I am painfully aware that it’s been nearly seven months (SEVEN!!?) since I last updated this blog. It’s the exact opposite strategy that I teach my clients, it’s poor business marketing, it doesn’t keep this beautiful site (expertly designed by the talented Laine Carlsness of Broadsheet Design) fresh and top-of-mind, etc., etc., etc. Yes, I get it.
And yet! It certainly hasn’t been because work at Jendo Creative isn’t chugging along. In fact it’s quite the opposite.
My dearth in blogging is more a reflection of the busy (that’s diluted for crazy, hectic and exhaustingly fun) summer I spent with my 8-year-old and 6-year-old. We took two family vacations — one to a tiny town in Montana to visit a family ranch and the other to Disneyland, which is of course the happiest place on Earth but also the most sleep-deprived. When we weren’t traveling about with family we were here in Seattle. I love this city all year round, but in the summer it’s nothing short of glorious. The kiddos and I took full advantage. We visited parks and wading pools, went camping, played with friends, and even managed to wash the car a few times (this is a particular favorite for my wee humans).
Now that school is back in session and we are well into the fall swing of things, I am catching up on the blog that went by the wayside in the beautiful black hole of summer.
Today, I want to talk about my client Pittsburgh Property Diva. A former ASU Foundation colleague referred me to Chris and Lauren in late spring; she’s now a freelance graphic designer and was creating their new website at the time. She found me through my LinkedIn profile after learning that Chris and Lauren were looking for help with site content. And that’s how a Seattle-based writer came to work for two fantastic real-estate professionals across the country in Pittsburgh. I love how small this world can be sometimes, and I have really loved working with the diva and the man behind the diva!
I started with a content audit of Chris and Lauren’s old site; then I put together a content strategy for the new site. This included a new organizational structure for the site to group content by end user (in this case buyers and sellers). With that as the guide, I edited and updated some of the content from the old site that we reused. I also wrote new content, including a new bio for Lauren. She was a delight to interview for that story, and I really enjoyed bringing more of her fun personality to the site.
After the site launched in September, Chris asked me to create an editorial calendar for their blog. I write two or three features a month, alternating between an industry-related story and a human-interest story. The industry stories are a great opportunity for me to learn a bit more about real estate, a field for which I’ve always had an interest. And the human-interest pieces have put me in touch with some of Lauren’s wonderful clients. I love talking with them about how she helped them find their dream home, navigate the intricate world of real-estate transactions, and make the next move for their family. Those are the stories I feel privileged to write, and I’m grateful that Chris and Lauren trust me to tell them.
As fall winds down and we move into the holiday season, I want everyone to know how much gratitude I have for the clients and connections I’ve made so far through Jendo Creative. I’m having a blast, truly, and look forward to sharing more about some past projects and new opportunities on the horizon.