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Articles by Toby Knott
The business case for a bigger marketing budget [FREE template]
It’s nerve-wracking going to your executive board and asking for more budget to play with. You don’t want to be there (sweating away) wondering whether you’re getting your point across. What you need is a rock-solid business case. Business cases justify marketing expenses by proving that the company will see some positive returns. Compiling impressive benefits, backed up with indisputable marketing statistics, will show that upping your budget is the right thing to do.
6 copywriting lessons from great letter writers
Noobody writes letters anymore. But maybe they should. The anticipation, the ripping of the envelope (with your finger because a knife’s never to hand), the smell and feel of the paper, the unique scrawl of your correspondent – letters pack a punch. Yet dead it is; its grave dug and filled in by the likes of text, email and instant messaging. But while the art might be dead, the lessons great letter writers have to teach are timeless and they apply to all forms of communication.
Writing to deadline: how planning helps us complete your copy on time
Handing over your content creation to an agency and hoping something good crawls out of the morass of the copywriter’s mind can be scary, as Clare has said before. But outsourcing your copywriting can save you the time (and hassle) of understanding how to start your own B2B blog. With the right approach and the right copywriting partner, letting go needn’t mean losing control. Setting a deadline As much as copywriters love to hate deadlines, we thrive off them.
Distributed workforce: How to manage the 'where are you?' of working
At a time when most work doesn't happen at work, but rather on the road, at home and across various time zones, frantic 'Where are you?!' emails won't cut it. You need a smarter way of managing schedules and knowing where your employees are. The distributed workforce Mobile, flexible working is not the panacea it's sometimes made out to be and it's not suitable for everyone, but it does have undeniable benefits.
I did it for science: Pomodoro and other time management techniques
For those of you who’ve never heard of it, the Pomodoro Technique is very simple. How does it work? You set the proprietary tomato-shaped timer (see above) for 25 minutes, spend that 25 minutes immersed in the task at hand and then take a short break after every 25-minute stint, taking longer breaks every four Pomodoro sessions. Variations include... The power hour, which requires finding one hour each day – this could mean waking up earlier – to focus entirely on a task that you’ve been neglecting.
Give a little: CSR for the small business
Corporate social responsibility. It's certainly worthy, but is it worth it for small businesses? Don't be put off by the terminology and the impression that you need to achieve the impossible – setting up and running a healthy business is hard enough without worrying about your conscience. And those companies that have been very big on CSR, like, say, Enron, haven't always been the most virtuous of companies, treating social responsibility as a sort of corporate window dressing.
Why your small business needs a formal purchasing process
It can be easy as a small business owner to skip over the formalities of your purchasing process. Maybe you’re just dealing with it all yourself because the paperwork seems like an unnecessary hassle. You’ve already got a good relationship with your vendors, so why bother with formalities? But being blasé about it will cost you time and money, particularly as the frequency and complexity of your purchases grows along with your business.
5 negotiation tricks to get more from your suppliers
Definitely don't begin by bellowing down the phone; you won't make any friends. Negotiation is not about 'winning' or scoring points against a supplier, but about trying to reach a mutually beneficial agreement and maintaining a good relationship with your suppliers. After all, they're running a business, too. Having a few negotiation tricks up your sleeve will help you get the most from your suppliers without burning bridges.
The end of the hard sell: content marketing for salespeople
People hate being sold to. And the fact that there is a thriving market of products and software designed to sidestep and block ads shows just how ineffective traditional methods are. But that doesn't means selling is dead. It's just changed. Nearly 60 percent of the traditional sales process has gone out of the window, according to research by Google and CEB.
Why marketing professionals need professional writers
Professional copywriters help you cut through the noise. They write pithy, persuasive, remarkable content that resonates with your customers and drives up sales. ‘If you have budget to invest in your website, I would say, “hire someone to write for you.”’ – Rebecca Churt, HubSpot. I couldn’t agree more. Good writing is at the heart of great brands and it is the engine of great campaigns. Copywriters aren’t just word monkeys. They don’t just 'bang out copy’ or ‘wordsmith’ existing verbiage.
The most persuasive words in copywriting
Words, words, words. We write them, read them, speak them and listen to them every day, yet words’ ability to persuade, elicit emotion and evoke colour, movement and texture tends to slip under the radar. Persuasive words are the bread and butter of copywriting. We know (at least in theory) the importance of how to write the right thing at the right time for the right people. But what actually makes particular words better than others at moving us, at persuading us to buy?
Who are copywriters? Inside the mind of the copywriter
We have written before about what copywriters do, but who is the copywriter? According to Google users, writers – with the exception of the rather touching 'why are writers important to society?' – are fat, weird, lonely, sad alcoholics. And the DMA's 'Why your copywriter looks sad' book, the result of its 2014 census of 433 British copywriters, paints a similar picture, with one respondent replying simply: 'Copywriting is... SHITE'. And another describing themselves as a 'Track Changes accepter'.
