Annie Anderson | Blog

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A couple of days ago, I wrote about a writer’s purpose and today I want to expand on that a little bit. But this doesn’t apply only to writing - it applies to business in all forms. No matter what business you’re in, customer service is one of the most important aspects of your company. And it should be a major part of your focus.

Because, in reality, it’s all about connecting.

Developing good relationships is the backbone of any business, whether online or off. As markets become unstable, buyers get more picky, prices go up, it’s going to become even more important to connect with clients and potential customers on a more personal level.

You’ve heard of social networking, right? If you’re online at all, you likely have. It seems that everywhere we turn, it’s all about social this, that or the other thing. We have websites to connect with each other such as myspace, linkedin, facebook and myriads more.

And their whole theme is all about connecting - new relationships, old relationships, changing relationships. Some are business, some more personal but they all share a common goal - to connect with others.

When I was training agents and investors in real estate, this is one of the key concepts I taught - that no matter else is going on, no matter any other circumstance, you must connect with people. It’s not about helping them or selling them something - those are secondary. If you can make that connection, you’re nearly there.

What does take to connect?

It starts with knowing what people want.

How do we know what people want? We listen, we ask questions, we dig a little deeper when necessary. We interact with them, show we care. We’re polite, yet assertive when need be. We leave the door open and allow interaction.

This is one of the things that make blogs so beneficial - it’s an open door that allows people to feel comfortable. It allows people to glimpse inside and get a feel for what’s going on before taking the proverbial plunge.

The whole goal of any business or relationship should be to connect. And then to keep that connection open and strong through communication, sharing and a sense of community.

What do you think makes customer service good? And what do you think customer service should be?

I’ll share some more thoughts on this later but I’d like to hear your thoughts to these 2 questions first. Please feel free to post in the comments. I love hearing from you!

In the arena,

Make $10k in a weekend - “Too good to be true.” That’s the first thing I said when
I heard of http://tinyurl.com/5lq2g4. You can’t REALLY make $10K in a weekend. But I quickly bit my tongue once I saw the content. . .

Annie Anderson is a freelance copywriter and graphic designer specializing in the small business and real estate markets. Her tagline “Making your business, my business” means that she’ll take the utmost care when creating words and images for your business - just as if it were her own.

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The failure of content

As a writer, I often help small business owners create content for their websites. I’m usually hired after another writer has backed out of the project for one reason or another. Sometimes I’m hired long after the original writer has flown the coop. Most of the time, I’m hired because the website isn’t working as well as it should or in the way that the business owner wants.

And the problem facing these business owners usually centers around content that is inadequate and/or unappealing. From a writer’s standpoint, it looks great. The failure is that the content isn’t written to compel the reader to take the next step. It isn’t written to inspire or to sell or even convert. It looks pretty, it reads well, but that’s about it. It’s stagnant, at best.

So, what does the content need to do? What’s the purpose?

The purpose of any writer, of any written content, is to convey to the reader a sense of urgency, something that moves them forward in the buying process. It’s purpose is to get the reader from one step to the next, whether that’s asking for free information or buying a product or service or both.

A writer’s job is to figure out the action a visitor to a website should take and get them to take it.

When I speak with someone about their website and marketing materials, I ask them a series of questions designed to help me figure that out.

Now, I do a lot of writing for the real estate market - that’s my main niche. And most real estate agents and brokers will tell you that it’s all about location, location, location. But I’m here to tell you - no it isn’t. It’s about selling homebuyers a dream - the American Dream. It’s about making things easy for them and helping them feel good about their purchase. It’s about appealing to their desires. Any good broker will be able to hone in on what a buyer really wants and sell them that ideal.

And a writer’s job is to help that agent or that broker look like a friend and yet professional. A professional who cares, is knowledgeable and can sell them that American Dream.

Writers create a mental image and the key is creating an image that reflects the business owner as well as the ideals of the target audience. The website must be comfortable to the website owner and it must also appeal to the buyer.

Image is just as important as content.

A poorly designed website will do nothing. In fact, the site owner might even be so embarrassed by it, they don’t share it with potential clients or customers! I’ve seen this happen many times. And the result is that the business owner loses money and has little or no return on their investment. Their business might even dry up because nobody knows about their website.

As they say, first impressions are everything. This is as true for the web as it is in person. Hiring a good writer is just as important as hiring a good designer. It could mean the difference between few sales and a booming business.

What’s your website saying?

In the arena,

Make $10k in a weekend - “Too good to be true.” That’s the first thing I said when
I heard of http://tinyurl.com/5lq2g4. You can’t REALLY make $10K in a weekend. But I quickly bit my tongue once I saw the content. . .

