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Category: Blog Writing

Ghostwriting for blogs, website content

5 Reasons why you should hire a ghostwriter

Joan Koehne Leave a comment

Writer to the Rescue is a ghostwriter for blogs, website content, articlesI often hear this comment from clients: “I’m not a writer. Can you help?” That’s when I become their ghostwriter. I take their thoughts and ideas, organize them, and write them down. Ghostwriting is a well-established and well-accepted practice in the age of digital marketing.

Why hire a ghostwriter?

Here are five reasons why you should hire a ghostwriter:

  1. It saves you time. Managing a business requires time and attention, and outsourcing some of the work to a ghostwriter lets you focus on your core business. Businesses have hired marketing professionals for years, and today’s digital marketing material includes website content, blog articles, and social media posts.
  2. You don’t have to be a talented writer. The business owners I write for are great communicators, but they don’t always have confidence in their writing. As a ghostwriter, I am the bridge between ideas and words.
  3. You don’t have to be a techie. Clients rely on Writer to the Rescue to post their blogs, upload their website content, and do other techie work. I work with a “league of superheroes” at Packerland Websites who are digital media professionals helping you get found on the internet.
  4. You have input from start to finish. Before I write for you, we will meet at your business (if possible) and have a long talk. Collaboration helps the content ring true. In my writing, I will try to convey your voice, attitude, and style, so the content is authentically yours. Before posting or distributing, I will send you a draft to review and revise.
  5. No more procrastinating. A key to increasing business revenue is to create a compelling marketing message that addresses your prospects’ needs. Business owners know this, but they don’t always set aside the time for regular follow-through. When you work with a ghostwriter, your blog will get done. Your website content will get done. After years in journalism, I am good at meeting deadlines.

End goal is conversions

The job of a ghostwriter is to engage the audience, convey your brand, and build your authority and expertise in your industry. The end goal is conversions. Contact me to get started as your ghostwriter for articles, press releases, website content, blogs, and marketing materials.

Writing professionals and freelancers at Untitled Town

10 Tips for Freelancers: Writing Is A Lucrative Business

Joan Koehne Leave a comment
Writing professionals and freelancers at Untitled Town
As room host at the Untitled Town Book and Author Festival, I had the pleasure of introducing this panel of writers.

At the Untitled Town Book and Author Festival last weekend I gained inspiration from the writing professionals who told their stories of success. Writing can be a lucrative business. Here’s what they recommended:

  1. Have confidence in your writing abilities: Writers have a marketable skill. Everyone can write, but not everyone can write well.
  2. Be inquisitive: Always be looking for good topic ideas to pitch to clients. Pitch ideas based on what you know, who you know, what’s trendy, and what deserves attention. Find something from your background that relates to the topic.
  3. Match styles of writing: Read the blog or publication before you write your articles to get a feel for their content.
  4. Value your time: Charge what you think you’re worth, not what you think the customer expects to pay.
  5. Set your price: Narrow down the scope of the job and estimate the time it’s going to take before you set a price. Offer to revise your content twice before charging an additional fee.
  6. Build your reputation: Pay-per-click ads on Facebook can be effective, but nothing compares to word-of-mouth referrals. When you complete a project, ask your customers to leave a review.
  7. Meet deadlines: Writers who miss deadlines frustrate their clients. Plan ahead, set a schedule, and use your time wisely. Hit your deadlines every time.
  8. Set goals: Have a target in mind to reach, like quarterly sales or the number of projects completed in a month. Goals give you something to work toward.
  9. Develop an effective website: Your website is your storefront, so make sure it represents you well.
  10. Get entrenched in a niche: By specializing, you can have a longstanding and profitable relationship with a client.

Try out some of these ideas to earn some money for your writing.

NWTC student success

From the check-out counter to the research lab

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NWTC student successNote: Here’s an inspiring story I wrote for Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, where I earned my marketing degree.

NWTC student Natasha Clark has come a long way from her days working at the check-out counter of a Lakewood grocery store. After graduating from Laona High School she tried a semester of college, but it wasn’t a good fit. At age 23, she wanted to return to college. She wasn’t sure how, but she knew she wanted something better for herself and her 2-year-old daughter. Going online one night she came across the NWTC Lab Science Technician program, and it changed her life. She enrolled in the introductory year of the LST program in 2016 and will be one of the first graduates of the college program this spring.

“I drive an hour and 20 minutes every day to school, but I love it.”

An Associate Degree is just the first step toward Natasha’s goal of becoming a research scientist. “Since I started taking classes I really fell in love with research, and I’ve decided to go on and earn my bachelor’s degree and hopefully, eventually earn a Ph.D.,” she said.

She is steadily moving toward this goal. For the past year, she’s interned in the physical testing lab at Nature’s Way in Green Bay and will soon transfer to the microbiology lab. She is wrapping up an independent research project at NWTC and plans to study cellular molecular biology at UW-Green Bay next fall. NWTC biology instructor Angelo Kolokithas has witnessed Natasha’s transformation from a shy student to a confident, hardcore scientist.

