Artist Marc Borzelleca painted this portrait. © Marc Borzelleca

The folks at EmptyEasel.com offer helpful hints to to help artists sell their work. This week, they posted advice for creating a blog series, and featured a tip from yours truly. Read it here.

Here's what they didn't include:

Blogging a series that get results and keeps readers interested requires a little forethought -- and not just about the topic (we'll get to that in a minute).

Pre-writing your blog series

Before you choose the individual subjects you'll cover, think a little more broadly about your:

• Audience. Who's the target audience for your posts and what are the most likely question they'll have about the subject? Read more tips about audience here.
• Content. What are the ideas you want and need (answers to those audience questions) to convey? To learn more about relevant details, click here.
• Purpose. What's your call to action? For more on determining your purpose, read this.

We've packaged this up in the Content-Purpose-Audience® organizer, which you can download here.

Writing blog posts

With the meta-level stuff sorted, you can begin writing individual posts. I usually find that the topics have presented themselves in the DETAILS (one post per?), QUESTIONS (one post per question not) and PURPOSE blocks of the organizer. To flesh each one out, use the top part -- the IDEA-DETAILS® section. See how to plan a blog post with Idea-Details.

This simple process helps you quickly plan a series and the component posts that will engage your audience and drive results.

Check out our other posts on blogging.

The feature Claire and I wrote on Grand Rapids is now up!

Courtesy Isaac V. Norris & Associates

“For decades and decades the traditionally conservative community was resistant to shed its past,” says architect Michael Corby, FAIA, of his hometown, Grand Rapids, Mich. But all that changed in 1991, when a public–private partnership called the Grand Vision Committee (now the nonprofit Grand Action) began planning for a revitalized Grand Rapids. Read more about it.

When you're trying to feed the content beast, you can use more content creators or you can use the content creators you have more effectively. Budgets being what they are, the latter seems like the smartest initial approach.

That doesn't mean working your writers and other contributors to the bone day after day. Haven't we all  learned that burning people out isn't good business? The trick is creating/capturing efficiencies in the system.

Here are 5 tips to make your content operations more efficient and effective:

1.    Bundle assignments

When you gang assignments on a particular topic, one writer can get more output from his/her research. That makes him/her more effective and efficient in producing content. This makes the most sense if your writers are already subject matter experts. But it's also a great way to create SMEs because at some point, a writer may become expert enough to be the beat or go-to writer on a particular topic.
EXAMPLE: I didn't know anything about vasculitis when I took a gig writing articles for the Vasculitis Foundation newsletter. But after a year, I'm more informed on these rare diseases so I spend less time looking up terms, and am a better judge of what's important to our readers. The result is faster, better content.

2.    Leverage writers’ interests, expertise & knowledge

It's not always possible, but whenever you can, assign topics based on your writers' strengths. This cuts production time and keeps writers engaged -- and better writer engagement usually creates better audience engagement. And a writer who's adept at writing certain forms or genres will generally work faster than one who isn't.
EXAMPLE: When I picked up a gig writing the Local Markets feature for Architect magazine, I knew I'd need help managing the project. I turned to my colleague Claire Parker to assist. She's got all the writing chops required in addition to experience working for developers and real estate agents and a love for great design and architecture. She's quick, thorough and complete in her reporting.

3.    Use the Content-Purpose-Audience Strategy®

The most efficient way to make sure you get what you need is to be clear on what you want. We do that by creating a Content-Purpose-Audience strategy for each piece or set of pieces to ensure clarity of message and purpose. This better-than-an-outline process is a road map for the piece and helps the writer -- and reviewers -- stay on track. It also helps guide research, reduce redundancy and produce content that’s more to your liking the first time. Here's how to use the C-P-A.
EXAMPLE: When a client came to us to create an ebook on offshore outsourcing, we walked them through a C-P-A to guide us in researching and writing the book. We aren't experts on the subject, nor did we understand the issues for the buyer. Using the C-P-A gave us the understanding we needed to produce the book in two weeks' time.

4.    Offer background information judiciously

Resist the temptation to provide every bit of background material at your fingertips. Provide only resources that include mission-critical information or illustrate a format you desire for the final content. Do provide names and contact information for any required sources or people who could prove to be invaluable in developing the content.
EXAMPLE: A couple years ago, we had a client who dumped on us several workbooks and heavy-duty research papers. I'm sure there was a ton of great stuff in it, but we lost a lot of valuable time poring over those documents trying to find a few kernels of usable stuff.