The best way to pitch a content marketing plan to your boss
'Content marketing's just touchy feely nonsense. How does it make me money?' Does this sound familiar? Whether you're contending with a view like this or you have a slightly more receptive boss, you need to make a solid business case for your content marketing plan and use the pitch to show how it will grow your business. The 'everyone else is doing it' defence won't fly.
How to think up blog topics that generate leads
We’ve all been there. When it comes to conjuring up blog topic ideas, it can feel like there’s nothing new under the sun. But in the comforting words of French author André Gide, ‘Everything that needs to be said has already been said. But since no one was listening, everything must be said again.’ Originality has its place, but it needn’t be your starting point for coming up with blog topics that generate leads. It all starts with *drum roll*: the buyer persona – the key to any great content.
5 essential, free marketing tools for startups
The last thing you need as a bootstrapping startup is a large outlay on marketing tools and tech. So here are five essential tools to get you marketing like a pro, for free. The granddaddy of free web analytics. Google Analytics gives you a complete picture of your audience: how many there are, where they’re coming from, where they’re going when they get to your website, etc. A must if you want a snapshot of the health of your website.
How to think up lead-generating blog topic ideas
[dropcap]W[/dropcap]e’ve all been there. When it comes to conjuring up blog topic ideas, it can feel like there’s nothing new under the sun. But in the comforting words of French author André Gide, ‘Everything that needs to be said has already been said. But since no one was listening, everything must be said again.’ Originality has its place, but it needn’t be your starting point for coming up lead-generating ideas… It all starts with *drum roll*: the buyer persona – the key to any great content.
How to make content worthy of the share button
Marketers are forever chasing the elusive 'social share', but they rarely stop to ask: why do people share? A study of 2,500 online sharers by the New York Times found five of the most common motivations: 'The likelihood of your content being shared has more to do with your readers' relationship to others than their relationship to you,' says Garrett Moon at CoSchedule.
How case studies help you sell more
Good case studies win business. Telling the story of how real customers have successfully used your product or service convinces others to buy it. Having written hundreds of case studies for a wide range of clients, we at Articulate know a thing or two about what works and what doesn’t. Case studies are too often seen as inert website furniture. But speed and reach is key – case studies have a short half-life.
Productivity hacks: gold dust or garbage?
Wherever you look now there’s a shortcut to this and a hack for that – but how many of these actually work? We separate productivity hack fact from fiction. Wherever you look now you’ll find people advertising a shortcut to this and a hack for that, but how many of these tricks actually work? And do any give you more back than you put in? Handily, Lifehacker has already exploded a number of the most common efficiency myths. So, how do you spot a fake efficiency hack?
'Where are you?!' Managing a distributed workforce effectively
The distributed workforce is a top challenge for HR. But with the right approach and tools, you can build a more effective team that’s easier to manage. At a time when most work doesn’t happen at work, but rather on the road, at home and across various time zones, frantic ‘Where are you?!’ emails won’t cut it. You need a smarter way of managing schedules and knowing where your employees are.
The importance of process, and why it isn't up to you
Process is vital for the competitive business. It’s the difference between the occasionally outstanding and the consistently good. Red tape this ain’t. In the salad days of Wikipedia there were few processes to keep it running. Any issues could quickly be resolved with informal discussions because early contributors all knew each other or soon did. But, as it grew, more and more process was needed to ensure that the community could continue to collaborate effectively.
I did it for science: Pomodoro and other time management techniques
(Hat tip to Andy Roberts for the photo)What is it?For those of you who’ve never heard of it, the Pomodoro Technique is very simple.You set the proprietary tomato-shaped timer (see above) for 25 minutes, spend that 25 minutes immersed in the task at hand and then take a short break after every 25-minute stint, taking longer breaks every four Pomodoro sessions.Variations include…The power hour, which requires finding one hour each day – this could mean waking up earlier – to focus entirely on a...
The best way to pitch a content marketing plan to your boss
‘Content marketing’s just touchy feely nonsense. How does it make me money?’ Whether you’re contending with a view like this or you have a slightly more receptive boss, you need to make a solid business case for your content marketing plan and use the pitch to show how it will grow your business. The ‘everyone else is doing it’ defence won’t fly.
The most persuasive words in copywriting
We write them, read them, speak them and listen to them every day, yet words’ ability to persuade, elicit emotion and evoke colour, movement and texture tends to slip under the radar. As copywriters, they’re our bread and butter so we know (at least in theory) the importance of saying the right thing at the right time to the right people. But what actually makes particular words better than others at moving us, at persuading us to buy?
