A little bit about me …
If content marketing were a major at Michigan State University I would have declared faster than a text typing teen. Instead, I studied Advertising, PR and Journalism and have worked in these fields for the past 25 years – creating content.
One of my most notable lessons in content strategy was in a meeting with Martha Stewart. I was working on the Dremel brand at Cramer-Krasselt. She was a super user of the high speed rotary tool, however, her product knowledge was limited as she was familiar with only one of the hundreds of accessories for the tool. I called the magazine editor and offered to send tons of tiny bits that did everything from cut, sand and saw, and most importantly offered to come to her NY offices and demonstrate. She agreed, we did, and I witnessed Martha at work (who back then had the time to meet with small companies and PR people like me). We took a tool box of props and our minds worked at a million RPMs, spinning ideas for uses here and there – in the magazine, specialty pubs and on her newly created website (we were creating content!). She engaged her devoted tribe and the tiny DIY tool enjoyed a new population of users among crafters that still exists today.
My experiences with brands including Char-Broil, Husqvarna, Briggs and Stratton, Miller Brewing Company and Rubbermaid, start with an integrated approach grounded by clearly established business goals. Without a solid strategy to anchor content, it’s just flotsam in a crowded environment.
For Husqvarna, their PR strategy was all about content. Like a publishing company pushes new releases, the PR strategy fueled dealers by providing articles, video news releases, website copy and trade publication visibility linking back to the hometown dealers. It was successful on many levels from dealer recruitment to sales and customer satisfaction.
These are just a few examples of how I’ve helped brands over the years. Call me and we can discuss how I can help your brand come to life with a content strategy.
For those who like a list, here’s the chronological path and wealth of experience that is the foundation of The Content Shop.
Current:
- Founder: The Content Shop
- Current Contributor at Charlotte Living Magazine, click here for 10 years of archives.
Prior:
- Senior Account Manager at Clear Blue. Primarily worked on the Char-Broil business and successfully re-branded and launched their proprietary technology, TRU-Infrared™, into the marketplace. Other clients included, Rubbermaid Medical and DanChem.
- President of Easthouse Communications, with clients including Husqvarna, Concord Mills and Piedmont Healthcare.
- Freelance contributor for Lake Norman Magazine and Greater Charlotte Biz. Account Manager at Price McNabb, with clients including, The Disney Institute; Starbucks and Husqvarna.
- Account Manager at Cramer-Krasselt, with clients including Miller Brewing; Briggs and Stratton, Reddi-wip; Northland Cranberries; Appleton Papers; Dremel and Master Lock.
- Director of Communications at Marquette University (Campus Circle Project)
Example Articles:
The Content Shop 