IAM1244 – CEO and Author Helps Her Clients do Content Writing with SEO Strategy

I majored in English and Psychology little knowing it was the perfect degree for content marketing. I didn't even know what content marketing was, but when a friend asked me to write blog posts for their law firm, I jumped at the chance to get paid to write. I wrote on the side while working a day job, but after a couple of years, the writing grew to the point where I couldn't do both, so I quit the day job to write full-time.

• CEO Story: Started part-time writing for companies while doing a day job, her clients grew over the years so she focused on her passion for writing and working full-time.
• Business Service: Research, content writing, blogging, and SEO writing.
• CEO Hack: Delegating tasks to others.  Bartering/trading your services to other entrepreneurs.
• CEO Nugget: Get help, have a mentor. She joined the Mastermind group. Ask for their advice.
• CEO Defined: Being in charge of yourself and for your business/team.

Website: avwritingservices.com

LinkedIn: in/alison-ver-halen

Facebook: alison.halen

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00:12 – Intro

Are you ready to hear business stories and learn effective ways to build relationships, generate sales, and level up your business from awesome CEOs, entrepreneurs, and founders without listening to a long, long, long interview? If so, you've come to the right place, value your time, and are ready to share with you the valuable info you're in search of. This is the I AM CEO podcast.

00:40 – Gresham Harkless

Hello. Hello. Hello. This is Gresh from the  I AM CEO podcast. I have a very special guest on the show today. I have Alison Ver Halen of AV Writing Services. Allison, it's great to have you on the show.

00:49 – Alison Ver Halen

Thanks so much for having me.

00:51 – Gresham Harkless

Yeah, super excited to have you on. And before we jump into the interview, I want to read a little bit more about Allison so you can hear about all the awesome things that she's doing. And Allison majored in English and psychology, little knowing. It was the perfect degree for content marketing. She didn't even know what content marketing was.

And when a friend asked her to write a blog post for their law firm, she jumped at the chance to get paid to write. She wrote on the side while working a day job, but after a couple of years, the writing grew to the point where she couldn't do both. So she quit her day job to write full time. And now here we are. Alison, super excited to have you on the show. Are you ready to speak to the I AM CEO community?

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01:23 – Alison Ver Halen

I'm ready.

01:24 – Gresham Harkless

Awesome. Well, let's make it happen then. So to kind of kick everything off, I know I touched on a little bit when I read your bio, but I wanted to rewind the clock here a little bit more on how you got started. What I call your CEO story.

01:33 – Alison Ver Halen

Yeah, well, a lot of it was in my bio. I have always loved writing. My dream when I was growing up was to be an author, and my parents were trying to push me towards something more practical. So I ended up majoring in English and psychology. Thought I wanted to work in publishing. Graduated in 2009, right after the job market crash. So there were no jobs to be had in publishing or really anywhere else. So, you know, I was a receptionist, I was in customer service. They were jobs, they were not careers.

Found myself between jobs at one point, and like I said, it was actually my roommate at the time her dad, who was an attorney, was awesome and offered to give me stuff to do around his office until I got back on my feet. And one of the things he needed was someone to write blog posts for his law firm. And, yeah, like I said, I was thrilled to get paid to write. He knew that I had a strong writing background, so he offered me the gig.

And, yeah, I started writing for him and then for an associate of his and then for some friends of mine. And I did eventually get another day job, but kept writing on the side, and it just kept growing to the point where I couldn't do both anymore. So, yeah, I quit the day job seven years ago now, and here I am.

02:40 – Gresham Harkless

Nice. I absolutely love that I'm a fellow graduate of that 2009 craziness that was going on. So I know a little bit about what you mean. I found myself in and out of jobs, bouncing around. I love hearing how it sounds – I don't want to put words in your mouth. You stayed true to what you love to do, found those opportunities, and it sounds like you ended up right where you were supposed to be.

03:03 – Alison Ver Halen

Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, I totally fell into it. When people ask how I got into this, I'm like, it totally took me by surprise. I was not planning on this, but I could not be happier that it worked out the way it did.

