Content is king and that dude is HUNGRY.
It’s not enough that we formulate a strong brand, create products and services that delight our ideal client avatars and innovate on the regular to keep everyone liking us…we also have to create content daily for 3-5 different channels? Do you even realize there are a lot of days in the year? Like a LOT. And I have a job. And I hate writing. And I can’t do video…and…and…and
We get it. Seriously. We’ve ended up in the uncomfortable “shoemaker with no shoes” place where we are telling clients to put out lots of content…and then we look at our own and we’ve let ourselves slide. So how do we get back on track? It’s simple…but not easy.
STEP ONE: Start at the beginning
When you realize you haven’t posted or written anything in awhile, just think of how much your fans will love to hear from you again! And everything is new and fresh again! Go back to your goals, what is the most important thing you want to say and who is the most important person you want to say it to – that’s your beginning.
The second half of your beginning involves a planning session before you start sticking crap all pell-mell over the internet (yes, I have been reading classics again, thankyoufornoticing.) If you just jump in and try to create, you’ll have bought yourself a day but we can guarantee that you’ll be back in this spot next week.
So slow down, take a breath, and make (or review) your plan. Brainstorm five blog post titles that you can set aside 45 minutes to dictate. Search Canva for two great backgrounds to put some inspirational stuff on. Take three selfies in different areas of your workspace and plan for the next 15.
Plan. That’s the first step.
STEP TWO: Gather first
And guess what…after your plan is all ready, it’s STILL not time to post! Are your fingertips getting itchy yet? Now it’s time to gather everything you’ll need, schedule the time you’ll put aside to get this stuff done, and rope in as many other people to help you as possible. Do 30 minutes of basic research, looking at how competitors have marketed products and services like yours, and be sure you save a ton of inspiration in your phone or computer so you won’t be running out again.
Now that you’ve got your plan and your assets, you’re ready to…
STEP THREE: Eat your frogs
Let’s say you find video super easy, but making graphics or writing blogs is super hard. Start with the hard part. Seriously, the easier part won’t get harder, but the harder part will be impossible once you’re rolling.
For us and most of our peeps out there, it’s video that causes headaches and breakdowns and sometimes impromptu office yoga sessions. Doing a quick video (based on the plans you developed, the message you know are important, and the assets you gathered in the last steps) and create a few things that you’re proud of – it actually gives that extra BA-BLAMM! of motivation that propels all of us to do even more of the stuff you actually like (like writing blog posts about not getting overwhelmed when creating content…see the genesis yet?)
STEP FOUR: Think big
One of the things we realize once we’ve been creating content for awhile is how disposable it all is which can lead (or so we’ve heard) to a sense of futility…which is oddly not even a little bit motivating. So think bigger. Picture your perfect content landing in front of your ideal client or customer at exactly the moment they are ready to buy. Think about how else you’re going to use your brilliance. Think about the email you’ll send to your fans reusing the blog post you just wrote, or the Facebook Live you’re doing on the same points you just set out in your IG caption.
Think big, and think about the big impact your words and pictures can have on the world…
STEP FIVE: Go small
…but remember that you’re writing for humans. You’re writing for a possibly imaginary avatar/buyer persona/prospect. Remember their humanity, and talk to them as a person. I had a client on the phone last week with the issue of WHAT DO I POST THO?!? And my response both surprised and comforted her: offer value and help instead of pushing for sales. Be valuable. Give that value to your people. And know that if your words, your product, your services, or your company as a whole has made one person’s day better then you have succeeded.
Because if you offer value, you win. And if you don’t, well…why are you even here?