Hopefully, you’re already convinced that the content is an integral part of growing a small business.
(If you’re not persuaded of that, message me.)
Now that you know it’s necessary, how do you make it work for you?
The old “if you build it, they will come” has been cited and defeated so completely that I hate even mentioning it, but it couldn’t be less true.
You have to find people you can help and consistently give them helpful information as well as instructions for working with you.
Broken down into three steps, it looks like this:
- Identify your ideal client or customer. Be specific; you’re not looking for Star Wars nerds, you’re looking for C-3PO nerds.
- Find out where that person spends their time. Be there; engage with the community and give them a reason to care that you exist.
- Leave a regular trail of interesting, entertaining, informative breadcrumbs back to you. Be consistent; keep your eyes peeled for feedback.
This is how you move forward with content.
Show up, say something, then listen patiently for feedback.
If the feedback you get is bad or even nonexistent, it’s still data. In that case, you’ve learned what doesn’t work—and knowing what doesn’t work is a critical step on the road to learning what does.
If the feedback you get is good, excellent. Add that to the “things to copy later” pile and get back to publishing.
The worst thing you can do is rapid-fire a few things in a flurry of excitement and then check the “I produced content” box.
Make a plan that works over the long haul, then stick to it.
Gather data, and adjust course as necessary.
But the only thing you don’t do is stop.