I do it everyday, and I want to teach you how.

Morton Wordsmith is a growing Content and Social Marketing Business based in Austin, Texas. Every day, we help non-profit and business clients tell compelling stories and reach their customers.

Morton Wordsmith seeks a talented intern who craves learning new skills and can work on a clear deadline. As an intern you will work directly with Chris Morton, and have complete ownership over a specific client’s content and social media.

Our ideal candidate is obsessed with doing stellar work in as little time as possible, so that you can have more time to experiment with new methods. You have a knack for copywriting, a working knowledge of graphic design and the ability to learn quickly. You work require minimal direction, work well on your own, and communicate your needs and expectations.

What You Will Learn:

• How to manage a content and social media plan and marketing calendar.
• How to make repurpose existing content using a social media calendar and the best tools like Meet Edgar and Hootsuite.
• How to demonstrate ROI by reporting results to a client.

What I’m Looking For:

• Experience or study in Marketing,, Communication, Writing or other related discipline.
• Highly organized, with an ability to work remotely and clearly communicate progress on assignments.
• Basic copywriting and graphic design skills, as well as general creativity.
• Familiar, but not expert, in WordPress, Mailchimp and Hootsuite.
• Familiarity with faith-based organizations, or openness to learning about them.

Is this you?

The position begins as soon as possible and last for 10 weeks. This is a work from home opportunity, although priority will be given to candidates who live in Austin, Texas.

You are expected to work 10-15 hours a week. Pay begins at $10/hour, based on skills and experience.

To apply send a resume and examples of previous work to admin@mortonwordsmith.com.

The post Content and Social Marketing Intern appeared first on Chris Morton | Wordsmith.

Chances are you’ve heard about LASIK. If you’re lucky, you have heard the fact that millions of lives have been transformed by this common surgery.

However, you might have only heard the many myths about LASIK. You might be thinking: “it works for other people, but not for me.”

Don’t let myths control decisions about something as important as your eyesight!

Since the first laser-assisted surgery in 1989, more than 29 million people have completed this revolutionary procedure. Our very own Dr. Matthew Sharpe had the surgery in 1998. The experience was so transformative that, since then, he has dedicated his life to helping others have the same opportunity.

Myths can keep people from improving their lives. We’re dedicated to helping individuals understand what LASIK is, and if it’s right for them.

So, don’t be discouraged! Read about these three myths, and then book a consultation with us to discover if LASIK is right for you.

Myth 1: Lasers can’t correct astigmatism.

In 1998, Laser vision correction was approved for the correction of astigmatism. That means we have 15 years of experience helping women and men overcome this condition.

Many with astigmatism have been forced to use “toric”, or astigmatism correcting, contact lenses.. These lenses are thicker, more expensive, more uncomfortable, and give more variable vision than ordinary contacts. If you are ready to ditch your contact lenses, LASIK is the perfect opportunity for you!

Myth 2: I’ll need reading glasses even after surgery!

If there’s one thing everyone has in common, it’s that we are all getting older.

As we age, a moving part inside our eye called the “crystalline lens” becomes less flexible. Chances are, after you turn 40, you will need glasses for either distance vision, near vision, or both. This is not hereditary – it happens to everyone.

Since we haven’t discovered a fountain of youth, we offer a time-tested LASIK method called “monovision” that allows you to see near and far without glasses.

When you consult with SharpeVision, we will explain this simple option that makes a massive difference in patients over the age of 40. We want you to be a life-long reader, and we’ll do everything we can do make this opportunity straightforward and available for you.

Myth 3: I’ll mess it up if I move.

Unless you are a board-certified Ophthalmologist, LASIK probably sounds like something out of a science-fiction movie. You might have an image in your mind of an innocent person, strapped down by a mad scientist, with a laser-beam aimed at their eyes.

Many people believe the myth that a slight move will wreck their surgery.

But don’t worry, it’s not just mad scientists who have futuristic technology, so do we!

