by Mark Bloom | Dec 31, 2014 | Announcement
Benefits of the Asheville Chamber of Commerce
The Asheville Chamber of Commerce hosts a monthly Educational Series — a one-hour seminar on various topics related to business and business people. These meetings alternate between a before hours’ time slot (8:00 to 9:00 am) and a lunchtime time slot (noon to 1:00 pm).
For the Asheville morning events, Ray Access will be providing the coffee. For all attendees. Free of charge. It will be the first time a morning Chamber Educational Series event has had coffee furnished. And it took a small business to make it happen.
This Small Business
Ray Access is a small business. In fact, we’re a partnership. That means there are two of us: Linda and Mark. Only a solopreneur business is smaller. But in our industry — online business writing — having two instead of one is a competitive advantage: Everything we produce is professionally edited.
Yet this small business joined the Asheville Chamber of Commerce in August 2014. Believe us when we say it was a major investment for such a small business. It could be a big step forward or a big step back, but we decided, “It was time to go big or go home.” We believed in our business enough to take the risk.
Networking Opportunities
We were determined to grow our small business. We market to other businesses, and the Chamber of Commerce offered a way for us to connect to more area businesses than we could otherwise reach. By getting involved and attending Chamber events, we could build relationships and gain name recognition for our budding enterprise.
The Asheville Chamber of Commerce also provided us with many, many, many networking events. We were fairly active networkers before joining the Chamber, but with our membership, our networking activity tripled. While this was exciting at first, we soon realized it was a “good news, bad news” arrangement.
Marketing vs. Working
If we spent all our time marketing, we’d have no time to work. If we spent all our time working, we’d have no time to market our business. It’s an old business dilemma, one we wrote about before. But to grow a business, you have to find time for both. And if you’re a small business, chances are you have to find time to do both by yourself.
Of course, Ray Access has an advantage a solopreneur doesn’t: There are two of us. So we split up the events to cover more ground, while still having the time to do the work we love. We attend weekly networking events, as well as monthly events, so it’s still a big commitment of time, but that investment is starting to pay dividends, in both work and better community relationships.
The Educational Series Sponsorship
One of the monthly events we attend is the Educational Series. At the last before-hours seminar, we complained about the lack of coffee. Instead of becoming a problem, it became an opportunity. Most Chamber sponsorships are well beyond the reach of a small business like Ray Access. But providing coffee for 40 people? We could do that.
And so we created a new sponsorship opportunity. By supplying coffee every other month, we are both helping other businesses and spreading the word about our business. It’s a win-win situation that makes sense. Even for a small business like Ray Access.
Ray Access is a content marketing firm that delivers targeted words to empower your business. Contact us about your specific project to receive a quote or discuss your needs. We write website copy, blog posts, e-newsletters and more. Everything we do is thoroughly researched, professionally edited and guaranteed original.
by Mark Bloom | Dec 24, 2014 | Announcement
We Came, We Saw, We Wrote It All Down
Ray Access & friends at the start of 2013
Looking back on what Ray Access was doing in December 2013 is like looking through the wrong end of a telescope. We were still writing on paper, using pen and ink. We sent each other messages by Pony Express, especially when the cans-on-a-string hardware malfunctioned. And everything was in black-and-white. At least it was easier to pick out our clothes — everything matched!
OK, we’re exaggerating. But Ray Access did come of age this past year. Here are some of our highlights:
The Early Months
When 2014 started, Ray Access was primarily a freelance operation. We had few regular clients and no idea where our next meal would come from. We lived on the streets, writing on the backs of worn envelopes. But we did great work, and our few clients loved us.
Then came our big break in February when we gave a presentation for a group of business people through the Vibrant Asheville Business networking group. We followed that with an encore for a joint meeting of the Fletcher Area Business Association and the Mills River Business Association. Suddenly, clients started calling.
A Growth Explosion
In March, Ray Access rewrote a number of websites, including those of our current blog clients Asheville Cabins of Willow Winds and Hendersonville Tents. We started the company to write blog posts for businesses, but realized that website content was just as important (and just as in demand) as blogs. It was then that we started to hit our stride.
We gained quite a few new clients during this early growth explosion, such as the Southeastern Spine Institute and the Wired Mouse. It felt like being in the driver’s seat for the first time, ready to go, but not moving, and then noticing the parking brake’s still set. Naturally, we released it while pressing the accelerator to the floor. And varoom! Off we went.
