ghost in the blog: putting words in the mouths of experts
TRANSCRIPT
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Ghost in the BlogPutting Words in the Mouths of Experts
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I’m not an engineer…
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Writing for a Brand• Complicated• Confusing• Boring
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How to Write about Things You Don’t Understand(Yet)
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A word about SMEs
Before we begin…
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1. ResearchA Blogger’s Best Friend
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Where to Begin?• What’s new and exciting
in the industry?• What are the biggest
challenges facing the industry?
• Why does this matter? • What happens without
this?
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Can you explain it to me in layman’s terms?
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There are no dumb questions
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Don’t nod your head when you don’t understand
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2. Find an AngleThe Heart of the Story
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Ask “Why?” five times
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Inspire, but don’t suggest
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Dig deeper!• What surprises you
about this area?• What are the
unanswered questions?
• Why now?
• What does everyone else get wrong about this area?
• Supporting data or examples?
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3. Advocate for the AudienceYou’re Here for Them
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Don’t assume things about your audience
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How would you explain this to a friend?
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Push back when needed
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4. Connect the DotsExplain How It Really Works
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Your job is to tell stories
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We are wired for causality
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70%of buying decisions
are based on emotion
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Help them feel confident with logic and data
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Leverage “If-Then”
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“As a _____, I need to _____ so I can _____.”
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Not everything is a “brochure”
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Add clarity without removing nuance
Your Job:
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5. Use Their VoiceNot Yours
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Check your ego at the door
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Signature Words or Phrases
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Questions?
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Thank YouBrock Ray | @brockray