This month marks the seventh year Express Writers has existed.
Back in 2011, it was quite the humble beginning for us. I was doing 90% of the work, all the way from writing client blogs to emailing and cold calling to find my next prospect.
In 2011, I quit nursing school to follow my dreams. Literally, one morning I woke up and asked myself, “what do I love doing?” I knew what the answer was, from the bottom of my heart. Writing. So, I took my passion online and started a freelance profile. Within three months I had more clients than I’d dreamed of, and I started a business. With nothing more than $75, Express Writers was born.
Celebrating 7 Years in Business: The Express Writers’ Story
7 years later, we’re on our 14,185th project (that doesn’t even include 2,000+ of projects in the years prior to building our e-commerce content platform). If we’re averaging 10,000 words per projects (they vary from 500w – 50,000w per order), that’s over 70,850,000 words written! We’ve served over 5,000 clients, and our team is 75 people and growing. We grew 20% in internal support members (QAs and copywriters) to our team, just in the past two months.
Today, we’re celebrating this major milestone of our 7th year in business.
First, we have an awesome brand video to share with you. Bonus: we had a wonderful video producer help out with the production!
If you’ve been a part of our journey thus far: reader, subscriber, client, podcast listener, team member… thank you.
It’s 100% true: “Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships.” (Michael Jordan)
Plus, we’re announcing something super special.
Content Shop Major Change Announcement: We’re Now Taking New Clients By Invitation Only
At Express Writers, one of our highest priorities is focusing on quality, timeliness, and creativity when we serve our clients.
We find that fewer clients mean that we can focus on greater results for each one of those clients.
Many clients who have been with us for years now are increasing their order quantity, and we’re staying busier than ever because we’re focused more heavily on client support than simply sales. We greatly, greatly appreciate our clients’ loyalty.
We want to continue in this direction: serving our loyal clients with our best.
So, after much deliberation, we’ve decided to make this happen:
We’re now taking new clients by invitation only.
Here’s what that means for our Content Shop usability.
If you don’t have an account, you will be able to view our services and pricing, but you won’t be able to buy unless you have an account.
Guests without an account will see this:
Clients with an account will see the checkout options on services inside our Content Shop:
We’re taking new clients only after carefully reviewing their request to join our site as a client.
Here’s our New Client Registration form:
Our ideal clients are seasoned marketers, agencies, and business owners.
If that’s you, we’ll review your account and if we are both a mutual fit, we’ll happily welcome you into our amazing repetoire of clientele.
If you’re ready to work with a team of capable content experts, fill out our New Client registration form, and we’ll get back as soon as possible.
When it comes to outsourcing content writing, it seems like everyone has a horror story to tell.
On the client side: “They took my money and didn’t complete the work.” “The content read horribly.” “They spelled my client’s business name wrong and linked to a competitor. I lost my client.”
On the flip side, content writers often have horror stories, too.
“He wants 600 articles and has a budget of $600.”
“A big, national brand just ripped me off on the last payment owed.”
These stories can chill you to the bone. They’re that bad.
All in all, on both sides of it (client and writer), there are negative experiences that have sent a giant black cloud hovering over the word “outsource.”
A stigma, of sorts.
Here’s the truth.
The reality of what happens when you outsource content writing to a perfect-fit creator is pure magic.
You save time. You get high-quality, beautifully written copy that reflects your business.
The creator gets paid for doing what he or she loves.
I’m excited to say that today, content creation is now the top activity outsourced by B2B marketers this year. The impact of content marketing means that marketers must publish high-quality and long-form content consistently.
So, why the stigma?
There are still a few “buts” that stop many business owners from experiencing success with outsourcing content writing. “But I can do it all myself.”
I was there once, too. At the beginning. You really can’t, if you want to scale.
Or… “But content writing is cheaper at [insert platform name].”
Instead of focusing on numbers, ask yourself why services like Upwork, Fiverr and the rest are so much cheaper.
Anyone can call themselves an expert content writer, but that doesn’t make it true.
When outsourcing to an agency, the vetting process is taken care of. At Express Writers, it takes an average of 100 candidates for us to find one great writer. We’ve designed a hiring process that can take up to two weeks in order to properly evaluate, test, review and talk one-on-one with applicants.
How can I successfully outsource content writing?
Outsourcing doesn’t have to be a scary process. A clear strategy on what to look for and what to avoid will lead you to your perfect fit.
Today’s guide is here to bust through the stigma, and add clarity to the fuzzy areas of “outsourcing writing.”
Treating the Symptoms: Knowing When It’s Time (or Past Time) to Outsource Content Writing
Tell us your symptoms.
Fear of miscommunication
Clenching tightly to your wallet
General distrust
Obsessive-compulsive control over all of your content
You’re hitting all of the marks. But hey, it’s totally fine. We get patients like you all the time.