03:13 – Gresham Harkless

Yeah, absolutely. I definitely think it speaks to sometimes, too, like, a lot of the positions and jobs that are going to be available or opportunities, you know, 510 years from now are even created. So a lot of times you lean into those skills and those things that light you up and you can get really good at. A lot of times, those jobs end up being created sometimes by the work that we end up doing.

03:30 – Alison Ver Halen

Yeah, absolutely.

03:31 – Gresham Harkless

Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. So I know I touched on a little bit again when I read your bio, but I want to drill down more and hear a little bit more on how you work with your clients and how you serve them.

03:38 – Alison Ver Halen

Yeah. So, you know, that's how it started. Like I said, just writing, which in that case was just doing a little bit of research on the topic, in many cases, researching what the topic should be, writing up a blog post about it, and sending it off to them to put it up on their website. Website. Since then, having worked with many other different people, some people want me to just put it up on their website for them because they don't want to deal with it.

The more I've gotten into blogging because their SEO wasn't really, I mean, it was a thing back then, but it wasn't, I don't think, as ubiquitous as it is now. So that is something that I have had to get more familiar with the more I work with my clients and work in this world of blogging because you cannot be successful in blogging without knowing at least something about SEO. So when I put the content onto the website for the client, I also get to do that back-end SEO stuff to make sure not only are the keywords in the content, but they're in certain places on the backend where they need to be to really give your website that boost to show up in those online searches.

So I also offer services where I conduct keyword research and provide you with topics to write about. Cause that is something that people struggle with the most. They're like, I wanna write my own blog post. I just don't know what to write about. So I can do the strategy part and tell you what to write and what keywords to put in there and let you run with it. And I also have a lot of clients where I do it all. I do the research, I do the writing, I put it on their website for them. That's pretty much it. A lot of writing, a lot of keyword research, and just the marketing strategy behind it. As far as what topics do people want to know about in this industry right now? What topics have been, you know, are already all over the Internet, so you're not going to have a chance of showing up in online searches, all that stuff.

05:16 – Gresham Harkless

Yeah, that makes so much sense. I appreciate you so much and breaking down, you know, how you work with your clients in different ways. And definitely correct me if I'm wrong, but I feel like, you know, SEO, you know, which is if anybody's listening to search engine optimization, it basically is helping you to show up when people are having those searches and thinking about things.

And I feel like content is one of the biggest parts of that. Correct me if I'm wrong, but this is where you fill the gap because like you said, you come up with different potential or ways that people can create that content but can also create it for them, which I think a lot of people think it's a lot easier than it seems before they sit down in front of the computer or pen and pad and make that happen.

05:48 – Alison Ver Halen

Yeah, a lot of people do think it's easier than it is. And yeah, they either struggle to write it or they write something that they want to write and maybe they find it interesting, but it's not necessarily going to get the job in, get the job done as far as getting them to show up in those online searches or engage the people who are finding their website. The attorney that I first started working for, my very first client, was writing his blog post before I took over. And they were terrible. They were so bad. They were much more effective after I took over.

06:17 – Gresham Harkless

Yeah, I love that you said that. And I almost feel like so many times, CEOs, entrepreneurs, business owners, whatever title we might give ourselves, it's understanding, like the different marketing things sometimes we hear like, oh, you need to write blog posts. Oh, you need to have a podcast, oh, you need to do this, you need to do that. But it's the strategy behind it that I think is so powerful. And I love that you mentioned that because I think, of course, doing it is part of it, but I think an even bigger part and a higher percentage of leading to success is having that strategy of knowing how to do it, but also why you should be doing it so that you can reach your goals.

06:45 – Alison Ver Halen

Absolutely.

06:46 – Gresham Harkless

Yeah.

06:46 – Alison Ver Halen

And that's where a lot of people are falling short, is that they don't have that strategy.

06:50 – Gresham Harkless

Absolutely. Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. So I wanted to ask you now for what I call your secret sauce, and we might have already touched on this, it might be that strategy piece, but what do you feel kind of sets you apart or your business and makes it unique? Yeah.

