Practical Tips For Writing Articles That Sell with Amy Cook, Episode #1

Writing articles that get traction on social media and actually drive sales conversions is no easy task. But it’s something anyone can do with a little bit of learning even sales people can do it – and on this episode of #SellingWithSocial, you’re going to get a LOT of learning from me and my great friend and partner, Amy Cook. In this conversation, we walk you step by step through the article writing process to give you the essential things that must go into an article to make it stand out, get attention, and drive sales.

Don’t waste your time writing bad articles. Here’s how to make them pop!

Most salespeople know that content marketing is one of the most effective ways to build customer relationships and drive sales over the long haul, so they make a half-hearted effort at creating articles and other content. The problem is if the article you write is of poor quality that draws nobody’s attention, you’ve wasted your time writing it. But I want you to make the most of your article writing time, so my partner Amy and I have compiled some good writing habits and practical tips for you: How to decide on a topic – How to write an effective title – How to make your content readable and engaging – How to find and include effective images – and more. Be sure you take the time to listen to this episode to take your content creation to a new level and close more deals.

Why today’s content marketing and article writing is all about the relationship.

Gone are the days of pushy sales copy. More effective engagement is what you need to be going for and it happens by being transparent, writing about the things that have happened in your own experience. People are drawn into a story and you want to learn how to use the stories that make up your own life to draw your ideal customer into the topics you’re writing about. It gives them a sense that you are a real person who understands what it means to face the same needs they have, and that you can help them. On this episode, my partner Amy and I are going to unpack how you can write engaging stories that build a relationship of trust, so be sure you listen.

You have to make your content stand out on Social Media.

The online space is getting noisier and noisier every day. If the content you provide to your ideal customer is going to stand out it’s got to be head and shoulders above the rest in terms of quality, attention grabbing titles, and images. But how do you incorporate all of those things together to stand out? You can find out from my friend Amy, who has written some of the most engaging and shared content on the internet. On this episode of #SellingWithSocial, she and I share the basics of compelling, shareable, engaging content. If you’re smart, you’ll carve out the time to listen to this one.

Here’s a load of resources to make your content marketing more effective.

On this first ever episode of #SellingWithSocial my guest Amy Cook unloads the resources you need to write effective articles, title them in ways that catch the attention of your ideal customer, and share them powerfully on social media. Among the great things she shares is a list of free image sources, you can tap into to accompany your articles. Nothing gets attention and builds interest better than an interesting image. Learn how to find the right images and how to use them effectively from Amy, on this episode. And if you’re looking for someone to help you with your content creation strategy, you’ll hear how to connect with me, or with Amy, in person.

Outline of This Episode

• [1:25] Mario’s introduction to this episode and his guest, Amy Cook.
• [3:46] Why “content” is a scary thing for most sales people.
• [4:55] What IS content marketing?
• [5:58] What should content marketing for sales people actually accomplish?
• [7:10] Breaking down what is meant by “editorial content.”
• [10:38] Why becoming an influencer is more important than becoming a thought leader.
• [13:00] How to do the practical work of writing influential content.
• [19:30] Discovering what to write about.
• [25:70] How to find graphics that fit your article.
• [29:23] How to effectively share your content once it’s created.

Resources Mentioned

One of the things I love to do is to read amazing sales books and listen to sales podcasts.  That is why we’ve created the best sales books list and the best sales podcasts list for sales leaders, sales managers, and sales reps.  I encourage you to click through these and give them a listen! In addition, take a look at the resources below mentioned during this podcast.

• Amy(at)OsmondMarketing.com or on Twitter
• “Dad, you said LinkedIn would make you money” article.
• Quora
• Medium
• Shuttler Stock
• iStock Photo
• Dreamstime Photos
• Morguefile
• The Stocks Photos
• Designer Pics
• Freestock
• Pixabay
• Blog Mutt
• Growth Geeks

Connect With Mario!

• On Facebook
• On Twitter
• On YouTube
• On LinkedIn

Amy’s Bio

Dr. Amy Osmond Cook received her Ph.D. from the University of Utah in Communication. She is the CEO of Osmond Marketing, Founder of the Divorce Support Center, and a health/wellness columnist for the Orange County Register, Daily Herald, Family Share, and Cupid’s Pulse. Amy has worked as an instructor at Arizona State University, Brigham Young University, and the University of Utah intermittently for the past 15 years.. Osmond Marketing is a woman-owned, full-service content marketing organization specifically designed to meet the needs of small businesses and healthcare companies. Our innovative model allows companies to operate on retainer but with the oversight to have all contracted hours available for their perusal at all times. With our unsurpassed quality and customer service, Osmond Marketing experienced 148% growth in 2015 and is on track to experience the same levels of growth this year. She has been featured in publications such as People and USA Today and on television shows such as Good Morning America.

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