience like you can with a business blog, so you’re missing an opportunity to build your case as to why clients should turn to you for their business needs.

So what exactly is a business blog? According to an article citing bloggers, it’s a webpage of posts similar to a journal entry that is updated on a regular basis. Businesses can use this as a way to share content on their product or services to educate their customers more in depth about what they do.

Businesses can utilize social media within the blog to promote themselves and generate even more interest from their target market. Through content marketing, which takes information about your business to the next level, you can drive potential clients to either a website, Facebook page or any other content you may have that can generate a buzz about what you have to offer.

Throughout your business blogs, you can use copywriting as a way to push certain sectors of your business. Build your blog topics into your marketing plan and that helps you formulate a roadmap of what to talk about each week, month, etc.  This helps you stay on task as well as build on your business topics with each blog you write.

A blog is also a less expensive route to go when compared to websites. Websites are important and are beneficial to your business, especially for the purpose of online sales, but using a business blog to connect with your customers could drive the sales on your website.

Getting out and staying in front of your customers, showing that you’re ahead of the curve by adapting to the current trends can be best showcased in a business blog, so are you ready to start blogging?

If you don’t know where to start, let Susan J. Campbell Copywriting Solutions handle your content marketing needs.

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Getting the Most Out of Your Copywriting Services

Posted on August 29, 2012 by admin

One of the most common questions anyone on the SJC copywriting team gets is, “What exactly do you guys do?” Honestly, unless you’re in advertising, marketing or Internet marketing, you may not be familiar with copywriting. At the very least, you just didn’t know that what you were reading was the result of copywriting services provided by a company like ours.

Any website, press release, brochure or product catalog is created with the use of copywriting services. Talented individuals use their creativity and skill to make words sing. This isn’t just a flowery approach to this type of work. If you think about the last brochure you read, how did you digest the information? Did you get a clear sense of the product or services offered, or were you distracted from the message due to choppy and incomplete content?

Copywriting services play an important part in communicating a message to the consumer base. In fact, well-written copy takes the reader beyond the words, creating an experience where the reader forgets there are words on the page. It tells a story, no matter how brief, and engages the reader to take the next step. When that kind of experience is achieved, opportunities are generated and leads are easily identified.

The question posed today is how you can get the most out of your copywriting services – assuming you already outsource your content or are considering making this move. Simply identifying someone able to write content is not enough; this individual, or team of individuals, needs to know how to weave the words into a story that conveys your message in a way that generates action. The message talks to the psyche and touches on the emotion, identifying a connection and offering a solution.

Identify Your Goals

To get the most out of your copywriting services, clearly identify your goals. What do you hope to accomplish with the writing? Are you seeking to gain followers with a blog? Do you want to generate leads with social media? Have you developed a strategy for design, execution and measurement?

Outline Your Process

Next, outline your process. If you are hiring a copywriting services provider, how will that process be managed? Do you have an individual in-house who will manage the relationship, assign the projects, edit for accuracy and professionalism and then post according to your strategy? If not, can these services be provided by your copywriting services provider?

Be Open to New Ideas

Chances are, the copywriting services provider you select has extensive experience in the field and can offer suggestions based on your strategy and goals. A proven provider in this space will advise you on what will work best for your brand and your market and not what will fill their own pipeline. They know their performance will be measured and will plan to perform accordingly.

Repurpose and Measure

Anything created for your brochures, booklets, press releases and media coverage can be repurposed for posting on a blog, within your social media networks and more. Consult with your copywriting services provider to learn how one piece of content can be turned into many and pushed out for optimal impact. Measure the results, make adjustments and then push out again.

Beware of Bargain Basement Pricing

The copywriting world is full of providers offering bargain basement pricing. Remember that talented individuals with a knowledgebase in your field, marketing and copywriting will deliver the most value. The cheap always ends up more expensive and your brand is on the line. Look for the best value, not the lowest price.

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Rockin’ the Promo: Things to Know about Facebook Promotions

Posted on August 28, 2012 by admin

Here’s a riddle:  At least one out of two people in the U.S. do this every day.

Answer:  Hang out on Facebook for about a half an hour.

As a business, you’ve got an open door to make an impact on a potential customer within this critical half-hour window. Consider Facebook promotions for your Facebook business page. You’ll not only build brand interest and strength, but you’ll be able to peruse and ponder dozens of analytics about who is engaging with you on Facebook.

