The world has been brought to its knees as we face the Coronavirus outbreak of 2020, and all its fallout. Worldwide crisis has ensued, and the economy is all but broken. Some of the lucky ones among us still have our health and our jobs. Others have business offerings that are on an indefinite hold until some sort of resolution is found to the problem that has created an equal playing field for us all. This unthinkable scenario has left many entrepreneurs and business leaders scrambling or scratching their chins as they ponder where to turn next. As your content resource, I’m no different. I wondered if projects would be placed on hold (and yes, some were). I regrouped with clients to refine messages to suit the environment we are in, and I took a step back to assess how I, as a wordsmith and a business pro, could help. What do I have to offer? And that thing I realized is my pen, my strategic mindset and tips to help the business owner stay in the game during global crisis.
What Your Business Can, Should & Shouldn’t Be Doing During A Global Pandemic:

1. Over-communicate with your customers or clients. Everyone is hurting. Everyone is facing uncertainty. Communication, now more than ever, is the foundation to keeping fear at bay. Your brand’s time to shine is now. Don’t ignore your customers as they go through this challenging time. Keep them abreast of your business’s work-from-home policies, store closures, free shipping offers and community support for those in need.
   
   
2. Get creative to offer them tips on how to use your services even if you’re closed. Gyms are live streaming workouts. Stores are offering free shipping or curbside pickup for online ordering. What can you do to keep your customer base connected? This is a great time to venture into webinars, free trainings and brainstorming sessions with your networks.
   
   
3. Don’t try to monetize everything you do. I know this one can be confusing. Everyone is seeing a dip in revenues and wondering what the long-term impact of this will be. Of course, you do still need to find ways to earn income, but it’s important to show sensitivity to your audience in this unique time – especially if your customer base is in a demographic that’s been hit hard by layoffs. Offering services that are radically reduced or by donation can help you build goodwill and show empathy for the plight of consumers who have lost their sources of income.
   
   
4. Find the right mix of levity and seriousness. Your communications should take a position of authority and support, first and foremost. As you move through the coming weeks that will likely drag on, you may want to let your playful side show through. Good, do that, but be cautious that you are not insensitive to those who have lost their income or, even worse, are facing illness. It’s a fine line that you’re brand’s voice might balance on (which leads me to the number five on my list of tips). 
   
   
5. Reach out to a content pro. Budgets are coming to a screeching halt across every industry. Uncertainty is the new normal that all business leaders face, but now might just be your chance to rise to the top and shine. Social media usage is at an all-time high as consumers around the world are left with much time on their hands due to social distancing - a 76% increase in daily accumulated likes on Instagram posts over the last two weeks and a 27% engagement spike on TikTok. If you are left trying to shift gears during this downturn and social media has been a channel you’ve wanted more traction on, now might be the time to go for it. Enlisting the services of a content writer can help you get your message out during these strange times.
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6. Get creative with your budget restraints. Coronavirus has created a level playing field for nearly all businesses. We’re all in the same boat, either taking a hit financially or concerned about the near-term viability of our business revenues as we ride out this storm. Some brands are thriving and(or) have the deep pockets needed to double down on their marketing spend during the Coronavirus pandemic like Amazon, Dial and HBO (among others), but most of us don’t. Look for ways to barter, to network and to start laying the seeds for future opportunities even if they may have to wait on ice until after this virus gives us a break.

 
The Content Workshop is a content agency that helps businesses of all sizes define their brands, develop content strategy and execute on the content pipeline. We’re here during the Coronavirus as you develop your next move in today’s unprecedented new normal. We’ve always been mastering our Zoom, Slack, Hangout and Skype game – so reach out, even if it’s just a for brainstorming sesh.
Let’s connect.

In today's age of social media, tight budgets and blogs-a-plenty, everyone thinks of themselves as a "writer." In the business world, organizations from the tops of corporate America to small businesses with virtually no marketing budget are scrutinizing all areas of spend for positive contribution to the bottom line. The important tasks of writing copy optimized for SEO strategies, creating blog posts that promote customer engagement, composing timely newsletter articles, as well as content strategy development, are being assigned to administrative team members, product engineers and even Presidents. 