At SharpeVision, we only use the best FDA approved technology. Our modern lasers have an amazingly fast infrared technology that keeps the beam perfectly centered on your eye. Don’t worry about moving during your procedure – we can handle it!

Decisions about your eyesight are too important to be controlled by myths. We want to help you understand how LASIK works, and be absolutely sure it’s the right procedure for you.

Schedule a one-on-one consultation with a SharpeVision doctor, and overcome your misconceptions today!

The post Don’t Believe These Three LASIK Myths! appeared first on Chris Morton | Wordsmith.

But you’ve been putting it off.

LASIK can truly revolutionize your life. There is no good reason to delay. In fact, here are five reasons you can’t wait any longer.

5. You have to drive.

You know what’s worse than having to go to the DMV? Having to spend hours waiting in line, only to fail the vision test.

If you are working hard to memorize eye charts so you can cheat your way through your next test, it’s not too late. Sign up for a free consultation, and learn how LASIK can change the way you drive.

4. You stare at a computer screen all day

These days, almost every job requires that you work at a computer. For many people, your job means staring at a screen all day long!

Many people suffer from Computer Vision Syndrome. Common symptoms include sore eyes, blurry vision and light sensitivity. There are preventative measures that can keep it from getting worse. However, it may already be too late!

If you stare at a screen all day, and you’re worried things are getting worse, give us a call.

3. You can’t tell your family members apart

Everyone says your kids look just alike. But what will you do when your eyesight gets so bad you can’t tell them apart!

Don’t let this happen.

2. You can’t zoom in everything

It’s nice to have an e-reader or a smartphone that lets you zoom in and read larger text. But you can’t zoom in on everything!

If the idea of looking at the ingredients in a grocery store or reading the instructions on IKEA furniture is intimidating to you, drop us a line.

1. You’re looking for a competitive advantage.

 
When Seattle Sounders, a major league soccer team, were looking for a competitive advantage, they turned to Sharpe Vision for help. Instead of wearing goofy goggles why they run, Sounders received LASIK surgery. Now, no matter how crazy things get, they can see the ball on the other pitch.

Great eyesight is a competitive advantage in sports and life. Schedule a consultation with Sharpe Vision Today and get ahead of the rest.

Facebook Post

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The V3 Movement

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The Joy Starts Here! Austin Conference was a joint effort of a consortium of counseling organizations, ministries and like-minded individuals.

The Challenge

The challenge was to organize and coordinate ticket sales and marketing for a two-day training event. Since multiple parties were involved, this required communicating with the leadership and coordinating resources with each individual group.

The Plan

The following tactics were proposed:

• Build a cohesive tool for online ticket sales, including an Eventbrite page and a branded website.
• Collect contact lists from each organization.
• Execute a weekly email marketing campaign, including text and branded headers.
• Provide advertising on Facebook.
• Promote on Social Media Presence

The Results

• 651 online ticket sales
• $7,555 gross sales online
• 3 Email lists collected from different organizations.
• 19 marketing emails sent
• 34% average email open rate
• 12 Facebook ads published
• 25 approximate at-the-door sales

The post Case Study: Joy Starts Here! Austin Conference appeared first on Chris Morton | Wordsmith.

The Client

Ecclesia is a relational network of churches, leaders and movements that seek to equip, partner and multiply missional churches and movements.

The Challenge

The client asked for help marketing their annual National Gathering via email and social media.

The Plan

The following tactics were proposed:

• Use email marketing to encourage those already connected to the network to attend.
• Improve the overall quality of the social media properties.
• Recruit a team to share about the event on social media.
• Publish daily on Twitter and Facebook.
• Provide free downloaded material as an incentive for registering.
• Organize a “sycroblog” online event.

The Results

• 188 registrants
• 1,711 visits from social media
• 9,179 overall visits
• 114 new likes on the Facebook Page
• 1042 new Twitter followers
• 98 retweets
• 6 syncroblog participants
• Two mass emails sent to the entire database
• Bi-weekly promotional emails sent to registered attendees
• Images for the Facebook and Twitter pages improved

The post Case Study: Ecclesia 2014 National Gathering appeared first on Chris Morton | Wordsmith.

