A story with tens of thousands of articles.

A story with tens of thousands of articles.
life and death, blessing and cursing, from the main character in the hands of readers.

Friday, December 29, 2017

How I Wrote 200 Unique Blog Posts In 200 Days — A Formula For Infinite Creativity

How I Wrote 200 Unique Blog Posts In 200 Days — A Formula For Infinite Creativity




Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn’t really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while.” — Steve Jobs
A few days ago, I posted my 200th blog post in the last 200 days.
It started with a simple goal. Write every day. Offer a cool bonus for opting into my list. Build a subscriber base. Turn it into a business. I’ve had modest success so far.
It happens so often. You start on a journey. You face twists and turns and discover something unexpected. I never sought a creativity formula. I stumbled into it.
I started my daily writing in December, 2016. I ran out of ideas after two weeks. Determined to keep my streak going, I sought another path.
A friend of mine recommended a seventy-six year old book on producing ideas for ad writers.
“A Technique For Producing Ideas” by James Webb Young, 1940
He championed a five step process. Two of the steps caught my interest. Combine ideas from your product with an idea from your general knowledge. Combining those two existing ideas results in creativity — a brand new idea.
I started with that and molded it into a new formula. This simpler formula benefits all aspiring creatives, not just ad writers.
Don’t let the simplicity fool you. It packs a lot of power. We’re taught to think that creativity is hard. We’re taught to think you need inspiration first. You don’t need complex systems or extreme effort. Inspiration is a byproduct of this process.
Here’s how it works.

Before You Begin

The first step is to create a content list. This list makes up the various lessons you teach or knowledge bits you share in your daily posts. Summarize them into tight descriptions you can reference.
You only do this exercise once.
Start with a list of twenty. This makes it easier in the beginning. Even with twenty, you can write unique stories every day for a year. My list is now over one hundred. I add a few new ones each week.
These are three examples from my list. I write about persuasion, marketing, creativity and writing.
Hope — Create hope when your prospect feels hopeless and you win devotion.
One big idea — The power of one big idea instead of many small ideas.
Don’t spoil their story — Fewer details are more persuasive because it’s easier to connect the dots.
Let’s get to the formula.

Life (Personal Or Business Experience) + CONNECTION + Knowledge Or Expertise = Creative Output

That’s a bit abstract. Let’s break it down step by step.

Step 1 — Do This Before Bed Each Night

Write down a list of ten to twelve personal or business experiences from your day. It could be a nasty email you get from a client. It could be a funny thing a friend tells you or even a conversation you overhear at a coffee shop. Every experience qualifies. Do not filter. We’ll get to that next.

Step 2 — Pick the experience that seems most interesting

Pick a few events or experiences from the list you created the night before. Select ones that seem most interesting.

Step 3 — Find The Connection

Next, pull up your content list. Run through the topics on your list and ask yourself these questions:
What is the connection between this experience and this topic? How are they related? Where do they intersect?
What do they share in common?
How does this real life experience prove or disprove this piece of knowledge or expertise?
This is the single most important step of the process.
The connection between life and knowledge creates your unique piece of work.
I’ll admit it. I still struggle at times. Finding the connection takes practice and a bit of effort in the beginning.
That effort has a reward. I’d swear a rush of those feel good chemicals pulse through my body every time it happens. It seems the more I struggle with finding the connection, the better the high.
The more you do this, the better you get at finding connections. You’ll start connecting things between life and knowledge on autopilot. It’ll force your content list to grow, improving your expertise along the way.

Step 4 — Write

You now have your personal experience, lesson and connection. With all the pieces in place it’s easy to craft five-hundred words.
There’s a few frameworks you can use to write. Here is the simplest.
Open with your personal experience. Use the connection to transition from the personal experience to the lesson. Deliver the lesson.
I vary that pattern on occasion but that’s the simplest way to go.

Examples You Can Model

I know it sounds heavy on theory. Here are a few examples of my own work to get you started.

Coffee Shop Example

Personal Experience: Overhearing a woman complaining that her boyfriend ignores her.
Lesson: Product owners or business owners fall in love with their product. It blinds them to obvious flaws.
Connection: Just like love blinds us to flaws in our relationships, love of their product blinds business owners to obvious flaws in their business.

