Have you ever stared at a blank page hoping that the right words and ideas would just… pop up in front of you? Not for lack of trying, but because creating something wholly unique and interesting is not as easy as we want it to be. I know I’ve been there. In fact, that’s why you haven’t seen a blog post from me for a while! Content creation requires organization, research, creativity — and most importantly, time. Anyone can write about anything, but that does not guarantee a quality end result. I admit I judge writing for myself more harshly than I do for others, but who doesn’t? There’s a good chance you feel the same way.
It doesn’t have to be like that forever. There are ways to pull yourself out of a mental slump, break through the walls in front of you and make like Kate Bush and run up that hill. I’m going to peel open my little book of secrets and let you in on a few things, because if you’re interested enough in my story and my mission, you deserve it!
focus on content that makes you you, not someone else
Sometimes, in your pursuit of finding the right thing to post, it gets tempting to push out thoughts, ideas and content that are as cookie-cutter as it gets. Your competitors do it, so why can’t you? Content of any kind is better than no content! –Except not really.
I cannot understate the value of creating a unique brand that separates you from others. Trying to fit in with what your market generally expects makes you one of a million others. What you need for growth is to become one out of a million.
You would be surprised how many existing and potential clients can notice whether you are being genuine or not. Generating generic content is as easy to spot as a stain on a white tee. Learning to become comfortable with being yourself through your messages, whether it be through blogs, videos/photos, e-books or graphics, allows you the chance to develop a connection with someone who truly wants or needs to subscribe to what you provide.
Don’t be afraid to stand out. Give real opinions on matters important and relevant to what you do as opposed to diluting your take in an effort to please everyone! I believe staying clocked into your industry and community is key here!
You already know converting an audience of curious readers and visitors into clients that want to do business with you is far from 100%. Try as you might, it’s just not statistically possible. Developing a connection early on by giving them a preview on the type of person you are helps build trust; not just their trust in you, but trust in yourself.
outline a process and stick with the process
There is no one “process” of steps that I can give you that would be considered a bible. Every content creator has a different approach on how they proceed with developing something for their brand. If you try to Google something along the lines of what steps to follow, you may notice every blog has something different. Of course there are fundamentals like researching, writing and marketing your product, but I can’t stress the importance of finding a process that works best for YOU.
I get it, though. If you’ve read up to this point, I think it’s safe to say you give a hoot about what I preach. I won’t leave you hanging. Here is mine:
Brainstorm Ideas. Throwing something at a wall to see if it sticks is great in desperate times, but the preferred approach for me is to dedicate an hour or more of my time to workshop and develop ideas that come to mind. One thing I recently began doing is really sticking with lists and to-dos. This also applies to ideas! By putting down your ideas, you know how to expand into the next steps. I won’t delve deep on any one idea at this stage, but I will instead create a calendar or a document of preliminary options to pursue further as I see fit.
Research. Once I settle on what specific idea I want to explore, I dig in deeper. There’s hardly anything worse than writing or designing a product about a subject/market I know little to nothing about. Even if it’s a topic I am familiar with, fact-checking is what separates subject matter experts from obvious content farms. Make note of sources used, pull quotations from individuals I respect – I do my homework before I send something out into the world, because I know how important it is for my brand to be a safe source for knowledge.
Write! Or create. Or record. It obviously depends on what I am doing, but I always do the first two steps first. Recording a video, preparing a presentation, writing a blog post… it always ends up here. This is the bulky part, as one can imagine, but first drafts and notes will be laid out aplenty for me to come back to review later.
Review/edit. I am never one to hit “send” or reveal to a client without looking at it a good dozen times to be safe. Bulkier projects will typically sit on my computer overnight for me to come back to with fresh eyes. Entire pages, designs or paragraphs will look entirely different upon a review. If you have an editor, partner or even a significant other you can rely on, do not hesitate to have them do a peer review as well. Embrace constructive criticism (which, let’s be honest, deserves its own topic), hone your product and prepare to…
Publish and Don’t Delay It. Once my project is green-lit and I feel confident in its quality and purpose, I ship it off. Whether it’s packaged in an email to a client, posted on my website or released on a client’s social media, there is always more to this than clicking a button. I take time to explain the email package’s contents for all clients, help them navigate what to do with files, etc. Any new content for my website (like this!) will need a marketing plan so that I can promote it to the world, and the same applies for any social media work I have done for a client.
Having a process that has been curated specifically for you allows for creativity to flow instead of stagnate. Stagnation creates frustration, stress, anxiety, boredom. Ahhh, it comes full circle.
give yourself time for the process
The process you’ve carefully created for yourself won’t matter much at all if you try to rush or skip steps for any particular reason. I am the first one to admit that real life gets in the way of me having a clear mind that can focus. Project deadlines can sneak up on me at the last minute, and I am hardly immune to that horrible thing we know as procrastination. It doesn’t help that I get distracted by every little thing around me!
Being forced to rush almost always means disaster, for your mindset and for the content you are creating. If you compare something you made with ample time and preparation to a project that was rushed, you will undoubtedly see a noticeable difference in terms of quality. Even if you are the type that works well under pressure, creativity is often snuffed out in favor of quick resolutions.
Be kind to your mind. Give it time to work. Time management is not a skill all of us can possess, but it is important you find a way to get into a flow that allows for ideas to grow. Remove distractions if you can, hit shuffle on your favorite Spotify playlist and make a commitment to give your process the time it deserves, especially in the early steps.
before you go…
You have the ability to create meaningful content at a pace that works with your schedule. While we may suggest certain things, each business is different. The most important part is getting started!
