I dance salsa. At least, I try. I wouldn’t say I’m very good at it, but I enjoy it. The trick with dancing salsa, as with any dance, is never to forget the basic. In this case, it’s a dance based on a seven-beat step. No matter how complicated a turn or shine (footwork) is, it’s based on that basic seven-beat.
Business Writing
When It’s Time to Scrap a Post
I had a different post scheduled for today. I wanted to have a conversation about the importance of taking care of oneself, but what I wrote made me nauseous. I felt ill at ease when I revised and edited it; I felt ill at ease when I tentatively scheduled the post; I felt ill at ease when I scheduled it; and I felt ill at ease on Monday and Tuesday. Thus, I scrapped the post Tuesday evening. It’s gone to the rubbish bin, and there it shall remain until it becomes something worthy of being published.
Data Tells a Story
I’m a type 1 diabetic. My life consists of data points: checking my blood sugar multiple times per day, counting carbohydrates, accounting for exercise and stress and lack of sleep, regular visits to the endocrinologist, basal and bolus and correction rates, the A1C (a three-month average of blood glucose readings) and other lab work. It’s a lot of data. Overwhelming at times.
Five Reasons to Have an Editorial Calendar
My penchant for organization is fairly well-known. It’s one of the reasons I use an editorial calendar. It keeps my content organized and lets me know of posts that need to be written, such as this one. Once I write that content and prepare it to be published, I am free to focus on other things, namely, building my business and working on larger projects.
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Your E-Letter Content Matters
A few weeks ago, I overheard two women in a coffee shop talking about e-letters. One of the women said, “I don’t care all that much about the content in my business’ e-letters. It’s the touch point that matters. You know, keeping the business’ name in front of people.” I was more than a little aghast at the statement, but what was I to do? They were on their way out the door, and I was waiting on my latte. Besides, I doubt they would have looked kindly on an eavesdropper, and I didn’t have a good argument at the ready.
Two Methods for Titling Blog Posts
When it comes to titles, two broad categories exist: descriptive and suggestive. Descriptive titles are what they say they are. They describe the topic of the post, and they do so clearly and succinctly. Suggestive titles are hooks; that is, they lure a reader into reading more either through a provocative statement, a particular attitude, or some sort of ambiguity.