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Archive for November, 2006
November 30th, 2006 by Lani Voivod
It was 8am. I was stumbling around the house in my PJs, gripping onto my coffee mug for dear life, getting our son ready for preschool.
The phone rang. Who could be calling at this hour?
I did what any good suspicious person does - I checked the caller ID before I picked up. It was an area code that looked vaguely familiar. 510? Isn’t that California? Who could be calling from California at this hour? Wait - it’s FIVE AM there!!! What the…
“Hello?”
“Good morning. Is this Lani?”
“Uh, yeah.” pause pause pause…
“This is Dave Barrett from Audio Acrobat. Your husband sent me a message last night about a problem you were having. Can I help you with it?”
Holy smokes. This guy was calling me at 5am his time to help me with a techie issue. Have you ever heard of such fab customer service in your LIFE? No, neither have I.
“Dave - do you sleep? Are you crazy?”
Friendly banter ensued. The problem was fixed, and I moved forth into my day with the knowledge there are people in this world who still give a $%^& about the product they put out into the world and the customers they serve.
Thanks, Dave. And Dave? By the way, Allen and I LOVE Audio Acrobat!!! It’s EASY, fun, and wonderfully versatile. We love it so much we set up our own dedicated affiliate link at www.AhaAudio.com. We use it all the time for business AND for pleasure, and we hope to find new ways to recommend Audio Acrobat to folks and drive new customers your way.
All because we know you care about us. You proved it to us in a pre-dawn act, after all. And that kind of TCB-ing stands out.
For FREE articles, tips, and strategies designed to catapult your content and electrify your business, sign up for our ezine, “The Inciter,” at EpiphaniesInc.com!
Posted in Tools to "A-Ha Yourself!" | No Comments »
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on Thursday, November 30th, 2006 at 3:46 pm and is filed under Tools to "A-Ha Yourself!".
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November 28th, 2006 by Lani and Allen
If you’re like most rigorous goal-setters, your business planning is SPECTACULAR.
Which makes you totally unlike us.
In true “leap and the net will appear” fashion, we jumped into business back in 2004 with a couple of retained corporate clients and a coffee pot. No plan in sight.
We’re not bragging. In fact, most of our 2006 has been spent rectifying the bedlam.
And as we’ve gone through the growing pains, we’ve realized there’s one plan that’s vital for us and any other business interested in connecting with the outside world.
It’s called a Content Plan.
What IS a Content Plan?
A Content Plan focuses on informing, educating, and entertaining your ideal audience. It involves them in your story, inviting them to care about you on an emotional level.
And since people buy on EMOTION, this is a very good thing.
Strong Content Plans take the “Know, Like, and Trust” factor and formalize it into an honest and genuine relationship-building habit.
And here’s the secret sauce:
Everything you send out becomes another reason or opportunity for your prospects to invest their time and money with YOU.
(WARNING: Content Plans don’t work if you don’t genuinely care about the audience you serve and the goals they have.)
What’s in a Content Plan?
The details rely on your core competencies and your audience’s needs and desires, but yours may involve one or a combo of the following:
- An industry blog
- Focused press releases
- White Papers or Special Reports
- Articles for trade publications
- Live workshops
- Speaking engagements
- Newsletters
- Teleclasses
The point is to start with one, get good and comfortable with it, then add another one that builds purposefully on the first.
Why Do I Desperately Need a Content Plan?
Out of the 47,321 ways you can communicate with your target market, a Content Plan helps you:
- Focus on 3-7 that are most aligned with your business goals.
- Get ’em on your calendar in a strategic way.
- Roll ’em out one at a time, so by your next fiscal year, you’ve got a treasure trove of audience-focused information, marketing assets, and public PROOF you’re an active expert and THE leader in your field.
The end result?
Because you’ve taken the time to forge a relationship with your posse, you become their go-to resource when they’re ready to invest in the product or service you offer.
If you DON’T have a plan for how you’re connecting with your audience? You’re just another generic storefront – one of thousands yammering about why consumers should buy from you.
Ick.
In essence, a Content Plan is an official dis of the Transparent Pitch, in favor of a win-win method and mindset.
Content over time. Regular, repeated, varied forms of follow-up touches of useful, gotta-have information. It’s a beautiful thing.
And at the end of just a year – even if you haven’t done it perfectly! – you’ll have created a veritable, profit-boosting empire within your niche.
Lani & Allen Voivod, aka “The Content Lovers,” help budding entrepreneurs and small biz dynamos “A-Ha Themselves!” in fun, innovative, and profitable ways. For FREE articles, tips, and strategies designed to catapult your content and electrify your business, sign up for their ezine, “The Inciter,” at EpiphaniesInc.com!