Annie Anderson is a freelance copywriter and graphic designer specializing in the small business and real estate markets. Her tagline “Making your business, my business” means that she’ll take the utmost care when creating words and images for your business - just as if it were her own.

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We’re finally experiencing some summer here in Seattle. Actually, we’ve had nice weather for about a week and a half . . . but, you never know how long it’s going to last so I didn’t want to shout HOORAY!! too soon. I think it’s safe to mention it now, though.

This past weekend was a bit too hot for me - in the 90’s. Thank goodness it doesn’t happen often or regularly in this neck of the woods. Today it’s a respectable 68 with a high of 73 expected. That’s about perfect for me.

Anyway, lots of things happening lately and lots more coming so I wanted to drop by and let you know what to expect over the next several weeks on this blog. For starters, I’ve got some posts on various writing topics coming up as well as some basics on such things as business plans, marketing ideas, and other strategies.

I also want to announce that I’ll be updating my real estate book soon and the 2nd edition should be ready on Amazon.com by September (I hope). It usually take about 3 weeks from the final publishing phase before it’s available through the distributor and thus listed on Amazon. I’ll let you know when as soon as possible.

There will also be some web-related stuff available that you’ll get access to through the book. I’ll tell you more about that as well, as publication gets closer.

So, if you’re a writer or into real estate investing or know someone who is, keep an eye out here for updates. I’ll also be including some new free ebooks and other stuff. Oh - and Friday is, of course, Independence Day here in the US and I’ll be making some desktop backgrounds and other graphics for the occasion. When they’re ready, I’ll post them here for you to download free.

I have more but don’t want to overwhelm you so I’ll keep it short for now. And besides - the kids are outside playing in the sprinkler and I’ve got to go help my husband finish building the new gates for our driveway. Should be fun!

In the arena,

By the way - if this is your first time here, or you haven’t done so already, please consider subscribing to the RSS feed. You can get in any reader you wish.

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What inspires you? Makes you want to write? And when you get that inspired writing urge, how do you satisfy it?

As much as I love computers and all the cool tools available, sometimes what inspires me to write most and what satisfies that familiar burn, is a good ol’ paper and pen!

Give me a notebook, a good writing pen, mug of hot coffee and shove me in a quiet room with a radio and I’m good. I could sit there for hours on end just writing and thinking. Making lists. Creating little jingles and rhymes. Coming up with titles and slogans and stuff. And whole books, even.

But I don’t get that time or freedom nearly often enough. Mostly, I seem to be all but chained to my desk and my laptop. Now, don’t get me wrong - I enjoy working on my Mac. It’s just that sometimes I long for those days when I could sit cross-legged on the bed, lost in a world that only existed on the page.

Actually, I think part of what I miss is the uninterrupted time! LOL. It seems that nowadays, even if I had the gumption to go sit on the bed with my pad and pen, someone would invariably interrupt me. Whether that be a kid or a cat or my husband. I would not be alone. Nor in solitude.

Nope. Not going to happen in this house anytime soon!

So, tell me . . . What inspires you to write? And how do you make it happen? If the world were a perfect place, what would be your special “writing zen?”

I think mine would be in a nice little cabin tucked close in, yet far away, somewhere along an ocean with a cozy nook and gorgeous view. I would sit there in a big, comfy chair with my notebooks and my pens and pencils and a radio playing all my favorites. No phones. No televisions. Maybe my trusty laptop, though. Just me and my writing.

Yeah. That would work.

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I’ve been blogging for quite a few years now and have changed blogs, hosts, and platforms on several occasions. But it’s never really been about making money for me. I know there are many blogs out there with that exact aim and they are great blogs. I enjoy reading a variety of them and some have taught me some interesting things with regard to promotion and marketing. Likewise, I’ve also learned some of what NOT to do. Still, it isn’t about money, although I do share some affiliate links and things I support with you in the sidebar and other posts - I share only what I enjoy and believe in.

So, what does blogging mean to me and why do I do it?

Good question. Let me answer the second half first. I do it because I love writing. Plain and simple. No other reason. I love writing. I cannot imagine NOT writing. In fact, there’s a period of my life where I didn’t write at all and that is probably the darkest time of my life. I felt like I was living someone else’s life, like the real me was hiding somewhere. When I started writing again, I felt like a whole new person. Like I was doing what I came to this earth to do.

Now, to answer the first half of the question.

Blogging to me is a release. Things I don’t really say in the rest of my writing that for whatever reason want to come out. It also means sharing, teaching and learning. Some of my other passions. When I was a child, my first love was writing and my second was teaching. I still love it also. And that’s my aim - to share what I know and what I’ve learned with those who would like to listen.

Sometimes what I post here will be serious in nature - things about writing, real estate, marketing and such. Others will be more fun - like music or what is currently on my reading bookshelf. I hope most of it will hold some value for you. I know not everyone will always like what I post and I’m ok with that. Once in a while, I might get a few who unsubscribe and really, that’s ok too.