Employee Exploit Example

Personal Experience: I ran into an old friend. In conversation, she mentioned her company invented the term professional day to avoid paying her overtime.
Lesson: Creating a label, giving something a name gives it a feel of legitimacy. It makes it feel concrete.
Connection: We create “fiction” with the intention to persuade all the time. The employer created the professional day to extract unpaid work from contract workers. Marketers create their own “fiction” (labels) to sell products and ideas.
I have two-hundred examples. If you need more, ask me in the comments.
That’s all there is to it. Here’s the formula summed up for easy reference.

Do This Once

Create your content list.

Do This Before Bed

Write down your list of experiences and events.

Do This At Each Writing Session

  1. Pick out an event from your life list (personal or business experience).
  2. Review your content list. Ask yourself the three questions until you find a connection.
  3. Write.
  4. Edit and publish.

Take It To The Next Level

Need some extra muscle to spark your creativity? Get my free guide here.
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How to Write a Bio that Convinces Readers You’re Their Personal Superhero

How to Write a Bio that Convinces Readers You’re Their Personal Superhero

By 
How to Write a Bio that Convinces Readers You’re Their Personal Superhero




Writing a bio is hard.
You have to knock ’em dead with two or three dazzling sentences that show you’re a likable, credible, and accomplished expert.
When readers read your bio, they must believe you’re the answer to their prayers — the superhero they’ve been waiting for, that will swoop in and solve that big problem they’ve been dealing with.
But your bio makes you sound more like a superdweeb than a superhero, and every time you land a guest post, only a trickle of readers ends up on your site.
“What about my brilliant post?” you want to yell at your computer. “Wasn’t that enough?”
No, it wasn’t, and that’s the point.
By the time people get to your bio they’ve read your post to the end (high five for that!). You’ve earned their attention. But unless you can convince them you have more to offer them, they’re gone.
So you need to make every word count.  
Luckily, I can show you a simple three-step process to do exactly that. But first, let’s look at some common bio blunders and how to avoid them.

The 6 Common Bio Blunders That Make You Look Like an Amateur (And What to Do Instead)

#1: Making It All About You


 
I’m Jill — a free-spirit with a passion for quilting, bird watching, Tai Chi, and calligraphy.”
 
Thanks for sharing, Jill. But do I really care? Nah.
It’s confusing, I know. “Bio” is short for biography, which suggests it should be all about you.  But the main purpose of your author bio is to show your audience how you can help them solve their problem with the skills you bring to the table.
So, it’s not about you, Jill. It’s about them.

WHAT TO DO INSTEAD:

In this post, using almost the same amount of words, Ayodeji gives us just enough information about himself to tell us what he does and how he helps his audience.
Ayodeji is a writing coach who helps aspiring writers develop the confidence and habits they need to make an impact and income. Visit his page to get three free writing guides, plus a copy of his bestselling Amazon book.
 
It’s clear, precise, and focused on the outcome, not on Ayodeji. He uses phrases like “develop the confidence and habits,” and “make an impact and income,” which directly target the deep-rooted desires of aspiring writers.  He speaks their language.
Here’s another tip: It’s usually best to write your bio in the third person, as Ayodeji has. It’s more professional.

#2: Writing a Condensed Resume, or a Laundry List of Accomplishments


 
John Brown is a qualified personal trainer with a sports medicine degree from Fremont College, as well as professional certifications from the American College of Sports Medicine and the National Strength and Conditioning Association.
 
Your bio is not a dumping ground for your career path and qualifications. It’s a tiny elevator pitch that’s selling you as a credible solver of your reader’s problems.
So don’t list every degree you have or talk about your first job out of school. Readers don’t really care. They only care whether or not you have the solutions they are looking for.

WHAT TO DO INSTEAD:

Your bio should only include details about yourself that directly relate to your audience’s problem.
Think about your career, education, and skills, and then carefully select the most pertinent facts that are going to impress the audience you are writing for. Like this:
Jessi Rita Hoffman is a book editor who helps authors get their books out of their heads and into print. A former publishing house editor-in-chief, she has edited books for Donald Trump and bestselling/award-winning authors. Visit her blog for writers here.
 
Jessi tells us the most important thing about herself (that she is a book editor), and what she can do for her audience (get their books into print), while establishing her credibility(“best-selling,” “editor-in-chief”).
Everything she mentions is designed to appeal to the audience she’s trying to reach.

