Successful Blog

The Inverted Pyramid — A Simple Approach to Catch Audience Attention

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A Guest Post by
Rahil Muzafar

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What Is the Inverted Pyramid

Inverted Pyramid is a term well known in the field of journalism, and it refers to a particular structure of laying out a story. While following the Inverted Pyramid structure, you need to start from the most important part of the story/news. The idea is to give the crux of the story in the headline, or the first two three lines.

You might not have noticed this approach because you are used to this style. However, imagine if journalists weren’t employing this approach, and taking the route of story tellers, they will have to start from the scratch and the culmination will come in the end. And even though, reading the newspaper (or watching a news channel) might not have been such a gloomy experience if this approach wasn’t at play, but it is this approach that provides the journalist or reporters what they are looking for, and that’s … reader’s attention.

Is the Inverted Pyramind recommended for all types of writers?

The approach is commonly used by journalists, but not all types of writers. For example the novelists can’t start from the conclusion and then follow it with the rest of the story, but they’re lucky in the sense that their targeted audience is ready to devote some time in reading the novel. But in case of journalists, they don’t get the audience with such leisure time (nobody would prefer going through the doom and gloom news in their leisure time). However, web writers can learn a thing or two from the approach.

What’s in it for web writers?

If you notice, web surfers are actually more in rush, as compared to someone with newspaper in his/her hands. In their bid to scan through hundreds of Google results or web pages in a matter of minutes, they usually just glance through the titles or headlines. And if it fails to grab their attention, they are gone. Thus, one of the most important skills a web writer can learn is to form a headline that will be a magnet for clicks. Now, I’ve worked with a number of writers and some of them are naturally gifted in this regard, and they can come up with more interesting and catchy titles as compared to their counterparts, who might be equally good at writing, still not able to churn out good titles. But if you lack in creativity, you can simply use the “inverted pyramid” approach to overcome this weakness.

How to use the “Inverted Pyramid” approach?

It’s quite straight forward, all you need to do is to think of the most important part of the story, article, blog post, or marketing copy. It’s the part that you think can catch the attention of your targeted audience, and then use that particular information in the title. Note that it is not some revolutionary idea. In fact you see this approach being used a lot while surfing through the web. Remember all those headlines promising overnight riches or miraculous results, that’s inverted pyramid for you and you can use it as well in your writing, from now on.


Bonus Tip:

At times, writers get obsessed with SEO and goes to the extent of spoiling the titles in a bid to add certain keywords in the titles, especially the dry ones like Norton 360 Discount or System Mechanic Coupon. Whilst having keywords or key phrases in the title can surely boost your chances for getting ranked for those keywords, you should make sure that the inclusion of the keywords is not done the cost of ruining the main purpose of the title i.e. attracting the readers.

Rahil Muzafar

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Author’s Bio:

Rahil is an Internet Marketing expert. He works for various coupon codes and discount websites, for example www.verybestsoftware.net that shares different types of deals and discounts for software like Norton 360, System Mechanic, or Acronis.

Thanks! Rahil!

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz on your business!!

Would You Invest 15 Minutes to Help Kids Make a Mark on the World?

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Do You Still Have Trouble Believing in Yourself Sometimes Even Still ?


Kids that contribute their time and talent to make our communities better realize their own potential and self worth.

On helping kids make a difference

An Invitation from Jessica Kirkwood,
VP Interactive Strategy, Points of Light Institute.

Did you ever want to change the world? Set things right? Make a difference? When did you first have a thought like that? Were you just a kid? Even now, does the idea feel too tall, too broad, too big?

It’s not. All it takes is few minutes to encourage a kid — your kid, your cousin, your neice, nephew or neighbor — to make their own mark on the world. One click is all it takes to get started.

October 16-22, generationOn, the youth activation division of Points of Light Institute, launches its annual Make Your Mark Week our initiative to inspire youth to invest their energy, ingenuity and compassion to “make their mark on the world.” Hands-on service projects are being planned all week so that young people can make a big impact on their lives, their communities, and the world.

Imagine the unforgettable experiences.

