6 steps to help you stop procrastinating and start writing
Kathy Serenko
Communication & Leadership Training | Forbes BrandVoice Writer / WBE & DBE
Nothing feeds procrastination more than the need to write. Do you agree?
Experience shows that people?procrastinate because they dread the writing process.
This article shares:
Premise #1: You need to write content to build online visibility.
If you already know that your company must have online content, then feel free to jump ahead to Premise #2.
If you’re on the fence about the importance of online content, then please stick with me for a minute.
Can you tell me what year Jimmy Johnson retired from his role as head coach for the Dallas Cowboys or the GoodRX price for the prescription drug Myalept?
Probably not, but Siri can. Because Siri deals in online content.
And so do we.
If Siri (or I) can’t find you online...well, the business ramifications of invisibility are obvious.
And the best way to build online visibility is to write content.
The more content you write, the more likely you are to be discovered. Conversely, the less content, the lesser the likelihood.
Your company needs to write content to increase online visibility.
Premise #2: Most companies struggle to produce content because of a lack of skill, time, or?confidence.
Here’s the rub. You need to write to gain visibility for your company, but?for those who lack the skills and confidence, writing is a tedious and stressful task.
You might convince yourself that it will be more manageable “tomorrow.” And then tomorrow comes...and writing gets put on the back burner again. And again.
It’s the curse of procrastination.
Nothing is worse than facing a task without the motivation, skill, or confidence to get it done.
6 STEPS TO STOP PROCRASTINATING AND START WRITING
Effective and efficient writing relies on your ability to incorporate the practices I’ve defined below. You’ll notice that I’ve included tips to help you implement each component of efficient writing.
Know Your Audience
"If you market to everyone, you market to no one.” The shotgun approach to writing communicates that we do not understand our audience, and it is a time waster for the writer and the recipient.
Sure, we THINK we know our audience, but is the content we write relevant to them?
Tip: Take time to evaluate the motivations, goals, decision-making styles, and potential objections?of your audience. This will help you write more relevant content.
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Communicate Solutions
When writing, it is incredibly important to differentiate between a product/service and a solution. If you lead with what you are selling, you risk turning off your audience.
Tip: Focus on what your audience needs (an outgrowth of knowing your audience). Write to answer their needs, not to tell them what you sell.
Structure for Efficiency
A solid writing model is like the steel that frames a skyscraper. It provides crucial structure without diminishing the style of the architect. Without a reliable structure, your writing is likely to be disjointed and less effective. Also, having a structure to follow will help you write more efficiently and more confidently.
Tip: Create a writing structure that you can apply on every occasion. You might consider developing a template or a checklist to help you stay on track.
Call for Action
Writing content is not the same as asking for business. It is an educational process used to build credibility and relationships that will eventually generate leads. If your only call to action is “buy this now,” then you are advertising, not sharing content. The key is that you lay out a logical and clear path for your audience to engage with you.
Tip: Instead of focusing on the sale, celebrate even the smallest sign that your audience is engaging with you: click this link; download this report; share this article; leave a comment; email me, etc.
Style for impact
Succinct and powerful are two words that should describe your finished content. Achieving succinct, powerful content requires that you spend time editing and proofreading your writing, but it’s more than that. Powerful writing draws on the concepts we’ve discussed so far: know your audience, communicate solutions, structure for efficiency, and lay out a clear and logical path of action.
Tip: Implement a review process that goes beyond proofreading to consider if your writing?hits your intended target. ?
Plan for Success
Benjamin Franklin shared this bit of wisdom: “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”?How right this is when it comes to writing effective content. The best writer in the world is ineffective if they do not produce content or fall short on its distribution. What’s the point of writing if no one sees it?
Tip: Create a calendar that lays out content touch points, from topic choice through final approvals and a plan for distribution.
These six skills are taught and applied as part of the Create-a-Buzz Writing Course for Professionals, a 14-hour course that uses live instruction, peer interaction, and real-life skills application to help you replace procrastination with efficient writing habits.?
Connect to learn more:
What participants are saying about the Create-a-Buzz writing course:
Through Create-a-Buzz, I learned a process to structure blog articles and produce content faster. My blog articles are now so much better—more interesting and powerful!
Diane Danforth, Founder, Americat
Kathy Serenko is the owner of Kathy Serenko LLC and founder of CREATE-A-BUZZ, a unique and interactive way for non-writers to master the art of content writing. Kathy’s writing has been featured by?Forbes, Credit Suisse, Stainless Steel Americas, Manufacturing Today, NEXTPittsburgh, and several other industry publications.