Once you’ve got a company Facebook page, you must keep posting fresh, original content, incorporating links to your site, engaging in conversations with people who use your site and encouraging people to interact with you and your business because it will be valuable and meaningful.

One way is to use Facebook promotions, and the options can be creative, fun and effective. Even better:  promos drive people to your Facebook presence when they might typically focus their time on their other 600 Facebook friends. Note:  Facebook promos are required to be administered through an app, and you can’t count things like the number of Likes you receive as entries. Legal Zoom provides some guidance in a recent article.

What types of Facebook promos are available?
– Coupons:  Make sure you’re encouraging people to go to your website in the coupon process, where they’ll be exposed to other offers as well – such as more discounts for signing up for your enewsletter or a whitepaper.
– Freebies:  This is a solid method for building a buzz around your organization, fast.
– Contests:  Encourage your Facebook audience to recommend your page to 10 of their friends.
– Surveys:  Keep them short and simple, and don’t be afraid to post some positive or thought-provoking answers as topics of conversation.

What must I know about Facebook promotions?
-Before you launch your next great promo, know that you’re the responsible party for how the promo is handled, such as the rules and guidelines and conditions.
– You need to use Apps on Facebook to carry out your promotion administration.
– Everyone who gets involved with your promotion needs a Facebook release, and must be notified that your promotion isn’t at all connected with Facebook.
– Asking someone to Like your page or cast a vote by liking your page isn’t enough to officially count as making them registered for your promotion.
– Tell the lucky winner in a method other than Facebook, such as an email from your organization.

Facebook promotions can be an effective part of an overall content creation strategy that utilizes social media alongside other tools, such as emarketing, whitepapers, blog campaigns and great web content. Consider spending your next daily Facebook half-hour exploring some fun promo ideas that you can make all your own.

Posted in Social Media, Social Media Marketing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Monday Morning Coffee with Vintage Senior Living

Posted on August 27, 2012 by admin

Once  upon a time, companies operated in silos, sharing very little information with the public and telling customers only what they wanted to hear. The same was true for organizations responsible for caring for the elderly; a standard that is no longer acceptable in the age of social media and a free flow of information.

In the St. Joseph area, Vintage Senior Living is setting the standard in not only providing quality living for the elderly within this community, but also demonstrating the quality standards they maintain as a business. Communication is important to this organization, demonstrated in its consistent social media presence, enewsletters and video efforts.

While perusing a recent copy of “What’s Happening This Week on the Vintage Senior Living Campus?” received in my email inbox, I get a little insight into improvement efforts initiated by the staff, an outing enjoyed by residents, a letter from the director and access to relevant topics concerning activities and health initiatives that pertain to the older generation, or those of us who love them.

This enewsletter is more than just communication; it’s a celebration of the exciting things taking place within Vintage Senior Living. Those of us with loved ones on campus gain a bird’s eye view into their weekly life. And, for individuals within the community considering the next destination for a parent or grandparent, it’s an affirmation of the quality of living available at Vintage.

The interesting element in this story is that Vintage is not hurting for new clients. In fact, the organization could create a waiting list, build additional locations and expand its services to a growing population. Why push out information if the demand already exists?

Vintage as a brand – and especially its leader, Joe Freudenthal – understands the importance of quality care and maintaining the brand regardless of availability and demand. From the top-down, this organization is fiercely committed to the highest quality of care of all of its clients. That care includes freely communicating to the community at large and resident family members.

Perhaps the best display is the brand’s YouTube channel. Here, Vintage not only demonstrates the quality of living afforded within its properties; they also capture real-life stories of its residents. To them, residents are not just elderly; they are valued individuals with hopes and dreams, people who have lived full lives and have a wealth of knowledge and history to share.

If you haven’t already, check out Vintage Senior Living the next time you drive by, or check out their website or videos. There is a story here that doesn’t have an ending, but continues to build as a dedicated group of individuals focus on doing business the right way – putting the customer first. It is quality customer care at its finest.

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I Advertise – Do I Need Content Marketing?

Posted on August 24, 2012 by admin

Technology has changed the way we communicate, and advertising has had to follow. Gone are the days where throwing a moving banner in someone’s face will generate a large click through response. People today are spammed to death, and getting their attention demands a fresh, more novel approach.

Wooing someone to your brand requires a focus on relationship building. Individuals looking to purchase on the Internet are searching for something different. Like a real relationship, they prefer to be courted and made to feel that someone actually cares about them instead of just trying to push products down their throats.
Customized communication efforts also go a long way toward making potential customers feel special.