According to my findings, it seems you may be suffering from PTOD. It’s a condition we refer to as Post Traumatic Outsourcing Disorder.
It’s more common than you think.
Outsourcing content writing can keep your business on track with a profitable content strategy.
However, without a proper plan, you’re at risk for PTOD.
Back to you.
Have you had any traumatic experiences outsourcing before?
You discussed your content strategy and sent payment… but never received any content back?
Okay, you also ran your content through Copyscape and it was 100% plagiarized? We’ve never seen that before. Even the name?
Right. You published a piece on your site that had an excess of, how many? Nine-hundred spelling and grammatical errors? You say this piece was only a 500-word blog post?
Youch.
The good news is, you’re going to be okay. You will survive and heal. Post-traumatic outsourcing disorder affects countless companies and business owners worldwide but it can be beaten.
Let’s take a look at your treatment plan.
Preventative Care for Outsourcing Content Writing
The best approach to overcoming your fears about outsourcing content is to prevent any nightmare situations.
To ensure the best outsourcing experience, I advise that you steer clear of websites offering fast and cheap quality content.
Cheap and high quality are two terms that should never be in the same sentence.
Have you ever heard anyone boast about how cheap their Chanel purse is?
I don’t think so.
When it comes to content services, high quality should be at the top of your checklist.
Now, some freelance writers may try to trick you by offering inexpensive services and making claims that they work with clients “across every major vertical service.”
Sure they can cover vertical services but what about the horizontal? These are the questions you should be asking yourself.
Also, count the grammar and spelling mistakes in their post. Professional content writers should also know how to edit.
When looking at their pricing model, consider why they omitted the first “a” in the word “standard.”
Is this a ruse to convince you of their inventiveness? Are they that good? Is standard even spelled with two a’s?
Try not to succumb to the tactics of such content writing freelancers.
Refer to the Oxford English Dictionary to double-check how words are spelled. Run potential applicants’ resumes and posts through spell check and even ask for help from that one friend that’s constantly correcting you to look for grammatical errors.
Think of posts and applicant responses as a preview of the content you’ll be provided with.
3 Common Pitfalls to Avoid When Outsourcing Content Writing
If you wear shorts in a blizzard, you’re going to catch a cold. The same goes for outsourcing content writing. Being aware of these common outsourcing pitfalls will result in a more effective and enjoyable hiring process.
1. Going into the Process Without a Strategy
The content you receive will mirror the quality of your application process.
All of this can be prevented if you wade out into the content writer pool with a clear content strategy in mind. Try answering these questions:
What type of content do you need?
What is the voice of your brand?
Who is your targeted audience?
What are your goals with content marketing?
How do you like to communicate?
2. Hiring an Outsourced Content Writer Too Quickly
Your hiring process should reflect your goals. Outsourcing the right content writer is a process that should not be rushed.
Think of the ideal content writer for your business and then look for those qualities in potential candidates.
Try to be a little more specific than this:
The potential candidate responding to this ad will be about as smart as you imagine them to be.
3. Negotiating the Cheapest Option
When it comes to outsourcing a content writer, the best deal doesn’t always mean the best content.
There is a reason that prices vary for freelancers and writing agencies. When adding to your team, keep your budget in mind but don’t let it be your deciding factor. Quality comes first.
Here’s a former PTOD patient who put more effort into their hiring post. They outlined what they wanted with specifics, and spelled almost every word correctly.
The downfall came in requesting the content writer’s “wholesale price.”
This isn’t Costco.
Top 2 Treatment Options to Successfully Outsource Content Writing
Overcoming a traumatic outsourcing experience will take time. Each case is different. Depending on your unique situation, you can decide what treatment options are best for you.
1. Seek out a (Great) Content Writer
If you’re thinking… You’ve gone down this road before. You’re having flashbacks of unedited blogs and unanswered emails.
Hiring a freelance writer is risky mostly and only if you don’t specify what you need from them upfront. This is a working relationship, and for successful outsourcing, communication is key.
When outsourcing a content writer on your own you must communicate a clear content strategy, define your budget, set deadlines and vet the writers before hiring them.
Don’t make the mistake of our friend looking for a “smart person.”
Great content writers = experienced content writers.
Evaluate your writers based on prior writing samples and test their skills.
There are no specific qualifications for someone to work as a freelance writer other than their word. They can and should prove their skills with examples.
We advise you not to bend your standards for the inexperienced.
2. Hire a Content Writing Agency
Agencies can provide a level of professionalism, experience, and flexibility that freelancers cannot always adhere to.
At Express Writers, the vetting process is already taken care of for you. Our testing process rules out 99% of applicants whose writing cannot match the quality content we provide.
We also have four writing level options: General, Expert, and Authority to help you determine your content needs. The transparent pricing breaks down why our services cost more than Fiverr. There are no wholesale prices here.
Our content is focused on quality. Every piece of content is evaluated and edited by our Quality Assistants before being sent back to you.
