4 Truths About Content Marketing

Marketing a small business is big business. There are so many ways to do it, experts to help teach it and platforms/apps/programs to support it. As a result, navigating the good from the bad, the necessary from the nice-to-haves and the impossible from the achievable is a minefield. On top of that, most small business owners find that just as they get a handle on one new way of marketing themselves they’re told that that’s old hat now and they should be looking at X. Content marketing IS an ever-changing field and unless you have a love of marketing and about 1000 spare hours in your week, it’s hard to stay on top of. In addition, common wisdom doesn’t always prevail.

I want to break it down for you, and give you 4 truths about content marketing that haven’t changed since its inception.

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Keyword inclusion – before or after writing?

How to please Google…that is the ever-present thought in the mind of a good business marketer ….”how do I please Google AND give the people what they want?” Some days it seems like an impossible ask. You don’t want to sound like a robot or a weirdo, shoving all those juicy keywords into your writing wherever possible, but you DO want your words to be found and rank well in Google so you can share ideas and help more people – and that requires clever keyword inclusion.

I often get asked: “When should I insert keywords into my content? Do I do it as I create the copy or should I go back afterwards and add them in?”

I’m going to be completely unhelpful here and say that in this instance, there is no hard and fast rule. It is a rare case in the SEO space where you can do whatever you please. Meaning, keyword inclusion can happen as you write or you can do it afterwards when you’re editing your piece. Or you can do a little of both.

Either approach will work fine, and has its own advantages: Continue reading →

The big secret to creating fabulous business content

Composing a piece of content for your business shouldn’t be a burden. It shouldn’t feel difficult. Ideally it is a joy to create….because you know it has a noble purpose. Creating business content will always be joyful if you remember just one thing: business content must fulfil a promise.

A business owner is simply a ‘purveyor of goods and services’ (isn’t that a gorgeous romantic way of viewing yourself!). The process by which you attract someone’s attention to your goods and services (versus someone else’s) is called marketing. That marketing requires words and images to be placed together in carefully concocted ways which is widely called content. The strategic distribution of that content is called content marketing. This process is as old as the hills. Think back to the oldest trade in the world… Ladies of the night would dress in a way that stood out, they would tease passers-by with whispers and promises, they would stand on the most highly trafficked corner, and encourage repeat business and word of mouth referrals.

The big secret to creating business content is…

Regardless of how you dress it up, business owners (and the content they create) make promises to their intended audience to make their life better. In the business most of us are in – coaching, consulting, speaking, healing – when you write blogs or social media posts or emails or a book, you are in the business of promising to bridge a gap in the reader’s knowledge, skills or abilities… as well as possibly inspire them to do something different with that new knowledge. The reader believes that they will be changed by the time they turn that last page or watch that final video frame. In fact, they are desperate for that change. So don’t deny them that. Ensure your content delivers on the promises of a better, more efficient, more fulfilled, easier, happier, sexier, healthier, richer life.

It’s also true that our audience asks us to make and fulfil promises. If we listen carefully to our clients, our prospects, our peers, our industry we can find clues everywhere to what promises they want us to deliver on. Whether it’s before or after a session with a client, or at a networking or training event, there will be conversations you have that are filled with hints and suggestions on what you should and could create. This act in itself – careful, purposeful listening – can be a game changer for those creating business content. Continue reading →

Content Planning – a party or a pain?

Tis the season for planning!

Every online coach/ marketer/ consultant/strategist worth their salt is hosting a planning event of some kind. Have you noticed that??? Hard not to, right! If you hang in the same circles as me, then right about now your inbox is being hit hard with programs and online parties and webinars or planathons.

It makes sense, given we’re about ready to roll into a new year, (and new decade, btw!), but just how much planning is too much, and what actually is effective?

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You and Me and Bali makes Three

A poem about you and me on a Bali retreat.

You and Me equals creativity,

Yet You and Me operate practically.

You and Me create possibility,

Because You and Me lead our industry.