Right now, projects are being planned to make a difference in areas kids care about — animals, environment, homelessness, hunger and literacy. Here’s two already in the planning:

  • In Nebraska, first through fifth grade students at Columbia Elementary School in Omaha is going to make their mark by creating rope devices that will be used to train service dogs to open doors, refrigerators and other various items for people who need assistance.
  • The Boys & Girls Club of Southeast Georgia will be using their artistic talents to produce containers featuring plaques that encourage residents to recycle their waste.

Go look at the wealth of ideas. Some take less than 15 minutes.
How would the world be now if we all grew up knowing we could make a difference?

This is our chance to show the next generations how.

I’d be honored to have you join me by helping kids you know make their mark. It easy, fun, and meaningful. Visit http://kidsvolunteer.generationon.org to see how minutes can have a lasting impact.

You’ll be making a difference by showing kids how.

Jessica Kirkwood
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Thank you, Jessica!
The kid I once was and the kid I am now … think this is an outstanding idea!

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz on your business!!

Should I Follow My Dreams and Open a Small Business?

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The dream never dies for many individuals who envision the thought of starting up their own business and realizing part of the American dream.

With the present state of the economy, however, there are many who fear that the timing for opening a business is not good presently and may not be good for some time to come.

The present timing, however, may actually be good for starting up a business, especially given the fact that the job market continues to remain sluggish at best.

If you’re contemplating thinking about opening a business, here are some things to consider:

  • Compile a professional business plan – Never go into battle without a solid plan, especially when opening your own business. The most important aspect of the plan should be the financial angle, detailing how you will see a return on investment (ROI) sooner rather than later. Unfortunately, too many individuals fail to put together a winning plan or even a plan in general, leaving them ripe for failure;
  • Employees or all on my own? – One of the big questions for individuals is deciding if they will go it alone or have staff on board to help them with their business. On the plus side of going it alone, you are saving on salaries and possible health benefits, along with not having to look after others, whose decision making can impact your business at times in a negative manner. On the down side of going it alone, you are tasked with much more work and effort, leaving you little time for anything else;
  • Don’t be afraid to seek advice – For too many people starting out on their first small business venture, they’re afraid to get advice from other like professionals, including possible competitors. While you don’t have to ask 100 questions, do not be afraid to have some discussions with others who have successfully turned their dreams of owning a small business into a reality. Owning a small business is a continuous learning process, so be prepared to learn seven days a week;
  • Have a Plan ‘B’ in place – While you have to have a clear and positive attitude when opening up your new small business, don’t forget to have other options should things not work out. How will you cope financially if the business does not take off or even has to close? Do you have enough financial resources in place to support you and/or your family if things fail? What timetable do you have in place if things are not working out to pull the plug on it? These are just some of the things you need to be able to answer sooner rather than later;
  • Stay positive – This is likely the most important but less thought of matter. It is very easy to turn negative when the bills start piling up, you hit a lull in customer sales, and the outlook is bleak. Throwing in the towel on your lifelong dream should only happen when you have exhausted every alternative and then some.

As you can see, opening your own small business, especially in today’s up-and-down economy, is challenging at best.

Then again, don’t you like challenges?

Photo credit: yourpassionatebusiness.com

Dave Thomas writes extensively for B2b lead generation online resource Resource Nation that provides expert advice on purchasing and outsourcing decisions for small business owners and entrepreneurs. He is an expert writer on items like factoring services and is based in San Diego, California.

Is It Time to Bring the Social Business Back Home?

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A Guest Post by
Rosemary O’Neill

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Where are you having your most important conversations?

You’ve been wandering in the wilderness of social networking sites and tools, throwing content against the wall over and over again to see what sticks. Perhaps you’ve even built up a respectable base of fans or followers. But all of that won’t add up to a hill of beans if you can’t use it to move your business objectives forward. If you don’t have a permanent, active “hub” on your own website, you’re missing the boat on the best part of social media—the ability to draw together a wonderful community around your brand or business.

It’s time to reassess your strategy and take a look at the following:

  • Do you own the majority of the content you are creating every day? If it lives on Facebook, you don’t. If it lives on Twitter, you’d better be archiving or it’s gone after a week or so. Create evergreen content on your own website and you get to reap the value for years to come.
  • Are you building long-term equity with your customers/fans/followers? Research is showing that many social network fans stop following a brand as soon as the promotion is over, whereas most online community members tend to stick around. They even have the ability to help each other directly, building customer-to-customer relationships that further strengthen your community.
  • Will you wake up tomorrow to an unwanted change in your pages? You could be building castles in the air unless you control your online community platform. For example, Facebook decided to remove discussion tabs last week (you have until the end of October to find an alternative); why not build a permanent residence on your own site?