#3: Sharing Irrelevant Details or Stuff You Think Your Audience Should Care About


 
Joe Brown is a content marketer with a passion for snowboarding. When he’s not at his computer, you can find him at his nearest half-pipe, or maybe on Twitter @joeb, where he likes to tweet about his pet python. Alternatively, try his email at joe@xyz.com, and he’ll probably shoot you back a list of his favorite origami folds.
 
This bio is from someone whose expertise is content marketing, although he hides it well.
Much like your degrees and career path, your audience doesn’t care about your hobbies, passions, and personal philosophies either, unless they directly impact the problem they’re trying to solve.

WHAT TO DO INSTEAD:

As mentioned earlier, only share the details that your audience will find relevant.
If you’re mad keen on knitting and you’re writing for an arts and crafts blog, then go ahead and mention your passion. It’s relevant. But don’t tell them about your cat, unless Fluffy can knit too.

#4: Trying to Cram Too Much In


Okay, so you’ve managed to include only relevant details about yourself, so you’re safe. Right?
Not if you included too many of them.
Like this one from Jo. She’s had an impressive career, but her bio feels endless:
Jo Smith is a personal finance blogger with 20 years of experience in accounting, international banking, and financial planning. She started as a trainee bank teller in Little Rock, Arkansas, before completing her accounting degree and climbing the corporate ladder at Citibank. More recently, Jo decided to follow her dreams and leave the safety net of her six-figure salary to start her own coaching business. Jo is on a mission to help everyday families and couples stop dreaming and start living the life they’ve always wanted through sustainable wealth building, and planning for their future financial security.
 
This is way too much information.
Writing your own bio can be hard. Sometimes you’re too close to the subject matter to realize what’s important and what can be left out. But your bio isn’t the place to share your entire life story. You need to be picky.

WHAT TO DO INSTEAD:

With some careful pruning, the real gems hidden away in Jo’s bio can be given center stage:
Jo Smith is a personal finance blogger and coach with 20 years of experience in the high-powered world of international banking and accountancy. Jo is on a mission to help everyday families build sustainable wealth, stop stressing about their financial security, and start living the life they’ve always wanted.
 
Go through your bio word by word and ask yourself, “Does this bit of information make any difference to my audience?”
If the answer is no, take it out, and limit your bio to two or three sentences.

#5: Being Overly Formal (a.k.a. Boring)


 
Joe Jones is an accomplished marketing consultant who specializes in the field of physician practices. He works with medical centers and practitioners to maximize their online real estate, garner new market segments, and engender business growth.
 
If you’re anything like me, you had to read this bio more than once to get a sense of what Joe does. It’s way too formal. Most people will just glaze over this.

WHAT TO DO INSTEAD:

Instead of using stilted words and phrases like “maximize their online real estate” and “engender business growth” Joe missed a great opportunity to make himself stand out from the crowd by creating a point of interest.
Perhaps he could have started with something like:
“Joe Jones is an expert marketer who can take your medical practice from queasy to fighting fit…”
 
Do you see how that might grab a few more eyeballs, cut through the noise, and make an impact with his target audience of doctors?

#6. Being Vague (or Overly Woo-Woo)


 
Cecile is a life coach and devoted mom. She loves day breaks and giving things a go. She is passionate about her fellow humans and wants to be their inspiration for growth, as they find their way through the dark to their true self.
 
Hands up, whoever doesn’t have a clue what this person is talking about. What does she do? How does she help solve my problem? Why should I be interested in her?
You need to avoid ambiguous phrases like “inspiration for growth” and “find their way through the dark.” These phrases might have a nice ring to them, but they mean very little to your reader. They’re too open to interpretation.

WHAT TO DO INSTEAD:

You don’t have time to beat around the bush in your bio. Get straight to the point. Like this:
Cecile is a qualified self-development coach who is passionate about helping professional women develop the skills and self-assurance they need to take control of their working lives. Download her free guide, How to Quit Your Dead-End Job Without Risking Your Income, and open the door to your dream career today.
 
