Marketing

  • Marketing

    5 Reasons Your Business Needs an Online Presence

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    Your Business' Online Presence Matters
    Your Business' Online Presence Matters

    Tell me if this sounds familiar. You’ve been growing your business over the last few years, and it’s grown decently, but you feel stuck. So you try creating an online presence for your brand.

    But after several months of content creation and promotion, you don’t see a lot of fruit for your hard work. Your numbers are nowhere near where you want them to be… so what’s the point?

    When you hit a rut like that, it’s easy to get discouraged. In those moments, you probably have thoughts like these:

    This is taking forever! Why am I spending so much time promoting my business on social media when no one even cares?

    I’ll never be as popular on Instagram as [Insert Fellow Businessperson Here]. They have so many followers. I barely have a few hundred.

    I… have… NO CLUE WHAT I’M DOING!

    If you’ve ever caught yourself thinking those things, let me reassure you … you’re 100% normal!

    So if cultivating an online presence can be so hard, why spend time doing it at all?

    I’ll tell you why. In fact, in this article, I’ll give you 5 compelling reasons why your business needs an online presence.

    Let me run through them briefly for you:

    • Your customers are online.
    • An online presence makes you look like a legitimate business.
    • Your online presence works for you 24/7, not just during networking meetings.
    • Online automation lets you nurture more potential clients at once.
    • It opens your client base up beyond your geographical location.

    Now let’s look at each of these reasons on a deeper level.

    1. Your Online Presence Matters Because Your Customers Are Online

    Your customers are online. And not just your future customers—I mean your current customers. They’re online looking for online solutions to their problem.

    But don’t take my word for it. A 2019 study found that 81% of consumers do online research before making a purchase in a physical store. And 85% do online research before making an online purchase.

    Modern customers want to look you up online before buying what you offer.

    In our digital age, you can’t afford not to have an online presence. I don’t mean that to sound threatening or judgmental. It’s just how it is.

    Think about it. When you need to purchase something, what do you do? Probably one of two things: Either you ask your friends where they get that product/service or you research it online.

    If you run a small business, referrals are probably your strongest way of getting clients. But if you want to grow your small business beyond your friend group, you’re going to need to build an online presence.

    2. An Online Presence Makes Your Business Look Legit

    When people hear about your business and are considering purchasing, the first thing they do is look you up online. I promise.

    I’ve done this more times than I can count. And if I can’t find the person online, it raises a red flag for me and makes me subconsciously question the quality of the business’ products or services.

    Maybe it’s not fair for me to subconsciously jump to that conclusion. But I can tell you it’s because I grew up in an increasingly digital age. And I’m not the only one who thinks this way.

    Your online presence represents the quality of your brand to the vast majority of your customers—now and in the future. For that reason alone, cultivating your online presence is worth the effort.

    That means creating a website that’s clean, branded, and easy to navigate. It also means being active on at least one or two social media platforms. And lastly, it means growing and nurturing your audience via email.

    3. Your Online Presence Works for You 24/7

    Unlike networking and referrals, your online marketing works for you at all times, night and day.

    Once you put content up online, it stays there for people to find it. I’ve had clients who have found my blogs months after I posted them and, as a result, loved my work and wanted to hire me.

    Now, granted, social media does require some engagement. But even with social media, you can schedule posts out in advance and then take about 15 minutes a day or so to engage with people who liked or commented on your posts.

    There are definitely ways to save time with your online marketing!

    4. Online Marketing Allows You to Nurture Many Clients at Once

    It’s true, there’s nothing like face-to-face meetings or personal follow-up emails to convince a client to work with you.

    But with online marketing, you can nurture many clients at once. Not just 20, but dozens, hundreds—thousands, even.

    That’s the power of automation! Scheduling social media posts, blog posts, emails, and so on leverages your limited time to reach far more people than you could with personal phone calls and networking meetings.

    5. Your Online Platform Opens Up Your Client Base

    Cultivating a strong online presence allows you to connect with potential clients all over the country and the world, not just in your local community.

    I work out of my home in Central Florida, but my entire business is online. As a result, only about 25% of my clients are in Florida. The rest are all around the U.S.! Oddly enough, about 50% of my clients are in California. I’m not exactly sure why that worked out that way…

    But the main point is that when you have an online presence, it opens you up to clients beyond your geographical location. And as you know, more customers means more revenue.

