5 Strategies To Work Smarter (Not Harder)
Annette Richmond ??
Helping B2B leverage content strategies that build trust and shorten the path to 'yes'?? LinkedIn?? Growth???National Speaker??AI Enthusiast ??? Livestream / Podcast Producer / Host ?? Rescue Dog Mom X2 ??
If you’re a solopreneur, you probably feel overwhelmed at times. Between serving my clients and marketing my business, I know I do.
Many days just looking at my to-do list made me tired. Prioritizing my tasks and focusing on the 3-4 most important things to accomplish that day has helped with that.
Using technology to automate some repetitive tasks helped too. I started using TexExpander, so I didn’t have to constantly cut and paste text snippets. Now I use abbreviations to respond to basic inquiries (like, do you write resumes?) and provide StreamYard directions to my LinkedIn live guests.
When it comes to marketing my business, what’s saved me the most time is being more strategic about my content creation and publication. The following 5 strategies have helped me work smarter. I hope they help you too. ?
BATCHING CONTENT CREATION
My primary work smarter strategy is batching my content creation. A couple of months ago, I started grouping similar types of content, videos one day and sliders another and producing several pieces of content in one sitting rather than spreading it out over time.
Although I’m not as consistent as I’d like, scheduling my content publication has saved me time and helped keep my posts more consistent.
REPURPOSING CONTENT
As a former magazine writer, I would never plagiarize someone else’s content. But I have no problem reusing mine. I do it all the time.
Of course, I keep a running list of ideas I plan to flesh out on a large whiteboard in my office. I use them to create content from scratch. But I also rework, revise, and repurpose previous work.
Infographics (remember them?) become content for sliders or videos. Old blog posts become the inspiration for LinkedIn text posts.
The script I write for a short video often becomes a slider. And sharing my own quotes is faster, easier, and smarter than finding and posting inspirational quotes by others. ???
CREATING TEMPLATES
We all know sliders get a ton of engagement on LinkedIn. Unfortunately, creating them takes time. At least, it did for me until I created a few templates.
I love Canva because they make creating content so easy. To create sliders:
1. Go to Create a design
2. Choose Instagram Post (Square)
3. Search Carousel Instagram Posts
You’ll find dozens of easy-to-modify templates you can make your own. Just make sure to download them as a PDF, so they render correctly on LinkedIn.
?? Instead of sharing inspirational quotes by others on LinkedIn, I decided to start sharing my quotes instead. I created a few templates for that too.
WATCH THIS VIDEO FOR CANVA FORMATS
BATCHING VIDEOS
While I try not to take myself too seriously, I prefer having clean hair and a little makeup when I record videos. So, I try to block time on Thursdays after my LinkedIn live show when I’m already camera ready.
My time savers:
?? Using an app that allows me to record, edit, and caption.
?? Writing a script and recording 1 line at a time.
?? Recording a few videos, then editing them
?? Shooting videos using the 1:1 or square format
There are several FREE apps that allow you to record, edit, and caption videos. My favorites are Clips, available on iPhone, and CapCut, available on iPhone and Android.
Using a script and recording one line at a time is a game changer. Some people feel that using a script will make them sound stilted. But if you write it just as you speak, it shouldn’t. And if you make a mistake, it’s easier to rerecord one line than your whole video.
This process: keeps me on track, prevents rambling, reduces mistakes, helps keep my energy up, saves endless rerecording, and cuts editing time.
Many content creators say you must record your videos in the platform’s preferred format. On LinkedIn, it’s 1:1 or square. On TikTok, it’s 9:16 or portrait; on YouTube, it’s 16:9 or landscape.
They’re probably right, but I don’t have time to create videos in different formats. So it’s primarily square everywhere for me.
SCHEDULING CONTENT
Scheduling content in batches is another time saver. Yes, it takes time to sit down and schedule your content for the week, month, or even months. But it’s a great way to keep your posts consistent.
And if you’ve already created your content in batches, why not take that next step?
The 3 platforms I’m active on—LinkedIn, TikTok, and YouTube—all have native scheduling.
TikTok and YouTube have had the ability to schedule posts for a while. Although, on YouTube, you can only schedule videos individually.