07:01 – Alison Ver Halen

So the strategy is definitely a big one. Having that mix of being a good writer and SEO knowledge is definitely a powerhouse. Also, when I write content, I always make sure that I write in my clients' voices so that it sounds like them, especially because I write for a lot of solopreneurs, where they are their businesses. I want to make sure it sounds like them, not like me or like some generic company. So I have one client who doesn't even look at the blog post that I submit to her anymore. She's just like, yeah, put it up. Because Alison knows exactly how I sound. So that's definitely something that sets me apart.

07:34 – Gresham Harkless

Yeah, absolutely. And to build that trust and, you know, understanding exactly how a person speaks or writes. And once you're able to convey that, it's absolutely huge. It sounds like you do the due diligence. I imagine that's not easy as well, too, to make sure that you are paying attention to those cues, those things that allow you to kind of translate that voice into those blog posts and content that you're creating.

07:52 – Alison Ver Halen

Yeah, it's a lot of work on the front, and onboarding a client involves doing a lot of research.

07:57 – Gresham Harkless

Yeah, I love that. And I think so many times when we see success, we forget or don't hear about those behind-the-scenes things that actually lead up to that success. So I love, you know, that you mentioned that as well, too, and how that manifests itself in the voice. Yeah.

08:09 – Alison Ver Halen

People think these blog posts just magically appear.

08:14 – Gresham Harkless

They can, but not good ones. So that's the important part. You want to make sure you have good quality content because it could be more to your detriment by not taking the time to do that than actually having a, you know, and leaning on expertise like you have yourself.

08:25 – Alison Ver Halen

Absolutely. Yeah. You can waste a lot of time and effort by trying to do it yourself if you don't really know what you're doing.

08:30 – Gresham Harkless

Yeah, not to mention, neglecting to implement quality could have a negative impact on your site and other activities.

08:38 – Alison Ver Halen

Yeah.

08:39 – Gresham Harkless

Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. So I wanted to switch gears a little bit, and I want to ask you for what I call a CEO hack. So this could be like an app, a book, or a habit that you have, but what's something that makes you more effective and efficient?

08:50 – Alison Ver Halen

Definitely delegating. I don't know if this is a secret thing, but it is something that I think a lot of solopreneurs and entrepreneurs have a hard time with. We think that we need to do it all, but finding good people who do what they do and outsourcing that stuff to them is definitely a huge hack. And it doesn't have to be super expensive. I mean, you can even find interns at your local high school or college who can do it for free in exchange for class credit or something. Or you can barter with people.

I've done that with some people where I write blog posts for them and they provide their services to me. So if you're at that point where you're like, I can't afford to hire someone, see if someone's open to bartering or if you can get a student or if you're a parent. I'm not a parent, but I have heard parents, have their kids, once they're ten or twelve, they start doing work for them. Especially if you don't want to do social media, your kids are going to be all over social media. They can handle that for you.

09:43 – Gresham Harkless

Yeah, absolutely. I think that speaks to, you know, obviously delegating, but also it sounds like, creatively delegating and thinking creatively on, like, how you're able to do, like you mentioned, you know, might be members of your family, it might be bartering, and it might be, you know, going down to your local college or high school and really figuring out how you can have that same success. But again, kind of lean on the expertise and zone of genius of, you know, those that you're trying to bring on.

10:05 – Alison Ver Halen

Yeah, definitely.

10:06 – Gresham Harkless

Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. So I wanted to ask you now for what I call a CEO nugget. So this is a little bit more of a word of wisdom or piece of advice. It might be something you would recommend to a client, or if you happen to be a time machine, you might tell your younger business self.

10:17 – Alison Ver Halen

Yeah, definitely. To get help. I have a coach that I wish I had hired when I first started. I have also heard people rave about mastermind groups. It's just so incredibly powerful how much you don't know. Like, you know, there's always that saying that you don't know what you don't know. And again, I think a lot of us, and I've been guilty of this myself, we feel like we should have all the answers, and we have to do it all ourselves, and that's just not the case.