    Start Cultivating Your Online Presence Today

    I hope I’ve convinced you of the value of creating a strong online presence for your business.

    If you haven’t started building your online platform yet, I highly encourage you to start—today. Don’t wait any longer. Build that website. Create those social media posts. Write those blogs. Send those emails. You owe it to your business!

    Here’s a free e-book all about how to get started with building your online presence through blogging, social media, and email marketing. I think you’ll find it helpful!

    And if you’ve been trying to build your online presence and are totally frustrated with the results so far, I’d be happy to chat with you about what might be holding you back.

    Schedule a free clarity call with me to see how I can help you build the online presence your business deserves. No more confusion—just clarity and growth!

    Why Your Online Presence Matters
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  • Marketing

    How to Create Compelling Content When You’re Not a Writer

    compelling content for video
    compelling content for video

    Whether or not you’re a natural writer, you can create compelling content on a consistent basis. Believe me.

    For some people, writing comes easily. I know writers who can whip out 3,000 eloquent words in a matter of hours. And in fact, some of us even process our thoughts better in writing than we do aloud.

    While I can’t boast about being a fast writer, I can say that I do process my thoughts more easily by writing them down. But I know a lot of people who simply don’t process information that way. That’s not their preferred method of communication.

    And that is 100% okay.

    Compelling Content Isn’t Just for Writers

    Some people communicate better with their voice. They process information and express their ideas much better when they’re talking than when they’re writing.

    Maybe that’s you. Perhaps you feel much more comfortable speaking on a stage or chatting on a video than you do sitting in front of a blank Word doc. 

    If that’s you, please don’t feel like content marketing isn’t for you. That’s simply not true. You don’t have to be a natural writer to create compelling content that grabs people’s attention.

    You don’t have to slave away in front of your computer, laboring out barely 100 words per hour and then realizing they’re not even that good anyway.

    In fact, for natural speakers, content marketing can take on a fresh look and garner greater engagement—if you leverage your skills properly. And with all the tech available nowadays, it’s easier than ever for a natural speaker to content market their business.

    In this blog post, I’m going to walk you through how non-writers can create a compelling content marketing strategy.

    Let’s get started, shall we?

    How to Create Compelling Content

    Focus on Your Strengths, Not Your Weaknesses

    If your gift isn’t writing, it’s probably not the best use of your time to focus on improving your writing.

    My strength, for instance, is not in the visuals. I’m not a designer. I don’t have a natural eye for what looks good in photos and social media art.

    So I’m not going to spend the majority of my time trying to improve my design skills. I’m going to find a shortcut for design (yay templates) and spend most of my time working on what I’m already good at: writing.

    While I do believe we should all work on our blind spots, many thought leaders have pointed out that we’re much more effective when we spend the majority of our time building on the strengths we already have.

    Several studies have shown there are numerous benefits to working more with your strengths than with your weaknesses.

    Some of those benefits include:

    • Greater happiness/satisfaction
    • Less stress
    • A feeling of being healthier and having more energy
    • More confidence
    • Faster growth and development
    • Greater creativity

    Think about it: How much more effective would your content marketing be if you let your strengths drive your content, not your weaknesses?

    Your content would be better quality since you’d be using skills you’re best at. I would also say that you would feel more comfortable, which would make you more relatable and approachable—another factor in driving engagement and trust.

    Another reason to use your strengths to help you generate content is that it makes it much easier to simply get your ideas out of your head.

    For those who aren’t natural writers, it can be a very frustrating process to try to get ideas out of their brains and directly onto paper. It trips them up because there’s a step missing—processing the information.

    Capture Your Compelling Content Ideas

    If you’re more of a verbal processor, then suggestions like “carry a notepad around with you” aren’t the best advice when it comes to capturing your ideas.

    Instead, I recommend downloading a voice recorder app on your phone. That way, whenever an idea strikes you, you can immediately verbalize that idea in a recording and go back to it later to flesh it out and pare it down.

    The goal of recording your ideas is to later on turn them into written content (for social media, blogs, your website, etc.) as well as into videos or podcasts. More on that in a moment.

    Recording your thoughts audibly also has another benefit—your vocabulary.

