Get Business Buzzing with a Buzz Piece
Photo by JSmith Photo.
Most business models can attest to the power of a buzz piece. This marketing tool provides valuable information for prospective clients, the ability to transform readers into customers and a ton of exposure. So if you don’t have one, you should absolutely consider it.
Here’s what you need to know about buzz pieces.
What is a buzz piece, anyway?
A buzz piece, as defined in The Wealthy Freelancer is a freebie like a list of tips, a checklist, overview of survey results, bundle of articles, section of a book, or how-to guide. You’ve seen them online…they usually include titles like, “5 Steps to…” “3 Ways to…” or “How to…” They’re always free, but sometimes you have to sign up and then have it emailed to you.
Here’s a glowing example:
Mike Stelzner is a well-renowned copywriter who specializes in creating white papers. So he created a white paper on writing white papers to help others learn this craft. Check out the strategy he uses here to get people to sign up for the report. He prompts you to sign up and emails the report free—but not before getting your name and email and requesting that you sign up for his newsletter, too. Most people subscribe to his newsletter, which gives him a solid database of contacts—and prospective clients.
How can I get clients out of a buzz piece?
Long after you enjoy Stelzner’s “How to Write a White Paper – A White Paper on White Papers,” you can learn more about this lucrative industry by reading his ongoing newsletter if you sign up for it. Now, for a prospective client that doesn’t need a white paper at the time he signed up, this turns into gold for Stelzner when—bam—an email pops into the prospect’s inbox just when he is considering creating a white paper.
Then, most likely, the prospect will contact Stelzner because he’s been visible for a while and obviously knows a ton about writing white papers. That’s how prospects become clients. Of course marketing your white paper goes beyond just writing it, as you’ll read below.
How do I get started?
Well, you’ve got to write something that you’re an authority (of sorts) on. So if you’re a designer, you want to talk about how to create or edit graphics; if you’re a copywriter like me, you want to educate people about writing or let them in on what not to do. But you want to be specific…instead of just tips in general.
Ed Gandia recommends choosing a strong topic, crafting a catchy headline and thinking about your audience. If you are a photographer and you want to target PR directors at big companies, for example, he says possible titles could include:
- “5 Elements Editors Want to See in a Press Release Photo”
- “7 Inside Secrets to Making So-So Corporate Photos Look Great”
- “How to Create an Online Virtual Product Tour that Will Wow the Press”
See how he didn’t just use, “5 Ways to Use Photos” or something broad like that? These are useful tips for the audience reading it.
Get the buzz back
You also want to include your name and website on the content so if it gets reproduced, you can still get recognition for it. It’s a smart way to drive people to your website to learn more about your services. Oh, and the report is generally a PDF file but you can use multiple formats. Just make it easy for people to get.
Aside from those you will market it directly to, you never know who can wind up with it. Which is the cool part. Email it to your clients and friends. Snail mail it to a client with a thank-you note for a project. Bring copies to your next networking event. Even put a link to your piece in your email signature. And yes, tweet about it!
How do I create buzz about my buzz piece?
My first buzz piece created years ago was very general and while it did attract people, I didn’t do enough research into it and didn’t market it too well. I never asked for people to sign up for my e-newsletter at the same time they were viewing my buzz piece, so it was kind of a flop.
That’s why I love how Nicky Jameson marketed “The 19 New Rules of Social Media Copywriting.” Not only is it easy to get the report, but she published a press release to help get the buzz out. Great work—you never know who else will find this in addition to those you market it to.
Stelzner opted to include a video to promote “Social Media Marketing Industry Report: How Marketers Are Using Social Media to Grow Their Businesses.” See how he marketed that resource? I love that he included video. The sky is the limit and creatives are ideal for formulating new ways to market their buzz pieces.
