The Great, Off-Track, Course Correction Blogging Template

As in the old adage about skinning cats, there are many different ways the same information can be presented in different business blog posts.

In fact, at Say It For You, I’m always on the lookout for different “templates”, not in the sense of platform graphics, but formats for presenting information about any business or professional practice.

Leafing through a magazine called Working Moms, I came upon just such a template, one I think we freelance blog content writers can adapt to different clients’ needs. The particular article was called “You Know the Type”, and it discussed various “Mom” personality types.  There’s the Martyr Mommy, the Drama Mama, the Snowplow Mom, and the Educarer Mom. In each case, writer Katherine Bowers presented her remarks in three sections:

• Where she’s great
• Where she’s off-track
• Course correctionFor example, Martyr Mommy demonstrates reliability and concern for others, but she too often plays second fiddle in her own life, showing no respect for herself. The “Course Correction” section offers advice: Martyr Mom should whittle down the schedule and ask for help.

  There was a lot of useful information in this three-page article about Mom types, yet that content was easy to navigate and understand because of the repeating “template”.

As a corporate blogging trainer, I sometimes pass on a model I learned from a professional speech coach for constructing a presentation called “The one-sentence speech and the 3-legged stool.” This Working Moms template reminded me of that model.

For each business blog post, choose one central idea to cover. Then, use three examples or make three points to reinforce that central theme.  The great, off-track, course correction template might be used to offer advice on financial management, healthy living, pet care, fashion.

1. Begin with a direct or indirect compliment to the online reader (if nothing else, they cared about the topic enough to find your blog!)
2. Point out some common mistakes and traps (where consumers are often off-track)
3. Offer some useful advice.

Stuck in a content-writing rut? Try a template and call me in the morning!