The problem...knowledge and understanding of the product line and/or brand does not a writer make. Well written copy written in the accurate tone that can evoke the desired result is the intangible.

That's the value proposition that a seasoned writer with a strong business background can provide. Although involving your sales team (for example) may be a truly agile way to keep content relevant to what those on your front line hear from your customers. It may be wise to leave the job of writing and strategy to a well-rounded professional that has the skill set to quickly get up to speed, utilizing an extensive education and diverse experience toolbox, 

Here's Why You Shouldn't Go It Alone When It Comes to Your Content Strategy:

• Your brand matters. A good copywriter understands your brand (even helps you chisel down to determine what it actually is) and then guard-dogs it. 
• The quality of your copy represents the quality of your company. Yes, of course, ranking #1 in Google matters too, but your customers will judge you at every touchpoint.
• Quantity matters. Whether your goal is engaging with customers, prospecting for new ones or teaching the world what your slightly complicated product is, lots of content is needed to get you across the finish line. A good content studio can help you achieve your goals without overly taxing your internal resources.

Leaving the content strategy to the content strategists helps your business in so many ways, one main way being that it can free you up to do what you do best. (Don't you have work you could be doing?)

The Content Workshop specializes in providing content support from "projects-in-a-box" to consulting and strategy development. We'll help you tell your brand's story - let's get started today!

Full Disclosure: I am obsessed with grammar and words. I play Scrabble with a vengeance, and a dog-eared page from Proust can bring me to my knees.
Having exposed my true colors for all to see, I will continue on, fighting the good fight for impeccable grammar.

Even those who don't read 18th-century literature or think wordplay is quote / unquote fun, do know a grammatical error or poorly proofread website when they see one...and those readers in question could be the exact target that you are trying to impress. The value of proofreading cannot be expressed more strongly here. Read your work over and over prior to hitting print, publish or post.

Today's tone of writing, even in the most conservative corners of corporate America, is often light, airy and tongue in cheek. Humor is great and sounding hip and cutting edge can certainly help build relationships with the reader. However, don't throw the baby out with the bathwater - grammar still matters!

I'll venture to guess that none of us (myself included) are immune to the grammatical imperfection once in a while, so a few good bookmarks are handy to assist you in your writing endeavors:

• grammarly.com
• drgrammar.org
• englishgrammar.org

Happy Wordsmithing!

The recession may be considered a thing of the past; but the resulting resource drain in many businesses of all sizes has yet to catch up. After struggling to cope with an escalating task list and limited resources for years and hearing her colleagues complain of the same scenarios, local South Florida MBA, Jen Seitz, saw a gap in the market place.  

The Content Workshop launched this month; with the goal of helping businesses accomplish their goals – no matter how large or small. Jen Seitz is not new to the game; with over a decade of experience across varied industries.

“Here’s an example of what marketing professionals and small business owners are facing in their day to day operations: They had a good year in 2014; with high hopes for 2015. They have some new ideas of how to really move the needle and accomplish their goals; but they just don’t have the skills in house or the team is stretched too thin with other priorities So the important initiative keeps getting pushed back. That’s when a great consultant with the right experience can come in and quickly chisel away at their long to do list.” According to Seitz, the self-proclaimed Marketing Geek, good resources are hard to find and adding to staff is not always the best solution.

For more information on The Content Workshop or the services it provides; contact Jen Seitz at 954.806.3654 or writerseitz@gmail.com.

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About : With a graduate degree in Business and undergraduate specialty in Marketing as well as over a decade of experience, Jen is a successful entrepreneur, an experienced business consultant and has built Marketing Departments from the ground up. Jen’s writing has been published in magazines in many industries and her concepts and campaigns have reinvigorated legacy brands, shattered ROI goals as well as won awards and accolades.

The Content Workshop offers agency-side experience and business know how through a range of marketing and writing services. Services include everything from overflow projects to complete strategy development and execution.