WATCH THIS VIDEO TO LEARN HOW TO USE TIKTOK’S SCHEDULER
领英推荐
If you have access to LinkedIn’s scheduler, you will see a little “clock” on the bottom right when you click on Create a post. Using the feature, I’ve found that:
??You can schedule multiple posts
?? You can schedule Text, Video, and Carousels (PDF format)
?? You can review your scheduled posts
?? You can change the posting time, but you cannot edit the post
?? You can schedule several weeks of posts. The calendar goes 3 months out. ?
WATCH THIS VIDEO TO LEARN HOW TO USE LINKEDIN’S SCHEDULER
Setting aside dedicated time for content creation is still a struggle for me. Blocking time off on my calendar and sticking to it is tough. But I’m working on it.
Same thing for taking breaks and eliminating distractions like social media and email. Taking time out here and there to work on DIY projects helps me to relax. Tuning out email and LinkedIn is the most difficult. The FOMO is real.
But I’m working on that too.
Got any tips for me?
?? Thanks for reading. I hope you found this newsletter helpful, if you did please share your thoughts in the comments and subscribe. Thanks!
Annette
?? DON'T MISS MY UPCOMING SHOWS
Don't miss my?Smarter Career And Business Moves LinkedIn Live show every Thursday at 11 am Eastern?and the new?The Trend Talk Show select Wednesdays at 7 pm Eastern. Both broadcast on LinkedIn and YouTube. (Follow me to know when the shows go LIVE or pop over to my LinkedIn profile to watch at the designated time.)
?? FYI, at the beginning of 2023 I rebranded the Smarter Career Moves show, podcast, and newsletter to Smarter Career And Business Moves to reflect their content's evolution.
?? Smarter Career and Business Moves?and?The Trend Talk Show?are also available as on your favorite podcast platform.
?? SMARTER CAREER AND BUSINESS MOVES
2/2?-?Danielle Guzman - Investing In Social Media For Your Career https://www.dhirubhai.net/video/event/urn:li:ugcPost:7025179948449439744/
2/9?-?Gillian Whitney - How To Be A Fun Show Host (And Guest) https://www.dhirubhai.net/video/event/urn:li:ugcPost:7025192341736980480/
2/16?-?Mark Anthony Dyson - The Great Rebalance (What Will It Mean For You?) https://www.dhirubhai.net/video/event/urn:li:ugcPost:7025182634288803840/
2/23?-?Phil Davis - New Year! New Time To Network (And Job Search) https://www.dhirubhai.net/video/event/urn:li:ugcPost:7025184200458661888/
3/2 - Paula Christensen - Stand Out In Video Interviews / AI Video Interviews https://www.dhirubhai.net/video/event/urn:li:ugcPost:7025189925041905665/
?? THE TREND TALK SHOW
2/8 - What's Next For The Events Industry? Will in-person events be back?
Stephanie Maurice Zapata, Director of Business Development, Mohegan Sun; Lisa Swartz, Certified Meeting Planner, Meeting Services Outsource, LLC, and Christopher G. Johnson, Virtual Event Producer, Calm, Clear Communications, will weigh in. Hosted by yours truly.
https://www.dhirubhai.net/video/event/urn:li:ugcPost:7025218293183467520
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
?????????????????? ???????? ???????????????? ???????????????? ?????????? ???? ??????? When I started working with clients, I quickly realized what made each person stand out was who they were, not what they did.
People in similar positions do similar things. It’s how they do what they do and the results of those efforts that set them apart from their competitors.
That’s why my business is built around personal branding. The building blocks of my personal brand strategy include:
?? LinkedIn Profiles and Executive Resumes that demonstrate?your value
? Clifton Strengths coaching to unlock your potential
?? LinkedIn content creation strategies (that get you noticed)
Ring my ?? and follow #AnnetteAdvises to see my content.?
I teach you how to build your art collection, where to find art, in a fun and approachable way, and I showcase emerging artists and must-see galleries, museums, and exhibits!
1 年I am sharing this article with my artist list. This can be translated into creating more time in the studio.
Live Video & Author Brand Strategist ◆ Helping You Turn Your Expertise Into Influence ◆ Live Video & Book Publishing Made Easy Peasy ?? INFJ
1 年Good job Annette Richmond lots of great information here. ?? This was my favorite line: "As a former magazine writer, I would never plagiarize someone else’s content. But I have no problem reusing mine. I do it all the time." That is definitely a great way to work smarter. ??