In two sentences, Cecile tells me everything I need to know about what she does and how she can help me. No fluff, no messing about, and a juicy opt-in bribe to seal the deal.
Click on the image below to see a larger view:

The 6 Common Bio Blunders That Make You Look Like an Amateur (And What to Do Instead)
Embed This Infographic On Your Site

The 3-Step Process to Writing a Click-Worthy Author Bio

So now you can see where you might’ve gone wrong in the past, and you’re dying to write a new version. But how do you ensure your next bio won’t commit the same blunders?
Easy. Just follow this simple three-step process to write a bio that your ideal readers can’t resist clicking.

Step #1: Introduce Yourself with a Bang


This is where you tell the audience who you are and what makes you different (while avoiding the common blunders we’ve just discussed). You need to spark their interest and curiosity and get them to say, “Tell me more.”
Let’s start with this example from a blogger in the personal development niche.
Sue Smith is a self-help writer and coach with a degree in psychology…
 
This tells me what Sue does, but it’s rather dull and same-y in a sea full of personal development blogs. There’s nothing here to set her apart or pique our interest.
Let’s give it a twist:
Self-help writer, Sue Smith, is part social scientist, part agony aunt, who…
 
That sounds a bit more interesting. Sue manages to appeal to her audience on different levels by sounding educated, professional, and personable at the same time. Describing herself as an “agony aunt” downplays the more clinical “social scientist.”
I’m curious to know more, and it certainly makes her distinctive.
But there’s another angle Sue could take:
Sue Smith is a certified psychologist who specializes in beating social anxiety.
 
Now, this one is more similar to the first example, but the difference is that it adds more credibility — “certified psychologist” sounds much more credible than “has a degree in,” which suggests she’s fresh out of college — but it also sets her apart more.
She has a specialty, which gives her ideas on the topic more weight than others. If you suffer from social anxiety, you’d want to listen to the expert on it, right?
Compare also:
Sue Smith’s books on beating social anxiety have won her international acclaim. She has been featured as an expert on Psychology TodayThe Oprah Winfrey Show, and Good Morning America.
 
This version goes even further in establishing Sue’s credibility. Not only has she published multiple books on the topic of social anxiety, but she’s even been featured on some well-known media channels, adding social proof to her expertise.
We’ve talked before about not delivering a laundry list of accomplishments, but if you have specific accomplishments that make you stand out, those are worth including.
Here’s an excellent bio example that both offers a point of interest and adds credibility:
Jessica’s outside-the-box approach to business plan writing has helped her clients collectively raise almost $50 million in financing to start and grow new businesses. Sign up for her 5-part business plan training series for FREE here so you can get your business plan done and get your money sooner.
 
Jessica doesn’t just say she’ll help you write a business plan, she mentions she has an “outside-the-box approach,” which immediately makes you curious what that approach is. Then she steps it up even more by mentioning her approach has collectively raised $50 million in financing. That’s nothing to sneeze at and creates instant credibility.
It’s an excellent bio that will absolutely pique her audience’s interest.

Step #2:  Call Out Your Audience and Say How You Help Them


Remember, this isn’t about you, it’s about what you can do for your audience. So you need to define who they are and what problem of theirs (their key fear or desire) you can solve.
You should aim for both a logical and emotional connection.  It’s tough, but do-able.
Let’s take Kim, a blogger in the parenting niche:
Kim’s passion in writing is to inspire other parents to not just “hang in there” or “make it through” but to thrive. She does this through blogging at kimbiasottotoday.wordpress.com and speaking.
 
By using language most parents will relate to and zeroing in on their fears, Kim makes a strong emotional connection. At the same time, there’s no mistaking the practical (logical) solution Kim offers.
Note: Of course, Kim’s bio would be even further improved if she linked to an incentive rather than her homepage. More on that in the next step!
Here’s another example:
Jessica Blanchard, registered dietitian and Ayurvedic practitioner, helps busy people re-energize with super simple food, yoga, and wellness strategies that work. Grab your free 7-Day Plan and learn to eat, move, and live better in ten minutes a day.
 
Jessica clarifies immediately who she helps (busy people) and how she helps them (by re-energizing them through food, yoga, and wellness strategies).
You must be absolutely clear about this. If readers can’t identify themselves in your bio and see you have the solution they’re looking for, they will move on.