Posted in Inciter Articles | 5 Comments »
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on Tuesday, November 28th, 2006 at 11:40 pm and is filed under Inciter Articles.
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November 28th, 2006 by Lani Voivod
Marketing blunders. Aimless, goal-less, target-less shout outs. The “Spray ‘n Pray” mentality, in which you start chucking out your product or service to anyone, with whatever media outlet available.
My friend and Mastermind partner, Michele Pariza Wacek (or Michele PW for short), spends all her time and talents analyzing these issues for her clients, so their marketing messages don’t get lost in the great abyss of oblivion.
Michele sums up the major marketing oopsies here: 5 Mistakes Biz Owners Make With Their Marketing, in case you’d like to see how many booboos you make with your business’s messaging. (Sadly, Allen and I are guilty of more than one, but we’re working one it.)
She rounds up her article with stylin’ flair:
“Unfortunately, for the most part, your target market won’t wake up and say ‘Gee, I have to give so-and-so some money today’ without some encouragement on your part. Remember, it’s not your target market’s job to remember you. It’s your job to remind them you’re here and would love to have their business.”
Oh, if only people woke up with nothing but thoughts of sending us money, huh?
I guess that’s what Content Strategy is for. 
For FREE articles, tips, and strategies designed to catapult your content and electrify your business, sign up for our ezine, “The Inciter,” at EpiphaniesInc.com!
Posted in All About Content, Fun With Marketing | No Comments »
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on Tuesday, November 28th, 2006 at 11:04 pm and is filed under All About Content, Fun With Marketing.
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November 27th, 2006 by Allen Voivod
 I like my pop culture as much as the next guy. And probably a heck of a lot more. So when Giant Magazine debuted a while back, I was pretty thrilled. Though it was a bi-monthly (and, thus, didn’t address the pop culture fix I needed the way Entertainment Weekly did), Giant more than made up for it with a deeper level of detail, the luxury of the every-other-month schedule.
And then they went through some sort of editorial shake-up, which resulted in an entirely new look, feel and focus. I’m sure there was a reason. I’m sure it had to do with money and circulation numbers or some such accounting. I was certain I was going to be annoyed that the magazine I liked had been wiped off the face of the earth.
 Here’s the first issue of the new-look Giant (they’re three issues into the re-design now). I would have rebelled against it entirely if not for the words of new Editor-in-Chief Smokey D. Fontaine in his first editorial letter, quoting Editorial Director Scott Poulson-Bryant as saying “hustle is the new talent.”
This, needless to say, is catching some flack from people who are picking the definition of “hustle” that means to con someone. And who don’t like the new-look Giant.
But despite being initially put off by the new design, I read their use of “hustle” in the positive - to act quickly and forcefully, especially in getting things done.
And as evidence that my take is the correct one, their back page feature is titled “Hustle” and subtitled, “How You Can Be…”
So far, they’ve featured Marc Ecko, Dallas Austin, and Stephen Stoute. Would these three ever have crossed my radar otherwise? Doubt it. Am I thankful to Giant for changing their format for this reason alone? Oh my, yes.
The big idea? Look for inspiration in places you aren’t expecting it - places that might even turn you off at first blush. That’s a good place to find ideas that might otherwise have never occurred to you.
Posted in A-Has in the Ether, Lessons Learned | No Comments »
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on Monday, November 27th, 2006 at 12:53 am and is filed under A-Has in the Ether, Lessons Learned.
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November 24th, 2006 by Lani and Allen
Here we have a for your content pleasure a great article by Alexandria K. Brown, “The E-zine Queen.”
This chick has risen through the ranks of the Internet Marketing world to become one of the industry’s key players. From her beginnings as an ad agency copywriter in NYC to her now expansive info-product “queen-dom,” Ali Brown knows the power of strong content delivered consistently over time to a hungry audience. (She also knows how to provoke an emotional response from her audience. No one who knows her style is indifferent to it. It’s a love or hate thing, nothing in between.)
We dig her, and we’ve learned a TON from her over the years. Below is one of her many potent, biz-building article offerings. Enjoy!
11 Quick (and Good) E-zine Content Ideas
Publishing an e-zine is the ideal opportunity to showcase your business. By sharing your knowledge and expertise, you build credibility as an expert, while spreading the word about your services and products.
While I’m sure that sometimes you have dozens of content ideas, I bet other times you find yourself staring at a blank computer screen, grumbling that it’s publishing time again. Well, have no fear! Here are 11 quick (and good) content ideas for when you’re in a pinch.
1. Give real-life examples.
Describe a problem you’ve solved for a client/customer, and use that as a springboard to offer more general advice. Show your readers how you’ve helped customers address challenges — “case studies” if you will. This positions you as the expert in your readers’ minds more than your coming out and saying so.