All of this does not mean you should abandon efforts on social networking sites; to the contrary, the ideal situation is to build an amazing online community on your own website (include blogs, forums, chats, media sharing, whatever suits your purposes), and then use your presence on the external social sites to draw conversation and traffic back to your community.

What are you doing to invite the conversation back home?

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Author’s Bio: Rosemary O’Neill is an insightful spirit who works for social strata. Check out their blog. You can find her on Twitter as @rhogroupee

Thank you, Rosemary! See you on Twitter! 🙂

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz on your business!!

GenConnect’s Laurel House and Liz Strauss Talk Irresistible Attraction

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Who Gets You Where You’re Going

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In a lovely conversation with GenConnect’s Laurel House at BlogHer in August, we explored the questions:

  • What makes an irresistible offer?
  • How does being fully-expressed in your work remove the problem of self-promotion?
  • How do you start the first connections with people you want to meet?
  • How does celebrating your heroes make you and your business better?
  • How are values a part of your attraction?

What works best for you to connect your business to the people who love what you’re doing?

Check out GenConnect – the place to connect with life’s experts.
You’ll find Laurel on Twitter as @QuickieChick

Be irresistible.
–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz on your business!!

What Narrow Niche Already Loves What You Do?

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Recently at SOBCon NW, I had a familiar conversation with someone trying to start a business of her own. We talked about her skills, her past successes, and the people she liked working with with. I asked her what she was thinking about building about business around. She told me her concept.

It was huge.

The territory she was trying to cover was way too wide for a first step. Because the content base was so huge the audience would include almost every person from 21 to 65 near the idea of business, social media, or tech in any place in the world.

It’s no wonder she didn’t feel qualified to be an expert. Who would?
No one can be an expert of everything for everyone in the world.

I asked her one question … Who already loves what you do?

What Narrow Niche Already Loves What You Do?

Ever tried to read all of Wikipedia? It’s hard to keep all of that knowledge connected and meaningful without a reality to hang it on. Ever tried to learn a new vocabulary word a day? If the words don’t relate to each other, they fade away as fast as they came. Put a narrow context around a vocabulary you want to learn or an idea you want to explore and suddenly you’re making traction.

It’s the narrow context that allows us to see relationships and apply what we know to the next new thing we learn.
Here’s a few ways that narrowing your niche can build your expertise:

  • When we choose a narrow niche, we can go deeply vertical. We get to know one certain group of people very well. We know who we’re talking to. We know which words are their vocabulary, which metaphors are theirs, which ideas get them to move.
  • When we choose a narrow niche, we “get” the world of that customer group. We can predict the ways they make decisions. We can imagine what they worry about. We decide what features and benefits serve them well and what will be just so much more noise to what they’re trying to do without.
  • When we choose a narrow niche, we can closely study the specific problems of that singular customer group. We get to know what frustrates them, what they yearn for, wish for, and which they never saw again. We have special insight into their view.

      • And as a result of narrowing our niche, they quickly recognize that we “get” them, that we’ve built a product or service that was made for them, and they become our fans. Then convince their friends to become our fans too.

      And narrowing your niche can build your business as well because …

  • When we choose a narrow niche, it’s easy for others to see who we serve. People look who we work with and the commonalities show. All of Mike’s clients are families with small children. All of Britta’s clients are tech CEOs. Marti specializes in launch stage startups.
  • When we choose a narrow niche, people within that niche tell each other about us. Soon enough folks outside the niche ask if we can do it for them too.
  • When we choose a narrow niche, it’s easy for people to share what we do with their friends. When we we’re one thing, they think of us when they meet anyone who has that need. We’re shareable.

It’s true that you can’t be expert at everything for everyone. But who’d want to?
Make a decision to be irresistible to one specific group. Then we can move out slowly to the group that stands right next to them.

Who already loves what you do? Be an expert to them first.

Who is that group for you?

Be irresistible

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz on your business!!