Moving and Shaking
In May, we joined the Fletcher Area Business Association. We gained more visibility and more clients, like the amazing Bubbleland Imagination Company. In July, Linda and Mark signed a formal partnership agreement after consulting with SCORE. By then, Ray Access had existed for about two years. In August, we joined the Asheville Chamber of Commerce. We had arrived. We were a real presence. People were getting to know us.
In October, we started writing for an online magazine called Simply Appalachian, which officially launch in January 2015. Serving seven states in Central Appalachia, we write feature articles on sports and adventures, flora and fauna, and people and places of interest. Look for our work on the pre-release version of the website.
Expertise and Exceptional Service
As we continue to grow, we pride ourselves on our personal and professional service. We love that we can do what we love while serving a growing number of businesses. One client has even called us “genius” for the work we did. But we haven’t let it go to our heads. We don’t have time for that.
In 2015, we’re going to maintain the momentum, both in Asheville and in outside markets. Regardless of our future growth, however, we promise to maintain the highest level of customer service and support to all our clients. If you were a client, thank you for your business during 2014. We remain — gratefully — at your service. If you are not yet a client, learn how we can help you attract more business.
Ray Access is a content marketing firm that delivers targeted words to empower your business. Contact us about your specific project to receive a quote or discuss your needs. We write website copy, blog posts, e-newsletters and more. Everything we do is thoroughly researched, professionally edited and guaranteed original.
by Elle Ray | Dec 1, 2014 | Small Business Advice
Reward Your Best Clients with Holiday Surprises
Once the holidays start — and for most it’s at Thanksgiving — it becomes increasingly difficult to continue with business as usual. Decisions get put off “until after the first of the year.” Holiday parties and vacations interrupt business meetings. And money gets tight as Santa has so many stockings to fill.
It can be frustrating for a small business owner who may be lucky to take just one day off in the month of merry. But rather than fight it, perhaps it’s just as well to join in the festivities, be thankful for the work that’s in the hopper and give a little more to a favorite charity. It’s also a great excuse to give your best clients a big “Thank You” for the work they sent throughout the year. Granted, you hope they continue sending it your way, but you’ll feel good just in the giving. Here are four gift ideas to get you started:
Send Joy
Cards are nice and offer sentiments of gratitude and “thinking of you,” but for those clients who’ve sent referrals and consistent work, now’s the time to make your mark. When you can’t think of the ideal gift, try one of these suggestions to win smiles (and hopefully goodwill).
1. Food
You never can go wrong with gifts of food. Food baskets can be shared in an office or taken home for the family to enjoy. Send a basket of nuts for the nutty crew at the web developer’s office or a basket of sweets to those who made you smile with a monthly check. Try any of the many online gift basket companies like Cherry Moon Farms or go local from an Edible Arrangements franchisee.
2. Books
Give books that will entertain and enlighten clients. Send the latest from a local author and get it signed for your recipient. Check out the latest business book for the client who enjoys trends and new ideas. Financial whizzes may enjoy the latest news from the world of big money, and sports enthusiasts may enjoy a biography from a winner. You need to know a bit about the tastes of your client, but if you do, you’ll make a hit with a good read.
3. Plants
Who doesn’t need a money tree for their office? The plants grow to outrageous heights, reminding your clients of your generosity with each new foot of sprouts. Go with a philodendron or a cool cactus if you think your client may be more into a more low-maintenance type plant. The gift will most certainly receive a place of honor where you will be thought of often.
4. Promotion
It may seem a bit self-serving, but if the gift that bears your company name and logo is useful or fun, the self-promotion can be overlooked. Nice pens, coffee mugs, calendars with outstanding artwork, thumb drives, clocks and mouse pads all make great gifts on which you can have your imprint clearly imbedded.
Set a budget and stick with it. Send the gifts out a before the big December 25 rush to stand out from the crowd and include a nice note to the clients who have helped you grow your business. You’ll be remembered long into the new year and may find yourself on the receiving end of little more business.
From Ray Access, we wish everyone a prosperous and happy holiday season.
Ray Access is a content marketing firm that delivers targeted words to empower your business. Contact us about your specific project to receive a quote or discuss your needs. We write website copy, blog posts, e-newsletters and more. Everything we do is thoroughly researched, professionally edited and guaranteed original.
by Mark Bloom | Oct 26, 2014 | Small Business Advice
We’ve Been Called Fashionable… and Worse
A good tie choice… or a Rorschach tie?
First, we want to warn you that this article represents our personal opinions. We may well be wrong, given the constantly changing fashion trends, but we’re good at what we do, we think we know what works, and gosh darn it, people like us.