Of course, we’re NOT perfect (we’re humans), so we guarantee if there are errors that we’ll fix them. Just use the 2 rounds of revision included in your order.
The goal is to provide you with impactful, authoritative content that completely erases any past traumatic outsourcing experiences.
A Life Without Fear of Outsourcing Content
You too can live a life free from the shackles of post traumatic outsourcing disorder.
There are marketers that carry on every day and enjoy their work lives with outsourced employees.
Whether you hire a freelance writer or use an agency, these outsourcing treatment options can provide consistent, relevant, and engaging content when used properly.
A non-sarcastic head nod of approval from your rival co-worker, Dan
Rapid growth of your business
Outsourcing written content should be closely monitored by a marketing specialist. Be sure to consult your marketing team before starting treatment.
Ending the Stigma: #OutsourcingStory
For those of you writers among the audience, take heart.
Now is the perfect time to become a content creator and find the gems among the weeds to work with. Content marketing is about to be worth $313 billion as an industry. And creators are getting a big piece of that pie.
The difficult clients, the stigma, still exists… but if we band together, serve awesome clients well, and never let our ethics drop once (for a low-paying gig or for low-quality output), we can END that stigma.
Adding an expert content creator and writer to your creative team will save you time, money and shape your brand’s identity.
So what are you waiting for?
Just do it.
Let’s talk more about the role of a content creator in business, why a content creator benefits you, and a brief history behind today’s modern content creator.
What is a Content Creator?
You may already be familiar of the job of content writing and content creation without ever having come across the terms.
Unlike some of it’s comrades that disguise themselves in tricky acronyms – LBO, BT, BI, SQL, GN – content writing and creation is exactly what it sounds like. (By the way, at least one of those acronyms doesn’t exist, see if you can find it!)
Content writers create content to garner interest in your brand. Blogs, web pages, ad copy, social media posts, ebooks, how-to guides, videos, this very paragraph you’re reading – it’s all the work of highly skilled content creators.
The main difference between anyone simply making a Wordpress site, creating a post and jotting down their feelings and a content writer is the hidden technicality of this type of writing.
As you read this blog you’re coming across keywords, links and other techniques that content writers weave in to the content to optimize it for the web.
Can you tell?
I hope not. Content creators are ninjas of the written word. They adhere to the rules of SEO by sneaking them in without interrupting the natural flow of the content.
No matter what, the ever-changing algorithms of optimizing online content will always fall behind the number one rule. The one rule to rule them all: creating high-quality content.
Why You Need a Content Creator
Unless you plan on heading up your company by day and transforming into a content writing ninja by night, the best solution is to hire an expert content writer.
Fulfilling a detailed content strategy shouldn’t be another box to check on your daily to-do list.
Gaining the full benefits of content writing requires 100% attention. You want someone passionate about growing your brand who can bring fresh eyes and follow through on your content strategy.
Not convinced? Let us show you why you need to hire a content creator:
1. It’s Cost Effective
How often do you come across ways to both grow your business and save money?
Outsourcing content creation to a freelance writer or agency will save you the time and cost of training them. In fact, the highest percentage of outsourced content marketing is content creation.
Content creators charge a multitude of prices, so the best strategy before hiring is to know what you want and how much you’re willing to pay. Remember that quality is key to successful online content.
You may be able to get a cheap deal on Fiverr, but quality content isn’t something you bargain for.
Content writing is more complex than churning out a few blogs when you feel like it. It takes time to produce high quality content because it’s more than just writing.
This type of content creation is a mix of research, editing, proofreading and formatting to craft high-ranking and high-traffic content relevant to your brand.
It’s okay that you don’t have time to memorize the latest SEO trends for 2018. This responsibility will be taken on by your content writer.
3. Fresh Content Will Keep Your Brand Relevant
Bringing in a content writer to be the voice of your brand will give your audience a whole new perspective.
Content creators are like students taking a course on what your company is. They will learn the ins and outs of your brand identity and turn it into a conversational piece to relay to your clientele.
Consistent content will also keep your online presence up to date. Posting fresh content across all platforms will help you rank higher in search engines.
Are you convinced yet?
Before you hire a content creator it’s important to have a clear understanding of what you want. Set your goals so that you can communicate them:
How do you want to sell your brand?
What type of content do you need?
What is your budget?
Do you want someone in-house or outsourced?
Answering these questions will point you in the right direction.
How Did We Get Here? The History of Content Creators
Content writing wasn’t born out of thin air.
It comes from a long ancestry of using messages to communicate.
Finding a connection between a blog centered on Apple’s new iPhone robot and Egyptian hieroglyphics may seem like a stretch, but just hear me out.
From the prehistoric era to today, writing has been one of the top modes of disseminating information.
Perhaps we’ve traded out wooden tablets for Android tablets since then, but at its core, the goals of writing have always remained.
