getting creative

The Best Content Advice I’ve Ever Received

Posted on by allisonandrewsnc

I have worked in the media for more than 2 decades. That means I have worked with a lot of News Directors, Executive Producers, Editors and other bosses.

Each one taught me something. But a handful of them gave me advice that I find myself still repeating to this day.

Communications Specialist and Digital Marketer Rachel Clapp Miller and I were recently talking about our favorite managers and decided to share some of the best advice with you in our podcast ‘Content Hacks.’

In less than 10 minutes we’ll share the answers to questions like, “What do people remember most about the stories you tell? Which of the 5 W’s is the most important? What is the one thing you should do after you think you are done writing?”

Take a listen and then let us know what is the best advice you’ve ever been given?

What I learned about good parenting in the mall

Posted on by allisonandrewsnc

Wow! Our own heads can mess us up, if we aren’t careful.   We moms can talk ourselves into believing all sorts of things unless we learn how to talk ourselves off a ledge. You probably spent a third of your day talking other people off the ledge, like the toddler who was going to have a breakdown, or the tween who was convincing herself she has no friends because her latest Instagram post didn’t get many likes. Some days it’s a friend who calls herself a bad mom or a husband who can’t take the messy living room one. more. day. But learning to talk ourselves off the ledge is the gift that keeps on giving. Here’s how it looks to me.

Good parenting isn’t always obvious. Sometimes it looks like an argument. Sometimes it looks like hiding in the bathroom. Take this for example. I am writing this in the mall. It may not look like it, but I call that good parenting. Why? Because I no longer need to shadow my daughter and her friend while they smell every scent in Bath and Bodyworks. Still, this forever mom(and journalist) worries that if I let her out of my sight for too long some creep will try to pick them up while they are innocently strolling through Forever 21. Wasn’t there a shooting at this mall several months ago? See? This is good parenting. I’m writing out all my crazy instead of letting my imagination get the best of me. This way I focus on choosing the right words rather than watching the minutes tick away on the clock until it is ‘check-in with mom’ time.  I think this is a much healthier way to deal with my angst instead of spying on them in Barnes and Noble. There is power in writing our feelings out. Try it the next time you are freaked out.

I’m not always like this. Rationally I know that I am raising her to be a good adult. But even good kids make dumb choices. They can’t always help it. That whole frontal-lobe-isn’t-developed-until-they-are-25 -thing is totally irritating. Real, but irritating none the less. It doesn’t help I have 13 more years of this battle with the brain to go.

I grew up the oldest of 6. Kids don’t scare me. I never freaked out if her pacifier hit the floor or worried if she had a fever of 99. Kids are resilient. I use the phrase ‘suck it up’, a lot. Just ask her.  I think that is why I’m always caught a little off guard when these waves of crazy pass over me.

Maybe it’s because she’s my only child. I struggled with infertility issues for years before I was able to have her. I won’t be able to have another child. I don’t want to mess this one up. 12 years later and I still feel the weight of knowing that she was my miracle.

Maybe it’s because her father and I are getting a divorce after 23 years.  I think I can’t let anything bad happen to her because she’s been through enough. I don’t need someone kidnapping her at the mall too! She needs me! Oops, there goes the crazy again. At least I recognize the signs.  We can’t be good parents if we aren’t honest about our own shortcomings.

Heck, maybe it’s NONE of those things. Maybe the waves come just because I’m a mom who loves her daughter. I mean, I am certainly not the only one with struggles,  but the responsibility of molding another human into a person who will make the world a better place, well, that gets to all of us moms on occasion, right?

I’m just thankful that I have found an inviting place in the mall to talk myself off the ledge. There are worse places to kill time than with my laptop on a comfy couch wedged in between the Starbucks and shoes. The mall is even entertaining me with music. Right now “Love Lift Us Up(where we belong) is playing. Yes, the 1990 Jennifer Warnes and Joe Cocker Academy award winning song. No, I didn’t know that before I googled it with the malls free wi-fi. See, another bonus to good parenting. When we give our kids the freedom they deserve we can spend time learning new things.

I wonder who all these other people around me are waiting on? Everyone seems to be keeping busy but one by one they all do the same thing. A deep breath and a look around. I’m going to go out on a limb and say I am not the only parent feeling a little anxious today. It’s good to remember we aren’t alone.

Maybe this isn’t so bad after all.  I don’t have to listen to her and friend decide whether their 12 bucks is best spent on a stuffed animal or on lip gloss. I will call it a success if she returns content with her choice and has some change left.

I think I could use a snack and if I get it right now, I can eat it before they come back and want some. Giving our kids freedom they need gives us time to give our bodies what it needs. Technically, I should probably be using this free time to take a walk or workout. Baby steps, people.

This is going to be OK. Breathe. Be present.