Focus on the process and get great results every time
Focussing on results might be business 101, but it makes for inconsistency. Concentrating on the process, however, ensures consistent success and focus. Hitting the bull’s-eye is all well and good, but it’s useless if you can’t repeat the process. A good competitive archer doesn’t just aim and hope for the best each time, they work on their breathing, posture and relaxation – they work on their process in order to hone it and repeat it.
5 negotiation tricks to get more from your suppliers
Definitely don't begin by bellowing down the phone; you won't make any friends. Negotiation is not about 'winning' or scoring points against a supplier, but about trying to reach a mutually beneficial agreement and maintaining a good relationship with your suppliers. After all, they're running a business, too. Having a few negotiation tricks up your sleeve will help you get the most from your suppliers without burning bridges. 1.
Negotiation tricks to get more from your suppliers
Want to get more from your suppliers? These negotiation tricks will help you get the most without burning your bridges. Definitely don’t begin by bellowing down the phone; you won’t make any friends. Negotiation is not about ‘winning’ or scoring points against a supplier, but about trying to reach a mutually beneficial agreement and maintaining a good relationship with your suppliers. After all, they’re running a business, too.
The end of the hard sell: content marketing for salespeople
People hate being sold to. And the fact that there is a thriving market of products and software designed to sidestep and block ads shows just how ineffective traditional methods are. But that doesn’t means selling is dead. It’s just changed. Nearly 60 percent of the traditional sales process has gone out of the window, according to research by Google and CEB.
Why your small business needs a formal purchasing process
Words like “process” can set the bureaucratic alarm bells ringing, but adding some formality to your purchasing process makes for a more efficient business. It can be easy as a small business owner to skip over the formalities of your purchasing process. Maybe you’re just dealing with it all yourself because the paperwork seems like an unnecessary hassle. You’ve already got a good relationship with your vendors, so why bother with formalities?
4 signs your marketing team needs help and what to do about it • Articulate
It’s not always easy to tell when your marketing team needs help. As far as you can tell, you’ve given them everything they need to drive your business’s growth, so what should you look out for to tell if that’s not the case? There are four big warning signs you should look out for when monitoring your marketing team. If any of these ring a bell, you need to act quickly to correct these problems before they damage your business’s growth.
4 signs your marketing team needs help and what to do about it
It's not always easy to tell when your marketing team needs help. As far as you can tell, you've given them everything they need to drive your business's growth, so what should you look out for to tell if that's not the case? There are four big warning signs you should look out for when monitoring your marketing team. If any of these ring a bell, you need to act quickly to correct these problems before they damage your business's growth.
How to convince your boss to invest in content marketing • Articulate
Selling content marketing to your boss can be tough. Content marketing is not about quick wins or short term goals; it’s a long-term investment with long-term results. Content marketing typically costs 62 percent less than traditional marketing and yet generates three times as many leads. Yet, those sceptical of content marketing can still struggle to see the connection between the content and the sale. If your boss is one of those people, how can you convince them?
How to convince your boss to invest in content marketing • Articulate
Selling content marketing to your boss can be tough. Content marketing is not about quick wins or short term goals; it’s a long-term investment with long-term results. Content marketing typically costs 62 percent less than traditional marketing and yet generates three times as many leads. Yet, those sceptical of content marketing can still struggle to see the connection between the content and the sale. If your boss is one of those people, how can you convince them?
How to convince your boss to invest in content marketing
Selling content marketing to your boss can be tough. Content marketing is not about quick wins or short term goals; it’s a long-term investment with long-term results. Content marketing typically costs 62 percent less than traditional marketing and yet generates three times as many leads. Yet, those sceptical of content marketing can still struggle to see the connection between the content and the sale. If your boss is one of those people, how can you convince them?
The end of the hard sell: content marketing for salespeople
People hate being sold to. And the fact that there is a thriving market of products and software designed to sidestep and block ads shows just how ineffective traditional methods are. But that doesn’t means selling is dead. It’s just changed. Nearly 60 percent of the traditional sales process has gone out of the window, according to research by Google and CEB.
A guide to equipping your office for the flexible small business
When equipping your office, think: only the bare minimum. It’ll keep you mobile and allow you to focus. But with the rise of flexible working, office equipment means more than the physical space and equipment. You also need to create a productive, approachable virtual space in which you and your employees can thrive. Whether you work from home or in rented work space – or you dabble in both – you want the same thing when equipping your office: efficiency, clout and flexibility in equal measure.
How to think up captivating, lead-generating blog topic ideas
We’ve all been there. When it comes to conjuring up blog topic ideas, it can feel like there’s nothing new under the sun. But in the comforting words of French author André Gide, ‘Everything that needs to be said has already been said. But since no one was listening, everything must be said again.’ Originality has its place, but it needn’t be your starting point for coming up lead-generating ideas… It all starts with *drum roll*: the buyer persona – the key to any great content.