    When writing compelling content, it’s important to use language that feels “real.” In other words, it’s important to write the way you talk. And what better way to know how to write like you talk than by actually talking through your ideas to begin with?

    (Read more about how to make your blogs and social posts easier to read.)

    When you listen to the recording of your idea later on, make sure to pay special attention to the words you use. You’ll find your writing much easier to understand, and much more captivating, if you speak your thoughts out loud first.

    Focus on Video Content

    To build off the benefits of verbally recording your ideas, the next best step to take is recording videos of yourself.

    Not only does this play on your strength of speaking, but it also allows your audience to connect with you in a way that they can’t do through reading.

    When people read your words, they connect with your ideas. But when they hear your words and see your face, they connect with your personality. That’s because, unlike with reading, viewers can see your facial expressions and hear your tone of voice.

    One important note: This tactic isn’t for capturing your ideas. These videos are actually for posting on social media. For that reason, it may be helpful to you to first capture your ideas with the recording app. Then, after you’ve had a chance to get clear on your idea, record a video of yourself to post on social media.

    The great thing about recording videos like this is that they don’t need to be fancy. It can simply be your face talking to your smartphone. Keep it simple. Make it relatable.

    The other cool thing is that they don’t have to be long. 

    I’m not talking about an hour-long Facebook live session here. I’m talking about a one- to three-minute-long video where you share a thought or actionable idea.

    It could be as simple as sharing one or two strategies that have helped you overcome a specific problem your audience struggles with. It could be addressing a mindset issue your audience has. Or it could be simply sharing a peek behind the curtain into your life so your audience can get to know the real you.

    Don’t complicate this. Again, keep it simple. And make it relatable.

    Hire Someone to Write Blogs for You

    If you know you’re not a great writer but you do want to invest in your business by blogging… then hiring a blog writer can be a great move.

    In many ways, hiring a blog writer is an investment because, yes, it does cost money. But when you hire an experienced blog writer, they can provide content that is:

    1. Optimized for search engines
    2. Well-written
    3. Tailored to your core audience

    And if you’re following my advice by creating video content, then you already have information your writer can use to turn into blogs!

    Need More Help Crafting Your Compelling Content Strategy?

    If you’re not a natural writer, you can still create content that expands your reach and builds a deeper connection with your audience. It’s all about how you do it.

    If you want specialized help to craft a content strategy that works for you, let’s set up a free coaching call! 

    I’d love to brainstorm ideas with you and help you figure out the best plan for creating content while using your strengths. Email me at jennyrosespaudo@gmail.com and get your content strategy started today!

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  • Marketing

    5 Real Reasons People Aren’t Opening Your Emails

    Why people aren't opening your emails
    Get your emails opened.

    If you’re having a tough time figuring out why people aren’t opening your emails, you’re not alone.

    And although I offer email writing services for those who don’t have the time or simply don’t want to go through the agony of figuring out how to write compelling email copy, I want you to know that writing your own emails doesn’t have to be scary.

    In fact, I would encourage people to write their own emails for at least a little while before hiring a copywriter to take over. Why? So that you can nail down your personal voice.

    After all—and let me establish this right off the bat—your emails are NOT a corporate newsletter. You are a human being speaking to other human beings. 

    Email is simply the medium. Your words are the message. And the message is what’s most important.

    So let’s unpack some of the most common reasons your emails aren’t getting opened. Shall we?

    Why people aren't opening your emails

    1. You’re writing emails to the masses instead of having a conversation with a friend. 

    I’ve heard several marketing experts say that when writing copy (whether for a blog or an email or social media), you should write to one person. Picture them in your mind and talk only to them.

    One of my mentors suggested that I actually have a picture that matches my ideal client and stick it by my computer while I’m typing. That way, I’m imagining just writing to that one person who needs my help.

    The reason this is so important is that although you may be writing to multiple people, your email is arriving in your subscriber’s personal inbox. That is to say, they don’t see you speaking to the crowd. The crowd isn’t around. It’s just them at their computer, reading an email from you.

    So speak to that one person as if they’re the only one you’re talking to. Make it a conversation. And I promise that the person reading your email will feel a stronger connection with you and what you’re saying.

    2. You’re filling your emails up with so much text and pictures that it’s hard to follow. 

    I believe that emails should be incredibly easy to read. When people open your email, they should know exactly where to look, what to read, and where to go when they’re done reading. 