Where Today’s Content Writing Originated: Going Back to Mesopotamian Cuneiform in 8,000 B.C.
The first recorded writing system was the Mesopotamian cuneiform, which evolved into four phases from 8000 to 1500 BC:
Clay tokens: stood for symbols of a code to categorize and track the amount of items you had. Clay was formed into geometric shapes to mirror the goods they were representing.
Pictographs: signs and impressions that represented numbers and specific items. These symbols replaced physical tokens.
Logographs: or symbols that represented phonetic sounds. For the first time, writing was no longer tied to counting or tracking objects. People wrote names and titles.
The Alphabet: signs that stood for one particular sound that the voice made. This made room for combining multiple signs to represent a whole new word. From the first alphabet came many more renditions, each originating from a particular region.
With each new written form of communication, came the intrigue in spreading that information to a wider audience.
By the time 1450 rolled around, Johannes Gutenberg’s printing press brought forth a revolution. There was an enormous demand for sharing and preserving ideas in print.
The demand for creative content has always been a major part of business strategy. Whether it’s print ads, press releases or commercials, companies have found ways to speak directly to their audience.
Then came Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
With over 3 billion active users, social media has become the language of the people. It didn’t take long for companies to realize that they needed to jump on board to become a part of the conversation.
But it’s more than just showing up.
Having a Facebook account or generic landing page is not enough to sell your brand. The audience on the web today researches services and products they want to support. They buy from brands they want to be associated with.
Customers are looking for a full fledged relationship with your brand, not a one night stand.
To build that relationship, you need to speak to their needs. The best way to do that is through carefully crafted content.
Content writers can turn generic blogs into love letters.
Even if you spend only a few minutes scrolling through articles, chances are that you soak in some of the information.
With the unique ability to speak directly to their targeted audience, content writers are able to recognize what is important to the reader.
The impact of their words reaches far beyond the time you spend actually reading or viewing their content, even if you don’t recognize it.
Remember, we’re ninjas.
The best content creators find what’s at the core of the product they are selling, and emphasize that. Dos Equis was never associated with the most interesting anything until their manly mascot came around.
Putting creativity at the forefront of your content strategy is a way to reach consumers without overselling your brand.
One content creator, Nanette Burstein, and her team turned the negative connotation of “like a girl” on it’s head in the Always marketing campaign. The #LikeAGirl movement urged girls and women of all ages to aspire to reach bigger goals and celebrated their accomplishments. The content Nanette created associated Always with female empowerment while also selling more feminine products.
Metro Trains had a very simple message for passengers: don’t mess around on trains. Instead of posting signage and warnings, their creative team designed a video depicting “Dumb Ways to Die” with a catchy jingle and cute characters to match. The result? Over 165 million views on YouTube and counting.
I think they got their message across.
Content creation does not have to be directly associated with the products you’re selling. It’s about creating content that’s appealing to your target audience while also sharing your message.
Creating valuable content transcends your products. At the end of the day, you’re building a relationship between your audience and your brand.
Content Creators that Care: Building My Team to Support a Growing Industry
Though my brand, Express Writers, absolutely does offer high-quality content services, I also grow it as a means of supporting a community interested in online content.
You, too, can become a member of the content creator ninja society.
There’s no need to keep these skills secret. Content creation is not about competition. The purpose of writing has and always will be to share and preserve valuable content.
Maybe your creative content team will come up with the next gem worthy to have a seat next to Coca Cola’s “Share a Coke,” or Wendy’s “Where’s the Beef?”
The possibilities are endless when it comes to building content around your brand.
So don’t take Volkswagen’s “Think Small” advice, no matter how well it worked for them.
Ever wanted to set up a sales email sequence or campaign, but had no idea where to start with the copy?
Well, I have some good news.
Copywriting formulas exist for these exact scenarios.
In other words, you don’t have to start from square one or reinvent the wheel.
Think of copywriting formulas as blueprints. They give you the plans to build an incredibly persuasive argument for customer action. You just need to fill in the blanks and personalize the blueprint so your resulting email campaign or sequence is targeted and personal for your audience.
As you know, when your writing is both of these things (targeted and personal), you’ll be more successful in your endeavors – meaning you’ll get more opens, more clicks, more sign-ups, more conversions, or more sales.
That’s why I’m here today to talk about a really great formula/blueprint that gets serious results, especially for email copywriting and drip campaigns.
This particularly compelling copywriting blueprint is the PASOP formula:
Problem, Agitation, Solution, Outcome, Problem.
Let’s talk more about it, and how to use it in your sales-focused copy. Ready?
What Is the PASOP Formula? A Nitty-Gritty Definition
With any copywriting formula, you use the provided blueprint to structure your argument. (The goal of any type of copywriting is to spur the reader to action, so every sentence you write contributes to your argument in some way.)