The Challenge

PlantR is a non-profit based in Austin, Texas. Through training events and meetups, PlantR seeks to encourage leaders to start new churches. PlantR MicroConferences are a half day learning opportunity. The challenge is to encourage cash strapped missionaries to devote time and money to the event.

The Plan

The PlantR board and Chris Morton worked together to define several tactics:

Exposure to known potential attendees through through owned media:

• Through mass emails, potential attendees were used encouraged to sign up for the event.
• Through mass emails, potential attendees to purchase discounted group tickets.
• Encourage attendees to join a monthly meetup group.

Equip existing members to share about the event:

• Existing members were given pre-written letters to help them invite new attendees about the event.
• Existing members were given pre-written letters to help them invite new attendees about group pricing

Exposure to new prospective clients through earned media:

• Retweets
• Blogging by members and supporting groups

The Results

• Emailed 213 potential customers, with a 41% open rate.
• Launched 4 regional meetup groups.
• Welcomed 147 attendees from 20 different organizations.

The post Case Study: PlantR appeared first on Chris Morton | Wordsmith.

Here are five ways your whole team can be involved:

1. Create great content, sharable content

The internet is not a field of dreams. Just because you create something doesn’t mean that people will share it. Great sharable content includes:

• A Click-Worthy Headline
  Everything you share should have a great headline that grabs the readers attention. Use power packed words and promise value.
• Something of value
  There’s nothing worse than landing on an unreadable website overrun by ads. Whatever you’re offering, make it clear,  compelling and worthwhile. If your content doesn’t improve someone’s life, don’t share it.
• Sharable images
  Social media is now an overwhelmingly visual medium. Each post should include relevant and powerful images. Check out the free ones at creativecommons.org.
• A Clear Call To Action
  Before you create content, ask yourself “what do I want my reader to do with this content?” Buy something? Go somewhere? Share it? Make the CTA obvious, and embed it throughout your post.
• Socially Optimized
  Make sure that your post is written in such a way that the titles and images are shared appropriately. Stay up-to-date on the correct image sizes and other tweaks. Be aware of developer’s tools offered by Facebook and Twitter.

2. Share the content on your personal accounts

In the good old days, a Facebook Page could just write a post, and it would pop up in everybody’s feed. They drastically cut the amount posts that appear in a “Liker’s” feed in hopes we’d spend money on Facebook Ads instead.

If there’s any good news here, it means you’ll have to get people involved. Content shared by individuals has a much greater reach. When you have some really great content, here’s a few things you can do:

• Ask team members to share, retweet, pin, etc., on their personal social accounts.
• Send out a regular email with pre-written posts and tweets that your team can reuse.
• When a press release or a big post is coming out, send your team a link and ask them to write their own post to go with it.

3. Invite your friends to like your business’s Facebook Page

Anyone who likes a Facebook Page can invite their friends to like it as well.

If you have administrator privileges, you can invite a bunch of people all at once. Compile a spreadsheet of email addresses, then click “Build Audience” at the top of the Admin Panel.

Choose “Invite Email Contacts…” and upload your list.

4. Follow your friends on Twitter

One of the best ways to get more followers is to follow people. Often they will follow you back. To do this quickly, go to https://twitter.com/who_to_follow/import and paste a list of email addresses separated by a comma. Twitter will find any corresponding accounts, and give you the chance to follow them.

5. Ask for retweets and shares

You never know if you don’t ask. Include “Please Share,” “Please RT,” “Please Re-Pin,” etc. If you’ve created truly great content, then it is worth asking.

The post 5 Ways Your Team Can Work Together to Grow on Social Media appeared first on Chris Morton | Wordsmith.

Introduction

Some people seem to spend their lives stumbling from one emergency to the next. They barely accomplish what it takes to get by. Other people fearlessly take on huge challenges and solve them in a seemingly effortless manner.

