Tag / Content

by caitlyncallahan14

finding and welcoming new clients

Over the past couple of months, my clients have kept me on my toes with quite a bit of end-of-summer work coming my way. I’ve spent dozens of hours between June and now cranking out content on a variety of topics including personal finance, healthcare, Medicare, job search and career information, travel and more.

While I’ve been busier than ever, it’s been the most exciting and fun time of my freelancing career so far. Plus, not only have I been writing, but I’ve been forced to perfect an even better organization and time management system for myself.

That said, the time has come once again to expand my business. I’m ready to bring more work to Callahan Communication.

If you or someone you know owns a business or works for a company who is in need of content production, freelancers, or contractors for marketing purposes, my Contact Me form is a great place to start! Or, they can send me a private message on Facebook or Instagram @callahancommunication.

I’ve also been working diligently on putting together a services & pricing guide and client welcome packet for prospective and new clients to help ensure we have the best working relationship possible and they get all deliverables they’re expecting.

Read on to learn what you’ll get if you contact me and if you hire me!

what I include in my services & pricing guide

When you contact me to learn more about how we can best work together and what I can bring to your business, I will email or review in person a services & pricing guide. This guide is meant to be a high-level overview of my business and what I offer so that you can make the most informed and best decision for your brand.

my story

I love what I do, and I’ve been doing it for a long time. Here, learn more about me as I introduce myself and my business, including what I value, why I do what I do, and what I hope to do for you. It’s essential that prospective clients know they are working with a person, so I’ll also give you a peek at who I am and what I’m all about.

service packages overview

If you have a general idea of the types of services you’ll need, great! I’ll send you package overviews specific to your needs. If you aren’t sure yet, that’s ok too! You’ll receive summaries of my most encompassing service packages and we can narrow down your options from there.

deliverables

I want to make sure it’s clear what you’ll receive, gain and achieve after working together, so here I’ll outline specific deliverables to each service package. However, I recognize flexibility is key, so once hired, we can work together to clearly outline deliverables tailored to your needs.

portfolio

I want you to feel confident that I’ll bring exceptional work to the table, so here you’ll find information about past clients, as well as links to previous work so you can see for yourself.

client testimonials

And, you don’t have to take just my word for it. Read some testimonials from previous happy and satisfied clients.

processes

When you hire a freelancer or agency, you need to know what to expect. Here, find a general outline of my processes so you know what to expect and when, and to better understand if we’re a good fit to work together.

FAQs

This list of frequently asked questions from clients, and my answers, can help ensure a positive, successful working relationship.

call to action

Ready to learn more? This section outlines all of the ways you can contact me to take the next steps, including scheduling a free consultation, contract and SOW process, and more.

what I include in a client welcome packet

Once you’ve let me know you’re interested in working together, I want to make sure you feel confident and comfortable with your choice. You’ll receive either in the mail, through email, or in person, a client welcome packet guiding your through the most important pieces of working together.

welcome message

You made the right choice by hiring me for your content or digital marketing needs. I’ve spent almost my entire life immersed in the world of content and communication, and want to help business owners be successful through the power of the written word.

services overview

This page summarizes the services/package you’ve hired me for, so it’s clear what is (and isn’t) included. Our formal contract and statement of work will be built off of this information so we are always on the same page and expectations are clear.

communication

I take pride in being available for my clients. I’ll hare with you the best ways to contact me, and how and when I’ll plan to communicate with you.

processes

Here, I’ll be very clear about my process so you’ll know what to expect, including what I need from you, what I’ll deliver, deadlines, and more. This includes the contract, SOW, deliverables, editing processes and more.

I’ll also take time to briefly explain my process for investigating and understanding your brand and business, how I create content that works for you, and what the editing and finalization process entails so you can rest assured you’re receiving exceptional work every time.

guidelines

I want to make sure we both are maximizing our time working together, so I’ll share some guidelines and best practices that may be helpful.

tools & resources

If applicable, I’ll share tools you need to be familiar with, plus links to information, ebooks or other educational or informational tools that may be helpful during our time working together.

FAQs

This list of frequently asked questions from clients, and my answers, can help ensure a positive, successful working relationship.

next steps

I’ll clearly state for you what next steps are, either from you or myself, as well as timelines. I want to make sure you feel confident in moving forward together.

If you’re a freelancer and looking to grow your business, feel free to use my services & pricing guide and client welcome packet outlined here for inspiration for your own brand!

by caitlyncallahan14

2021 content marketing trends to watch

Empathy. Human. Connection. Transparency. Trust. Authenticity. These are all buzzwords you’ve likely come across when developing your content marketing strategy in the past, but due to the global pandemic and everything else 2020 brought, they will be more important than ever in 2021.