“She’s like a sponge in every class, and she’s a good thinker.”

“She’s the one always asking the thought-provoking, ethical questions,” he said. Angelo and his colleagues developed the LST curriculum with a two-fold mission, to be rigorous enough to transfer to a bachelor’s degree and practical enough to teach skills for the workplace. Students in the program experience how research is done in real research science labs.

“Students can actually perform their own scientific research, which is unheard of at most tech colleges,” Angelo said.
Natasha said her interest in science is what keeps her motivated to learn more. The hands-on lab experiences, small class sizes, and personalized attention from her instructors made her learning experience even better.

“I gained a lot of practical knowledge regarding the tools and the procedures used in labs.”

She hopes that someday her research will lead to a significant break-through or discovery. “This program really helped my self-confidence. I wasn’t even sure if I’d be able to do it, but I got here and everyone was so helpful and nice. They really gave me the boost of self-confidence I needed to go on to school,” she said.

Writer Joan and Mathmatician Janet

Social Media Marketing Graduate Loves Writing

Joan Koehne Leave a comment
NWTC graduation. Marketing classes helped Joan become a better writer
My college days are behind me! On May 19, 2017, this “Wonder Writer” crossed the stage to receive her diploma.

How can I help with your writing needs?

This month Writer to the Rescue took flight full time for the first time since I stepped into the Spandex suit with the “W” on the chest in January. I’m now a graduate of two colleges, UW-Eau Claire (journalism) and Northeast Wisconsin Technical College (social media marketing).

What do I do now? People ask me this all the time.

I write website content…

I tell the world about businesses, fashioning original, key-word rich content for the About Us page, Home page, Services pages and more. I’ve already written content for an excavator, restaurant, videographer, and asphalt company, just to name a few. To make it easy on everyone, I developed a one-page questionnaire as a starting point. Some clients fill out the questionnaire and respond via email. Others respond over the phone or in person. I frame the website content around the responses to these questions and around the industry-specific research I conduct.

…And I write blog articles

What’s the topic this month? That’s my starting point for writing blog articles. I look at what’s seasonal or trendy. What do people wonder about? What connection can I make between writer and reader?
I want to position my client as an expert in the industry, as a trusted source readers can call upon for products or services.
But what good is a blog article if no one reads it? That’s why I use keywords, distribution strategies and search engine optimization techniques to help the article get found.
Posting blog articles to websites is a great social media marketing strategy. The infusion of original content provides more opportunities to convert visitors to customers. Blogs also enlarge a website, potentially improving its ranking on search engines.

…And I write news and magazine articles

Drawing from nearly 10 years of experience as a journalist, I create superpowerful news or magazine stories. Here’s my approach:
• Gather who, what, when, where, how and why.
• Gracefully weave the story together.
• Wrap it with a strong lead and satisfying conclusion.

Writer Joan and Mathmatician Janet
Writer Joan and Mathematician Janet make a good pair.

• Add an attention-getting headline and quality photograph.
• Submit the package to media outlets.

…And I write and edit specialty assignments

If you need something written or edited, I’m there to help.
• Whiteboard scripts
• Magazine and newspaper articles
• Pro staff agreements
• Invitations
• Newsletters
• Tutorials
• Sales presentations

In need of professional writing services? I’m happy to oblige. Now that I’m full time, I’ve got 40 hours to kill.

Blog photo of flag and grave for Memorial Day

Blog writing sample

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When a local funeral director rolled out a new identity for his funeral homes, I offered to help tell his story. One of the ways to get his message across is through monthly blog articles.

Why would a funeral home want to work with a blogger? Plenty of reasons.Blog about Memorial Day

Tell your story

Blog articles help build brand recognition; in this case, for the recently renamed funeral home. The initial blog explained the changes taking place at two funeral homes now operating under one umbrella. Blogs allow businesses to tell the world what’s happening: new products, recent acquisitions, leadership changes, etc.

The first-person blog I wrote about Legacy Funeral Chapel’s changes was conversational and descriptive, honoring the history of the generations-old funeral home while emphasizing today’s modern facilities and services.

Be viewed as an expert

Another goal of corporate blogging is to cement your status of authority in your industry. What business owner doesn’t want to stand out as a leader in their field?

Take this sample blog as an example. Families of veterans are often unsure what benefits are due at the time of death. Turns out, they may be eligible for a whole slate of free services! The funeral home staff is a knowledgeable and helpful resource for this topic – and lots of other topics, which will provide plenty of fodder for blog posts in the future.

Get the message to your audience

Blogging isn’t just about writing; it’s about getting read. That’s why I use the right keywords, posting strategies and search engine optimization techniques to help the blog get noticed.