And here’s my buzz…
That’s why I’m going to be doing the same to spread the word about my latest creation, “5 Writing Rules to Break for Great Website Content.” I’m letting people view the report free as a PDF and giving them the option of subscribing to my newsletter on the very same page as they see the report. I’ll be using a variety of promotional tactics to get the word out about what I think is some pretty useful stuff–especially for those that don’t write everyday like me. Everyone can use these “new rules” to brush up on their writing–and in this case, create compelling website content. (In the event they give up, my contact information is prominently placed so they can leave it to a pro!)
So go ahead—dive in and create one of these useful buzz pieces if you haven’t already. And if it’s been a while since you’ve updated your marketing platform, create a new one. I think you’ll like the results you can get from this innovative marketing tool.
Leave a Comment
Great resources here! I like the tips given to create buzz pieces.. I’m going to get the 5 writing rules pdf, study it, and try it myself!
Thanks for a great article. As a designer I’m trying to boil down what I do best and then write and design an e-book about it. I’m thinking about the subject of information design… now I am just trying to think of a specific focus, as you suggested.
Wow, Kirsten,
Thank you so much for the mention! I still get downloads for my buzz piece, however recently I’ve had a whole slew of people downloading it… I wondered who had mentioned my special report. Thanks again.
I totally agree with creating a “buzz piece.” I have my copywriting mentor, Steve Slaunwhite to thank for the idea. It has helped me get gigs, make new contacts, build relationships, start on twitter, offer a sample of my writing and so much more. Ihave a regular mailing list to which I mail a rather meaty newsletter every month. Almost everyone who signed up and got my special report is STILL on my mailing list and I still get people writing and telling me they love the “19 Rules.”
I advise all small businesses I talk to create a free buzz piece, even if they are offline businesses. It is far more powerful than just having website. And it only needs to be 10-16 pages.
And now it’s time for me to get your buzz piece Kirsten…looking forward to it.
Nicky
Kristen, thanks for this article. I’ve had a few blog post ideas floating about in my head and this has given me some ideas on how to make them really pop. Cheers!
I am a web designer and I give away a free guide titled “22 Ways To Market Your Business Online & Offline” and it works very well to build an email list of subscribers who I can continually market my services to.
No comments yet… wow.
Anyway, I just wanted to say that I know of a few sites that do this and it tends to work on me most of the time, I would add that you have to make sure its something worth having and keeping though!
Further, it won’t matter how great your buzz piece is if your normal posts aren’t up to par; you’ll get more subscribers for a while but you’ll lose them just as quickly. Not exactly ideal for anyone involved.
Great idea though, thank you for sharing.
Lillian… if I may make a suggestion… rather than write about what you do best, try to find a challenge that your customers/clients/readers/audience are wrestingling with and then write a short piece about a potential solution to that challenge, like a “How To…” For example my wider focus was on how to find a way through the swirling mass of information about social media… then pulling it together with a few simple and practical tips they could use themselves in their next project.
You do need your piece to be catchy in terms of the title and above all it must be useful (think Education, Enlighten and Entertain) for your audience… even if they never contact you for business. One way to find a potential topic is to look at the questions your target market is asking, and where you can position yourself as an aunthority.
If your BP is to attract potential clients then I highly recommend you use an autoresponder… people who are interested download it in return for their email address and suscribing to your list. You then follow up by providing equally great content to your list and build the relationship with them from there.
I agree with this, and think it’s important to emphasize that a buzz piece be aimed at your intended audience, and not your colleagues/competitors. As a designer, someone might be tempted to create a buzz piece that other designers would like to read. But other designers are not your clients.
A buzz piece should be directed at your clients and their interests in order to be successful.
Great advice and resources there, thanks.
I do like the SEO benefits of a title called ” White Papers – A White Paper on White Papers”!
I just got through The Wealthy Freelancer’s discussion of buzz pieces. And it occurred to me that one of my neglected projects would be perfect for such treatment.
And, wouldn’t you know it, my Internet connection went down for a whole day. Whoopee! Writing time!
The end result is a 10-pager, the Web Design Client Workbook. Have uploaded it to my website and LinkedIn profile.
Will make my own buzz tonight. video tutorial(s). hope it could drive traffic to some blogs that I maintain