We Should See Other People
We know you’re big fans of the Slice each week, but we also know we’re not the only resource you rely on for marketing, social media, branding, and life advice. We get it! It’s a great, big Internet out there! Plenty of blogs in the sea!
But all of that info that’s posted each and every day on countless other websites can leave you overwhelmed with options. How do you weed out the good stuff from the people who just want to trap you in their sales funnels forever?
Not every blog is great, but there ARE some other excellent resources out there. Here are a few of our favorite websites where we get useful, trustworthy info on things like business, marketing, writing great copy, finding good people, etc. If you’re a business owner, a marketer who is part of a bigger team, or just a curious person (and hats off to you if so!), check out the blogs and communities below.
And as a bonus, we’ve also thrown in a few of our favorite Facebook groups that are the most useful to our business, whether we’re looking to hire some great new freelancers or just keep up with our community. Join and tell ‘em we sent you!
For Entrepreneurs and Business Owners
The Middle Finger Project is a truly irreverent community for entrepreneurs and business-minded folks, but that’s what makes it great. Instead of pretending like the entrepreneurial journey is a joy ride on sparkly rainbows, founder Ash Ambirge keeps it extremely real about what it takes to build a successful digital business, and has awesome info and free tools specifically focused crafting your brand and messaging so that it sells. She’s one of the best copywriters we’ve ever seen, and one of the rare people selling courses and resources that are genuinely helpful.
For Marketers and Communicators
If you don’t have copy that sells, it is very difficult to have a business. How do you write a blog post, an About page, or a Facebook status update that compels anyone to buy what you’re selling? CopyBlogger is a very well-known resource that we come back to time and again, that’s ostensibly about content marketing and how to do it well, but ends up being about much more than that. Start by learning how to write better (here are 7 ways you might be unintentionally creeping out your readers, for example) and keep going to learn about building a better audience, making greater sales, and a lot more. It all starts with good copy!
For Networkers and People with Projects
PCDC is a Washington, DC-based email list with some serious value. We have relied on this group for many years for referrals, job listings, advice about projects, help with client work… This community is made up of top marketing and comms professionals all over DC who are working with some of the biggest organizations around, and having direct access to their brains is, in our humble opinion, priceless. If you’re in or around DC and you’re a communicator working with progressive organizations (as a consultant or a staffer), it’s kind of required. Join here, and don’t miss their holiday parties and trainings, either!
Again, a couple of these are based in DC because The Good Lemon is based in DC, but if you’re remotely interested in working there you can still join and take part!
This is a group that’s evolved into an entire online community, but we’re big fans of the main Facebook group. Need a last-minute photographer in NYC for a gala? Need a video editor or a graphic designer on the fly? Need a copywriter or a virtual assistant? Post in this group (following their guidelines for format – very important) and within a matter of hours or even minutes you’ll have candidates sending you resumés. We have found some really great people through this group!
DC’s community of freelancers hangs out here, and for good reason. It’s not just sharing gigs or opportunities (although that’s part of what makes this group useful); people share expertise and crowd-source solutions on a daily basis, which makes this one of the few Facebook groups that we actually allow notifications from. When you join, introduce yourself and what you’re working on; we’ve met some wonderful friends here! And this group hosts regular meet-ups, too.
This group is also DC-based, but encompasses “social media enthusiasts and professionals” who are working on digital communications all day, erry day. Bring your technical questions and know-how here, and leave the self-promotion at the door; this is very much a place to become a better social media professional. And, when you’re having a Twitter-mergency or need help with a question you just can’t find the answer to, ask and you’ll receive! We often read the comment threads on just those kinds of posts, because we learn so much from everyone’s real-world experience.
Nonprofit Consultants Happy Hour:
If you have an email address that ends in .org, this is for you. This is a Facebook group for anyone working for or with nonprofits, and it is SUPER helpful. We work with many nonprofits of all different sizes, and having this resource for questions and knowledge-sharing is really key, since nonprofit marketing is a special kind of challenge. Jump on in, and once again, don’t bring your self-promotion. This is a chance to really network and meet some good do-gooders!
Do you frequent some great groups? Are you on an amazing email list? Let us know and we’ll spread the wealth in a future Slice.