Step 3:  Offer an Irresistible Reason to Click


You’ve told your audience who you are, what you do, and how you can help them. You’ve impressed them with your credentials and sparked their curiosity.
They’re ready to move to second base, but they need that last push. An irresistible reason to click through to your site and sign up. You need to offer an incentive.
Take a look at this bio:
Henneke Duistermaat is an irreverent copywriter and business writing coach. She’s on a mission to stamp out gobbledygook and to make boring business blogs sparkle. Get her free 16-Part Snackable Writing Course For Busy People and learn how to enchant your readers and win more business.
 
Boom! In 46 carefully curated words, Henneke tells us who she is, what she does, how she can help, and then gives us a gold-plated reason for parting with our email address.
Her free report is 16 parts, but it’s “snackable,” which makes it sound very easy to digest. And it’s for “busy people”, which shows that Henneke understands her audience. She promises results and cleverly relates this back to her own blog, Enchanting Marketing.
Unfortunately, we can’t all steal Henneke’s bio, but we can use it as a fine example of how to write our own.

Ready to Write Your Best Bio Ever?

This three-step process is simple, but it’s not easy, so give your bio the time it requires. You should brainstorm several options for each of the steps.
Bios are hard to craft, but they are also one of the most effective pieces of marketing you can create when you get it right.
Write your best bio ever and your audience will be intrigued. They’ll want to know more and they won’t be able to resist your free offer.
They’ll see you as a credible, personable problem-solver. Their problem-solver.
And they’ll click through to your site, ready and willing to hand over their email address to their new blogging superhero.
You.
About the Author: Mel Wicks is a seasoned copywriter and marketing strategist who helps bloggers and entrepreneurs put the “OMG! Where do I sign up?” into everything they write. Download her exclusive Fill-in-the-Gaps Cheat Sheet for an Instant Click-Worthy Author Bio.
Resource: https://smartblogger.com/how-to-write-a-bio/?tl_inbound=1&tl_target_all=1&tl_period_type=3&inf_contact_key=c9daf65e381f77cc48d363a98b74138e4ff3a352b5b26b31e0ff260e3b6b8ae0

How to Use Transitional Phrases to Keep Your Readers Sliding Down the Page

How to Use Transitional Phrases to Keep Your Readers Sliding Down the Page



How to Use Transitional Phrases to Keep Your Readers Sliding Down the Page
Some writers seem to have a magic touch…
One minute you’re reading their opening, and before you know it, you’ve reached the end of their article.
Their content reads so smoothly, it’s almost impossible to stop.
So how do they do it?
Well, great writers are meticulous about making each line flow seamlessly into the next. They understand how important it is for the reader to have a smooth reading experience, and they make sure to fix anything that would cause friction.
And one powerful way they do so is by using transitional phrases.
So today you’ll learn how to use them yourself. But first, let’s examine why they’re so important.

The Little Secret That Copywriters Have Known for Ages

Copywriters have known this for a long time:
The primary purpose of every paragraph you write is not to make a point, or to build your argument, or to convey valuable information. It’s to get your reader to read the nextparagraph.
Famous copywriter Maxwell Ross likened this to a “bucket brigade.” Let me explain why…
In the days before fire trucks and pressure hoses, people would put out fires by forming a human chain. They would pass a bucket of water from one person to the next until the last person finally threw it onto the fire.
In those days, it was vital the chain remained unbroken. If the bucket wasn’t passed smoothly from one person to the next, the water would spill and not make it to the fire.
Likewise, each paragraph (and really, each sentence) you write must pass the reader on to the next. And just like in a real bucket brigade, the chain must be unbroken, or you will “spill” readers along the way, which means they won’t make it to the end of your article.
And that’s where transitional phrases come in.

How Transitional Phrases “Lubricate” Your Writing So Readers Slide from Line to Line 

Have you ever been with a group of friends and someone suddenly makes a random comment that doesn’t follow from anything that anyone else has said?
I bet you have — we all have.
It’s a strange moment — everyone (except the person who made the comment) just looks at each other, bewildered.
Well, writing without transitions is like that.
It causes friction in your reader’s mind and leaves them scratching their head, wondering “How do you get from this to that?”
Any piece of writing is a series of ideas, propositions, and arguments placed one after the other.
But those ideas need to be linked to each other. You need transitional words and phrases to help readers understand how ideas relate to each other. Without them, readers will feel like you’re switching from idea to idea too abruptly, and in most cases, you’ll leave them feeling confused.
Want to know how to do it right? Take, for example, this excerpt from Jon Morrow’s post How to Make Money Blogging: How This Blog Makes $100K per Month:
Even if you’re making fantastic money from affiliate marketing or selling services, chances are you’ll want to try your hand at developing your own product at some point. So, where should you start?
My answer: with blogs, the most profitable price is usually the end of the funnel. Here’s what I mean…
You’ve seen a sales funnel, right? A company entices you with a freebie, then they offer you something cheap but irresistible, and then they gradually sweet talk you into buying more and more expensive stuff. It’s a tried and true marketing tactic, and you should absolutely build a sales funnel for your blog.
What you might not know is you should build it in reverse.
A lot of bloggers launch a cheap e-book as their first productand then they get frustrated when they don’t make much money. Here’s why: the real profit is at the end of the funnel, not the beginning.
 