While we’re on the subject, let us state for the record that we are not staid, conservative types. We like color. We like fashion-forward trends. Other writers have even called us fashionable, although it’s debatable if that’s an accolade or something we should keep to ourselves. But we’ve been professionals for many years now, and we understand what’s appropriate for certain occasions.
Dressing for Success
If you want to make a positive first impression, whether you’re meeting a client or attending a networking meeting, dress appropriately. That doesn’t always mean wearing a suit and tie (for men) or a formal dress (for women). But if you have to dress up, make sure your tie doesn’t scream to people to avoid you.
Not everyone can wear a bowtie… or a false nose.
Your tie, believe it or not, tells people a lot about you. You don’t have to regress to those outdated alternating diagonal slants of color, but leave the Gustav Klimt print at home. If you’re an accountant, your tie better communicate that. We’ve seen more and more people these days pull off a bowtie, which isn’t easy to do. But accountants, doctors, and professors can do it with panache. So unless you’re an abstract painter or web designer, your tie shouldn’t look like Jackson Pollack had his way with it.
Go with something that’s colorful, attractive and most of all, matching. Successful people dress tastefully. Unsuccessful people wear ties that have been handed down from an older brother while he was still in high school. When you shop for ties, keep in mind it will reflect you, your personality, and your profession.
The Difference Between Your Town and Asheville
Asheville is known as a liberal, laid-back business environment. “Asheville casual” is a look that may include jeans or khakis with a button-down shirt. But even in Asheville, you’ll find that some business meetings are formal occasions. Whether you wear a suit or just a shirt and tie, make your tie a bit more formal too. Power ties are just to show off, so unless you’re running the meeting, keep it simple.
Your tie should match your personality.
Big cities often foster a more conservative business environment than Asheville, but that doesn’t mean businessmen wear suits all the time. Business meetings can still be casual, or more casual, especially in the summer months. Everyone appreciates a good tie, but remember what we said above: your tie will reflect you.
A Final Word of Warning
The line between complementary and outlandish can be a fine one. Ask yourself this as you’re getting dressed: Do you want people to remember you for your tie or for your sparkling conversation? Let your tie match your personality. A loud tie can make an extrovert entertaining, but it will make a shy, unproven writer seem like he’s trying too hard to be noticed.
Yes, Mark knows from experience. Now he leaves the Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer tie for holiday parties and his Beatle ties for his friends and family events. You should too.
Ray Access is a content marketing firm that delivers targeted words to empower your business. Contact us about your specific project to receive a quote or discuss your needs. We write website copy, blog posts, e-newsletters and more. Everything we do is thoroughly researched, professionally edited and guaranteed original.
by Elle Ray | Oct 12, 2014 | Writing
No One Is Better Qualified Than You to Write It
It’s easy to let a professional writer like Linda or Mark interview you so we can write your bio. It’s a valid way to fill in the “About” page on your website. But if you want to write your own bio, you need to keep a few things in mind.
A professional bio is not a resume. It serves a different purpose. For example, you can use your bio for the following:
- For posting on your LinkedIn profile
- For self-promotion in a brochure
- For speaking engagements
- For networking
- For a book cover or guest blog
- For media outlets at the end of a press release
- For board applications
- And yes, for job hunting
Do It Yourself
While you certainly can hire a professional writer, we’d like to share a few tips so that you can write your bio yourself. Remember that your bio is you on paper. It should present your achievements in the best possible light and help you open doors.
Write your bio in plain language that not only is easy to read, but also sounds like you. If you’re not in academia, for example, don’t make it sound like a droll professor wrote it. If you’re a musician, don’t make it sound like an accountant — although an accountant may want to spiff up his bio with a few musical references.
6 Tips for Tight Bio Writing
- Write in the third person
Your professional bio should sound as if someone else is writing about you, even if you are the author. Introduce yourself right at the beginning with an opening line that spells it out: “Mark Bloom is a man of few words, few spoken words that is, because he’s a professional writer and words are his medium.”
- Use a conversational tone
Even though your bio should sound professional, use a conversational tone. Readers should get the feeling that you’re talking to them. Read your writing out loud to check your tone. Refrain from slang and industry jargon unless your bio will be read only by your peers.
- Rely on a backwards timeline
Don’t rewrite your bio every time one is needed, so start with your current job or position and your most recent achievements. While you want to include historical information, such as your education and previous accomplishments, write in much the same order as you would a resume.
