Stale Bread – Want some?
Unless we’re talking about croutons – no one likes stale bread. We all like fresh bread. Many of us (including google) don’t visit stale websites either.
We like fresh websites with new content – that’s why most people spend time on social media sites like facebook and youtube and twitter- because there is always something new and fresh on the site.
One of the biggest challenges many of my clients face is being consistant and creative in writing new content on their new-media enabled websites.
I suggest my clients write an interesting article about their passion / industry / ideas at least once per week if they want to be fresh, engage their reader and stay top of mind.
In Ken Robinson’s new book ‘The Element‘, he says of creativity:
Imagination is not the same as creativity. Creatvity takes the process of imagination to another level. My definition of creativity is “the process of having original ideas that have value.” Imagination can be entirely internal. You could be imaginative all day long without anyone noticing. But, you would never say that someone was creative if that person never did anything. To be creative you actually have to dome something. (Pg 67)
It’s not for lack of imagination that people are challenged by writing – it’s creativity. Actually doing it – then doing it consistantly.
Here’s what I suggest you do if you are looking to be creative in writing articles and blog content:
- Some R & D – For some of you that means Research and Development. For others it means Rip-off and Duplicate. I don’t care, as long as it’s fresh and you’ve added your creative flare and passion to the articles (and you haven’t broken copyright laws).
- Sit down with a person who is NOT from your industry and spend time talking about your business and explaining what you do. Allow the other person to interject on anything that is new, confusing, fresh or interesting to them. Write those things down and write on them, no matter how simple they may seem to you.
- Use some old newsletter material that you may have written – just make sure it’s still relevant and doesn’t have any obvious bad timing. e.g “Just last month when the planes hit the twin towers…”
- Get a writer in. This might sound a little absurd but bigger companies do it all the time. I’m lucky that I like writing but it might be a grind to you. I know a few good writers and I’ll often suggest that my clients get one in – the clever ones do.
- Give yourself a weekly deadline. I know that Thursday afternoon at around 2:30pm my mailing list server comes to my websites and looks for a new article. If there is nothing, my mailing list subscribers get nothing that week – whether they read it or not, I want them to be getting something of value from David Tensen to their inbox. Some fresh bread home delivered to their inbox!
Any other tips? Feel free to leave a comment.
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