How many words should it be? This is a question I often ask editors and content managers. For writers, a word count is a useful gauge to estimate how long a project will take and what the cost will be. Writers need to understand your vision so they can fulfill it. But as an [...]
There are two important things you need to do in order to become a better writer. First, you need to write a lot. And second: read. Read as much as you can and with as much variety as you can ... fiction, nonfiction, prose, poetry, humor, recipes, technology, blogs, books, short stories. Read it all. [...]
Over the summer, I took two weeks off for vacation. Two glorious weeks! Before I left, it had occurred to me that I hadn’t taken time off from work in about 14 months. When my clients keep me busy with such great work, I end up not taking the time. Yes, it’s hard to [...]
We’ve done a lot of work with healthcare companies over the years — insurers, employee wellness providers, hospitals all over the country, even a local gym — and one message that we hear over and over is that it’s important for patients to get the right care in the right setting at the right time. [...]
No matter how much we plan, there will be instances where you just simply run out of time. Someone on your staff gets sick. People take vacations. A holiday shuts down the office for a few days. Maybe there’s been a merger or acquisition drawing your attention away. Perhaps you were focusing your resources elsewhere. [...]
A content plan is an invaluable tool. It keeps your team on track. It helps you be more strategic. It’s a great device for communicating with other teams in your organization. And having a plan can save you money. Clearly, I love content plans. I want everyone to have one. (And I want to help [...]
By Stephanie Conner and Allison Thomas Without smart strategic planning, the big wins just don’t happen. Every decent coach (and content marketer) knows it’s true. You don’t make up plays on game day, and you don’t build a content plan while you’re creating content. Now, do some teams attempt this? Of course. But very few [...]
A couple of years ago, I started noticing a trend among my clients and colleagues. Writing requests were coming in at the last minute (even more than usual). Creative briefs were becoming rarer, and when they did exist, were vague. And strategy was taking a back seat to simply putting content out there. The downsides [...]
When you plan your content calendar, it’s important to think about frequency. Maybe you aim to share on social media daily, blog twice weekly, publish an enewsletter monthly and offer an ebook biannually. As I work with clients on content planning — a process I love and believe is essential — the most common [...]
At Active Voice Communications, we have a deep bench to call on when large or quick-turnaround copy projects necessitate a team. I love the writers I work with and am proud to have them on my team. I asked this talented bunch this question: What is one thing you do to improve your own writing [...]