To fully leverage Internet marketing, advertisers would be wise to consider non-traditional means of getting their message across. For instance, many e-consumers follow blogs or rely heavily on social media as their sphere of influence when it comes to shaping buying behavior. Others like to get information from press releases, online videos, Internet courses, podcasts, electronic newsletters, e-books, and audio clips. Today’s consumers are a lot more tech savvy, and advertisers wanting to break the mold will have to follow suit.

The changes are also being echoed in TV ads. Driving home that personal connection and giving consumers something they can relate to is at the heart of many new commercials. Several are rooted in comedy and quite frankly, most have more personality than they did even just a few years ago.

If you’re new to Internet marketing and aren’t sure where best to focus your efforts, begin with blogging. Blogs can help increase the visibility of your brand and improve SEO efforts because they are content driven. Of course, your content needs to be relevant and interesting; otherwise, your viewers will not bother coming back. Ask yourself one key question, is my content worth sharing?

The content writers at Susan J. Campbell Copywriting Solutions want to help you develop an advertising strategy that grabs your customers’ attention. Let us show you what a difference the right content can have on your bottom line – call today.

Posted in Consistent Customer Communications, Content Marketing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Content Marketing – Are you using your Voice?

Posted on August 23, 2012 by admin

What do your prospective clients or customers know about you? Have you really shared with them what your business can do? If you’re not using content marketing, then your voice has been mute.

Content marketing is not something that is new, but how it is used definitely is, that’s according to a Small Business Trends article. This wave of marketing allows you the ability to reach out and touch your customers allowing them to learn more about your business and what it has to offer.

We’re living in a time where at the click of a button any customer can have an extended amount of research completed to learn who they should purchase from or who seems to have the best customer loyalty. If you’re not using your voice to share what your business is and what it is capable of, then you’re losing out on developing your brand as the top choice.

Content marketing goes beyond social media. It’s an opportunity to communicate your message in a crystal clear environment showcasing your business through blogs, articles, webinars, events, etc. It allows you to have that personal touch and expert persona that all businesses crave.

Many businesses now understand the importance of content marketing and that it may take more time than your traditional marketing to media methods. Many are now outsourcing their marketing to keep up with the influx of interaction now needed through this ever changing way of educating your consumers.

If you’re looking to keep your voice loud and clear and stay on top of your content marketing, Susan J. Campbell Copywriting Solutions  can help keep your message front and center of the target you want to reach.

 

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Why Should I Invest in Social Media?

Posted on August 22, 2012 by admin

This is a common question asked by business owners throughout multiple industries. For some, they don’t see it as a tool for reaching new customers as their target audience is not generally engaged in social media networks. For others, they haven’t been able to generate a direct return on investment, and therefore don’t see the value. So the question remains: should you invest in social media?

The answer is a resounding yes – but not just because firms like ours offer services in this area. Businesses of all sizes should make an investment in social media because it does generate a return on investment and the audience is more than likely engaged in a social media platform of some kind. Still not convinced? Let’s take a look at a few statistics.

A recent article in MarketingProfs focused on the findings of a study completed by Awareness. Of the companies surveyed, 70 percent plan to increase their presence across social media platforms and another 59 percent plan to increase their social content publishing activity. Half of the brands participating in the survey said they would improved their social media management processes and tools, and 45 percent plan to focus on monitoring these channels.

And, while Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn will get the most activity from these brands, blog will be the next biggest area to invest in social media. Blogs provide an important opportunity to inform and then engage, delivering value to the reader and potential customer. Plus, it provides a company with the opportunity to use a personal approach with the customer base, blurring the line between the corporate blanket and the people who make the company successful.

So why does it matter who is making the investment in social media? It matters because it’s the competition and they are getting engaged. Social media is not about shouting out messages and pushing an agenda; it’s about engaging customers, listening to ideas and providing a platform for interaction. It’s an opportunity to demonstrate that customers have a voice and that voice is heard.

Social media also provides an opportunity to control the message and respond to unhappy customers. A bad incident can quickly turn into a company’s greatest success story when it’s handled correctly. Social media provides that instant opportunity – something no other platform can deliver.

Keep in mind, the engagement and interactions will not happen immediately, even if you launch your platforms today. To make an investment in social media means you have to get in the conversation, monitor mentions of your brand and share relevant and valuable information and resources. Only then can you begin to build the social value of your brand and seek to measure a return on the investment.

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