Your content marketing strategy should feed your digital and traditional advertising, social media channels, emails, website and blog. It should showcase who you are as a brand, connect with your audience on a deeper level, and provide value, entertainment and education to your customers and prospects.

Content strategies should be the backbone of marketing plans. Here are a few trends I’ve found to keep an eye on for 2021.

  1. Keep creating

Without content, your business will struggle. It’s an honest fact.

However, many of us are facing challenges we didn’t in past years, like significantly smaller budgets or less manpower. Don’t let those challenges stop you from creating.

If you have the time and money to invest in content, do it. You won’t regret building that into your budget and plan. However, if you don’t, creativity, consistency and authenticity can still go a long way.

  1. Include content in your customer journey

What do you know about your audience? What is their customer journey? Everything you know is likely translated into your marketing plans, and that information is used to create ideal marketing and nurturing campaigns for customers and prospects.

Consumers need you to be where they are when they need you, and each micro-moment is an opportunity for you to use content to move customers through the conversion funnel and customer journey.

Create mobile-first content, lead generation forms and opportunities. Make your content easier to find and navigate. Optimize for local searches and important industry keywords. Try creating content specific to your buyer personas and directed more toward the bottom of the funnel.

And as you do all of that, showcase engaging, entertaining or educational content instead of sales CTAs.

  1. Remarket

We’ve all been to a website, or looked at a product on Amazon, and then seen an ad for the same or a similar product in our Facebook newsfeed. This is a form of remarking, and it should be part of your marketing strategy.

However, consumers are savvy, and they are being more selective about the brands they engage with and purchase from. Your traditional remarking ad may not be enough anymore. Instead, use content to increase brand awareness and keep your product top of mind.

Make your content personalized. Allow the consumer to pick up where they left off. Tie other channel’s such as email, Google ads, social media ads and others together with the personalized content. Make the remarking ads seamless across channels.

  1. Diversify and include

If you have a blog, and that’s been the focus of your content marketing efforts, that’s a great start. However, it may no longer be enough. Diversify your content marketing efforts to be more inclusive of other tactics and channels.

This can include videos, infographics, memes, and gifs. In fact, video streaming has become even more popular than ever before, and with the introduction of Tik Tok and Instagram Reels (in addition to Stories and Snapchat), people are consuming video at record-breaking amounts.

Then, once you diversify your content, include it in everything. Tie together your website and blog, social channels, email and other marketing efforts. Make sure the tone, information and strategy carry over.

If you repurpose content, be sure to alter it (even if slightly) to fit the format and expectations of the channel you’re repurposing on. For example, you shouldn’t promote a blog post in an email the same way you would on your Facebook page.

  1. Improve the experience

How your audience interacts with your content is just as important as what content they are interacting with. In order to drive ROI with content, you need to focus on improving the content experience.

Analyze metrics like bounce rate and time on site, scroll depth, and clicks. It’s not enough that visitors come to your site, they have to engage and spend time with what’s on the page.

Try different content layouts, images, videos and types of content. Offer videos, webinars, white pages, podcasts, and images. Test which topics are the most engaging and informative. Be more tactful about placing CTAs and asking for email addresses. Be more strategic about how you more the consumer from that piece of content to the next step in the funnel.

  1. High-quality SEO

SEO (search engine optimization) has been a content marketing buzzword for years. However, as competition increases, attention spans decrease, and customers are being more selective about brands they interact with and where/how they spend their money, SEO will be a critical piece of your content’s success.

Figure out how you can differ yourself and your content from the big competitors. Focus on more niche, targeted and long-tail keywords. Be sure your content is engaging, including having a low bounce rate, and high time on site and scroll depth.

Take time to create an actual SEO strategy. Include members of your team, like your web analytics team and search engine marketers, to find the opportunities that will be key for you and your brand.

by caitlyncallahan14

2021 social media trends to watch

It should come as no surprise that Statista reported a 21% increase in monthly social media usage this year.

Due to the global pandemic, people turned to social media to connect with loved ones, follow the latest news coverage, shop and find new products, and mindlessly scroll for entertainment.

With more than 3.6 billion people using social media worldwide, and that number expected to continue to increase, brands are now wondering how to continue to engage with their audiences on social, as well as what to plan for in 2021.

With some research, I’ve gathered eight social media trends for marketers to watch in 2021.

  1. Less quantity, more quality

In 2020, you may have noticed many brands posted less often, but created more thoughtful, engaging content. This trend will likely continue in 2021.

