Stuck thinking about what content to share?

We’ve got great intentions and we’ve scheduled some time to sit down and create our content; however, when we sit down at our computer to create it, write our plan and formulate our content strategy … NOTHING HAPPENS.

Our mind goes blank, becomes too cluttered, too many ideas, no ideas, don’t know what to write or we don’t even know where to start…and just like that our enthusiasm disappears.

What the heck just happened, we ask ourselves. We had received inspiration from a workshop we attended or we'd become inspired by what others are sharing in our industry and we wanted to contribute but now we have nothing. Zip! Zero!! Nada!!!

Don’t worry we have all been there and happens to the best of us and it’s a common problem, but with content marketing still being 3 times more effective than paid advertising, we need to make sure we are creating content that resonates with the audience we wish to serve consistently and regularly.

What we need is a content strategy and process that will enable us to deliver on that strategy. The high-level strategy lays out what are we saying, to whom, and when, with a process that allows us to answer what do we need to stop doing, start doing and keep doing based upon the outcomes (Reaction, Comment, Share, etc. metrics) our content generates.

We can start to build our Content strategy by categorizing the outcomes we are looking for from our audience. Our content should bring clarity to:

1.  Who are we?
2. Whom do we serve?
3. How do we serve them?
4. And then here’s the proof…

 For example:

 Who are we?

• Share your business story. Every business and business owner has 100's of stories to share! But one of the most engaging and intriguing to our audience is how we started our business or career journey…what happened?
• Introduce your team. We often hear companies share that “our people are our most important asset”, so let that come through. Our audience might enjoy getting to know the team that supports them by sharing some insights into our family, our hobbies, or the causes that we care about.

 Whom do we serve?

• Content that speaks to the problems your target audience is facing. Provide insights into what are the problems? Why are those problems important? How are those problems being solved?
• When we have problems, it can often feel reassuring that others have experienced or are experiencing the same problems and that some individuals or organizations that can help.

How do we serve them?

• People love learning new things, especially when it helps them with their job! Tips are quick and easy to digest and are a great way to demonstrate our subject matter expertise. We often underestimate the amount of information we know. Try writing out a list of 52 tips or “ah-ha” moments, that’s one for every week, now make sure we have a graphic or photo that introduces your content.
• Alternatively, pose a question which is some of the most engaging pieces of content we can write … is to just answer a question. This could be a burning industry question or just a common (frequently asked) question. One of the best to answer though is a client question, so what questions do we get asked all the time?
• If you are hosting or attending a webinar or event, send your prospects or customers a personal invitation, sharing why they should attend or perhaps what you are hoping to get out of the event.

Here’s the proof…

• If you have had success with a client, look to interview them. LinkedIn is making it easier for us to share video content. If we’ve never done a video before we can just start with a quick interview? Interviews are easy to pull together. All we need to do is write down 3-5 questions and then find a willing subject. One of our customers (or even our team) will be easy to find. We can do it face to face or online and record it and then post it.
• Share a case study focused on the "pain" the clients were experiencing and the outcomes that they now enjoy. Pain and outcomes create curiosity, and the more curious we are able to leave people feeling, the more open to a conversation they will be to find out more.

Just like riding a bike, once we have momentum it becomes easier to steer. The same is true with our content. Once we start creating it, reviewing our audience's reaction, and adjusting the easier it'll become. Be bold, your audience awaits!

#ContentStrategy #LinkedInMarketing #ContentCreation #Marketing

Graham is a pioneer in the blending of Personal Branding, LinkedIn, Sales Navigator, Content Marketing, and Lead Generation Campaigns as a managed service; empowering business owners and sales teams to have more meaningful conversations with potential clients and key influencers.

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