    Think about your own inbox. How many emails do you get a day?

    For me, it’s at least 50. Yikes, I know. So when I open an email that is way too busy visually, it stresses me out and, without even thinking, I delete it and move on to the next one.

    Don’t create an email that sends your subscriber straight to the delete key. 

    The good news about this is that it actually makes it easier on you! You do NOT need the stress of feeling like you have to come up with an overwhelming amount of content and pictures. 

    Start by choosing a simple format on your email service provider. Design is fine and be visually appealing, but studies have shown that plain-text emails perform better than super duper fancy ones. 

    In fact, the founder of ConvertKit—who is a designer—doesn’t even include fancy templates in ConvertKit’s email options because his experiments have shown again and again that people prefer simple emails over heavily designed ones.

    Does this mean you can’t add a little pizzazz to your emails? I don’t think so. But just don’t let your emails become visually confusing. If you add design, make sure it’s clear to the reader where they’re supposed to look.

    That said, write an email in plain, simple language like you would talk to a friend.

    Then, end with a very clear call to action. I would recommend limiting yourself to one call to action per email. So in one email, you might tell your subscriber to click to read your latest blog. In another email, you may tell them to take advantage of a limited-time discount your offering on a product.

    By giving your subscribers one task to complete, you’re upping the likelihood that they’ll actually do what you’re asking.

    3. Your newsletter isn’t adding tremendous value. 

    This is a hard one, I know. But really ask yourself if your emails are meeting a need. 

    Are you answering a big question people have? Or are you offering encouragement to a weary soul? Are you building camaraderie with someone who needs guidance? Or maybe you’re giving insider information to a hungry reader.

    Every email you send should add value. 

    4. You’re not being consistent. 

    Nurturing relationships takes time and it takes consistency. 

    Your relationship with the Lord is a perfect example. If you’re not daily seeking Him, reading His Word and listening for His voice, it is much harder to nurture your relationship with Him into all it could be. 

    Don’t get me wrong. This isn’t a guilt trip; it’s just how it is. Abiding is so much easier as you continually nurture your relationship with God. 

    In the same way, engaging your target audience is so much easier when you’re consistently nurturing your relationship with them. 

    That includes talking to them, listening to them and asking questions regularly. Relationships must always take precedence over sales. 

    5. You’re talking to the wrong audience. 

    Whoops! If you’re doing all the things above and people are still not opening your emails, then you may have a bigger problem. 

    Maybe people signed up for your newsletter for all the wrong reasons, or they signed up thinking you would provide one kind of content and you provided something different. 

    If that’s what’s happening with you, it’s totally OK.

    In cases like this, don’t be scared when you see people unsubscribe. Unsubscribes are really just cleaning out your email list for you of people who are unengaged and aren’t your target audience.

    In fact, having an unengaged email list can hurt you in the long run and make it more likely that your emails will be flagged as spam. 

    —

    Did you know I offer coaching and writing services?

    If you’ve tried my suggestions above and still aren’t seeing the results you want, schedule a call with me and let’s figure out a plan that works for you. Or hire me to write your emails for you! Reach me at jennyrosespaudo@gmail.com.

    Click here for more information on the services I offer to help your business thrive.

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  • Promotion

    Practical Tips to Get Your Article Published in Major Magazines

    Get Published in Major Magazines
    Get published in major magazines

    You probably already know that getting your name published in major magazines is important for building credibility for your brand.

    But do you know how to make that happen?

    If you’re like most authors, business owners and ministers, the answer is most likely no.

    If you know me or have read many of my blogs, you already know that I used to work for a Chrisitian magazine. In my role as online news director, I received hundreds of submissions every week from people who want to get published in our online magazines.

    But I couldn’t publish all of them.

    So what separated those who got published from those who didn’t? The answer is multifaceted, but here are several tips to help you best position yourself to get published online.

    Get Published in Major Magazines

    Tip #1: Submit your articles to magazines that align with your niche.

    This one is simple. If your article isn’t faith-focused, don’t submit it to a Christian magazine. If your primary target audience is believers in business, don’t submit it to a parenting magazine.

    Make sure your article would contribute to the magazine’s main purpose before you submit it.

    The reason for this is that magazine editors receive so many submissions that only the best ones get published. And if your content isn’t a great fit, your email may be quickly deleted.