With PASOP, the argument is structured like this:
Problem
Agitation
Solution
Outcome
Problem
Let’s talk about how each element ties together and leads to customer action – whether that means a purchase, a sign-up, or simply clicking a link to a landing page.
1. Problem
With this formula, your argument begins with presenting a problem the reader has.
You can state the problem simply, or you can go into more detail.
2. Agitation
After you state the problem, it’s time to stir the pot. This is the “agitation” part.
How do you do it?
You swim around in the problem. You get into the reader’s head and tell them how they must be feeling about it. You empathize.
Ultimately, you want to make them nod along and think, “Yes, this is how I feel. This is my problem.”
Or, in internet-speak, you make them think, “THIS.”
It just means you emphasize the pain the problem causes. You dig in a little. You make the problem twinge for the reader. You make them wince.
The point of agitation is to suddenly make the reader’s problem much more immediate and urgent. They don’t want the pain, and they don’t just want a solution. They need it.
3. Solution
After agitation, it’s time to give your reader some relief. It’s time to show them there’s a way out, a way to make the pain end.
This is your unique solution to the problem, something only you can provide.
This part should make your reader go, “Ahhhhh. Sweet relief.” (Or something similar if they’re not the dramatic type.)
Note: PAS is a much more common formula than PASOP. The former is the original, the latter is a variation.
Here’s a PAS example on its own, in action, via Copywrite Matters:
4. Outcome
What are the eventual outcomes for the reader if they use your solution? Tell them to sweeten the deal.
Including the “Outcome” part goes a step beyond PAS. In many cases, this is just extra proof that the solution is awesome and works.
For example, a testimonial is a great way to show a positive outcome in action. You can also use data that proves the solution works.
5. Problem
Here’s where things get interesting. After you show your solution and the possible outcomes for the reader, you loop back to another problem.
This problem may or may not be related to the first one you presented at the outset of your argument. It just should be relevant to your reader.
And then, you stop there. You leave that final problem lingering in the reader’s mind – a literal cliffhanger, which sets them up to anticipate your next email/message, where you’ll repeat PASOP and give them a solution.
This is the main reason PASOP works so well for email sequences and drip campaigns. It naturally meshes with the delayed messaging format. It keeps your audience wanting more, because you leave a question dangling that begs an answer.
Your readers should look like this when you get to the second “P” in PASOP and dangle that cliffhanger:
When & Where to Use the PASOP Formula in Your Copywriting
PASOP is persuasive, all right.
But where should you use it in your copy to nab more customer action – more sales, more conversions?
Turns out, there are places where this formula naturally works very, very well.
1. Email Drip Sequences and Campaigns Set Up as Auto-Responders
Above all, PASOP is perfectly suited for email drip campaigns.
Many marketers and writers approach drip campaigns and sequences with shudders, but implementing the PASOP formula for these tasks can make them ridiculously easy to write.
An email drip sequence begins when someone opts into a lead magnet (i.e. by entering their email address/information into a form on a landing page) or performing some other action that warrants a response from you (making a purchase, abandoning a shopping cart, visiting a page more than once, signing up for your newsletter, etc.).
Once they do this, a pre-written sequence is triggered and hits their inbox. One email is sent at a time over a set period of days.
Here’s an example of one of my sequences in ConvertKit.
This sequence is triggered to invite people to my masterclass and allow them to get to know me, after they sign up for my free lead magnet on content strategy skillsets.
Each email is written strategically so it pulls the user/customer/reader further into the fold. If your end goal is to get the reader to make a purchase, the sequence of emails sent over a span of days helps warm them up to get them closer to that action.
When you use PASOP in these sequences, you’ll nail that persuasive tone and potentially inspire more action from your readers.
Done right, email drip campaigns can sell products completely hands-off!
Here’s how PASOP usually breaks down in an email sequence:
Email 1
P – Present a problem (problem #1) relevant to your readers.
A – Agitate the reader so they feel some emotion about the problem. Make the problem sting a little.
S – Present the solution to problem #1 (which is not necessarily what you’re selling).
O – Show a positive outcome from using the solution. Provide data or testimony that proves its worth.
P – Bring up another problem (we’ll call it “problem #2”), one you leave open-ended. This is the cliffhanger dangling at the end of email 1 that builds anticipation for email 2, where you’ll provide the solution to problem #2.
Email 2
P – Begin by presenting problem #2 from the end of the last email.
A – Agitate the problem and stir the pot.
S – Present the solution to problem #2.
O – What are positive outcomes of that solution?
P – Bring up another problem at the end of email 2 – we’ll call it problem #3. Leave it unanswered, and maybe hint that the solution is coming in email 3.
Email 3
P – Present problem #3 to the reader.
A – Agitate the problem. Make the reader feel emotions about it.
S – Present your solution, which is what you have been building up to this whole time. This is where you link to a sales page or landing page and really sell it.