5.    Review Gold Standards

Finally, review the Gold Standards with the writer to ensure s/he clear on your expectations for qualitative and quantitative requirements. This will enable content developers to produce material that's pretty dang close to what you want, and will make reviewing and revising more efficient. You don't have Gold Standards, you say? Click here to learn how to develop and use criteria to help your content development team create great stuff.
EXAMPLE: When our team was asked to write some awards citations, we needed a quick way to ensure we were all writing with the same tone and style. We created this Gold Standards document so the three of us could quickly produce content that sounded cohesive and met the client's expectations for quality.

Give these techniques a try and see if they don't improve your content operations. Or contact me for a consultation or in-house workshop.

Twice monthly I dust off the interviews I did for our book, Be A Writer, so you can learn what makes other writers tick. Catch up on the series here.

G.D. (Dan) Gearino, is a 30-year veteran of the newspaper and magazine industry. Hejoined the News & Observer of Raleigh, N.C., as business editor in 1993, the year I met him as a newly-hatched freelancer. He also wrote an engaging and award-winning column for a decade before leaving The Old Reliable. Dan’s the author of What the Deaf-Mute Heard, a novel that was later made into a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie that received three Emmy™ nominations. He’s written three other books: Counting Coup (1997), Blue Hole (1999) and Wrong Guy (2005). I'm a better writer today because of Dan's editing. He’s one of my favorite people to trade stories with.

Be a writer like G.D. Gearino

1. What kind of writer are you?

I'm both a writer of journalism and a writer of novels. I was a reporter and columnist for many years before dabbling in fiction (or more precisely, before being open about my fiction). But mostly, I'm the kind of writer that likes to get paid for writing.

2. Why do you write?

See above. I have no marketable skills, yet I have a deep aversion to hard work. A man's got to make a living somehow.

3. What made you want to be a writer?

The fear of having to spend my adult life working as an accountant, which is what my father was. Also, the five months I labored as a heavy equipment operator in Wyoming (a job I took after quitting a perfectly good newspaper job in a snit). That five months of real work showed me what a sweet gig the writing life can be. You work inside, you don't get dirty, and women dig it when you casually say, "Well, I'm a writer."

4. What advice would you give to a fellow writer who was just starting out?

Write something every day. A dancer dances. A mechanic fixes engines. A firefighter puts out fires. If you're not writing every day, you're not a writer. You're a hobbyist.

My feature article on Clark Gregg, who plays Agent Coulson in The Avengers. Read it here.

“Agent Coulson is someone people connect to, a grounding force among all the superheroes,” Gregg explains. “He’s the regular guy who’s a little snide and sarcastic in the face of, say, a raging monster.”

The latest in my series on filmmakers with ties to the Carrboro-Chapel Hill market for the Carrboro Citizen.

CAUGHT ON FILM: John Wilson

Chapel Hill filmmaker John Wilson with Bono during a 2005 interview with the U2 frontman for Senator No, Wilson’s documentary about former-Sen. Jesse Helms. Photo courtesy of John Wilson

When John Wilson matriculated at UNC, he was headed toward a career in medicine like his uncle and grandfather. His major was biology.

“But in the summer of 1983, something magical happened that completely changed my life,” says the Chapel Hill filmmaker. “My best friend in high school was Brian Henson, the son of the late Muppet creator Jim Henson. In the summer of ’83, I was with Brian and Jim while they were shooting the second Muppet movie, The Muppets Take Manhattan. Jim kept asking me, as someone not directly involved in the production, what I thought of the footage they were shooting. I had no film experience, but Jim really made me feel like I had something valuable to offer. So I came back to Chapel Hill for my junior year very excited about doing something new." Keep reading here.

Here's a quick tip for Twitter campaigns: Leave room for the RT.

Photo © 2010 M.C. Lester

Most of us have gotten good at writing to 140 characters. But if you're doing a campaign in which you want people to retweet a particular slogan, message or hashtage, you need to write even shorter than that to accommodate the retweet:

RT + @ + your handle

When I'm designing campaign tweets, I shoot for 100 characters. That leaves room for at least the RT information and sometimes a quick comment by the retweeter without putting the hashtag or message at risk.

***

Proud to be a native of and business owner in
Orange County, North Carolina,
where 79% of voters opposed Amendment One.

Check out my interview with the Marketplace Morning Report.