You and Me get stuff done quickly,

But You and Me always generate quality.

You and Me see things differently,

So You and Me nurture our own posse.

You and Me regard our work highly,

But You and Me are as approachable as can be.

You and Me defend our views fully,

Yet You and Me agree to disagree happily.

You and Me want others to know we’re somebody,

But You and Me are not in the slightest flashy.

You and Me make promises that aren’t empty,

Because You and Me know our stuff completely.

You and Me simply want the world to see,

That You and Me are legendary.

ps. You and Me in Bali, would be extraordinary.

____________________

Join me, from 24-29 June, at my Bali retreat for Thought Leaders.

I’ll help you distil the knowledge in your head, bring it out through your heart in your own unique voice, and use it to create a usable body of content that will have others begging for your advice and opinion. You’ll finally get the recognition you deserve as an amazing thought leader in your industry.

Join me for a week of learning, creating, thinking.

Your body will thank you for it.
Your mind will thank you for it.
Your business will benefit from it.
Your family will benefit from it.

Book a call today to find out more about the Bali retreat

Thought Leadership Content – the steps you need to take

Thought Leadership as a phrase can sound a bit ‘buzzwordy’ (is THAT even a word?!), or truthfully, rather wanky. These days, it can be a bit of an empty marketing pitch to describe someone with just a few thousand followers on Insta and nothing really valuable to say…

BUT, when done right, genuine thought leadership can transform your brand. When you’re seen by others in your industry as offering a new and valid opinion on something established, when you’re viewed as a standout in a particular niche, when your audience hears you saying something unique that’s of value, then doors will open. Opportunities will arise. And those opportunities can fundamentally shift the fortunes of your business.

Of course, becoming a ‘thought leader’ doesn’t happen overnight. To become a trusted person of influence requires dedication to your craft, careful thinking and planning of your communications, and involves having conversations with the right people. But it’s all entirely possible when you know how.

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Get things done in 25 minutes

David Allen, king of the Getting Things Done movement said this:

“What you’ll tend to avoid doing is probably the most important thing you need to do, because it’ll probably be the most daunting and the most potentially successful thing you could be doing.”

So, my question to you is: “What are you avoiding?”

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Improve your health: write some words

Writing therapy is an actual ‘thing’. It’s not just for us nerdy wordy souls yearning for an outlet for our unsatiated brilliance. It’s actually a form of expressive therapy that uses the act of writing, and then the processing of that writing, as a way to heal. The premise behind writing therapy is that by writing one’s feelings down, emotional trauma will gradually ease.

Interesting.

Whilst I’ve never formally undertaken ‘writing therapy’ as such, I certainly know that I get great satisfaction from scribbling down thoughts when I’m in a muddle about something. It helps to clear my head and offer the best answer when I see all the ideas in black and white in front of me. I also remember as a teenager how wonderfully satisfying it was to express my inner most desires and angst in my secret diary, and how I always felt a little closer to the ‘truth’ or ‘real me’ as a result. So I guess that was my own form of writing therapy; nurturing my emotional health through words.

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4 awesome ways you know your content matters

At an event I spoke at recently, a question was asked of me: “Does content matter?”

Ooh….

Hells yeah it matters! With a caveat…

Content for content’s sake is garbage and a waste of time. Content that is purely self-serving and sales-oriented is also icky. But content that adds value, educates, enlightens, inspires, motivates, challenges, raises awareness, absolutely fricken matters. And that’s what we should all be aiming to create. Content with an impact.

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Overwhelmed? You Need A Creativity Retreat

I believe that business ownership is a creative endeavour. But sometimes it can feel more like a task factory, more like a ‘job’ (you know, like the one you ran away from??), than a creative outlet.

And the problem is it kind of gets worse as you get better and more experienced at what you do, which feels counter-intuitive but it’s often very true. As you become a business-building machine, it’s easy to lose touch with your passion, your vision, your BIG WHY, and it’s possible to even lose that genuine connection with the people you love to serve.

