For all the different methods of marketing, blogging, videos, podcasts and other modes of transmission, Ann Handley is certain of one thing; they won’t work if the content itself doesn’t stand up. It’s the theme of her Wall Street Journal Bestseller ‘Everybody writes: Your Go-to-Guide to creating Ridiculously Good Content’, based on years of authoring and managing digital content to build relationships for organisations and individuals. It’s the latest book in a career that has seen her assume the roles of chief content officer of MarketingProfs; a columnist for Entrepreneur magazine; a LinkedIn influencer; a keynote speaker, mum, and writer.
I am waging a war on content marketing mediocrity.
I’m working on answering this question. 🙂
Also: I’m working with MarketingProf’s own Kerry Gorgone on developing a MarketingProfs marketing writing workshop, based on the best-selling Everybody Writes.
Best part: There’s a lot to love… but fundamentally I love the autonomy of working from home, especially because I work with a team I love.
Worst part: Working from home in Boston today, where it’s 1 degree outside (wind chill -24) and there is a 7-foot snow bank outside my door. I’m not built for this much snow and cold – physically or emotionally.
My latest book, Everybody Writes. My heart and soul is in that book – I’ve never worked harder on anything else.
David Sedaris: Because he’s one of my all-time favourite authors. He’s known for being a hilarious writer, but his work is also soulful and surprisingly sad. I’d be happy with just sitting down for a coffee. Dinner might be weird.
EB White, because he had one foot in narrative nonfiction, one foot in fiction, and one foot in Maine, my second favourite state after Massachusetts. That makes him sound weirdly three-footed. But you catch my drift.
My mom and dad, because they died before I became a grown-up. Obviously I long for more than a dinner with them both. Technically that makes it four people to have dinner with, not three. But if cost is an issue I’m happy to go half.
Journalists are the only people, in my mind, who put the needs of the audience first. Marketing needs more customer-centric content, not corporate-centric content.
I’m grateful for every list I’m on and for every recognition I receive – who doesn’t like to be recognised for their work?
But at the same time, it’s a kind of trap that can lull you into an exaggerated sense of your own value. I know in my heart when I’ve done well and when I haven’t – when I got lazy or didn’t push as hard as I should have to produce my best work. Ultimately, that’s all that really matters. That might sound simulated - like a feigned modesty - but it’s not.
My influencers:
It’s a holiday Monday here, and I am typing this as quietly as I can in the early-morning hours, so as not to wake up anyone still sleeping. And so there’s your answer, I suppose.
I also don’t compartmentalise things quite as neatly into boxes – my family will sometimes accompany me on work trips. I collaborate often with my longtime partner. My speaking benefits MarketingProfs. So there’s a lot of crossover.
Professional: I’m very proud of the work the team here at MarketingProfs has done. We’ve been a leader in the digital marketing space longer than most, and our content, training and education programmes continue to evolve in a way that makes me want to daily group hug our entire staff.
Personal: My kids, who are growing into exactly the kind of people I could ever want them to be.
The frenzy over marketing technologies recedes as we realise that any technology is only as good as the story it helps us tell.
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