Negotiation tricks to get more from your suppliers
Want to get more from your suppliers? These negotiation tricks will help you get the most from them, without burning your bridges. Definitely don’t begin by bellowing down the phone; you won’t make yourself any friends. Negotiation is not about ‘winning’ or scoring points against a supplier, but about trying to reach a mutually beneficial agreement and maintaining a good relationship with your suppliers.
The fundamentals of workplace automation - Turbine
Should workplace automation make us fear for our jobs or look forward to spending our time on more meaningful work? Maybe a bit of both. As the automation of work processes continues apace by means of artificial intelligence, what does this mean for our jobs? Research carried out by McKinsey, analysing around 2,000 individual work activities, suggests that, rather than eliminating jobs altogether, automation will take over discrete tasks and thus redefine current roles – at least in the short term.
12 top copy tips for improving your website conversion rate
(Hat tip to stanjourdan for the photo)Your website is the front line of your content marketing strategy, so don’t cut corners with the copy.Visitors tend to leave websites within ten to 20 seconds and only read about 20 percent of the content on each page. Your copy therefore has to be something special to grab their attention, inspire action and drive up your website conversion rate .But it’s not brain surgery – just tweaking and slimming your existing copy can make all the difference.
What makes you click? The art and science of great headlines
You know how to write a headline. ‘17 reasons why you need to…’ ‘The ultimate guide to…’ ‘What kind of … are you?’ All effective styles, but what exactly is the art of science of such great headlines? What makes us click? Good news for people who love bad news We love bad news; we just don’t know we do.
6 copywriting lessons from great letter writers
Nobody writes letters anymore. But maybe they should. The anticipation, the ripping of the envelope (with your finger because a knife’s never to hand), the smell and feel of the paper, the unique scrawl of your correspondent – letters pack a punch. Yet dead it is; its grave dug and filled in by the likes of text, email and instant messaging. But while the art might be dead, the lessons great letter writers have to teach are timeless and they apply to all forms of communication.
Be a punk bee: the 5 best marketing advice videos of all time
Looking for inspiration? Want to know what punk bees have got to do with marketing? Sit back and enjoy these five wise and witty marketing advice videos from some of the best in the business. Drawing on the work of Daniel Kahneman, Robert Cialdini, Nassim Nicholas Taleb, Richard Thaler and others, Rory Sutherland discusses the importance of applying behavioural economics to marketing. Key lesson: Be a punk bee. Test counterintuitive things.
Content marketing: what you're getting wrong (and how to fix it)
You hear that? That endless fuzzy murmurring? That’s content. Like background radiation and beards, content is everywhere. 16 years of video uploaded every day on YouTube. 1,879 blog posts published every minute. 500 million tweets a day – we’ve hit peak content. So what does this mean? Have we entered a post-content marketing world? I’ll let you into a secret: content is not king.
Making content worthy of the share button
Marketers are forever chasing the elusive ‘social share’, but they rarely stop to ask: why do people share? A study of 2,500 online sharers by the New York Times found five of the most common motivations: ‘The likelihood of your content being shared has more to do with your readers’ relationship to others than their relationship to you,’ says Garrett Moon at CoSchedule.
Are you marketing to people or stereotypes?
The buyer persona, as we’ve said before, should be the keystone of your marketing strategy. But there’s a fine line between a persona and a stereotype. How can you tell when you’re creeping toward the dark side, marketing to stereotypes rather than real people? Of course, assumption and market segmentation are necessary in marketing – you don’t want campaigns that are all things to all people – but treating such generalisations as gospel is a sure-fire way of creating shoddy campaigns.
5 essential marketing metrics you should be measuring
There are metrics, and then there are metrics. We've already talked about the dangers of pursuing vanity metrics – those that look pretty in a quarterly report yet tell you very little about the effectiveness of your marketing efforts – but what about the essential marketing metrics you really ought to be measuring? Marketing metrics help you measure the success (or failure) or your marketing efforts. That might be by campaign, by theme, by time period or by some other factor.
The best way to pitch a content marketing plan to your boss
'Content marketing's just touchy feely nonsense. How does it make me money?' Does this sound familiar? Whether you're a marketing agency contending with a view like this or you have a slightly more receptive client (or boss), you need to make a solid business case for your content marketing plan and use the pitch to show how it will grow your business. The 'everyone else is doing it' defence won't fly.
The keys to great content: interviewing and listening
This is American author Lee Gutkind in his New York Times article about the importance of listening during an interview. Although he talks from the perspective of a creative non-fiction writer, the message is true for any sort of writing. Interviewing and listening are the best and most effective ways to create more engaging content. An interview paired with effective listening can create a great story and can help you to see the issue at hand from a fresh perspective.
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