- Get personal
A professional bio should show off your personality. If you have a great sense of humor, for example, add a joke or pun to highlight your bent. If you’re an earth mother, use new age words to describe your characteristics and history. Include information about your hobbies, your place of origin and your family. Either sprinkle these facts throughout the bio or present them in a bullet format at the end.
- Boost your bio with stats and quotes
Give your bio a boost with statistics about the number of sales you closed or the time it took to turn a profit in your last venture. Include quotes from important people in your industry or from former clients. (Ask their permission first.) These are items any professional writer would include; when you write your bio, you are the reporter.
- Prepare a set of bios
A professional bio should be one page — about 400 to 500 words. This version goes on your website, in your professional portfolio and to other interested parties. We recommend creating a mini-bio and a micro-version to use with guest blogs and social media posts. Think of the little bios as your 30-second elevator pitch. Pull the most interesting and concise information from your original bio to create the mini-versions.
Look at yourself objectively when you write your bio. Make it interesting and compelling — a good read. Write a professional bio that you would want to read. Keep it current and polished. Review your bio every year or two just to make sure it’s still relevant.
For more information on writing your bio, refer to 10 Things to Include in Your Bio. If you just can’t get started, contact Ray Access. We’ll make you look like the star that you are with a professional bio that sings success. Finally, don’t forget to update you bio every once in a while, both to keep your website fresh and to alert your potential clients of your latest achievements!
Ray Access is a content marketing firm that delivers targeted words to empower your business. Contact us about your specific project to receive a quote or discuss your needs. We write website copy, blog posts, e-newsletters and more. Everything we do is thoroughly researched, professionally edited and guaranteed original.
by Mark Bloom | Sep 4, 2014 | Blog Writing
Keep Your Blog Great: Avoid the One-Note Blog
The purpose of a business blog is to attract an audience. A well-written, well-considered blog can educate your customers and potential customers. It can answer in-depth questions. It can explain the ins and outs of your industry. If successful, a business blog can show up on related keyword searches organically, ready to bring new visitors to your website.
This road, while it does work, is fraught with peril. If you turn your blog into a sales pitch, touting your products and services at every turn, announcing new offerings and sales events, or going into detail about your quality, your audience will tune out. Only a small percentage of the visitors to your website are ready to buy right now!
Rule #1: Inform, Don’t Sell
The worst thing a business blog can do — aside from not having a blog at all — is to bore its audience. We see this often, both in blogs and in social media. The subjects tackled, the writing style, the stock photos … everything points to a lack of commitment. If you’re trying to sell your products or services on your blog — as your first priority — you will drive your readers away.
Your blog is your opportunity to explain what your readers don’t already know about your industry. If you are a new car dealer, don’t use your blog to boast about the new models. Instead, use it to describe the new features on those models and why customers should want them. Instead of advertising sales events, use your blog to explain how to get the best deal.
An article on getting the best deal on a car lot is likely to attract a lot more readers than an article announcing your seasonal sale. In addition, if you add value with your blog writing — with educational topics, tips or interesting facts — customers will remember you when they are ready to buy.
Rule #2: Don’t Beat a Dead Horse
If you find you’re writing about the same topic over and over, your audience will soon tire of it. Stop beating that dead horse. Your blog isn’t just about finding different angles to explore about the same topic. Regardless what your business or industry is, you can find thousands of topics to write about.
For example, if you’re an accounting business, stop writing about the advantages of hiring an accountant or providing QuickBook tips. Take a step back. Consider your readers (if you have any remaining). Why would they even be on your site? Write about something else that would interest them, which brings us to…
Rule #3: Diversify
How does your business tie into food? Water? Interpersonal relationships? The environment? Entertainment? These are topics people care about in their daily lives. If you can find an intersection between what you do and what people want to learn more about, you’ve struck gold. You can write about something people will want to read … and share.
Other tips for diversifying your blog:
- Find a topic in the news and write about that
- Consider your own passions and write about what brought you into your business
- Every once in a while, take a broad look at the state of your industry
- Focus on your customers’ wants and needs outside of your business
In fact, do this last one all the time. Put yourself in your readers’ place. Why are they reading this? Why are they here? What do they want? You’ll succeed if you can answer these questions. If you get stuck, we’re in the business of answering questions.
Ray Access is a content marketing firm that delivers targeted words to empower your business. Contact us about your specific project to receive a quote or discuss your needs. We write website copy, blog posts, e-newsletters and more. Everything we do is thoroughly researched, professionally edited and guaranteed original.
