back to services > design / education
STUDIO-MZ IS THE FUSION OF WRITING, DESIGN, AND EDUCATION. IT IS THE SPACE WHERE STORIES FIND RELEASE. EVERYTHING HUMAN IS A STORY — OF AN IDEA, A PERSON, HOPE, REALIZATION.
STUDIO-MZ IS THE FUSION OF WRITING, DESIGN, AND EDUCATION. IT IS THE SPACE WHERE STORIES FIND RELEASE. EVERYTHING HUMAN IS A STORY — OF AN IDEA, A PERSON, HOPE, REALIZATION.
WRITING STUDIO
Every day I write.
The word is both a poem and a fact. Its ability to shape new ideas is its superpower.
The word is both a poem and a fact. Its ability to shape new ideas is its superpower.
CASE STUDIES
How My White Paper Boosted Recruitment for SMU's New Adult Online Academic Program
Client: Southern Methodist University, 2015
Challenge: Low recruitment numbers for a new online adult education program.
Approach: Write an engaging, content-rich white paper; use as a lead magnet to gather prospective students contact information; market through various channels, including SMU’s website, email campaigns, and targeted online ads.
Outcomes:
• Record downloads of the white paper from the existing SMU list email and online display ads.
• A 400% increase in winter term enrollment, reaching capacity.
• Waitlisted students for the spring term, which also reached full capacity.
• The program ran successfully for years, consistently reaching full or near-full capacity.
• A 400% increase in winter term enrollment, reaching capacity.
• Waitlisted students for the spring term, which also reached full capacity.
• The program ran successfully for years, consistently reaching full or near-full capacity.
Testimonial: “Mary was a very informative and personable instructor in the SMU Advanced Web Design Certificate. She was knowledgeable, well-prepared, and thorough. She provided the right level of structure and detail for the course. She also offered a friendly, pleasant tone for class discussions.” — (student) Deanna Rogers, who now works in marketing and communications
How I Turned Ghostwriting into a Smart Career Move
Client: 2017-2022 - three content agencies (NY, NC, Warsaw, Poland) and a private V-suite client (GA)
Challenge: Adapting to the unique challenges of ghostwriting, including confidentiality, varying writing tones and styles, limited creative freedom, and balancing multiple projects.
Approach:
1. Strategically selected three reputable agencies known for their editing talent and exposure to interesting clients, providing opportunities to write and learn within the constraints of ghostwriting contracts.
2. Sought advice from mentors to navigate the transition to this new writing style.
3. Planned for periods of quieter work to take on as much ghostwriting as possible.
4. Embraced the role of a student, open to learning from career editors.
2. Sought advice from mentors to navigate the transition to this new writing style.
3. Planned for periods of quieter work to take on as much ghostwriting as possible.
4. Embraced the role of a student, open to learning from career editors.
Outcomes:
• New income stream: Wrote 600 pieces (100/year) at industry-competitive rates.
• Variety: Gained experience writing for a diverse set of international clients on a wide array of topics.
• Collaboration: Worked with established content and journalism editors, honing my writing skills.
• Reset Client Strategy: Reorganized my work schedule, writing at my own pace to maintain income while refining my client strategy.
• Increased Satisfaction: Built deeper relationships with clients who requested me for ongoing gigs, resulting in more fulfilling and enjoyable writing experiences.
• Variety: Gained experience writing for a diverse set of international clients on a wide array of topics.
• Collaboration: Worked with established content and journalism editors, honing my writing skills.
• Reset Client Strategy: Reorganized my work schedule, writing at my own pace to maintain income while refining my client strategy.
• Increased Satisfaction: Built deeper relationships with clients who requested me for ongoing gigs, resulting in more fulfilling and enjoyable writing experiences.
