How to find loads of stuff to write about, how it should come across (and how to do it quickly)!  Write content today :)

Before you write content.

This all starts in preparation before you come to write. It’s worth knowing before you sit down something you might like to write about.

Also, you should know that anything that you write content about must have some usefulness to it. The person you want to read your content should be able to take something useful away from reading it.

Therefore all your content must comply with these basic rules:
Clear. Does it clearly describe the point you are trying to make or the thing you are selling?
Helpful. Does the reader take away something of true use to them and/or do they accomplish a goal by reading it?
Audience. Is it clear who this content is aimed at?
Copywritten. Is it easy to read? Skimmable? Utilises summaries and headings?
Unique. Is it in your own words and not a rehash of someone else’s ideas?
Expertise. Do you show your knowledge and experience in this content?

Keep Notes Handy:

One of the things that I tend to do while I’m working is keeping some note paper to hand so that I can jot down things about the day and anything interesting that pops into my head. I also went through all my training notes and paperwork and thought about my experiences as a novice. Make some notes about all these things.

For example:

Conversations with a client about a specific subject
Problems I have solved
Alternative ways of doing something
A story about something that happened to me
A story about something that happened to people I have worked with
A bit of my history
A technical jargon explained
Concepts I have read about.
Scientific Studies.
Self-Help Advice
Etc…

Time To Write Content!

Choose one of your notes.
Think about how you can make it a story. Humans have shared stories throughout millennia and it is the backbone of our modern societies. It makes concepts easier to remember and relatable.
Be prepared to give your knowledge away for free wherever possible! It won’t stop people from booking your services, instead, it will help them to understand why you are trustworthy and the right person for the job.

Brainstorm.

Make bullet points about the things you would like to cover in your story. Think outside the box, what evidence is there? What experience did it come from? How does this relate to your product or services? Use these to refer to when ‘padding out your story.
Select a few key points that really stand out for you or will provide the most useful information to the reader. You will cover these points in the most detail.
Take these points and start to think about how you would explain and expand upon these points if you were to explain them to an alien.

Helpful Formula.

Now that you have the juicy bits it’s time to put them in some kind of order. One of the most useful formulas for this is as follows:

Today I want to tell you about [the useful thing]… Write a brief intro to it here.
Because [why is it useful to the reader?]
Because [symptoms of the problem it solves are relevant – how does the reader feel before this information helps them? What are the benefits of doing this/buying this?]
Here’s what you do [practical thing to try/instructions to follow]
Here’s someone else that did it and what happened [tell the story]
If relevant, add a testimonial from someone who did this or you helped them with this problem.
Summary. If you have [problem], try this [solution], and tell me how you got on.
Call To Action. Give them ways to contact you, free discovery calls or whatever your lead is. Ask them to comment or give feedback.
Link to your other useful content that the reader might like to know about.

Editing.

When you have written the content, have a read-through. Correct any errors and remove anything that doesn’t get to the point. Cull excess words or repetitions. Remove ‘I’ if you say it a lot.

Ditch any cliches like overuse of ‘very’, ‘super’, and ‘really’. Use active verbs.

Brownie Points When Editing.

Add some imperfection or vulnerability to your story. Do not strive for 100%. Your quality is best at about 70%. This makes you human, just like your reader.
If possible create a unique twist to the story or a big surprise. If you can add humour to your writing in your own style of speaking, all the better. Authenticity is important here.

That’s your 30 minutes up!

It will take longer at first but trust me, once you practice this method and follow the steps it will become easier and much quicker.

Second Edit (you are only allowed two)

Once you have completed your first edit leave it overnight. Sleep on it and re-read it in the morning.

This re-read is your FINAL edit. Stories and content easily get ruined by over-editing and a drive for perfectionism. This comes from a fear of what people might think of you.

Be brave, and be ready to post this content now.

Lastly, add some relevant, clear and interesting images to boost your content. I often use ppixabay.com for royalty-free images – just check the licence before you use it and reference the artist/photographer, it’s nice to give them a boost.

Bonus Brownie Points for the more tech-savvy:

If you know how to, link some of the phrases in your contact to other relevant content to provide further interesting reading. Make sure one of those links goes to another trustworthy website. Make most of them lead to other content you have written.

Add ALT Tags to your images and Metadata to your content.

Catagorise and tag your posts (3-5 highly relevant tags – don’t overdo it).

Add social shareability.

Maybe record a video at some point to accompany it?

That’s it.

If all the steps are too much then at the very least make sure the things you are writing about add true value to the reader and demonstrate your knowledge and experience.  It’s the best way to build trust when the person cannot see you face-to-face :)

What do you think of the steps?  Have you tried them, did they work?  Are 30 minutes too optimistic after you have practised a few times?  I would love to hear your thought!