Whenever I’m writing copy, I keep the expectations of a client and its target audience front and center so I can make sure the content meets the needs and expectations of both sides. The client will have specific marketing intentions for the content, so I have to make sure that message comes through loud and clear and in a way that will sway the brand’s target audience into performing whatever desired response the client has in mind. The target audience will also want something from the text, whether it’s some quick shot of information or a more involved and detailed discussion of a given subject.

When I’m writing copy that’s intended to help out a client’s SEO efforts, however, it has to be more than just marketing pitches and appealing content. The whole point of content marketing with SEO copy is not only creating relevant content that engages the customer and encourages them to have more interaction with a brand. It also needs to be full of keywords and phrases that are going to attract the attention of spiders, search engines, and all of the other scanners that are going to bring users to a brand’s site when they are out there performing searches. (more…)

Providing high quality client service goes well beyond just answering the phone or responding to an e-mail. It needs to be a mix of ongoing communication, commitment to the client’s needs and goals, and an investment of time and effort that goes beyond the norm. Here are some of the ingredients that need to part of the mix to ensure clients receive the level of service they deserve.

Listen to clients
Quality client service starts with a team of people who understand how to listen to clients. This goes beyond just hearing their words but listening to what they are really saying and making the connection between what they want to do and ways we can help them achieve a goal, resolve a problem, and answer a question. A strong client services team, like the one we have here at LeapFrog, is able to do all of this and more. The focus of our job is to be a client’s point of contact. By the very nature of our relationship with them, we must listen to them to satisfy our responsibility to them.

Make polite suggestions
Really being able to listen and understand what a client needs enables us to go a step further and make suggestions for strategies and solutions. These suggestions are not driven by trying to make a sale but are truly useful recommendations that are in the client’s best interests. We are invested in our clients’ success and thinking outside of the box and providing service that goes beyond the norm is one way we can help contribute to that success. (more…)

For this latest speed profile, we caught up with Lauren Pate, one of LFI’s hard-working Client Services team. We learned that if put on some Toby Keith music, popped in a DVD of Little Nicky, and made some meatloaf, then that would be the last you saw of the normally very friendly Ms. Pate.

What is it you do exactly?: I’m an account manager. I ensure clients’ goals and expectations are being met while keeping them informed of their project status. I also maintain contact after a project has launched to make sure the campaign or website is meeting their goals.

What’s the best part about what you do?: Working with all my clients.

Describe your work ethic—how do you get your job done and done right?: I try to work efficiently, work well with other people, and communicate well.

What’s one thing someone needs to know about you to get an idea about who you are?: I’m friendly.

Biggest fear: Spiders. Any sort of insects really.

Favorite word: Fabulous

Least favorite word: Any type of word that has a negative connotation.

Favorite weekend activity: Travel (more…)

Why would you try to sell children’s cereal with zombies?

I’m not sure either.

Kellogg’s Corn Pops recently debuted a new spot parodying old horror movies. As an adult, I’m not really in the target audience for the cereal so I never even noticed the ad and likely would have never given it a second thought except for one important reason: the ad scares my six-year-old.

My son is very much a member of the target audience for Corn Pops, especially given his love for sugary, sweet, and otherwise nutritionally lacking food. And he has no problem with monsters—he loves Godzilla and is a fan of the sci-fi series Doctor Who, which has its share of scary monsters and aliens.

The Corn Pops spot titled “The Spooning,” however, isn’t giving him a fun scare. Even before the commercial gets past the first few seconds, he pleads for us to change the channel. When he first did this, I asked him why he didn’t like the spot given that he never has reacted this way to any advertising. When he told me there were zombies in it, I frankly thought he had to be mistaken.

He wasn’t. There are. Zombie milkmen apparently, but zombies nevertheless. (more…)