Alright, last time, we talked about my just pick two strategy of content marketing – pick a thing you want to create and one place you want to share it.
But if you and I have been friends for a while, you know that as a coach I like to get the practical “how” stuff out of the way, then work on the internal hang-ups that keep us from getting to work even after we know the how.
So if you read that piece and started hyperventilating a little bit, wondering how on earth you would ever just be able to “pick two” (one content marketing strategy and one platform) and not feel like the world was passing you by at breakneck speed, I gotcha. Let’s talk it through.
When it comes to purposeful, focused content-marketing, my clients often get a raging case of FOMO in several different forms. Here are the most common hang-ups that distract us from our plan when it comes to content marketing:
- Platform-FOMO: Picking a platform, but then feeling FOMO for the others, especially when others are having success there.
- Social-Busy-Bee: Spending too much time and effort on social marketing because it feels “productive” (even when it’s not getting you results)
- Platform Perfectionism: Feeling if you don’t do it perfectly, you might as well not do it at all
- Instant Success-ism: Thinking it’s going to work overnight and if it doesn’t, you’re doing something wrong and what’s the point?
Let’s tackle them one by one, shall we?
Platform-FOMO
You read my article on picking two, and you agreed. After careful analysis, you decide you’re going use Facebook to reach moms groups and give local live talks.
Then the next day, a colleague tells you the success they are having with Instagram reels, you’re like “uuuuuhhhh…I’m missing the boat! I should be doing THAT.”
Nope, no ma’am. Back up off that ledge.
You are an intelligent, creative, fabulous human and business owner. You did your research. You thought through your goals with this content. Stick to your guns.
When you give in to this impulse to spread yourself around for fear of FOMO, you do three things:
- Dilute your expertise: You never learn to optimize one platform so you get the most for your ROI.
- Dilute your efforts: You’re doing less in more places, diluting your effort and often your consistency. That makes it harder to tell when something genuinely isn’t working and you might need to make an actual switch, or if you just haven’t been consistent enough.
- Dilute your community: You make it harder to interact and be helpful to others on the platform who may be potential clients because you’re too busy making content.
Don’t let FOMO get you. Pick your two, give yourself a length of time or certain parameters to when you’ll re-evaluate. Then, when you get the overwhelming urge to start a Tik-Tok, take a walk, a shower, or call a friend!
Social Busy-Bee
I often see people spend a lot of time making content at the beginning of building their business because it FEELS like a productive thing to do when they don’t have clients.
The truth is building an audience that purchases from you this way is a loooonnnngggg game.
Yes, you want to be building your long-term online presence, authority, and online funnel, but your first business will almost ALWAYS come from your own network and referrals to start – NOT from random people who find you on the internet.
In other words, if you’re still looking for clients, don’t let content creation take up a bunch of your time. Putting yourself and your business out there to people you know may feel more uncomfortable than posting Insta graphics, but I can tell you it will get your business a lot further, a lot faster in the beginning.
Platform Perfectionism
Let me tell you a secret. When any of us start making content: it’s bad.
LOL, I know, bummer, but it’s just the truth.
But here’s the other secret: the only way to get good is to be willing to be bad first. It can’t be skipped. It’s a required part of the game. The sooner you start, the sooner you’ll level up past this beginner stage.
And the good news: if you’re being you, the people who want to hire you for your service will probably like it even if it’s kinda terrible in the beginning.
Because part of offering a service as a solopreneur is often how people connect with you as a person.
So just be you, and know you’re getting better every week, with the more content you make. Or at some point, you just hire it out, as I do with editing.
Instant Success-ism
You’ve been posting for a few weeks, but your email list is tiny, no one books from your link or visits your website, except your mom when she hasn’t seen you in a while.
Don’t give up.
Online presence, especially today, takes time to grow.
This is another reason why you need to be sure that your plan is sustainable: since it usually takes a while to see the momentum, it can be easy to burn out if your posting/content schedule is too demanding at first.
Content creation is a long-game. Be like the tortoise, not the hare. Slow and steady wins the work. Don’t give up because you haven’t seen success yet, but don’t burn yourself out either.
If You Need Help, Ask For It
That’s my last tip – if you’re feeling overwhelmed, anxious or just cannot figure out what to do, look for help. Whether it’s a book, a trusted friend, a mastermind group or a coach like me, don’t feel like you have to go it alone.
Remember that writer that I talked about sending my articles to? Well, a few weeks back, she reached out about an article I wrote about moving beyond hourly rates, and not to correct my grammar!
She realized that she needed to implement what I was saying into her own business, but she felt stymied about how to do it. So, she booked a session, and with just a little encouragement and a place to reflect about the obstacles she had to overcome, she’s off and running creating packages for her clients and a more sustainable business model for herself. Whoop, whoop!
I want creating content marketing in your business to be fun, sustainable, reflect you, and bring people into your business world in a way that’s helpful and creates customers. If one of those things feels out of whack, it may be time to re-evaluate your strategy. If you’re struggling to sort it out, book a 20 minute consult call with me to see if I can help.
In the mean time, you are capable and have good ideas. Keep going. ♥
Warmly,
Raina