Posting your blog articles to your website is a great social media marketing strategy. The infusion of original content provides more opportunities to convert visitors to customers. Blogs also enlarge a website, potentially improving its ranking on search engines.

Blogs are valuable if they focus on information customers really need. If a blogger provides valuable, relevant and compelling information, chances of resonating with an audience are good. When you resonate with your audience, you pick up sales.

When the time comes for someone to choose a funeral home, Legacy Funeral Chapels wants their name to come to mind. Blogging can help. Contact us to learn more.

Lessons learned from the likes of Alice and Olive

Joan Koehne 2 Comments

It’s time to regroup from a hectic weekend; and what a weekend it was! Saturday night was spent at the 70th annual Alice in Dairyland finale at the Lambeau Field Atrium. On Sunday I celebrated Mother’s Day and watched the Machickanee Players’ performance of “The Odd Couple,” female version.

Halfway through my weekend I noticed a theme developing – talented women are everywhere. I certainly saw my fair share on Saturday and Sunday.

Amazing on-stage presence

The six finalists in the Alice in Dairyland competition were outstanding; all were knowledgeable about agriculture and well-prepared for the competition. I marveled at how casually they took hold of the microphone and launched into their 5-minute talks, without the aid of notes. All six had college-level training in marketing or communications, and it showed.

Alice in DairylandWe heard two presentations from each finalist and a heartfelt, humorous farewell message from Ann O’Leary, the 69th Alice in Dairyland. During her reign she spoke to thousands of fourth-graders and answered questions like “Why is cheese yellow if milk is white?” and “Is your name really Alice?” Her response to the second question: “No, my name isn’t Alice, but it would be a lot easier if it were!”

Crystal Siemers-Peterman of Cleveland will wear the tiara (bedecked with gems native to Wisconsin) as the 70th Alice in Dairyland. She begins a year-long, full-time job with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, travelling the state to promote Wisconsin’s agricultural industry.

Comedic timing was superb

That brings me to another performance featuring talented women. Oscar and Felix were replaced by Olive and Florence in the female version of Neil Simon’s “The Odd Couple,” performed at the Park Avenue Playhouse in Oconto. The classic comedy about the mismatched roommates – one a neat freak and the other a slob – was both funny and poignant. I especially liked watching Olive, Florence and their four friends bond over their weekly Trivial Pursuit match-ups. They showed how female friendships can be cheeky and wacky, yet tinged with warmth and honesty. The cast pulled it off beautifully! I could just sit back, relax and drink it all in.

Moms have hidden talents

Mothers were the third set of talented women I came in contact with this weekend. The talents we share with our families day-in and day-out largely go unnoticed. Our contributions go beyond household chores and childcare duties. We give our kids support, show them our love, and most importantly, help them move out! But honestly, I love having the kids come home, whether for a weekend or a summer.

On Mother’s Day, I was reminded of the time our college-aged daughter called home, saying she needed to talk to someone. “Aren’t your roommates around?” I asked, clueless. I could hear the impatience in her voice as she said, “I want to talk to you!”

I didn’t say any magic words or quote any great philosophers, but by the end of our conversation I’d said enough to put her life back on track.

That’s a talent all in itself!

Wonder Writer Meets Her Match, Squares Up Against the Best in the Business

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The big news out of Titletown this weekend? The Green Bay Packers 2017 draft picks. What about the big news out of Untitled Town this weekend?

Never heard of Untitled Town? It’s a first-time event in which readers and writers congregated for three days of homage to the written word.

The Untitled Town Book and Author Festival incorporated more than 70 events in 7 different locations in downtown Green Bay. At writing workshops, panel discussions, and readings I found solidarity with others who truly love words.

Joan Koehne at Untitled Book and Author Festival
Joan Koehne attends Untitled Book and Author Festival.

The presenters were generous in dispensing nuggets of wisdom about their writing. Here are a few gems I packed away:

  1. No finished work is done until someone else reads it.
  2. Writers are divided into two categories: Plotters, who plan carefully, and Pantsers, who write by the seat of their pants.
  3. Readers are seeking a “rabbit hole” — an escape from their jobs, their kids, and their dirty dishes.
  4. Writing is a process. Stories don’t just pop out full-borne. They need to be massaged over time.
  5. Two things are critical to improve your writing: Read a lot, and write a lot.

I call myself Wonder Writer, but I think I met my match this weekend!

These writing professionals are fervently dedicated to their craft. After all, it can be a years-long journey from the first word written to the date a novel is published.

When I consider this daunting scenario, I’m thankful I spend my days crafting 250-500 words at a pop in the form of website content, blog articles, news releases and the like.

I walked away from the conference inspired, yes, but even more so, I felt proud of my role as a storyteller (minuscule as it is) in a vast and diverse writing industry. For this, I thank the creators of #UntitledTown. Can’t wait for next year!