    Speaking of which, try to find the name and email address of the correct person you should submit your article to. If someone sends an article to our generic customer service email, I most likely won’t see it. It helps immensely when authors submit their articles directly to me.

    (Hint: Start by asking your followers what magazines and online publications they read.)

    Tip #2: Give the editor a little space.

    OK, I might be saying this because I’ve lived it. But it’s still true. 

    Editors get so many submissions that they can’t possibly keep up if every author is demanding special treatment. That might include sending multiple emails in a row asking if the editor received your submission or requesting multiple changes to the article once it’s online.

    Sometimes the editor can’t get back to you right away because they’re juggling so many priorities. 

    I have to be honest right now. When I see an author email me three times in a row about an article they’re submitting to me, and then email me again three hours later to see if I got their previous emails … it makes me not want to publish their stuff at all.

    Also, keep in mind that the editor’s job is not to promote you—it’s to do what’s best for their magazine.

    I really don’t mean that to sound harsh at all. It’s just how it is. 

    As an editor, I truly want what’s best for our writers. I want their names to get out there and for their businesses or ministries to grow. 

    But my first business priority has to be to protect and promote the magazine I work for. If your article doesn’t help me do those two things, please understand when I can’t use it.

    Tip #3: Don’t send a million articles all at once.

    I understand that sometimes writers get time to write in infrequent bursts. But if you submit five articles within a week’s span, don’t expect the editor to use all of them … or even more than one.

    If you really want to be published in major magazines, space out your submissions. Unless you’re using the strategy of “Here are five submissions, so hopefully one of them works for you!” 

    But that sounds like a lot of energy for little return.

    Tip #4: Be careful not to come across as pushy, entitled or “all that.”

    Gross.

    At risk of sounding negative, I do have to admit I have come across many ministry leaders who want to be published in our online magazine who acted entitled. 

    They write their emails as if they’re doing me a favor when I publish their article.

    Nuh-uh.

    Don’t do that. When your article gets published in major magazines, they’re helping you out. They’re promoting your name and brand to their audience. That’s huge.

    Don’t let the size of your ministry or the number of your followers cause you to become entitled and treat others badly.

    Always be a servant. Always be humble. I promise it will make editors actually want to publish your work.

    Your character speaks volumes.

    Tip #5: Edit, edit, edit!

    This one is so huge.

    If you want to submit an article to a major magazine, make sure it’s good! 

    Make sure you have a main point, solid takeaways, and an easy-to-follow structure. Pare your article down so it’s an ideal length.

    Check your grammar and make sure your syntax, spelling and overall flow is clean.

    I have received so many articles that matched our audience, but I couldn’t use them because the writing was so bad.

    If you are a thought leader who can’t write to save your life, then hire someone. Ask them to edit an excerpt from your book or write an article based on one of your teachings or sermons.

    But don’t turn in a half-baked article and expect the editor to publish it. Again, their job is to protect their magazine, and that includes from bad writing.

    Tip #6: Make your article relevant and tell a story.

    I’ve turned down countless press releases because all they did was promote the business, ministry or author.

    But when I see a press release that actually tells a story or comments on a hot current event, I’m all over it.

    Magazines publish stories. They publish commentary on relevant current events. Practical advice that pertains to their target audience.

    They won’t publish your one-sheet or your promo piece. Give them a story that their readers will actually care about.

    Here’s an example: When Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter died in an unexpected helicopter crash, it broke the news. Everyone was talking about it because it was so tragic and so shocking.

    For about two weeks after that horrible incident, I published multiple articles about it. Some of the writers were counselors or psychologists. Others were pastors. And still others were just cultural commentators. 

    But they all had something unique to say that I knew our readers would care about.

    Keep your eye on the news and cultural trends. Be ready to write an article when something happens that you have the knowledge and expertise to comment on. Then submit it as soon as you can.

    (Hint: Always remember that hot news items involve real human beings. Don’t trash someone after a tragedy. Be respectful and gracious in your writing, even when expressing a controversial opinion.)

    And there you have it. Six practical tips to help you get your article published in major magazines. 

    Still have questions about this? Email me at jennyrosespaudo@gmail.com and let’s chat!

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  • Marketing

    What Is a Content Marketing Strategy and Do You Even Need One?