If my daughter were here right now, she’d take note of the windows in the roof and the way the light hits the space. My guess is she would say its a great spot for a selfie. I think I’ll call this post my selfie.

Being a parent is hard. Letting go is hard. But I’m doing it. I’m letting her experiment with freedom. I’m giving her the opportunity to see who she is when I’m not around and I’m saving myself hundreds in therapy bills by writing in the mall.

So, the next time you start to tell yourself you are a bad mom, for whatever reason, or that your kid is going to get kidnapped, just remember me, the crazy mom at the mall. Then, take a deep breath and talk yourself off the ledge. Your people need you, minus the crazy.

 

 

 

Content hacks to make your life easier

Posted on by allisonandrewsnc

You look at the clock for the third time in 5 minutes. Your heart races. Your eyes pore into the blank page in front of you as your brain screams ‘WRITE SOMETHING!” For many people, creating content to raise brand awareness does not come naturally.

Yet, it is increasingly critical to the long-term success of your business or organization. Long gone are the days of cold calls, hard sells and stale press releases. You need authentic content that connects with your customers and, more importantly,  potential customers. And did I mention, you need it FAST!?

In this edition of our podcast, Content Hacks, Rachel Clapp Miller, Communication and Digital Marketing Specialist and I recently shared a few hacks that can help ensure you don’t have to relive that moment of panic every week.

Have a listen then check out the handy downloadable checklist below!

Here’s a short list.

Keep a content calendar.

Develop a system for retaining ideas to use later.

Write something every day

Use email as both a way to elicit answers from a source and as the subject of possible topics.

Write backwards. Start with a compelling headline.

Don’t write at all. Instead utilize photos, infographics, podcasts and other platforms to reach your audience.

If you like these ideas, download this PDF for a quick checklist to follow every week. Content Hacks Reference Sheet

Why isn’t anyone reading your content?

Posted on by allisonandrewsnc

“If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?” The age old riddle of the tree is a good question for anyone responsible for helping raise awareness of a particular brand or organization.

Think of it like this, ‘If you post a blog, a photo, or a white paper and no one reads it, did you really say anything?” or did you spend a lot of time creating content for nothing?

None of us has time to spare! So let’s agree that creating content for nothing is a waste of time. There are a lot of reason why content doesn’t work. It could be a topic that doesn’t matter to your audience or it could be a great topic that no one will read because of the way it’s presented.

Rachel Clapp Miller, Communication and Digital Marketing Specialist and I recently started a podcast called Content Hacks. In our first installment, we look at what makes effective content.

 

Think Like a Reporter to Make Your Writing Stand Out

Posted on by allisonandrewsnc

“Ain’t nobody got time for that!” That’s the phrase made popular by the viral video of a woman being interviewed about a house fire. But isn’t it the truth?! We are busy. Time is valuable. If you want me to read what you have to say, you better make it worth my time.

With everyone and their grandma blogging these days, how can you get yours to stand out? The answer: Think like a reporter. I spent 2 decades in newsrooms and I can tell you, you don’t have to take a journalism class to learn a few tricks that can help give your blog credibility and readability.

Reporters have just a short period of time to catch your attention. Heck, they even have to compete against other reporters for the front page or the lead of a newscast.  If their stories don’t get noticed, they haven’t done their job.  The same goes for anyone who blogs. I mean, isn’t that the point–to get noticed so that you can fuel social change, get someone to buy something, teach something, or raise awareness of something?

Here are 4 ways thinking like a reporter can help your own blog.

Catchy Headlines

I hate to say it, but the truth is between facebook and e-newsletters and twitter and the web, if you don’t have a good headline, your perfectly written blog with well thought out points might never get clicked. Spend a little time really thinking about the headline. Don’t just slap it on before you hit publish.

Talk to people

I know. You’d like to stay right there behind your computer and not actually have to interact with a real person.  But no one wants to hear you just ramble on and on. Reporters put real people in their stories.

Quotes can add texture to the point you are trying to make.  Talking to others about the topic BEFORE you write it also gives you a greater perspective when you start actually writing your thoughts down. Sometimes simply interviewing someone on a topic can lead to a share-worthy blog. You’d be surprised how many people will talk to you if you just ask.

Prove it

How many times have you read a blog that included some vague generalization about an issue or topic? You’d never see a reporter get away with that. Their producer wants facts to support everything they say. Adding statistics to your story can give it instant cred. There are all kinds of place you can find relevant data.  Thanks to Google you can quickly find what you need from trade publications, organizations and even government agencies.

Follow up

Too many bloggers raise a question or make a claim about what they plan to do and then the topic disappears. When journalists strike a cord with a great story they make sure to revisit it. They set up a reminder for weeks or months after the story ran to follow up. Your readers will appreciate the update.

Using these techniques can help build your reputation as a blogger who knows what they are talking about.