As you can see, each consecutive cliffhanger builds up anticipation for email 3, which provides the final solution. This not only helps you sell more, it helps you get more opens for your next emails in the sequence.
While it’s perfect for email sequences, PASOP could also be employed as a blog or landing page outline with equally great results… especially if your content needs to have a strong call-to-action.
If you do use it in this fashion, divide your blog or landing page topic into three “acts” or related problems. Use PASOP to lead the reader through the story, one problem at a time.
The formula will keep them reading through your entire post. Then, when they reach that final solution at the very end, they will be fully warmed-up to respond to your CTA.
3. Promotional Tweets
How about tweeting with PASOP in mind if you’re doing a little promoting?
The great thing about using the formula here is it ensures you’re providing value right off the bat. You’re not making the reader jump through hoops – you’re stating the problem and giving them a solution and outcomes immediately.
This helps hook readers and keeps them interested in what you’re saying as you lead them through an entire sequence of tweets. Ultimately, these could culminate with a call-to-action and a link to whatever you’re promoting (your final “solution”).
4. Webinars and Presentations
Want to keep people hanging on your every word during your next presentation or webinar?
Yep – Just say “PASOP.”
Present a problem with major relevance for your audience, evoke emotions by stirring the pot, entice them to stay in their seats by providing immediate value + a solution, then rinse and repeat.
Just remember to keep your ending problems in each PASOP sequence open-ended for a short amount of time to build suspense, then close that open loop.
PASOP Examples in Action: Awesome, Persuasive Emails, Conversion-Friendly Landing Pages, and More
This formula can get a bit confusing if you only talk about it. Let’s look at it in action to see how it works.
1. CoSchedule – One-and-Done Riff on PASOP
Here’s a riff on the PASOP formula in an email from CoSchedule. They send this one after you sign up for their free Headline Analyzer:
As you can see, it doesn’t quite follow the formula to a tee, but it uses the basic structure to great effect – and in very few words!
If you find CoSchedule through their popular Headline Analyzer tool, they use this email to introduce you to their blog. Smart stuff.
2. Copy School – A Landing Page Take on the Formula
Here’s another example of PASOP in action on the landing page for Copy School by Copy Hackers.
It starts out by identifying a problem you, the reader, probably have. Then they push on that problem and make it hurt just a little (that “voice in your head” telling you you’ll fail):
Next, they present the solution and outcomes: signing up for Copy School plus what you’ll get out of it.
No more “guesswork,” better performance, and a “clear understanding of what makes a message succeed or fail” – those are the outcomes, as well as “functional mastery over email and web copywriting”:
There’s no additional problem presented, here, because PASO is convincing enough on its own.
This example is an excellent demonstration of how to use the formula in a way that suits your needs – meaning, you don’t have to follow it to the letter. You can make it your own, leave out parts, and play with it.
Of course, if you don’t feel comfortable enough with your copywriting yet to do that, you can absolutely follow PASOP as a rigid outline and still get great results. That’s the beauty of using a formula!
3. The Sales Funnel Architect – Nailing the Cliffhanger
Here’s an example of the final “Problem” portion of PASOP (that last “P” in the acronym) from The Sales Funnel Architect:
The email ends with a problem (not fully understanding the sales funnel can lead to gigantic mistakes in your marketing campaigns), and it doesn’t provide additional information. The problem is just laid out there…
And that’s it. You have to wait for the next email to get the solution (in this case, the additional information you need to fully understand sales funnels).
Compelling, right?
That’s the point.
Be More Persuasive and Sell More with PASOP
You don’t need to come up with inventive, ground-breaking copy every time you want to sell something.
If all writers tried to do that, our brains would be mush. No one has that much creativity.
Instead, rely on what already works, on what’s tried-and-tested. A copywriting formula provides a structure to follow, giving you legs to stand on.
All you have to do is fill in the blanks.
Then – boom. Persuasive copy. More clicks. More conversions. More sales.
Sound good?
Of course it does. However, you might not be totally confident in your copywriting skills. (Or maybe you’re not a copywriter at all!)
If that’s you, Express Writers can step in. Let us write compelling email sequences for you, ones that work. Check out our email copy packages, and let’s do this.
Today, the interest and investment in content marketing are at an all-time high.
Within the last two years, it has reached peak search interest on Google and continues to hover near that mark (in the graph below, the “100” line represents peak interest):
That’s exciting.
Content marketing is a hot industry to get into in 2018 – and it’s only going to get better moving into the future. Getting your feet wet in content marketing training couldn’t be a better time.
Job opportunities are hopping, and roles are continuing to expand as businesses of all kinds start to truly understand the value of content.
Just look at the diverse array of content marketing positions from a cursory search of Indeed.com – and this is just from the first page!
Entry-level content marketing freelancers, on the other hand, have a yearly income that depends largely on dedication and location. But, PayScale estimates that the average freelance writer nets about $24/hour, while the median income for content writers is about $42K annually (and plenty make much, much more).