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    Content Marketing Strategy

    Content marketing

    For many Christian entrepreneurs with at-home businesses, you say the phrase “content marketing” and their eyes glaze over.

    After all, let’s be honest, marketing yourself is probably NOT the most exciting task you have as a business owner.

    In fact, I know a lot of entrepreneurs (including my own mother!) who absolutely hate the sales and marketing parts of their businesses.

    In my mom’s words, “It just feels … weird.”

    I get it. I really do.

    (This is why I was hired as an editor at my 9-5 job and not a sales rep…)

    But if you’ve been in business for any amount of time, you know that sales and marketing are absolutely vital to the health of your business!

    So what do you do?

    Well, the good news is that content marketing is not the creepy-car-salesman kind of marketing you’re used to seeing on TV.

    In fact, once you actually understand what content marketing is and how to apply it to your business, it easily becomes the most exciting part of your job—and the most profitable!

    Content Marketing Strategy

    What Is Content Marketing?

    But first … what is content marketing?

    Well, according to the Content Marketing Institute: “Content marketing is a strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience—and, ultimately, to drive profitable customer action.”

    If I lost you there for a second, it’s totally OK.

    Basically, it’s when you provide free and value-packed content to your ideal audience so that they trust you and eventually buy from you.

    The free content you consistently give them signals that you actually care about them. As your audience feels cared for, they begin to trust you. As they trust you, they begin to trust your solution to the specific problem your product or service solves.

    I’ve heard content marketing defined as “pull-down” marketing, where potential clients come searching for your content. This is way different than “push” marketing, which advertises to the masses, whether or not they even want what you’re offering.

    As Neil Patel points out, there are hundreds of different ways to do content marketing—from cartoons to movies to infographics to e-books to giveaways.

    But for the sake of your business’ needs, I’m going to narrow down my definition of content marketing.

    After all, you’re not a huge company that’s marketing to the masses. Your business might still be on the small side right now, and you’re probably running it out of your own home. Your strategy will be much more personal and nuanced.

    So from now on, whenever I talk about content marketing in this article, I’m talking about using your blog or podcast to deliver free, value-packed content on a weekly basis so you can build a loyal following of people who need exactly what you’re offering and trust you enough to buy it from you.

    Now, there is more to it than this. For you, content marketing will also likely include social media, your emails to subscribers and so forth.

    But it all hangs on your weekly content, whether that’s a blog or podcast.

    Do you have a set method of delivering free weekly content? 

    If not, check out my blog on “Blog vs. Podcast: Which One Is Better for Your Business?”

    Already decided? Great! Then the next question is …

    How Do I Create a Content-Marketing Strategy?

    Your strategy begins with figuring out a three-step plan that will lead bystanders who consume your content on a journey to becoming loyal followers.

    This does not have to be as scary as it sounds. 

    Creating the first part of your content-marketing strategy simply means:

    1. Deliver free weekly content that solves your audience’s problem, answers their burning questions, or satisfies a deep interest.

    2. Promote your content online where your audience spends time.

    3. Create a freebie (also known as lead magnet or opt-in) specifically designed for your ideal audience. You will use this freebie as an incentive for people to sign up for your email list.

    This three-step process doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a journey of building trust with your audience, which leads me to my next point.

    You Need to Be Trustworthy

    In my opinion, it’s crucial that you approach your content-marketing strategy with the mindset of “How can I serve?” instead of “What can I get out of this?”

    Believe me, if you approach your audience with the latter attitude, they will sense it and they will distrust you.

    I mean, come on. Give human beings at least a little credit. We can typically tell when someone is trying to take advantage of us, right? (OK, maybe not always. Unfortunately. Thanks, Eve.)

    This attitude of giving is one of the reasons I get so excited about content marketing.

    It’s all about giving before you take. 

    It’s about serving before being served.

    It’s about honoring others before yourself.

    The apostle Paul credits Jesus as saying it’s better to give than to receive (Acts 20:35).

    And in Matthew 20:28, Jesus says that He “did not come to be served, but to serve and to give [His] life as a ransom for many.”

    Now, I know I’m not Jesus. And neither are you. But we are called to abide in Him, walk as He did, and clothe ourselves in Him and not in the flesh (see Romans 13:14).

    I think content marketing is a great opportunity for you to exercise that command.

    Now that you have the right mindset about content marketing, let’s flesh out your strategy.

