A large following will build a stronger business

When working with Businesses all over Australia developing strategy and content I am often being asked what content should they be creating, and what do they need to get started. Like most things there are simple and complex answers to these questions. The complex answer goes through a process to find the ideal customers, generating revenue and optimising digital automation, then assessing what obstacles there are around the three categories of Awareness, Revenue and Optimisation. This provides the starting point for me to work with an organisation to develop a long-term content plan that will be sustainable and assist them in reaching their goals.

Then there is the simple answer, and for most businesses the simple answer is enough. James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, summed this up perfectly in one of his email blasts where he said

“Stop worrying about how long it will take and get started. Time will pass either way.”

Simply put what most businesses are struggling with is that they’re not producing any content at all. They are caught up thinking about what they should do and how and allow months if not years go past with producing content that can connect with potential customers and clients.

There is definitely a method behind developing effective and sustainable long-term content plans, but until you have one of those just start producing something of value for any Social Media platform you are on, email newsletters, or for your website.

Just stop and think to yourself what information would my customers find valuable?

If you are still unsure where to start just reach out to current customers and ask them what they would be interested learning more about. Some of those you reach out to will come back with nonsense, but there will also be those that are genuinely interested and provide you with great content ideas.

Remember that you shouldnt be afraid of providing value to you customers, it is always much more beneficial to your business than detrimental. If you are still not sure where to start think about producing content from at least one of the following categories each week:

Capture – What would your customers or clients love to see, what will capture their attention
Educate – What questions are you often asked?
Entertain – Related to your business or industry what would put a smile of your customers or clients faces?
Engage – What can you do to genuinely reach out and communicate with customers and clients?

Remember what the goal of content creation is. The goal is not to show off but to showcase, the goal is not just to produce more but to provide more value, and the goal is rarely to market for short-term wins but build long-term success.

So get out there and start producing some content, anything, because as James said ‘time will pass either way’.