You might note that these phrases don’t convey any information. All they do is make the ride smoother. All they do is connect one idea to another.
The good news is, you probably already use transitional phrases in your writing to some extent. Most people use them naturally. However…
There’s a special class of transitional phrases that many bloggers don’t even know about.

13 Exceptionally Engaging Transitions That Readers Can’t Resist 

Remember Maxwell Ross, the “bucket brigade” guy?
He had a list of transitional phrases that don’t just help readers transition from one idea to the other, but actively work to keep those readers engaged.
These phrases keep readers glued to the page by either evoking their curiosity or by hinting that something important is about to come.
They give a jolt to readers’ brains, waking them up and demanding they pay attention.
Make no mistake; these phrases are powerful. Backlinko’s Brian Dean credits them for readers staying on his pages for an average of four minutes (which is a lot). Brian uses these transitional phrases in all of his articles (as you can see in the screenshots below).
So let’s dive in.

#1: The “Mind Reader” Transition


How it works: You claim to know what the reader is thinking, or you assume the reader agrees with something you’re about to say. The reader will then want to find out if you’re right.
Examples:
  1. I know what you’re thinking…
  2. And now, you’re thinking…
  3. I can almost hear you thinking…
  4. You guessed it…
  5. I’m sure you’re with me on this one…
  6. Here’s something we can both agree on…
  7. I think you’ll agree with me when I say…
  8. You must be wondering…
The "Mind Reader" Transition

#2. The “Can’t Miss This” Transition


How it works: You literally tell the reader you’re about to share an important piece of information. Nobody wants to miss anything important, which is why this simple phrase will pique your reader’s attention.
Examples:
  1. Now, this is important…
  2. Here’s the interesting part…
  3. Here’s the bottom line…
  4. Here’s why that’s important…
  5. So what’s my point?
  6. And the best part is…
  7. You don’t want to miss this next part…
  8. It all boils down to this…
The “Can’t Miss This” Transition

#3: The “Important Insight” Transition


How it works: You hint you’re about to share an important insight or discovery. Your reader will be curious to find out what it is.
Examples:
  1. That’s when I realized…
  2. And then it hit me…
  3. Here’s what we found instead…
  4. I finally understood that…
  5. Then it finally dawned on me…
  6. But guess what I realized just in the nick of time…
  7. You won’t believe what we discovered…
The “Important Insight” Transition

#4: The “There’s a Catch” Transition


How it works: You hint at a problem or obstacle that might keep the reader from reaching their desired goal. The reader will want to know what the problem is (and they’ll assume you’ll also provide the solution).
Examples:
  1. But there’s a catch…
  2. So what’s the catch?
  3. There’s just one problem…
  4. The problem is…
  5. Here’s the main issue with that…
  6. And this is where people run into trouble…
  7. That’s when you might hit a snag…
The “There’s a Catch” Transition

#5: The “Big Answer” Transition


How it works: As I said, after you identify a problem, you have to offer a solution. That’s where this transition comes in. When you’ve just told readers about a problem they’ll be facing, they’ll want to know how to solve it.
Examples:
  1. So what’s the solution?
  2. Fortunately, there’s a simple solution…
  3. The solution is simple…
  4. Here’s the big secret…
  5. The answer?
  6. The trick is to…
  7. Here’s how you solve this…
The “Big Answer” Transition

#6: The “But Wait, There’s More” Transition


How it works: You use this transition when your strategy or product has two (or more) big benefits. Typically, you’d start with the most important benefit first, and then use this phrase to transition into the additional benefits.
Examples:
  1. But wait, there’s more…
  2. But that’s not all…
  3. It gets better…
  4. And I’m not stopping there…
  5. As if that’s not enough…
  6. And on top of that…
The “But Wait, There’s More” Transition