    1. How to Be Strategic With Your Weekly Content

    Your weekly content should always, always, always revolve around your audience’s needs.

    Your content should answer their questions, entertain them, solve their problems, or shed light on something they’re confused about or doing wrong.

    And it should also always revolve around your solutions to those needs.

    If you’re a legal contractor and your audience has questions about how to interpret LLC laws, how to word a client contract, and how to help their kid sleep at night, which topic do you think you should NOT write about?

    (Hint: It’s the third one.)

    My example was overly simplistic, but the point is still valid.

    I’ve seen entrepreneurs stray out of their niche with their weekly content, and the results often damage their brand. People get confused and wonder, Wait, what do you actually do again?

    Stay laser-focused on what needs you meet and your audience’s concerns and questions within those needs.

    The reason for this is that by focusing on your niche, you position yourself as an “expert” in that area.

    Don’t let yourself freak out at the word “expert”!

    Positioning yourself as an expert in your niche to your audience doesn’t mean that you have to know everything about that topic. It means you know enough to guide your followers to their next step.

    I am certainly not the world’s foremost expert on all things marketing. For example, even though I’m doing a lot of research on social-media advertising, I don’t have a ton of first-hand experience with it.

    But that’s OK because I’m not teaching you about Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram ads! 

    What I DO have is several years of experience creating and posting content that captivates an audience and using it to drive organic traffic to an intended site.

    That is the key element to your content-marketing strategy, and that’s what I’m teaching you how to do.

    For your weekly content strategy, I want you to answer the following questions:

    WHO exactly is my audience?

    What are their fears and concerns? What do they want to learn from me? What is their main pain point?

    WHAT is my solution?

    What answers can my products offer to their questions? How can my services assuage their pain point?

    HOW can I write about those solutions in a way that adds value to my readers’/listeners’ lives?

    What topics can I write about that will position me as an expert in my niche to my specific audience? How can I add solutions, ideas or strategies that will make them feel seen, heard, and satisfied?

    Once you’ve answered these questions, you need to make a promise to yourself to follow this one rule:

    Post. Every. Week.

    The point of valuable, consistent content is that it’s … consistent.

    Consistency is important because it tells your audience that you’re here for them long-term. (After all, content marketing is a long-term strategy, not a short-term one.)

    No one wants to follow a flash-in-the-pan. (No offense to the followers of Korah and Absalom.) 

    The once-a-week rule isn’t necessarily a gold standard. But you should avoid the temptation of posting five or six blogs in one week and then nothing for a month or so.

    You may find that you want to post twice or three times a week. Just choose a consistency and stick with it.

    If once a week is too much for you, start with twice a month. (I would be careful of only posting once a month because it can be very hard to build organic traction with fewer fresh posts.)

    So proud of you, friend! You’ve completed step one of your content-marketing strategy!

    Ready for step two?

    2. How to Promote Your Weekly Content Online

    Promoting your content online can be really easy—provided you know where your audience is hanging out online.

    So before you create your detailed plan for how many times you’re going to post on social media, ask yourself this question:

    Where does my audience spend time online?

    Is it Facebook? Instagram? Pinterest? Twitter? LinkedIn? A combination?

    Do a little digging and find out which social media are their favorites and what they do on there.

    For instance, my mom (who also happens to be my ideal customer—I just really like her a lot) spends time on Instagram for entertainment, Facebook for her work and personal connections, and Pinterest for work and learning.

    This is valuable information for me to know. If the rest of my ideal audience is like my mom, then this impacts what kind of content I post on these media.

    I may hammer my blog posts on Pinterest with “how-to” language, post engaging and inspiring content on Instagram, and work on networking within Facebook groups.

    Researching your audience may take a little time, so give yourself some breathing room here!

    I would recommend starting with just two or three social media and being really strategic about it. As you finesse your strategies with these and you feel you can start experimenting with other social media, try it out. But first, just start with a couple.

    As you learn more about your audience’s habits, take notes and adjust your posting strategy as necessary.

    You can also work on playing around with how often you post.

    For right now, since this blog is still new, I’m experimenting with the following social-media schedule:

    Pinterest: 5 to 10 pins a day, the first 5 being my own content. (Everyone seems to be saying 30-50 pins, which just seems crazy at the moment.)