What a tragedy!

But it’s all too real for many business owners, especially as they grow from being a solo-entrepreneur or micro-business to one that is consistently driving profit and also supports others, not just the business owner. The kicker is that your passion and creativity and the way that you express that is what really draws prospective clients in. It’s what people loved about you in the first place. Heck, it’s what you loved about you too! And if you lose touch with it, then your prospects and fans do as well.

That passion and creativity is why you set up shop to begin with, right? (You didn’t do it because you thought it would be easier than having a job, did you??) So it’s time to reclaim your calling and your creativity.

But how?

Attend a creativity retreat.

It’s SO important to get away from your endless To-Do list, your everyday activities, and reconnect to your creative energy. Giving time and space to you creativity, and actively working on the projects and ideas, will move you toward the future. It’s the juice that fuels your vision.

Don’t consider this a luxury. It’s a necessary practice for entrepreneurs and leaders. Seriously.

So I urge you to either find the time and place to have your own, personal creativity retreat, or better yet, come to mine!

There are some biz babes and bros I know who literally check themselves into a hotel room, turn off their phone, and stay there for a couple of days. Writing, filming, creating. Or the really lucky ones jump on a plane and go somewhere exotic, away from everything they know. This is awesome if you are highly self-motivated, not easily distracted and have the time to research what’s going to work.

With a group or guided experience however, you get the benefit of structure, expertise on hand, peer support, and collaborative energy. Being around other people on a similar mission often makes it easier to get into the creative flow. (Being given a gentle nudge by a coach when you get stuck also helps!)

Regardless of what way you choose to go, your creativity retreat should include these components:

Physical Separation

Remove yourself from all distractions – clients, employees, kids, housework, day-to-day activities. Creativity and writing require a high level of focus that is often impossible in our normal environment.

Go somewhere different, away from what is ‘normal’. It doesn’t have to be the other side of the world, unless you have the means and the inclination of course. A mountain or coastal retreat works well because of the natural inspiration the surroundings offer.

Separation also means technological separation. Where possible, don’t be calling in to the office or home to see how things are without you; and ask ‘your team’ to respect the same boundaries. Being far away isn’t useful if you keep being interrupted by phone calls, texts, updates, etc.

Creating physical space away from your norm will allow the creativity to flow more easily.

Creative Inspiration

Your retreat should incorporate things that support your creative side – and everyone is a little different on this front. Some people need the beach, others may need an adrenalin fuelled activity, still others might love the funky vibe of an urban neighbourhood.

Moving your body definitely helps to improve focus and creativity, so ensure your retreat includes regular breaks for yoga, stretching, walks, swims, dancing.

Other inspirational activities may be listening to mantras or music, trying something new, colouring in, listening to an inspirational speaker, cooking in a new style.

Enough Time

Habits and patterns are hard to break. Unwinding from your normal routine takes time. Don’t expect you can go away for an afternoon and slip into super-creativity-retreat-mode. To really gain the full benefit of an intense creative time, you need sufficient time. I recommend a minimum of 36 hours, but take 2 or 3 days if you can.

Tangible Results

Before you go on your creativity retreat, set some specific outcomes, but be sure to have a flexible mindset that allows room for new ideas as well. My retreat participants spend up to two hours with me planning what they want to achieve and why. This is then condensed into a formal Retreat Plan that they pledge to follow by signing it on night one of the retreat – accountability always works best!

If you don’t have a plan, and are simply interested in ‘going with the flow’, you may find yourself floundering. Time is precious – don’t go wasting it.

Setting yourself a goal to complete X amount of blogs, or write your book outline, or create 6 months worth of Facebook posts, means you will come out the other end of retreat having accomplished something! You will have a body or work that can make a real difference to your business and carry the retreat experience forward.

Do you need to get out of your rut and shake things up?

Perhaps it’s time for a creative, entrepreneurial retreat!