#7: The “Exemplary Example” Transition


How it works: You introduce an example (obviously). Readers tend to pay attention to examples because they help contextualize the theory they’ve just learned.
Examples:
  1. For example…
  2. Take Billy’s story, for example…
  3. Here’s a little case study of this strategy in action…
  4. Case in point…
  5. Just look at what happened to…
The “Exemplary Example” Transition

#8: The “Lifting the Veil” Transition


How it works: You hint at a clarification or supplementation of the preceding text. Readers will pay attention because they realize it will help them understand the information better.
Examples:
  1. I’ll explain…
  2. Let me elaborate…
  3. Let me walk you through…
  4. Let me lift the veil for you…
  5. Let me break this down for you…
  6. Here’s what I mean…
  7. Let me clarify…
The “Lifting the Veil” Transition

#9: The “How To” Transition


How it works: You transition from the theoretical to the practical. You introduce the steps the reader must take to get the promised result. This is the reason most of them are reading your article in the first place, so it will make them sit up.
Examples:
  1. Here’s how to do it yourself…
  2. Here’s how you can do the same thing…
  3. How?
  4. Here’s how…
  5. You’re about to find out how…
  6. But how do you… ?
  7. Let me tell you how…
The “How To” Transition

#10: The “Stay with Me” Transition


How it works: You command the reader to stay on the page. Use this phrase whenever the reader might have doubts about a bold or shocking claim, or after you’ve doled out some complicated information. Most readers will feel compelled to comply.
Examples:
  1. Stay with me now…
  2. Stick with me here, because…
  3. Keep reading…
  4. Don’t stop reading now…
  5. I know that’s a lot to take in, but bear with me…
The “Stay with Me” Transition

#11: The “Curious Question” Transition


How it works: Questions engage the reader’s brain and make them feel like they’re part of a conversation (rather than being lectured). And of course, whenever you pose a question, the reader will want to know the answer, which means they have to keep reading.
Examples:
  1. But what does that mean?
  2. But what exactly is…?
  3. Why is that?
  4. Why does this work?
  5. How do I know?
  6. Is it true?
  7. But what if… ?
  8. But where can you find… ?
  9. So when do you use… ?
The “Curious Question” Transition

#12: The “Rhetorical Question” Transition


How it works: Rhetorical questions engage the reader’s brain in the same way as curious questions. The only difference is that curious questions hint at an upcoming answer, whereas rhetorical questions assume the answer. This will prime the reader to agree with you.
Examples:
  1. You see my point, right?
  2. Do you see how huge this is?
  3. Don’t you wish… ?
  4. Is that something you’d like for your business?
  5. How awesome is that?
  6. Do you ever wonder… ?
  7. Sound good?
  8. Amazing, isn’t it?
The “Rhetorical Question” Transition

#13: The “Guess What Happened” Transition


How it works: You hint at the conclusion of the events or the result of the activities you’ve covered. Readers understand that this is one of the most crucial parts of your article or story, so they pay attention.
Examples:
  1. Guess what happened?
  2. Here’s what happened next…
  3. Even I was surprised at what happened next…
  4. You won’t believe how the story ends…
  5. These were our results…
  6. The result?
The “Guess What Happened” Transition

Master Your Transitions and Watch Reader Engagement Shoot Up

When you master the art of transitioning, you’ll notice that readers will stay on your posts longer. You’ll notice more of them will read your posts to the end.
Don’t get me wrong; these phrases aren’t magic. They won’t turn a bad article into a good one.
But they can help turn a good article into a great one.
You still have to write content that’s, you know, of interest to your audience. But if you do, these phrases can help keep your readers glued to the page. One minute they’ll be reading your opening lines, and before they know it, they’ll have reached the end of your article.
So sprinkle transitional phrases throughout your content, and one day, you’ll check your analytics and notice people are spending a lot more time on your posts.
That’s when you know they’re doing their job.
Sounds pretty good, right?
About the Author: Rob Powell shows beginning bloggers how to write blog posts that engage your readers and keep them on the page. Download his list of 517 Transitional Words and Phrases and literally pull your readers down the page.

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