If you type “content marketing” into Amazon.com’s search bar, you’ll get more than 21,000 results. Many of the books listed (especially those at the top of the list) are required reading for content marketers.
But the one book that arguably could have the biggest impact on the expansion, impact and depth of content marketing by professional and amateur marketers alike was released last week.
Ann Handley (who’s previous book Content Rules is at the top of that previously-mentioned Amazon search result) just published Everybody Writes, and the title is apt. With this book, Ann unbundles exactly how anybody can take advantage of the huge potential great content has to accelerate your awareness, inbound prospect inquiries, closed business and customer loyalty.
While previous books have done an excellent job outlining content strategy, few have made content feel accessible to the masses. And by masses, I mean everyone from a company founder without previous writing experience, a small business owner unsure of their own communication skills, salespeople who want to become trusted resources, enterprise executives with ideas but no history of publishing, and everybody in between.
Ann makes content marketing so accessible by making the book itself accessible as well. Its nearly 300 pages are broken up into short 2-3 page essays, making it easy for any attention span to learn, gain confidence, and start writing.
And hidden at the end is a set of notes that open up a wide, wide variety of recommended additional books, blog posts, newsletters and other sources of best practices, inspiration and confidence-building tips to keep you writing.
I’ve believed for a long time that the primary reason for writing reluctance is overthinking what writing needs to be. Especially in the age of blog posts and short attention spans, you don’t need to write New Yorker feature stories to get noticed. Even just a couple hundred words can inspire your customers, drive massive traffic, and convert into sales.
Ann’s own ease with words makes the reader feel even more that great communication, great writing and great results are all within reach.
If you’re in the Seattle area, don’t miss your chance to see Ann live on October 2nd, 2014. She’ll highlight several themes from her book, be available for questions, plus you’ll get to network with 300 new friends also committed to writing, communicating and marketing better. Plus, each attendee gets a free copy of the new book Everybody Writes as well as drink tickets for the network happy hour following Ann’s talk. Click here to register and reserve your seat!
