So, you’re looking for a great content strategist, but not sure where to start? Never fear. We’re here to take the guesswork out of the hiring process, in a two part series written for the Content Marketeer. Click below for some insight into the hiring process, or to add your own tips and tricks to the mix:

How to Hire a Great Content Strategist, Part I

How to Hire a Great Content Strategist, Part II

Good morning clients, friends & content-junkies!

Today I’m writing to tell you about an exciting new development:

Content for Do-Gooders is taking to the open road.

That’s right. We’re not just Denver-based anymore. We’re everywhere-based.

As of May 2012, we’ll be working on projects, creating new strategic partnerships and visiting cities around the world. And, while we’re in your city, we’d love to join your content meet up, consult on your project or just grab a cup of coffee and get some local tips.

Where are we headed first? Well…

Minneapolis, Minnesota (May 12 – 17)
(I’ll be at Confab 2012!)

Edinburgh, Scotland (June 1 – June 30)

Where next? We’re not sure. We’ll be following opportunities as they arise. So, if you’ve got one, we’d love to hear about it. Drop us a line and tell us about your project, your meet up or the hidden gems of your city. And if you want to follow our travels, you can jump over to Gigi’s travel blog: the ramble.

Please join us for our April content meet up in central Denver!

This Month’s Topic & Leader:
This month, we’re talking about sales! Guillermo Mazier, a Business Developer at Atlas Advertising, will be leading a discussion on sales and content. He’ll talk about how the buying process is changing, why sales needs content more than ever, and how sales and content teams can work well together. Hopefully we can also convince him to talk about getting the sales team on board with your content efforts.

When: April 25, 6:30 p.m.

Where: Panera Bread @ Capitol Heights, 1330 Grant Street

Please RSVP via email, Twitter or phone (303.952.0842).

Content is a delicate thing. Use the wrong tone, the wrong words, the wrong format…and you could lose your user’s interest, trust or (even worse) respect. Sell too hard and people will be suspicious of you. Write a too-lengthy page and we all go into skimming mode–even if your most important point is buried in the middle of the page. And if you talk down to your users? Expect them to go find another company that will give them some dignity.

So, how do we make sure we have the right words? The right tone? The right approach to our content? How do we avoid offending or scaring off the users we so desperately want on our websites, our blogs, our social media channels?

I’m glad you asked.

When I work on any content project (be it strategy, execution, consulting or maintenance), I have a set of rules that must always, always be followed. Today, I thought I’d share:

1. Know thy audience.
Don’t go into a project trying to please everyone. It just doesn’t work.

I, for example, am not an ideal audience for, say, Rush Limbaugh. And if he tries to target me, he’s going to lose his current audience. If he tries to keep his current audience, he’s going to alienate me.

You might have more than one audience. I get that. So prioritize your audiences (who are you after first, second and third). And ask yourself for every page on your website, every blog, every social media channel: who am I after here? Which of my audiences is going to click on this button, visit this page, read this blog? That’s who you are creating content for.

2. Put communication before smarts.
Studies like this one show that bigger words and more complicated sentences do not make you sound smarter. So, when you’re tempted to say “handset” instead of “phone” or “pulchritudinous” instead of “beautiful,” don’t. Communicating clearly is much more important than demonstrating your varied vocabulary or technical prowess.

3. Treat people like they’re smart.
State your ideas clearly. Only say things once. Explain things, but don’t talk down to your audience. Assume that, with clear communication, they can pick up what you’re putting down.

4. Don’t say it if you aren’t going to back it up.
If you want to claim that your company is environmentally friendly or your team is the most creative team in the city, you’re gonna have to prove it. Because just saying you’re awesome doesn’t make it so.

It’s kind of like going on a first date and listening to the person across the table bragging about what a great lover he is. Bragging makes people wary.

So, instead of “we have the best creative team in the city,” how about “we’ve won the city’s best website award five times in a row?” Or instead of just “we’re environmentally friendly,” let’s add “all of our properties are equipped with recycle bins.”

In summary: you want us to think you’re great? Prove it.

5. Be approachable.
Whatever your goals are, whatever your company stands for, however professional your tone need be…you should still be approachable. Your user should feel like you’re there to help them—whether by providing additional information on your website, emailing them, tweeting with them or just answering your phone. No one wants to talk to (let alone buy from) someone who talks down to them or is constantly tooting his or her own horn.

Ever had a contract project go off the rails? Yeah. Me too. That’s why I wrote this post for The Content Marketeer–to help projects go smoother, with 3 simple tips.

3 Ways to Improve Your Contractor Projects