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Ann Handley

Writer. Speaker. Marketer.

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Art

Brave Enough to Suck at Something New

a white brick wall with a written mural in black all-caps type "Be brave enough to suck at something new."

A version of this story appeared in Total Annarchy, my fortnightly newsletter that helps you be a better writer, storyteller, marketer. Get it in your inbox; you’ll love it. * * * “Be brave enough to suck at something new.” The quote is attributed to business book author Jon Acuff, the great Greek god Pinterest, […]

Filed Under: Annarchy, Annecdote, Art, Writing Tagged With: bigger braver bolder, try something new

Scrappy Video Content Marketing: What If We Didn’t Try So Hard?

What if we stopped trying quite so hard with our video content marketing? What if we just told our true stories honestly and simply, and with empathy for the very real problems our customers have?  A video from a tiny Arizona startup busts some common myths about using video as part of a content marketing […]

Filed Under: Annarchy, Annecdote, Art, Business, Content, Media, Social Media, Video

Breaking Out of Boring: Tell Unexpected Stories

Pink Floyd vinyl record

What does a brand known as buttoned up and boring do to broaden its appeal? I get this question a lot. One great model for inspiration is LinkedIn, which has become the poster child for a staid brand evolving its brand by telling unexpected stories. In the early 2000s, UK musician Matt Henshaw was living […]

Filed Under: Annarchy, Art, Business, Content, Media, Social Media, Technology

Make Your Customer the Hero of Your Story: ‘The Fault in Our Stars’ Video

The Fault in Our Stars opened this past weekend to become number-one at the box office. Which thrills me – because I’m a fan of the young adult novel the movie is based on and of its author (and video blogger) John Green. But more importantly: It thrills me because good writing deserves to find […]

Filed Under: Annarchy, Art, Business, Content, Media, Social Media, Technology

How to Use Instagram in a Genius Way (and Grow Your Audience)

Instagram

If you’ve seen me speak in the last few years, you know I’m a huge fan of Instagram, because of its understated simplicity that makes for a rich story platform. You might’ve even seen me present one of my favorite examples, of the Toronto Silent Film Festival’s 2013 effort to promote the silent film experience […]

Filed Under: Annarchy, Annecdote, Art, Business, Content, Media, Social Media, Technology Tagged With: Instagram

Tell True Stories Well: Hire an Artist

birdhouses

The best content isn’t storytelling. The best content is telling a true story well. It’s a subtle difference. But the creators of the best content of 2013 contemplated not just what story was worth telling, but how to tell it. And one way to do that is to hire an artist. I’m tempted to insert […]

Filed Under: Annarchy, Art, Business, Content, Pop Culture, Video

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