    Instagram: 3 times a week

    Facebook: 3 times a week

    LinkedIn: 2-3 times a week (Posts include article links to my site as well as articles created within the LinkedIn platform.)

    I will likely adjust as I analyze the response to my social media posts, and I encourage you to do the same!

    The algorithms and rules for engagement are ALWAYS changing on social media, so it’s crucial that you stay flexible and keep alert regarding how people are responding to your posts.

    3. How to Be Strategic With Your Free Lead Magnet

    The next step in your content-marketing strategy is creating a free lead magnet that’s valuable enough that people want to subscribe to your newsletter in order to receive it.

    Your free lead magnet could be practically anything! Just make sure it’s something your audience would find truly valuable, something that would make them say, “I can’t believe she’s just giving this away!”

    For right now, my main lead magnet is “19 Irresistible Headlines” that you can customize and make work for your blog or podcast titles. 

    In my freebie, I provide some of the top-performing headlines I’ve written or seen over the years and then provided the formulas behind why they work.

    I find that sometimes freebies that give away 100 or so headlines have a lot of unnecessary overlap in their list. And they often don’t explain why the headlines work.

    So then when bloggers go to use the headlines, they may choose words that don’t actually resonate with their audience and, again, no clicks for their blogs.

    Will people respond to my freebie and sign up for my list? I think so!

    In listening to my ideal customers talk about their frustrations with not knowing how to craft compelling headlines, I found that this list of headlines is probably something that can add a lot of value to their businesses!

    But here’s the beauty of freebies.

    If you don’t get a great response with your lead magnet, you can ALWAYS adjust!

    If I find that I read my audience wrong and they don’t actually want a free cheat sheet to improve their headlines, then I simply analyze, ask questions, listen, and pivot.

    Don’t overcomplicate this part of the process. You can always change your freebie later on if you want to.

    For now, settle on something you strongly believe your audience will want and make it the best you possibly can!

    How to Create a Freebie

    There are probably thousands of different things you could offer as a freebie. Here are just a few basic examples:

    • Checklist
    • Workbook
    • Journal
    • Planner
    • Recipes
    • Unit Studies
    • E-books
    • Business Plan
    • Quiz
    • Reading List
    • List of Tips
    • How-To Manual
    • Video
    • Podcast/Audio
    • Educational PowerPoint

    Once you’ve chosen what type of lead magnet you will create, it’s time to design it!

    Thankfully, there are free services like Canva where you can create awesome freebies that look professionally designed. The free version of Canva offers a wide variety of templates you can work with to get started.

    And if you want to upgrade to the paid version, they have even more.

    I personally decided to purchase a template for my lead magnet. I figured that between my full-time job, ministry responsibilities and duties as a wife and homeowner, I didn’t really have a ton of time to design my freebie from scratch. (Nor do I have the creative talent to do so.)

    Maybe you don’t either! If so, no shame in your game. There are plenty of places to buy lead magnet templates. (Tip: CreativeMarket.com has several templates for lead magnets that look professional and are simple to edit in Canva.)

    Using Your Lead Magnet to Gain Subscribers

    Remember that the whole point of your freebie is to add to your email list.

    For that reason, make sure that you create an opt-in page for your freebie with a sign-up form that’s connected to your email service provider (ESP).

    You can check out my opt-in page here.

    Once people sign up for your lead magnet, you can send them the link to your freebie in your welcome email.

    Amy Porterfield suggests housing your freebies on Amazon S3 so that the PDFs don’t take up a lot of space on your website. There’s a lot of wisdom in that.

    Since I’m focusing on only one freebie at the moment, I personally use Dropbox to house it. (You can’t beat free!)

    Once I uploaded my freebie PDF, I created a sharing link where people can view the freebie but not edit it. I then embedded that link into the automatic email that people receive after signing up for my email list.

    (Confused about this part? Shoot me an email and I’ll walk you through it!)

    The Next Step of Content Marketing

    If you think this is the end of your content-marketing strategy, you’re totally wrong!

    The incredible thing about content marketing is that is that it builds up the trust between you and your ideal client so that you CAN sell to them.

    If you’re struggling with writing sales copy, check out my blog on “How to Write Sales Copy That Doesn’t Sound Sleezy.” And check out my other blogs for more insights into how to strengthen your content-marketing game!

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