It really takes a village not only to raise kids but to raise a business. So lean on other people, ask for their wisdom, their advice, because you would be surprised how many people either professionally want to offer their services or even just, you know, ask someone over coffee what their tips are if you're struggling with something. So that's my huge number one tip.

11:04 – Gresham Harkless

Yeah. And I love that analogy that you made. I think a lot of times our businesses can end up being like babies. Especially we're starting it from zero, where we're seeing it walk and crawl, and then you start to see it. It winds at night. Sometimes it stays up at night and gets you up and helps you not sleep and deals, does all those things. So it's definitely something that could kind of hit home.

But I always say a lot of times, with starting a business or a leader, you have to have somewhat of an ego to believe that you can, like, create something, you can do something that's better, but at the same time, you can't let that ego overtake you. Where you don't ask for help. You don't realize that I can't do it by myself. I don't know anything, and I'm not the only one. So giving an opportunity for people to kind of help is one of the best, you know, opportunities that we can.

11:41 – Alison Ver Halen

Give to somebody 100%. Yeah, I fully agree with that.

11:44 – Gresham Harkless

Awesome. Awesome, Awesome. So I wanted to ask you now my absolute favorite question, which is the definition of what it means to be a CEO. We're hoping to have different, quote-unquote, CEO's on the show. So, Allison, what does being a CEO mean to you?

11:54 – Alison Ver Halen

It means being in charge, and that could be of a team of people. It could just be being in charge of yourself and your own business. I've always been very independent-minded, and so I love, you know, I work hard. I'm not afraid of working, but I love that I get to decide what I'm going to work on. So it's being in charge, and then if you do have your whole team, then you're in charge of leading that team and you're responsible for their jobs and their income. So I think that's what it really means to me.

12:24 – Gresham Harkless

Yes, I love that, you know, responsibility and, of course, you know, being in charge. And I think so many times we forget that the decisions that we make, we get to kind of steer the ship and right the ship and make those decisions on whether we go left or we go right. And they're not necessarily right or wrong. It's just how you decide that you want to build your business and, of course, build the team. So I think when you have that responsibility and you are taking charge of everything that you're doing, then really phenomenal things can happen from there if you're really, you know, dedicated and love doing it.

12:48 – Alison Ver Halen

Yeah, definitely.

12:49 – Gresham Harkless

Awesome. Awesome, Awesome. Well, Alison, truly appreciate that definition. I course, appreciate your time even more. What I wanted to do is just pass you the mic, so to speak, just to see if there's anything additional that you can let our readers and listeners know and, of course, how best people can get a hold of you and find about all the awesome things that you're working on.

13:05 – Alison Ver Halen

Well, we are recording this in, like, mid-November, and you said it's going to drop in January. So hopefully by that time, my book will be published called Content Marketing, Made Easy by me, Allison Verhalin. So keep an eye out for that. It will be on Amazon.

13:20 – Gresham Harkless

Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. And as this launches, you know, definitely check out the show notes as well, too. So we'll make sure to update that with the links and information to the book for people who want to also get it. You'll also have it, I'm guessing, on your website as well, too.

13:31 – Alison Ver Halen

Oh, for sure.

13:31 – Gresham Harkless

Okay. Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. So we'll have loads and loads of links and information so you can get a copy of the book. You can find out about all the awesome services that Allison provides as well, too. So I truly appreciate you again, and I hope you have a phenomenal rest of the day.

13:43 – Alison Ver Halen

All right, thanks so much.

13:45 – Outro

Thank you for listening to the I AM CEO Podcast powered by Blue 16 Media. Tune in next time and visit us at iamceo.co I AM CEO is not just a phrase, it's a community. Be sure to follow us on social media and subscribe to our podcast on iTunes Google Play and everywhere you listen to podcasts, SUBSCRIBE, and leave us a five-star rating grab CEO gear at www.ceogear.co. This has been the I AM CEO Podcast with Gresham Harkless. Thank you for listening.

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