Everybody Writes by Ann Handley
Everybody Writes
I had a great chat with Ann Handley, Chief Content Officer of MarketingProfs and author of the soon-to-be-released book, Everybody Writes. One of my favorite content peeps, Ann is always fun to talk to. In this episode, we chatted about content, writing and some things brands need to do differently. And, of course, we had to talk about her new little writing house (she has a little Thoreau-like getaway in her backyard) – an item that just made my honey-do (or at least ‘honey-want’) list.
Plus, a half-hour goes by really fast. As we discussed, writing is the cornerstone of a great content strategy. With the rise of visual marketing (yes, that’s important, too), it’s important to remember that words are currency and they aren’t going anywhere. In fact, I think they matter more than ever. That’s why content marketers have to make them count in order to really connect with customers.
To check out more about the book, visit www.everybodywrites.com. You can even get goodies when you pre-order.
Key Thoughts From the Podcast
1. Pathological empathy. You need to have empathy for your customer and that has to be the center of your content strategy. Ann spends some time in the book on this.
2. Personability matters. In b2b, it’s hard to get personal and that may not be appropriate. Yet, everyone can be more personable in their content.
3. Own your voice. One of the most important things you can do to stand out and put your stamp on your content is to cultivate your voice and perspective. Ann mentions the litmus test of being able to pick your content out of a lineup. Can your customers tell you apart? The lineup test is a great one.
Want more great stuff? Listen to the podcast.
Everybody Writes Podcast
How do you create great content? What’s one thing you got from the podcast? Let me know in the comments.
