I hope you’ve already seen the empathy mapping post. That’s THE first place to start. Today we need to actually get started with our content creation plan.
For my money, the smartest way to start building out your marketing is with an email newsletter. They’re inexpensive – Aweber starts at $19 a month to deliver (only $1 for first month). They’re don’t require graphic layout. Although you have that option if you like. The really cool part is you can create a fantastic sequence of communication, then deliver it again and again to each new person who signs up for your list. Once you write it, you’re done. Although you’ll prob’ly want to revise it, update it, add to it and see which emails in the sequence get the most clicks and opens over time.
If you haven’t signed up for Aweber, do that now. There are other email services, but Aweber stands out as the best.
Here’s another reason to start with your email sequence first. It will help you determine what your offer will be. When I say “offer” in this context, I mean what you will give away freely in exchange for an email address.
Premium, 101 and Current Storyline Content Creation
So here’s my recommendation: Get a piece of paper and fold it into thirds. For each third, write Premium, 101 and Current Storyline at the top.
This will help you put order and package the content you’re going to be creating. You’ll be able to categorize it into three buckets:
1.) Premium Content – premium content educates someone even further, or in more detail, for a cost. Like this email series of mine that you’re reading now. The cost was your email address. We had an exchange. You give me your email address, and I give you the premium content.
Action Step: Decide what your premium content will be.
2.) 101 Education – This is content that is fundamental to your project, to your brand, to the existence of your business. It’s a “pillar” of your website. I’ll be talking real soon about “Pillar” content. It’s sort of like the stuff you’d want your perfect prospects to know about first.
Action Step: Decide what kind of 101 education you’d like to give at your website.
3.) The Current Storyline, which is your day to day blog posts. Here’s a tip about Current Storyline content. Choose a theme that you can return to every so often. For example, I write about resilience in starting your own business sometimes. It’s a theme I return to often to help people keep going. Same with how to build your blog traffic.
Action Step: List a handful of ideas for the current storyline that you can commit to.
The Packaging Mindset
In this mindset, you’ll be thinking about how to package material that adds to the body of work in each category (is it 101 or Premium?). You’ll consider if there should be something extra to offer and whether it’s something you feel strongly enough to charge for it (Premium). And of course you’ll have your steady news and updates (Current Storyline).
That’s all for today. Your next action step is to do this exercise on your own.
We Can Do This Together
Or we can do it together. Some people just work better when they’re working alongside another person who has already done what they’re trying to do. I’ve helped many, many people get started this way. My time isn’t free, but the cost to you is prob’ly worth if it seems intimidating. It’s a great way to get started, and to get organized. Head over to my mini-workshops page for more information about this.
Feedback Is Encouraged
Of course I will answer your questions in the comments below. Tell me your thoughts. What’s on your mind? Was this helpful? If so, let me know. If not, what could I change for the better? Looking forward to engaging with you in the comments below.