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.

But first answer this question

So if the ‘big secret’ to creating awesome business content is simply to create something that delivers on a promise, the BIG question is: What are you promising your audience? What gap does your product or service help your audience to bridge? What does that transition look like? The answer to this question is essential. Without the answer in crystal clear detail you will be up ship creek without a paddle. Seriously. There is little point being in business, let alone trying to market that business without knowing this.

Then answer this question

The second part of this ‘big secret’ is to know who exactly your audience is now and who are you helping them to become. You must know this in minute detail – the painpoints, desires, triggers, motivators – so that you can use the right language to appease and appeal to them and the future vision they have of themselves. Once you know this, your business content takes on a whole new energy and direction. In fact it’s almost laughable how easy things become once this piece truly slots into place.

Finally, comes the measurable action

Having the answers to these two questions is a huge starting point.  But there must then be measurable action.  Once you begin publishing your business content you’ll soon become aware of what hits the mark and what doesn’t. Some pieces of content will get great engagement, others will silently scream “what about me?” Look at the images you use, the placement and timing of the piece, as well as the tone and language you use.  Working with the results and doing more of what works is what will help you become a better business content creator who consistently fulfils their promise to their audience.

So I ask you….Who is your audience and who do they want to be? How does your service help your audience to become that person? What promise can you make them that you can actually deliver on?

Answer these questions before you go writing another piece of business content.

If you need a hand, please feel free to contact me for a one hour coaching session where we’ll nail this.