Finally, according to Marketing Profs and Conductor, the average annual salary for a number of content marketing roles all look pretty darn good:
With the promise of a decent paycheck and innovative, creative, exciting work, it’s truly an incredible time to dive into this field.
Of course, to become a savvy, skilled content marketer and nail that hot position (or net desirable clients!), you need the right content marketing training.
If you agree, you’re in the right place. First, we’ll run through key skills you need to go far in content marketing. Then, we’ll cover application tips and tricks to help you win an incredible job or high-paying clients.
Let’s get into it.
Content Marketing Training Bootcamp: Hone These 5 Critical Content Wizard Skills
To succeed in this industry, there are skills you need that remain constant, no matter your role or experience level.
For example, the skills a content strategist needs closely intertwine with those of a content manager, content writer, and social media marketer.
Sharpening the skills listed below could help you stay relevant and help you maintain the ability to wear many hats in the industry, whether you’re strategizing content, managing content, creating content, or all of the above.
Content Marketing Training Skill #1: A Relentless Drive for Results
Whether you work for a company or for individual clients, they will all have the same goal: They want to see results from content marketing. They want that ROI pie-in-the-sky.
However, most have no clear idea how to measure it. In Content Marketing Institute’s 2018 research on trends in B2B content marketing, only 3% of those surveyed said their organizations were doing an excellent job aligning their metrics with their goals:
That means you have to be driven to align metrics + goals so your clients or bosses can see those results.
Every action you take has to reflect back on eventual return-on-investment, and you have to prove that connection.
The ROI has to be quantifiable. You must know how to measure your content success, gather and analyze data, map it to goals, and present it to your clients or company in a way that’s easy to understand.
Content Marketing Training Skill #2: Creative Problem-Solving
If you want to be a top content marketer, get ready to hone your creative problem-solving skills.
Depending on who you work for, you’ll be presented with challenges as varied as implementing fresh content strategies for businesses who don’t have them, researching the best keywords and blog topics for specific niche industry brands, and figuring out how to improve a company’s content so they hit high rankings for their best keyword opportunities.
You’ll have a lot of challenges thrown your way, each their own particular color and flavor. As a content marketer, you’ll need to thrive on each individual hurdle.
Content Marketing Training Skill #3: Thorough and Meticulous Communication
Good communication is an essential skill for success in most industries. Content marketing is no different.
You’ll particularly need thoroughness and meticulousness when relaying ideas and data back and forth to your higher-ups, clients, and other stakeholders.
This isn’t just about writing, either. You also need to be a skilled presenter, a good collaborator, and a team player.
If you work for a company, you’ll need compelling communication to help you get buy-in for your content marketing initiatives.
If you work as a freelancer, your clients may need some data-backed examples to get on board with what you propose for their content.
If you work with a team and have a great idea for driving engagement forward for a brand, for instance, you have to be able to explain your vision.
Content Marketing Training Skill #4: An Instinct for Audience Defining and Storytelling
A huge part of being a content marketer is the content creation aspect. You have to understand how to tell stories that will win over a vast array of different audiences in different industries.
Your job will be to define these audiences and tailor content just for them, using the right keywords, tone, language, and topics to get them interested and invested.
Your storytelling skills will definitely come into play, here. You’ll have to think about the right delivery for each group of people you’re creating content for, making sure you’re telling stories they need or want to hear.
This involves part instinct, part research, and part creativity.
Content Marketing Training Skill #5: A Savvy Promoter
As a content marketer, you need to be internet-savvy to promote and distribute content as effectively as possible.
You also need to understand techniques to get your content the widest possible audience. This means you have to:
Know best-practices for posting to social channels, including optimal times, types of posts, word count, hashtags, and image types
Understand how to speak to and target different audiences on social media, including the best platforms where the brunt of them hang out (this can differ depending on the audience!)
Know how to create a promotional strategy for each piece of content you put out
Put Your Content Marketing Training to Real Use: 6 Tips for Applying to & Winning that Job
Your content marketing training doesn’t end with honing your skills. You also have to do some legwork to position yourself as a desirable hire:
1. Get Your LinkedIn Profile in Order and Do Some Social Media Housekeeping
As we all know, we live in an interconnected age where our online social profiles often serve as our first introduction for potential employers, clients, and colleagues.
Hiring managers and clients may absolutely check out your LinkedIn profile or Facebook whether or not you provide links in your resume. If your profile is lacking, you may leave that person with a negative impression of you, which can spell disaster for your job chances.
Here’s a good example:
This just looks lazy and unprofessional. Don’t be a LinkedIn ghost – if you can’t be bothered to upload a profile picture, you shouldn’t bother having an account.
If your profile looks like this, or if you have some inappropriate posts or pictures hanging out in your feed, make sure you do some housekeeping before applying for any jobs. These will affect your first impression.