Brands had to ask themselves “Do my followers even want to hear from me? Do they care about this content right now?” I’d venture to guess a lot of times, the answers were no. Creating and providing value for your audiences will be key. Focus on producing quality content that your audience cares about and can gain value from instead of posting just to post.

This trend will hold true to paid advertising as well. 2021 will see more thoughtful ad buys, more valued partnerships, and more informed targeting.

  1. Real content

Did you notice an uptick in your favorite brands posting live streams, lower production value images and videos, and more real content? That’s because as teams transitioned to a primarily work-from-home structure, many brands had to adjust how they were creating content.

Posting real, thoughtful and honest content has always been important. Your audiences want to see who you are as a brand, and get to know you beyond your advertising and products, and in 2021 this trend will be more important than ever.

People are being more choosy and selective about how and where they spend their dollars, and what brands they choose to support during these difficult times. Make it easier for them – don’t shy away from live streams and content made from your home office. People want to see that.

  1. Selling vs. helping

A lot of brands use social media as another avenue to sell their product or service. And with access to essentially limitless prospective customers, it’s easy to forget the purpose of social – connection and engagement.

Over the past couple of years, consumers are wising up and engaging less with the brands and companies who are constantly pushing a product. They aren’t offering anything of value or importance to the consumer, other than brand recognition. And in the long run, you may be annoying those customers enough that they will avoid you when it comes time to purchase your product.

Instead of selling, follow the trend of helping. Use your social media presence to help customers, answer questions, have conversations and provide value. Be more thoughtful and empathetic in your nurturing through the funnel. Be human and engaging.

  1. Tik Tok, Instagram Reels, and Stories

Short, snack-able and eye-catching content will reign in 2021. With the rise of Tok Tok, Instagram Reels, and the continued popularity of Stories (Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat), brands should focus on content that doesn’t break the attention span.

Graphics, memes, infographics and gifs continue to prove popularity. Additionally, short videos (10-20 seconds) will become increasingly important. Tell stories about your products/services, brand or employees. Go behind the scenes, engage with current events, or simply entertain.

  1. Go live

I touched on it in #1, but I’ll say it again. Live video is key this year. In addition to video content being more popular and engaging than ever, live video gives you the opportunity to stream events, marketing experiences, Q&As, tutorials, and other content for your consumers. It’s real, it’s raw, and it’s something positive that came out of 2020.

Live videos keep your followers engaged with your brand by showing them something they might not be able to experience elsewhere. It gives them a new and different way to learn from and engage with your brand.

And, thanks to the struggles of last year, you aren’t expected to film in a production-quality screening room. Your home office can do the trick just as well.

  1. In-app shopping

This is something Pinterest mastered years ago, but other platforms like Facebook and Instagram are jumping on the bandwagon.

With new capabilities, consumers can buy a product they see in a post without even leaving the app they are on. This adds convenience for both the user and the company, because you don’t have to build a whole e-commerce store to sell your products.

This is great for small business owners who turned to crafting as a side-hustle during the pandemic and furloughs, as well as for larger brands who are looking to conveniently and effectively continue to sell products.

  1. Authenticity and trust

This has always been important, and in my opinion, one of the keys to success on social media.

However, it may be more important now than ever before.

Unfortunately, the pandemic hasn’t gone away. And people are still scared, lonely, frustrated and financially uncertain. It’s especially critical for brands to build trust with their audiences in order for consumers to identify with and invest in them.

Producing and posting authentic content, either from your employees, brand or customers, can help prospects (and existing customers) relate to you, while showing them you care about them… not just your sales.

I know your sales are important. It’s what will keep your business afloat. But, you can still improve your sales without pushing your product on your consumers. Keep existing customers coming back, and show your authenticity as a brand to build trust with prospects. They will appreciate it, connect with you, and come to you first.

  1. Prepare to pivot

If you didn’t learn this in 2020, you might have been living under a rock. Or not on Earth at all.

Last year, brands were forced to almost constantly pivot to stay afloat. Whether that was in their marketing, product offerings, or other facets of the business, COVID-19 showed us you can’t get comfortable with what you know.

Whether you had to furlough employees, transition to work from home, turn off your marketing, change your tone and how you market, create new content (everyone has to wear masks!), or something else, the trend of being able to quickly pivot your strategy won’t go away this year.

Prepare to change. Prepare for the unexpected. Be ready to pivot on both large and small scales, whether it’s your posting schedule, what you’re posting, or your paid ads.

by caitlyncallahan14

it’s a digital world (part 2: content)

A couple weeks ago, I published part one of a three-part series sharing some of my favorite statistics supporting social media marketing and how it can change the way you market and share your business.