Why are some people so successful at life and business? Do they have the perfect set of genes for taking risks and achieving great things? Perhaps they were just lucky. Perhaps they just have the courage to make a difference and skills to empower others to do the same.

The Acton Foundation for Entrepreneurial Excellence has based its approach to education on the hands-on experience of successful entrepreneurs. In a world full of underachievers, these are the men and women with the attitudes, habits and instincts it takes to accomplish great things.

In a short pamphlet entitled “A Message to Garcia” Acton describes their approach to life, business and education. By taking a moment to read this, you will be inspired to take actionable steps that will change your life and empower you to build a world-class organization.

Scenario

Joe Smith opened his mailbox to reveal a thick envelope with the name and logo of his high school on top. Immediately, he knew what he was holding: the invitation to his 20 year college reunion. 

This overwhelmed him with emotion. Where had the time gone?

It felt like Joe had been and landed here. He still had big dreams, like starting a business that helped other people or learning a foreign language. Why had he never done those things?

Joe realized how desperately he wanted life to be different. He wanted to be a brave decisive person. But where could he start?

Then he remembered that he had once been friends with the class president, now a successful CEO. Maybe Joe could get some advice on how to achieve his long dormant goals. 

He fingered the RSVP card for his reunion. Going might be embarrassing. It might also be the chance to have a life-changing conversation.

Was he brave enough to go? 

Instructions

1. Write down your dreams.
   Block out some time for dreaming. You might want to go somewhere quiet, like a cabin in the woods, or your backyard around sunrise. Take a notebook and try to write down every dream you have ever had. This might include your dream job when you were a kid, an idea for a business or the plot for a novel. Write down everything that comes to mind. There are no bad dreams.
2. Read “A Message to Garcia.”
   This can be found at http://www.actonmba.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/messagetogarcia.pdf. Highlight any meaningful or surprising ideas you encounter. Write down any questions, disagreements or ideas that you have.
3. Identify and learn from role models.
   – Name the traits that make Colonel Andrew Rowan a role model for decisive individual action. Consider what other admirable traits he possesses.
   – Research role models whom you don’t know personally. Read a biography or speak with someone who knows them. Keep an inventory of the traits you admire in these men and women.
   – Identify role models whom you know or who live near you. Find one who is available to meet you for lunch or coffee. Research as much as you can about their career and their current business. Ask them about their life and what makes them successful. Keep an inventory of their traits you want to emulate.
4. Mind the gap.
   Identify at least five characteristics that you see in Rowan and your role models.  Pick one characteristic that you would like to embody. What is the gap between your current behavior and the behavior of your role model? You can bridge this gap! Create a plan for practicing this characteristic over the next three months.Your plan should include the following:
   -Name of Characteristic
   – Description of characteristic (in your own words)
   – Example of characteristic
   -The answer to the question “how would my life be different if I embodied this characteristic?”
   – A plan for practicing this characteristic in daily life for three months.
5. Name your long term goal.
   Looking back at the list of dreams from #1, choose one long term goal. A proper goal should include the following elements.
   Specific – A clearly identifiable achievement.
   Measurable – Includes quantifiable elements.
   Attainable – Is physically possible for you to achieve within the restraints of your life.
   Relevant – Achieving this goal will help you progress toward becoming more of the person you hope to be.
   Time-bound – This goal can be accomplished by a specific date.Collect feedback on this goal from role model as well as your friends and family. Having the courage to tell others about your dream is an important step towards achieving your goal!
6. Take the first step quickly.
   Achieving your long term goal will be include many steps. Often goals are never achieved because people are afraid to take the first step. Don’t let that be you. Identify one step you can take quickly, then go for it!
7. Answer the reflection questions.

Reflection Questions

1. What is one dream that you have forgotten? What has kept you from achieving it?
2. What is a characteristic you see in Rowan and your role models that you struggle with? How will your life be different when you master this trait?
3. Some day you will be the role model! What advice might the future version of you give the person you are today?

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