Writing Content 101: 7 Steps to Success as a Wordsmith!

Wordsmiths enjoy Marketing Success on Meager Budgets. Marketing success kick starts business success and Wordsmiths do it by “Selling Candy to Itches.”

Here’s seven can-do steps to becoming a successful Wordmith.

Ok, so what is a wordsmith? As the blacksmiths of old had no fancy toolset, neither do many internet D-I-Y marketers for they achieve success, by hammering out the basics and in so doing, are earning the reputation of being the modern day equivalent: a Wordsmith!

The Internet is an awesome leveler – it offers opportunity to meager budgets to compete effectively. Yes, you can learn to create compelling content. Read on… for some content style tweaks that promise nothing… but… success?

1. Wordsmiths have an Aim: The Conversion of Browsers to Readers

Browsers do not read they scan headlines! Catchy and compelling headlines attract. Nothing is about everything, everything is about….you guessed… converting browsers to readers. 

Browsers become readers when titles promise something… of interest. Interest like beauty, is in your mind’s eye! It’s a subjective mental picture that is triggered by keywords. Start by peppering your Titles with Keywords.

It’s true, Wordsmiths define a target audience and talk to their needs through keyword inspired promises of benefits.

2. Wordsmiths Keep It Simple

• Get to the point…and be understood.
  • Announce (Topic): Now…., or At last…., or  By Demand… etc.
  • Offer a known brand – need you say more?
  • Offer a Bonus: Get a (object/discount/benefit) with a (service/object)
  • Ask Questions: Do you Enjoy these Benefits
  • Prompt Action: Phone us. Submit your ideas. Stop Battling get a (object/service)
  • FREE: …. But beware as it is an abused opener
  • Give me 3 minutes of your time and I’ll save you……

3. Wordsmiths do not sell Products they Chat

Yes, they invite a conversation, a relationship, an interaction designed to inform through a social interaction. Big budgets often market content by saturating (or is it bombarding) the senses with graphic design (bling!) whereas effective meager budgets make it social and personal.

Wordsmiths chat about solutions, benefits, why, how, romance and more but they hold back on the hard product sales pitch!

One more time and in short, Wordsmiths advocate benefits… it promises value… and wherever possible… their promises are measurable by you, the reader. As soon as you assess the value you are a part of the conversation, which is a very different experience to driving by (browsing) a big bling advert.

4. Wordsmiths get to the Candy…Fast!

You have a busy life. The opportunity for distraction is huge. Why read further? Many browse because they  “itch” for something?  The key is to offer a solution to that itch! Wordsmiths talk to the “itch” rather than push the product.

That’s it – they sell candy to itches!

Get to know your topic by researching the needs and desires of customers, the drivers to buy and what causes the “itch” for your product or service. Why is your product/service uniquely different to the customer? What was that one thing that made them buy from you? That’s the Candy that you seek to know, understand and share. What is the benefit to the customer? When you know, write a compelling title linking benefits to page content.

5. Wordsmiths write compelling headlines

 There is no one recipe for success but the basics include:

• Using headline linking techniques
  •  How To (the Topic) and (the Benefit) e.g.
    • How to Become a Wordsmith and Make More Money
    • How to Get Listed and Be Found!
    • How to Save Time and Enjoy a Busy Lifestyle
  • (Topic) that (Benefit)
    • How to Have a Holiday that saves you Money
    • How to Get a Job that Others Want
  • Illustrating
    • See how I…
    • See how easy it can be to…

• Making an Irresistible Promise
  • How I made money from home
  • How I got rich with a simple idea
  • How a Simple Tweak Turbo Charged Traffic to my Website
  • Our Guarantee costs us nothing… because it’s never needed!
  • It worked for me…it is ready to work for you
  • You will get nothing but smiles – just open the box for customer satisfaction
• Starting with a Why or Here’s Why and then by make the promise Measurable
  • Why (the solution) works for 98% of our customers… the 2% get their money back – gets straight to the point of reading further
  • Why (the product/service) is bought by over 10,000…… - Builds credibility
  • Why (a customer / customers) almost always returns for more within 30 days – promises a measurable deliverable
  • This is why our customers share 1, 2, 3,
• Subtle Bragging
  • Testimonials work: It worked for me. See who loved it…
  • This (what) has worked ….times
  • This (what) made me R100,000 in 17 days
  • Clerk (unlikely person) built new Aircraft Design ( what)
  • How sad…so much will now be obsolete
  • I did it and I wasn’t a….
  • Of such stuff legends are made

6. Wordsmiths go Window Shopping for Ideas

Before you start, plan. Before you plan, window shop for ideas. Go browsing by window-shopping old magazines; attention-getting adverts, asking women, browsing the Internet and more for creative expression, attention getters, layout ideas and more.

7. Wordsmiths Use Lists: They Focus and Promise Content

• Ask questions? – They promise solutions!
• Top 10! – They better be the best of!
• List problems – Then be the solution!
• Define Categories – Browsers become Readers when the Shoe Fits!
• Use multiple keyword rich introductions with Read more…. Links – Bait say, 10 hooks then … land their interest with compelling content.
• The 7 common mistakes many make – oh dear!
• If you don’t this is why you will regret it 1, 2, 3, - averting misery
• Will you recognize the warning signs 1, 2 3,  - we all want to know
• Do you make these mistakes 1, 2, 3, - builds buy-in
• 6 Ways to
• If you are a 1, 2, 3,, you can get 1,2,3, - builds audience inclusion

To conclude, give me 30 seconds more and I’ll give you an awesome one-stop checklist

• Think small and or crisp
• Think punchy and or compelling
• Think surprise and engage
• Keep it human: emotional and intelligent
• Engineer yearning and fulfill it

All you need do is do it and it will work for you too. Oh yes, it works, time and again!