I hated writing in school & you are probably just like me. I can still hear my English teacher demanding a 500 word "essay" -always on some topic I had no interest in.

Content marketing not like writing that "essay" that you got a grade on in high-school. Content marketing is much more important, but also easier - if you follow these 3 simple rules.

Content marketing is of course about being interesting and telling a good story. But much more.

1. Not a new story, but one you've already told and know well.

2. Not any story, but a story with a point.

3. A parable. Which causes people to take action.

And for professionals most of the time it's a business story that describes an important problem that many struggle with or a new one that people need to know more about and solutions that the reader might just need your help with.

Most professionals have at least three interesting business discussions each week with clients, customers and co-workers. This is what you write you about. You know the material and you're excited about already.

Here's some other tips that will help you -

• Start with a working title - you'll change it anyway

• Stick with what you know and stories you like best

• Have a clear call to action - tell readers what they should do next

So take your favorite story turn it into an article and get started.

If you send it to me I'll put it up on www.franchise-info.us and it'll get read, and you will get attention.

We'll make it look pretty & distribute it to the right people.

Put your photo at the top and your LinkedIn business card at the bottom. In fact it'll look just like this article.

If you take a shot at this you might even get readers interested in doing business with you.

Heck you read my article and it was from a conversation I had this week about how hard people find it to write articles to build their business.

If you liked this, you should sign up for the LinkedIn Marketing & Advertising Tips from Franchise-Info newsletter.

Or, for more information on the Franchise-Info Business Directory, call Joe at 1-443-502-2636 or email Joe direct [email protected]