Today, I want to talk about a concept that’s challenging to understand, and sometimes even more challenging to implement: content marketing.

Perhaps you’ve:

  1. Never thought about content marketing.
  2. Have thought about it, but don’t know how it applies to your brand or how it can help generate sales.
  3. Attempted to implement it in your marketing strategy, but aren’t really sure how to execute, feel stuck, or simply don’t have time.

IMPORTANT NOTE: “Content marketing” doesn’t have to mean blogs, though that is the primary tool for most businesses. It can also mean social media posts, video, photos, memes, emails, whitepapers, ebooks, podcasts, and more. The options are endless, and chances are you can find a form of content that works for you and your business.

If you’ve never thought about it, or think I’m crazy to suggest content marketing can help improve customer retention and drive sales, here are a few stats that may convince you otherwise.

  • 77% of internet users read blogs. However, nearly 30% of users block advertising on their connected devices.
  • Content marketing gets 3x the leads per dollar spent when compared to paid search tactics. It also costs an average of 41% less.
  • It generates more than 3x as many leads and costs 62% less than other outbound marketing tactics.
  • Small businesses with blogs get 126% more lead growth than small businesses without.
  • 61% of online consumers make a purchase after reading recommendations on a blog.
  • Content marketing conversion rates are 6x higher than other traditional marketing methods.
  • Websites with blogs have 434% more search engine-indexed pages than those without blogs, meaning significantly more traffic to your website.
  • 70% of people would rather get information about or learn something from a company from an article or blog post rather than traditional advertising tactics.

I could get into stats about individual forms of content and how they can push your business to the next level, but I won’t here because that could be a 10,000 word whitepaper. The point is, content marketing is important, cheap, and can help boost your business and retain your customers.

Plus, the good news is you don’t have to be an “expert” to do content marketing. With today’s technology, building a website, editing a video, posting a photo, or even recording a podcast can be as simple as clicking a few buttons. And while you don’t want to put out bad content that could hurt your brand or business, attempting something can many times be better than nothing.

It can feel overwhelming to get started. But remember – no one knows your business, brand and products/services better than you. Think about what you can share with others regarding your brand. What’s your story? What are the questions your customers are asking? How can you be a solution? What do your customers like, and how can you engage and entertain them through different forms of content?

Check out some of these posts on how to develop a content strategy and get started.

If you want to talk further about how content marketing can help your business, need help getting started, or would like assistance with ongoing support, send me a message today. 

by caitlyncallahan14

taking pride in your work

I’ve always been a perfectionist.

No matter what I’m working on, whether a big or small project, assignment from a client, campaign recommendation for work or something for myself, I put forth 100% effort and make sure the outcome is of the highest quality.

My parents always instilled this work ethic in me, and it’s something I’m proud of.

The pride I take in my work is one of the reasons I’m successful today with my business, career and even my personal life. I fully believe that being proud of every article I write, social media post I create, email I send to a client, or blog post I publish on my website is what helps me be successful and continue to grow my business.

Over the past year as I’ve been pursuing Callahan Communication and working with more clients, I’ve realized how important it is not just to provide high-quality, exceptional work, but to also take pride in it. It’s not enough to complete a well-written and researched article, but I must also feel proud of what I’ve accomplished and excited to show it off.

Towards the middle of last year, I think I lost my pride. I cared more about creating perfect articles, and I stopped enjoying the process of researching, writing and editing. When I sent a piece back to a client, I was more excited to cross it off my to-do list than I was to share it with others. It ultimately hurt me because I stopped enjoying the work, and therefore didn’t want to do any. I didn’t turn as much product for my clients, and I think it hurt some of the relationships I had worked so hard to build.

Whether you’re a student, full-time employed, part time consultant or a business owner, I can’t stress enough to take a few minutes to think about what you’re doing. What are you providing? What is the final outcome? Are you just turning assignments to be done with them, or are you enjoying what you’re doing? Are you happy because the article was well-written and what the client asked for, or are you excited because you’re proud of it?

I like to do the portfolio test: is this piece something I’m going to be happy to put in my portfolio? Will I be proud to link to this, or share it with prospective clients? Or will it be something I leave off of my list because you can tell there’s no passion or pride behind it?

You have to be proud of what you do, what you accomplish, and how you get there. It’s what will continue to push you to be the best, grow your business, get the promotion, add clients, and remain passionate about what you’re doing. 

Plus, when you have pride in what you provide your clients, they will be even more happy to work with you. Win, win!