This is a guest post from our style maven, Lee Heyward, the style expert and coach behind Style with Lee in Charleston, S.C.

How to Dress for a Conference

Attending a conference is a great way to market yourself and your business. Just by showing up you bring the best sales tool to help you achieve the results you desire: your image.

The way you present yourself is something you have complete control over. You decide which pants to wear, which shoes make you look like a power player, or what type of clothes make you feel cool and confident. What you pack for your conference is key for your success. As you decide what to bring keep these things in mind:

Consistency is key

Whether you meet someone at your exhibitor booth, at the hotel bar or in the elevator, what you look like matters. You have seven seconds (1-2-3-4-5-6-7) to make a first impression. In that short time a conference colleague will decide whether or not you are someone they want to get to know or do business with. Even when you’re “off-duty” you are still at work. Make sure what you wear portrays you as a confident professional. Here’s how to present yourself with impact.

Comfort rules

If you’re not dressed in a way that makes you feel comfortable that’s what you’ll be thinking about all day—not how to make the most out of the conference. Before you pack your suitcase, try on the outfits you plan to wear. Ask yourself, will this be comfortable for sitting or standing for hours at a time? If you know you will be on your feet most of the day be sure to alternate the shoes that you wear daily. This will help keep your feet happy and comfortable. Click here for tips on choosing comfy and stylish shoes.

Climate control

I’ve never been to a conference where the indoor temperature felt just right. It’s always too cold or too hot. Be prepared. If your plan is to leave your suit jacket on all day so nobody notices your shirt is a little tight—get a new plan! Or if you’re favorite dress is sleeveless, be sure to bring something to cover up with if it’s cold. This flexibility with your wardrobe is key for conference success.

Chart it out

The trick to not rolling around a suitcase that weighs as much as you do is to pack only what you need. Assess your wardrobe for each day and activity of your trip. Use a packing chart to help you choose only what you need and still feel like you have plenty of stylish outfit options.

Destination: Business Conference
Travel By: Plane
Trip Length: 4 days

Here's a sample wardrobe planning chart. Click image for larger view.

Carry On

When traveling to the conference, keep with you what you need in order to make a great impression the second you walk in the door. Also keep jewelry and medications with you, and a few items that will help you feel fresh. If you wear sneakers for airport comfort, carry on a pair of professional shoes to change into during the ride to the conference site.

Style expert and author Lee Heyward believes anyone can have great style. Lee teaches women how to make style simple and effortless. Her real-world approach shows women that great style isn’t about being egotistical, it’s about achieving the confidence and happiness you deserve.

Related Content:

• How to blog a conference
• How to promote yourself without feeling icky
• Tips for strategic networking
• The Trade Show Survival Guide

Vote against on May 8. Click the image for more information.

Hopefully those April showers will bring May flowers like this! copyright 1998 M.C. Lester

Our top 3 posts for April 2012

1. Presenting: What to do when you don't know the answer
2. Tips for revising your content for maximum impact
3. Using verbs to punch up your writing

And our two guest posts from the month

1. Nicole Criona's 3 SEO Mistakes to Avoid
2. David Rose's How to Write Online Video Scripts

Thanks, as always, for reading this blog!

Effective blog-writing isn’t that different from any other good writing (see the 6 traits here). But there are two key genre-specific requirements for blogging:

1. Length
2. SEO

How to write short

Brevity is best when you’re blogging. With more people consuming content on handheld mobile devices, we can’t rely on big screens any more. So keeping your posts brief and concise is key. The best way to do that is to distill your concept down to its core elements: main idea and a few key details, audience questions and the call to action. Here’s a tool we use that knits all this together, The Content-Purpose-Audience Strategy™.

“Best practice” for blogging is a moving target when it comes to length. I think you’re safe if you work between 200 and 400 words. Much more than that and you either need to serialize your blog or structure it so the most important information is at the top, like I did here.

How to optimize your blog

With blogs and other online content, it’s important to at least dip your blogging into some SEO juice. Key words help the search engines, and thus, other people, find your stuff. And isn’t that why we’re blogging in the first place? Yeah, that’s what I thought. Check out this guest post for some quick tips on how to use SEO to your advantage from expert Nicole Criona of Searchivore. For more on how length impacts SEO, click here

Give these a while as you write your next blog post.

Related Content

• Source for blog topics
• 10 tips for better blogging
• How to market your blog
• Better conference blogging

Vote against on May 8. Click the image for more information.