2. Think of three areas in which you’d like your clients to think of you as a resource.
Now develop content in those areas. For example, in my past life as a professional copywriter, I really enjoyed working on Web sites. To help encourage my clients and prospects to hire me for these projects, I published several articles on how to write Web copy that sells.
3. Read industry publications for ideas.
Are there any hot issues in your field right now? The more controversial, the better. Don’t be afraid to offer your own opinion — your readers want to know it. After all, YOU are the expert! ; )
4. Jot down 8 questions your clients have asked you in the past.
You know, the ones they ask you over and over. Answer each in a short article. If you publish weekly, that’s two months’ worth of content, right off the bat! And if you can’t think of any questions, send all your current clients/customers a quick e-mail, asking them what topics they’re most interested in learning more about.
5. Learn anything neat lately from an industry conference, workshop, seminar, or insightful article?
No one says you have to reinvent the wheel of information! Pass on any gems of advice you’ve learned elsewhere — just give them full attribution. Or give your opinion of the event or article itself. Your readers will appreciate your frankness.
6. Offer a list of your top 5 or 10 tips on a certain subject.
It’s much easier to bang out a list of tips than to put together a real article. Of course, the tips can evolve into an article if you wish! Be sure to list your best tip first, or at least close to the top. (If you “fire your biggest gun” last, you risk losing your audience before they get to the good stuff.)
7. Interview associates whose expertise would interest your readers (while not competing with yours).
E-mail interviews are incredibly easy to do. Just send your interviewee 3 to 5 questions via e-mail, edit their answers, and have them approve the final version. Be sure to give them a short plug in your e-zine as a thank you. (A one-sentence description of their business, phone number, their Web site URL, and e-mail address should be fine.)
8. Recommend books and resources that you use, and offer full reviews on them.
In one issue of my old e-zine, “AKB MarCom Tips,” I featured reviews of my favorite four copywriting resource books. I’m glad I also gave my Amazon.com associate links, because I ended up making some nice commission, to boot!
9. Invite readers to write you with their own questions, and answer one in each issue.
Right after their question, publish the person’s name, business, e-mail, and Web site address. They’ll enjoy the attention/publicity!
10. Invite readers to send in profiles.
Ask them to tell you about themselves — their names, businesses, locations, and how they use the information gained in your e-zine. Feature one profile in each issue or one every few issues.
11. When all else fails, borrow an article!
There are dozens of Web sites offering hundreds of articles that you can use in your e-zine. The articles are free and available for you to use immediately. The only catch is you’re required to leave the entire article intact, including the author’s promotional information.
One of my favorite places to search for new marketing articles is http://www.marketing-seek.com/.
One last note: Keep in mind that if your e-zine’s main objective is to get you more clients and customers, you should NOT feature other writers’ articles more than once in a blue moon. Showcasing other professionals on a regular basis undermines the idea of establishing YOU as the expert in your readers’ minds.
(c) 2001-2003 Alexandria K. Brown
Online marketing coach Alexandria K. Brown, “The E-zine Queen,” is author of the award-winning tutorial package, ‘Boost Business With Your Own E-zine.’ To learn more about this step-by-step program, and to sign up for FR*EE how-to articles and FREE teleclasses, visit www.EzineQueen.com.
Posted in All About Content, Dances With Gurus | No Comments »
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on Friday, November 24th, 2006 at 2:51 pm and is filed under All About Content, Dances With Gurus.
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November 20th, 2006 by Lani Voivod
What happens when the goddess of the “Aha! Moment” finds her way into your inbox?
- You pay attention. (Especially if your company is build around the power of the A-Ha - that’s bold insight PLUS some joy-filled action - in life and in business.)
- You blog about it. (Which is what I’m doing here.)
 Meet Aha-phrodite, “the inspired Muse of paying attention to possibility and new ideas.” She’s the creation of workshop facilitator and creativity coach Jill Badonsky, and she’s also one of the nine “Modern Day Muses” noted in Jill’s book, pictured to the right.
Turns out Aha-phrodite has some insightful opinions about generating ideas, enhancing your creativity, and finding answers you’re looking for, right smack dab in the middle of the present moment. Lucky for us, they’re summarized right here in this article on one of my favorite websites, www.creativity-portal.com.
Did you see the movie Finding Nemo? In the article, Jill flags the anecdote below as the perfect example of a trained pro grabbing from the moment to create one of the funniest animated characters of the decade:
Andrew Stanton, the director of the animated hit, Finding Nemo was trying to come up with the sidekick character to Nemo. Sidekick characters are usually rather dopey males. Stanton was distracted by his wife watching Ellen on TV in the next room. He heard Ellen change the subject about five times in one sentence … that’s how he came up with the character for Dory. He did not miss the random circumstantial gift present in the moment because he was paying attention and making a connection.