Lastly, make sure your profile is complete and optimized. You should include keywords for your industry in your summary, work experience, and skills sections, including keywords for the job you want.
Here’s an example of a complete and professional profile from Money:
2. Look for Opportunities in All the Right Places
Don’t just depend on job boards to find open positions. Instead, do some deeper digging in the right places to unearth more potential jobs or clients.
Here are some ideas:
Post an open call for hiring opportunities on your social media profiles. Ask your friends/followers if they know of any leads, open positions, or opportunities for content marketing, and mention that you’re actively looking. Lots of your contacts may keep you in mind if they see anything pop up! Or, there may be an open position or client opportunity waiting there for you – you never know until you ask.
Attend industry events and network. The professional connections you make at conferences and meet-ups could lead to job opportunities down the road!
Look up companies you’ve heard of or admire on Google and check their hiring pages. If you see an opening that looks desirable, apply and make sure to mention how much you respect the company in your cover letter.
If you’re a freelancer, make sure you have an up-to-date profile on the hottest freelance job boards. These give you access to millions of companies/clients actively looking for people to fill positions. Two great options are Upwork and Toptal.
Another tip for freelancers: Create a portfolio website. This is something you can include on your business card or link on your resume/social profiles. It’s an easy way for potential clients to check out you and your past experience. You can also keyword optimize it so clients can discover you in search.
3. It’s Not About You, It’s About Them
When it’s cover letter time, do you sit down and think about what you want out of the job position you’re applying for?
If so, you’re doing it wrong.
Instead, you need to approach cover letter writing from a perspective of what the company/client needs from you, and how you can contribute to solve their problem or increase their success.
In the end, it’s about what you can do for THEM, not about how their company or project can help you advance in your career.
Dive into writing the cover letter from this perspective, and you should be much more persuasive.
4. Do Not Mention Skills You Don’t Have – Focus on What You CAN Do
A huge rookie mistake many people make with cover letters is mentioning how they don’t have X skill or X experience.
You should never, ever draw attention to what you can’t do or haven’t done in what is essentially your first pitch to the company/client.
Example:
This is like sticking your foot in your mouth. Don’t do it.
Instead, highlight what you CAN do.
Example:
5. Highlight Key Parts of Your Resume… But Don’t Regurgitate
Your resume is a tool, one you should definitely refer to at key moments in your cover letter to better explain your experience or skills.
However, don’t just copy your descriptions from your resume and use them in your cover letter. Instead, briefly reference the point, but use the extra space in the cover letter to include additional details about the experience you weren’t able to fit on your resume.
For instance, your resume might say “Implemented and managed a content marketing campaign focused on a series of how-to guides.”
Your cover letter could go into more detail, like: “Creating, implementing, and managing a content marketing campaign taught me how to target a niche audience segment and measure the results from XYZ data.”
6. Double-Check Instructions and Include All Requested Information/Attachments/Samples
This one may seem like a no-brainer, but it’s amazing how many people forget to attend to the tiniest details when applying for a position.
It’s straightforward: Read the application instructions carefully, including the fine print. Follow them to the letter.
Many companies actually use this as a litmus test of sorts. Candidates who don’t follow initial directions for their application are immediately tossed in the trash.
Think of it this way: Hiring managers have a ton of applications to weed through – they don’t have time to deal with incomplete or missing information. You have to make it easy for them to advance you to the next round, so to speak.
So, carefully note what materials you need for each job application. Some don’t want your resume but would rather have work samples. Some want the whole kit and caboodle, including cover letter, resume, samples, and references.
Don’t forget to use their preferred submission method, too.
Some want an email with attachments, and others may want you to use their online system or form.
If you’re on an applications-spree, keeping track of all this can get hard.
It’s worth it, though, because you’re showing potential employers or clients you’re hirable at the most basic level.
The Final Word: Your Content Marketing Training Will Never Be “Over”
Content marketing is a wild and wily industry. Standards for success are constantly changing, and the lightning speed at which technology is developing has a huge role.
To keep up, once your initial training is over and you’ve nailed a position, you can’t sit back and get complacent. You have to keep learning, keep training, and keep leveling-up to stay relevant.
Here are some final tips that can help you keep current in such a fast-paced industry:
Pick a few essential content marketing books to read during the year. Grab classics in the field or read a newer publication. (See: Epic Content Marketing by Joe Pulizzi, The Content Code by Mark Schaefer, or They Ask, You Answer by Marcus Sheridan.)
Keep in touch with colleagues in your industry on social media, email, and other methods. Catch up every once in awhile to discuss what’s happening in the field. Think about attending CMWorld if you can, because in-person conferences are just so amazing to make that dynamite connection even realer (this will be the second year I’ve gone).
The wonderful world of content marketing is opening up like never before. There are so many opportunities out there. Start up your content marketing training, and grab your place in this exciting atmosphere of incredible growth and possibilities.
