Monika Jansen. Kickass copywriter and editor at JansenComm where she helps small businesses grow. Loves the beach and #marketing,
What led you to start working in digital/media publishing?
Funny enough, I don’t consider myself a digital publisher. I’m a copywriter who happens to own a marketing agency. Because we share ideas and have conversations online (via social media, email, and blogs), that’s where we publish the content we create (whether it’s for the agency or on behalf of clients). So what got me started in digital publishing? Technology. Technology dictates a lot of our lives now, especially in the marketing world.
What does a typical day look like for you?
It’s a mix of business development and project management, with a little bit of actual client work. Gotta stay sharp! I still spend a lot of my day in front of my Mac email, but I’m also on the phone with clients or someone on my team (we’re all remote) a lot. And I’m always thinking about how to grow the business, how to find new clients, and how to re-engage with past clients.
What’s your work setup look like?
I use a MacBook Pro – where it goes, so goes my work. I use Slack to communicate with my team, which has been a HUGE timesaver. The other apps we use are pretty common for small businesses: Insightly for CRM, PandaDoc for proposals, Asana for project management, MailChimp for email marketing, UberConference for conference calls and screen sharing, and QuickBooks for accounting.
Because my team is remote, we have a weekly team call that everyone is expected to join. I run through new leads and projects so everyone knows what’s coming down the pike, and then I throw out a fun question, like “What’s was your favorite birthday cake when you were a kid?” This gives everyone a chance to talk, but most importantly, we get to know each other a bit. It’s super fun.
What do you do or go to get inspired?
Every Friday, I go through the blog posts, newsletters, and videos I’ve received over the past week via email. I spent nearly two hours reading and watching videos, absorbing other people’s stories and ideas.
I also spend as much time outside in nature as possible – no matter what season. I always prefer to be outdoors, preferably doing something physically active.
What’s your favorite piece of writing or quote?
“Be true to yourself, and you will never die.” It’s a lyric from a Beastie Boys song that I loved so much in high school it appeared with my yearbook photo. I still love it today, zillions of years later.
What is the passionate problem you are tackling at the moment?
Creating content that cuts through the noise. This is constantly top-of-mind, and we’re always looking for ways to rise above and help our clients stand out. A problem that I’m thinking about (but not yet acting on) is AI’s effect on the content creation and what it means for the agency moving forward.
Content from our partners
Is there a product, solution or tool that makes you think it is a good design for your digital publishing efforts?
Analytics. Google Analytics, email marketing analytics, and social media analytics tell us what’s working and what’s not. And surprise – data doesn’t bite! But it does help – a lot. You have to know what people care about, what’s engaging them, and what they’re ignoring.
Any advice for ambitious digital publishing and media professionals just starting out?
Find your niche. Look at where your passion and expertise intersect, and then look at the competitive landscape. Hone in on what’s not being said or an audience that’s being ignored. Believe it or not, there is still plenty of untapped potential out there. Do your homework, and you’ll find it.