How One Simple Idea Led to a Whole New Strategic Direction
Project: Creative's Toolkit LinkedIn newsletter
In the editions of this newsletter, I focus on various facets of design, marketing, photography, and more. Alongside tips and techniques, I explore historical events that shaped the development of the creative industries and delve into biographical sketches of masters in these fields. Subscribers include professionals in design, photography, marketing, sales, management, and education.
Challenge: Driving improved outcomes compared to the promotional articles on LinkedIn I had been writing to support the marketing efforts of the adult education programs I teach in my department at Emory.
Approach:
1. Target Audience: Begin a newsletter aimed at creatives (my core student base at Emory).
2. Consistent Schedule: Plan a bi-weekly publishing date and create an editorial plan.
3. Relevance: Alternate articles relevant to my two programs (graphic design and digital marketing) and tie to department marketing efforts, especially around registrations for orientation webinars and enrollment periods.
4. Variety: Mix editorial themes for interest (career outlooks, theory, historical, bios, etc.)
5. Visual Appeal: Include strong graphics for visual interest.
7. SEO Strategies: Practice effective SEO strategies.
8. Promotion: Promote each edition within my LinkedIn connections and followers, and on other social platforms.
2. Consistent Schedule: Plan a bi-weekly publishing date and create an editorial plan.
3. Relevance: Alternate articles relevant to my two programs (graphic design and digital marketing) and tie to department marketing efforts, especially around registrations for orientation webinars and enrollment periods.
4. Variety: Mix editorial themes for interest (career outlooks, theory, historical, bios, etc.)
5. Visual Appeal: Include strong graphics for visual interest.
7. SEO Strategies: Practice effective SEO strategies.
8. Promotion: Promote each edition within my LinkedIn connections and followers, and on other social platforms.
Immediate Outcomes:
• Direct Enrollment Hits: Tracked direct enrollments to orientation seminars and student enrollment in my programs.
• Doubled Engagement: Improved impressions, unique views, reactions, comments, reposts, and article views.
• Growing Subscriber Base: Subscribers receive direct contact in their inboxes when I publish, leveraging LinkedIn's brand authority to achieve high open rates (50-60% on average).
• Targeted Audience Segmentation: Subscribers are active on the platform and interested in my topics.
• Thought Leadership: Building a library of content that showcases my thought leadership while helping my audience.
• SEO Ranking: LinkedIn newsletter editions are searchable on Google and other search engines, leveraging LinkedIn's domain authority to raise my brand awareness outside of LinkedIn.
• Doubled Engagement: Improved impressions, unique views, reactions, comments, reposts, and article views.
• Growing Subscriber Base: Subscribers receive direct contact in their inboxes when I publish, leveraging LinkedIn's brand authority to achieve high open rates (50-60% on average).
• Targeted Audience Segmentation: Subscribers are active on the platform and interested in my topics.
• Thought Leadership: Building a library of content that showcases my thought leadership while helping my audience.
• SEO Ranking: LinkedIn newsletter editions are searchable on Google and other search engines, leveraging LinkedIn's domain authority to raise my brand awareness outside of LinkedIn.
Growth Strategy:
Building in Creative's Toolkit as a subset of the Studio-MZ writing studio. Plans for 2025 include:
• Editorial Expansion: Developing new content in creative fields beyond graphic design and digital marketing.
• Product Development: Creating lesson plan products related to the library of content.
• Content Repurposing: Distributing written content to other writing platforms.
• New Media Formats: Repurposing content into other media formats, including streaming video and podcasts.
• Product Development: Creating lesson plan products related to the library of content.
• Content Repurposing: Distributing written content to other writing platforms.
• New Media Formats: Repurposing content into other media formats, including streaming video and podcasts.
Fond writing memory: I won my first international writing contest in 1995. This was for a promotion for the film French Kiss, about 'love in the digital age.' My prize was a T-shirt, which I still have and cherish.
Graphic by LUTFI GANI AL ACHMAD
Graphic by LUTFI GANI AL ACHMAD
Let's talk about your project:
Thank you! We'll get back to you shortly.