I’m Inside Out… and That’s a Good Thing!

Posted on by allisonandrewsnc

My daughter is spending the next week with her grandparents. She’s only been gone a few hours but already I can sense things are different. No one is asking me to ‘watch’ them. No one wants to change the channel on the TV.  No one wants to talk to me when I go to the bathroom. At some point I am sure I will love the quiet, but for right now, I miss her silly face. I feel a little Inside Out.

When I dropped her off, every irrational fear a mother can have bubbled to the surface. Evidently hers did too as my usually very independent girl began to cry. We both stood there with tears and hugged. Even so, we both knew it was good for her to go. We both knew she would have fun. After all, it was only 6 days, not 6 months.

My girl and I spend a lot of time together. Her dad travels the majority of the week for work leaving many adventures to just the two of us. Until reality was flexing its muscles, we were both looking forward to a break from each other.

But in that moment, the understanding that our days wouldn’t start with a hug.. or that they wouldn’t end with a snuggle on the couch.. was overwhelming.

Alert! Alert! Red Flag! Warning!

Time to ‘get out of our comfort zone’.

Notice no one ever says that like they won the lottery. Its more of a groan. The truth is, it

doesn’t matter whether its leaving your child for a week, starting a new business, or trying a different food… getting out of your comfort zone isn’t easy but it’s usually worth it.

A week ago, I took my daughter and a friend to see the new movie, “Inside Out.” It’s about a little girl’s move to a new city as told through the emotions that live in her brain. It’s no surprise that parents are loving it. I think parents are a lot like “Joy”. They always want their child to be happy. They think if he or she isn’t happy than that’s bad. The movie reminds us that “Sad” is okay. There is purpose in that emotion. There is purpose in all of our emotions. Without them, we wouldn’t appreciate “Joy” quite as much.

Getting out of your comfort zone shows you just how tough you are. It gives us perspective. It pushes us. It forces us to consider and reflect. It shapes our opinions.

So today I’m out of my comfort zone.. in a quiet house… without my sidekick.

I’m inside out.. and that’s a good thing.

I can’t wait to see what I learn this time…

Why Starting Your Own Business is Scarier Than Jumping Out of a Plane

Posted on by allisonandrewsnc

Leaving a successful career after two decades isn’t a decision to be made lightly. It’s not something you decide overnight. It requires real reflection and planning. You must be certain that you are prepared to stomach the roller coaster you are about to get on. Starting my own business might be the scariest thing I’ve ever done. That’s saying a lot coming from someone who has jumped out of a plane! Heck, I learned to swim so I wouldn’t die in a triathlon and I’ve given birth without any medication, but this, this was really scary.

Starting your own business isn’t scary like a man chasing you with a knife scary.. it’s more like wondering if your punky brother is going to jump out from behind the door and yell “boo!” when you enter the room. Now, months into the madness, I’ve gained some perspective on the process that might help anyone else considering the same journey.

When I jumped out of a plane I believed the equipment would work. I knew I had been properly trained. There were seasoned jumpers taking the leap with me that could intervene if I got in trouble. When I decided to help others navigate the media landscape, the equipment I had been using for years in a TV newsroom was suddenly different in the corporate world. I knew my writing and video skills couldn’t be beat, but even so, what if something went wrong? Where were the experienced people to handle my crisis? It was all me! No crisis team to lean on.

What would I say when people asked me why I would want to leave a career that had brought me so much joy and praise? It was a dizzying thought.

Fortunately, there are moments when the loud voices shouting ‘you don’t know how’ or ‘you can’t do that’ become eerily still. In my experience, that defining moment doesn’t last long. One wrong thought can stir up all the craziness again.

Doubt can destroy a perfectly good plan. Faith can fortify it.

What I’ve learned is that sometimes you just have to sit quietly in the chaos that is my mind. Oh, wait, I mean your mind. Oh please tell me you have chaos too??!

Ok, back to my point. Sometimes, you just have to have faith. And THAT is what makes the whole process so scary.

You’ve probably seen the saying… Faith is taking the first step even when you can’t see the whole staircase. It’s actually taking the next step… and the next step.. and the next step.

There are 5 suggestions I have for anyone starting their own business: 

Have Faith: If you don’t believe in your business, why should anyone else believe in you?

Ask Questions: People are generally helpful. Asking questions isn’t a sign of weakness, it’s a sign of strength. You’ll be surprised at how many people will give you honest answers.

Ask for Help. That’s a hard one for many people, myself at the top of the list. Get out of your comfort zone. Don’t let ego get in your way of fulfilling your dreams.

You can teach an old dog new tricks. I feel more creative now than I have in years! I am learning again and teaching again.

Shut up and listen. Not only to the people who may know more than you, but to your gut.

I am so glad I love roller coasters.