See, what I write here is as much for me as it is for you. And the bottom line is that I write for you too. Because maybe what I write will help with some aspect of your life or your business. Or maybe it’s that you just need a little breather one day. It could be just one small thing that for whatever reason is just what you need at that given moment.

I don’t believe in coincidence. However, I do believe everything happens for a reason. You landed here for a reason today or yesterday or last week or maybe last year. And I’m grateful you’re here. This blog is a journey for me just as my other writings and blogs are. It’s my sincere pleasure that you’re here whether for 1 minute or a day, a year or a lifetime.

Thank you for sharing this journey with me.

Til tomorrow,

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I have a big problem - where to keep notes. As a writer, I have lots of notes about various things - scrawled on chunks of paper, the backs of envelopes, a stack of notebooks and more. Of course, then there’s the digital notes - in Scrivener, iCal, Google notebook and Backpack among others.

Having tried nearly every program, paper idea, and online note keeping system I’ve heard about from others and found in my own research, I’m still at a loss for a true companion to the way I work. See, my most often used idea catcher are Post-It Notes. This is because I can stick them where I can see them and be reminded quickly. Problem is, there’s only so much space on my desk for sticking them. They get lost, trashed, stepped on and otherwise mutilated too easily.

So far, my favorites are Scrivener and Backpack but sometimes getting to them when I need them is highly dysfunctional and they aren’t really so great about reminders and all that other stuff like grocery lists and the like. I want a simple, effective system that handles everything. Preferably a program that sits on my desktop.

Any ideas? All suggestions welcome! Please save me from drowning in Post-Its!

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I read the BlogHerald pretty often and yesterday there was a post by Lorelle VanFossen that is totally in line with the topic for today - writing.

In her post, Lorelle says that blogs are public documents and if you put it out there, you simply open yourself up to everything - “compliments, criticism and condemnation.” She lists some truths about blogging that she says you need to know:

• It’s your blog. Blog what you want.
• Want traffic, blog for traffic, but don’t expect to turn them into readers.
• Want readers, blog for the readers. Readers return.
• Writing well pays off better than not.
• Blog consciously.
• Don’t surprise readers.
• Blog consistently.
• If you open the door to comments, be prepared for comments.
• Blog comments are content. You control them.
• Blog comments are content. Comments are mini-resumes that speak for their author.
• Expect insults.
• Expect nasty commenters.
• Expect spam and splogs.
• Expect inconsiderate and thoughtless commenters.
• Expect nasty, inconsiderate, and thoughtless fellow bloggers.
• Expect unexpected, random acts of kindness.
• Expect fans to feel like they are your friends.
• Expect a support group and network to form in and around your blog.
• As a blog reader, you are not judge and jury. You are the audience.
• As a blog writer and publisher, you are the entertainment. It’s your stage. Use it wisely and well..

And I completely agree. Blogging may be a different form of media - writing - but that doesn’t mean it’s “safe” or free of criticism. Blogging, in my opinion, is journalism. It might be personal journalism, but it’s journalism. And just like any journalist, you’re subject to that same scrutiny. If you don’t want that kind of publicity, don’t put yourself out there. But then, what’s the point of blogging?

You could, of course, close comments on your blog but then it kinda defeats the purpose of a blog - to communicate with your readers. To me, that’s entire point of blogging - to communicate in near real time with others. That doesn’t happen in many other media avenues. They’re pretty much one-sided. I think this is why blogging has such a huge appeal to a lot of people and businesses.

I especially like Lorelle’s assessment that “writing well pays off better than not.” I couldn’t agree more. Using proper grammar and spelling are important, not just because it looks more professional (even if that’s not your aim), but also because it’s so much easier to read something that is well written.

When we learn to read as youngsters, we learn to read words and sentences in proper structure so when we see something written wrong, our brains have to stop briefly to decipher it. Even if you’re a bad speller, you will find it a bit harder to read articles and what-not with spelling mistakes simply because your brain and eye have learned to read things in their proper structure.

Now, I know there is an email floating around out there that demonstrates you can read garbled words because your brain and eye will fill in the gaps based on the beginning and ending of words. I have no idea if that’s scientifically true or not but I do know that typical spelling and grammar mistakes don’t follow that pattern. So the bottom line is, write as well as you can, write clearly and check for errors before you publish your posts for your readers’ sakes. After all, that’s who you’re writing for, isn’t it?

You can read the rest of Lorelle’s post at http://www.blogherald.com/2008/03/17/blogs-are-public-documents-bloggers-and-commenters-beware/.

PS - I’ll post the links I meant to post yesterday here in a little while. Sorry about that!

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