Today, I’m going to get real.
And not just about content.
I have had so many conversations this week with my team and other business friends about what would happen if our businesses stopped functioning. If all our clients went away.
That’s a real concern for a lot of people right now.
And I get it. We rely on my income as a family. But now is not the time to shrink back and hide. Or to stop talking. Please don’t stop talking about the genius you bring to the world!
I think of all the people that are coming together to help friends and neighbors however they can. This past weekend the Governor of Utah called for a weekend of Prayer and Service. It was so nice to focus on something other than earthquakes, quarantines, and viruses. We were all grateful for the distractions. And my kids loved walking around the neighborhood leaving treats on people’s doorsteps.
It also got me thinking – how can I be of service with my content? I thrive on helping other people get their message out in a bigger way.
What should I be talking about?
Right now, a lot of people don’t know how to approach their content. What should I post? Is it okay to sell? Should I be talking about the virus?
First, should you be talking about the virus? Honestly, I think people are going to start getting sick of hearing the horror stories. Maybe they already are. I sure am. But it’s going to depend on your ideal client. So notice what they are posting about on social media themselves, then make the decision from there.
My ideal client wants to know how they can power through and come out stronger on the other side. They want a leader and someone who is going to stand up DURING the pandemic.
So where does your ideal client fall?
I had a conversation with a friend the other day about if it is okay to sell right now. Some people have been posting that it isn’t okay to sell and she was a little unsettled with that.
This shouldn’t be a marketing opportunity. So if you are like the guy that is hoarding 18k hand sanitizers and trying to make a quick buck, don’t do that. It’s not awesome and you aren’t contributing to the greater good.
That also means that it’s not “business as usual” around the web. Every post, every campaign, every ad you run needs to have extra empathy and care in the coming weeks. It’s okay to market and sell your products and services, just don’t use the pandemic as a platform to self promote.
Rather, keep showing up for your people. Be their constant and leader. If you have a product to sell that will help their business, then talk to them about it. The world of business hasn’t and shouldn’t stop, but it has shifted.
You are going to start seeing more content from me. I have already started going live more and doing stories more. You’ll learn more about how you can repurpose your content effectively right now. And I’ll throw in some of my favorite ways to be a good “digital neighbor”!
Bottom line – your audience needs you now more than ever. We are truly a digital world now, so you need to be making that shift to creating MORE content and showing up MORE often.
Struggling to create content
Are you struggling to create content right now? I get that. I struggle with that too. As a content strategist, I get stuck in the mode of perfection. I think everything needs to be perfect before I release it. I’m working through that. 🙂
Yesterday, I spent an entire day trying to create a sales page. I can see in hindsight that it was my inner-perfectionist trying to come through.
Right now, commit to posting every single day and writing or doing 1 video a week. You can repurpose that content in multiple places, so it’s doesn’t have to be overwhelming. (And if you want to learn more about repurposing, keep tuning in or check out some of my past blog posts. I have lots of information). But either way – you gotta start.
Talk about your current struggles in your home and business. What questions are you getting from your clients on the regular? Respond to those with a video or blog post.
I have been getting asked quite frequently about how to monetize social media right now. Here is the answer: It is really hard to get a direct ROI from social media. Social media is meant to build a connection with your audience. It’s meant to educate and to bring awareness to your brand. If you aren’t showing up to do those things every single day, then it will never convert.
It’s really easy to get “Expert Blindness”. That’s when you are too close to your own ideas, that you forget that your audience doesn’t know those things too. It’s really easy to fall into that.
So start with the basics. What do you consistently talk about during your sales calls? Talk about those on in your videos or blog posts.
Your content, your mission, your message, the movement you are trying to create is already within you. Sometimes we muck it up by posting about it without understanding how to share it and strategically reach our ideal client.