About Services
I provide a range of creative services because one size never fits all. I tailor our engagement to exactly what you need, when you need it, and ensure that all the pieces fit together, even when some of those pieces are already in place or created by others.
Here you’ll find a more in-depth explanation of some of the things that I do in the realm of writing copy.
SEO Strategy
Search Engine Optimization is the practice of (1) arranging the structure of your website and (2) writing content that maximizes your chances of being seen when someone searches for a product or service that you provide. Many attempts have been made to “game” search engines by coming up with practices that fool them, and some of these work – for awhile. Search engine creators eventually figure this out and start penalizing and de-ranking sites that play games.
I create a solid structure and content that plays into what the search engines want – Relevance and Authority; a site that offers value and is meaningful to visitors. I’ll either advise you on what you need to do, or I’ll do it for you.
Content Strategy
Before you create content, you need a strategy; a vision of what you’re doing and what you hope to accomplish. As an entrepreneur, it is really easy to get distracted and chase every squirrel that runs across your lawn. A strategy in the form of a content plan helps you answer the question “Is this thing that I want to do in my vision?” and then to act appropriately. It’s also easier to make course corrections when you need to by altering your strategy.
I will help you create that strategy by being your sounding board and mentor, then turning the concrete thoughts and desired direction into a written plan that guides your content creation.
Web Pages
You may already have a web site, or you’re looking to create one. In either case, the content on your pages needs to be clean and attractive, and it has to please the search engines with relevant information. Sites that seem disorganized or too busy because of over-optimization or simply bad writing can do just the opposite – to both visitors and search engines. Your site needs to be crisp and inviting to your prospects.
I can either create those powerful pages for you, or I can provide you with a written analysis of your existing pages, and what I would do to improve them. I can also create your web site from scratch and host it in my server cloud, so there is no reason to employ multiple providers, unless you want to.
Blog Articles
Writing blog articles relevant to your product or service is one of the top ways to get search engines to notice your site. A site with active blogging can draw people in to participate or to just take advantage of the information presented there. Many business owners just don’t make time for this important activity, or don’t feel that they have a solid command of the language to be effective at it, so it doesn’t get done.
I will author your blog articles, make them relevant and interesting to your audience, and use the keywords and phrases that stimulate better ranking with the search engines.
White Papers
Presenting an authoritative viewpoint on a particular topic can add to your credibility as a provider of a product or a service. A well-researched treatise that states facts about something and cites reliable sources for the assertions made will give your prospects a sense of understanding and trust in what you provide. White papers can be reserved for serious prospects, and are frequently allowed access only after some sort of qualification process.
I will thoroughly research a topic for you and create a white paper that sets you apart from others providing similar products and/or services. I can highlight facets of the research that clearly favor the approach that your products or services employ.
Case Studies
Nothing shows competency and success like the demonstration of someone’s problem and what you did to fix it. People love to relate to others with similar issues to their own and what you did to take on those issues. A Case Study does just that. With your client’s permission, you can explain the problems that he or she was dealing with and then how your product or service solved that problem. It gets your prospect thinking about how you might be able to help them.
I will work with your client or with information that you already have to completely describe their original problem and exactly how your product or service solved that problem.
Direct Response Copy
To understand this, let’s first understand indirect response copy. This is information about a product or service meant to “indirectly” be present with prospects in their heads so that later, in the supermarket or Home Depot, they will see the product or service offered and be inclined to purchase it. Direct Response Copy is meant to pull the reader directly into the purchasing decision right now, in the moment. Frequently, this is an emotional appeal.
I will write your direct response copy such as long-form emails or web copy to sell the value of your product or service and get them to buy now.
E-Books
An e-book is any electronically-distributable publication that cannot be edited. In its most familiar forms, you’ll find Amazon’s Kindle, Barne’s and Noble’s Nook, and Apple’s iBook platforms. In most cases, there are no publishing houses involved, no binderies, and you are able to get your material out into the world with far less effort than that of a hard-bound book. Do you need an ISBN? Will you use an aggregator?
I can help answer these questions, collaborate with you to co-author or ghost-write your work, create the finished work, and help you self-publish through channels.
And More…
Copy comes in many forms, some of which were mentioned here. There are many other formats such as tri-fold brochures, cut-sheets, flyers, banner ads, text ads, squeeze pages, articles for print or online journals, “how-to” guides, press releases, FAQs, testimonials, auto-responders, sales funnels, newsletters – the list is nearly endless.
In addition to writing all of these, there are stand-alone supportive services that I provide such as keyword research, site audits, principal message copy plans, micro-sites, Google Adwords structuring, competitive analyses, social media ad campaigns, and activities related to all of the above.
I also provide a host of “offline” services for print media. If it requires the written word, we should be talking.