show/hide this revision's text 2 I wanted to improve the content a bit.

Content and marketing strategy ... if you were simply asking "Where could I find a good graphic designer?" I would point you to www.99Designs.com ... you could find what you need inexpensively.

If you were simply asking "Where could I find a good copy writer?" I would probably point you to eLance. I've also found some talented people on the Gigs / Talent section of Craigslist for your particular town.

However, "content and marketing strategy" is a different beast altogether. Can you ever outsource that which makes you unique and valuable? If you hire someone else, your site will run the risk of "generic speak". I think it's difficult to find someone else who can tell your story as compelling as you can.

What I would say is this ... check out what Erin Blaskie is doing. I accidentally found her via Ustream one day. She has a compelling way of engaging an audience via live video. Once you visit her site and view her bio, you have every confidence that she is an early thought leader within her niche (live streaming).

Or, take a look at what Aaron Wall has accomplished in a relatively short amount of time. Here's someone who established quite a following by capturing his discoveries about organic SEO into a PDF. He's now to the point where he turns away everyone except the 1000 people who pay him $100 a month to learn what he knows.

Both have given away something of value by getting IN ORDER TO get something of value. I read another marketing letter recently that put it another way: "create content, not ads" ... (Google: "gaspedal"). Give away a part of what makes you unique ... that is better than a "copy writer" because it is genuine and allows potential customers to get to know you -- faults and all. As a business owner looking to hire services from vendors, I much prefer to get to know the person I'm about to spend $$$$$ with. If I get the sense that this is a "nameless faceless corporation" -- or someone trying to pretend like they are -- I'll bolt.

In my own business, I gave away 12 hours of instructional video content -- value -- in order to (1) let people know I'm alive, and (2) get email addresses to keep them abreast of what I'm doing next, and (3) to let them get to know me a little and demonstrate the value of buying what I'm selling. I've built a profitable business over the past 8 years using that simple technique.

I'm betting you actually know what you need to do. Getting someone else to do it for you is tricky. No one will love your business like you do or tell your story like you can.

show/hide this revision's text 1

Content and marketing strategy ... if you were simply asking "Where could I find a good graphic designer?" I would point you to www.99Designs.com ... you could find what you need inexpensively.

If you were simply asking "Where could I find a good copy writer?" I would probably point you to eLance. I've also found some talented people on the Gigs / Talent section of Craigslist for your particular town.

However, "content and marketing strategy" is a different beast altogether. Can you ever outsource that which makes you unique and valuable? If you hire someone else, your site will run the risk of "generic speak". I think it's difficult to find someone else who can tell your story as compelling as you can.

What I would say is this ... check out what Erin Blaskie is doing. I accidentally found her via Ustream one day. She has a compelling way of engaging an audience via live video. Once you visit her site and view her bio, you have every confidence that she is an early thought leader within her niche (live streaming).

Or, take a look at what Aaron Wall has accomplished in a relatively short amount of time. Here's someone who established quite a following by capturing his discoveries about organic SEO into a PDF. He's now to the point where he turns away everyone except the 1000 people who pay him $100 a month to learn what he knows.

Both have given away something of value by getting something of value. I read another marketing letter recently that put it another way: "create content, not ads" ... (Google: "gaspedal").

In my own business, I gave away 12 hours of instructional video content -- value -- in order to (1) let people know I'm alive, and (2) get email addresses to keep them abreast of what I'm doing next. I've built a profitable business over the past 8 years using that simple technique.

I'm betting you actually know what you need to do. Getting someone else to do it for you is tricky. No one will love your business like you do.