If Andrew Stanton can turn background noise into a killer character that helps a kid flick become one of the top-selling movies of 2003, you can tune into what’s happening in your environment and turn it into gold, too.
Oh - and if you want to see an awesome visual representation of the creative process in all its glory, check out Jill’s Muse Map! Very cool. (Bravo, Jill!)
For FREE articles, tips, and strategies designed to catapult your content and electrify your business, sign up for our ezine, “The Inciter,” at EpiphaniesInc.com!
Posted in A-Has in the Ether, Insight + Action | No Comments »
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on Monday, November 20th, 2006 at 2:54 pm and is filed under A-Has in the Ether, Insight + Action.
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November 16th, 2006 by Lani Voivod
Think you have to be a Big Media giant to give your audience what it wants in multiple platforms?
Hardly.
Just take a look at what the Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota Star Tribune did last week during the elections.
But the really big aha moment came election night, when traffic on the website doubled from a normal night’s traffic into hundreds of thousands of visits and millions of page views right about the time when historically many citizens would have been settling down in front of the television to watch the returns roll in.
There’s POWER in them there creative content delivery! Cross-pollinate! Fuse! Mix ‘n mingle!
Take a dash of article, throw it into a blog, send a related press release to your regional newspapers, pitch fresh angles to your local TV stations, record an interview on the subject…it’s all an open field just waiting for you to PLAY BALL!
Posted in All About Content | No Comments »
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on Thursday, November 16th, 2006 at 4:24 pm and is filed under All About Content.
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November 16th, 2006 by Lani Voivod
Ever heard of a spunky gal named Amanda Congdon? 
She’s a modern-day fairy tale of what it means to “A-Ha Yourself!” After six painful weeks in a post-college cubicle plopped in the middle of a major NYC ad adgency, she took the stand that being surrounded by push-pin friendly walls was NOT her bag, baby.
So what’s a girl to do?
Well, this moxified chick decided to launch her own videoblog, Rocketboom.com. Three minutes. News, culture, riffs, intertviews, new media rants, and LOTS of color commentary with a smart, comedic slant.
 Her audience grew from 700 peeps in 2004 to 70,000 in 2005 to a whopping 300,000+ by the time some big wigs in old media offered to buy her self-made enterprise. Unfortunately, when the suits were nodding their heads and agreeing to her terms - radical suggestions like creative control, keeping a sense of integrity about the show, and maintaining cultural relevance to her standards - they had their fingers crossed behind their backs.
Amanda “UnBoomed” in July, 2006.
You never have to worry about the risk-taking creative ones, though. Amanda’s off to bigger and better things, vlogging her way across the country with an “old media” crew…on her OWN terms.
Don’t miss this truly great 10-question interview of Amanda by Guy Kawasaki. She’s been there and back again and offers a great perspective on just how powerful new media can be for your own starry-eyed ambitions.
Have YOU ever considered launching your own vlog? Her clips were pretty darn basic when she started them, back in 2004. No reason why YOU couldn’t be the go-to talking head for your niche or industry. (I personally think it was the rough, unpolished, authentic content that drew fans by the hundreds of thousands, but that’s just me.)
Rock on, Amanda!
For FREE articles, tips, and strategies designed to catapult your content and electrify your business, sign up for our ezine, “The Inciter,” at EpiphaniesInc.com!
Posted in How do you "A-Ha Yourself"?, Lessons Learned | No Comments »
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on Thursday, November 16th, 2006 at 9:02 am and is filed under How do you "A-Ha Yourself"?, Lessons Learned.
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November 16th, 2006 by Lani Voivod
In this updated corporate interpretation of “too many cooks spoil the broth,” Guy “Empower Entrepreneurs” Kawasaki explains exactly why a Mission Statement stinks to high Heaven, while the mighty Mantra (comprised of just 3-4 carefully placed words) is all a business needs to anchor itself…then fly to the great big infinite ATM in the sky.
Brevity! A noble goal for all. And definitely worth the agony of choosing those few powerful morsels to represent your company’s purpose. Once you get a good, strong mantra down, it’s gonna be much easier to “A-Ha Yourself!”
And speaking of…
Allen and I have been working with “Bold Insight PLUS Joy-Filled Action” as the way to “A-Ha Yourself!” - but hmmm, that’s five words. Does that make it wrong as a mantra?
Rats. It’s midnight, and there’s more thinking required here. Will it ever end?
(Then again, Guy’s Mantra is only two words. So maybe rules can be bent just a little to suit the rebels among us.)
For FREE articles, tips, and strategies designed to catapult your content and electrify your business, sign up for our ezine, “The Inciter,” at EpiphaniesInc.com!
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