Oh boy, it’s that time of year again, where everyone (including me! Hi!) is sharing tips on how to make the upcoming year your best one yet—more money, better health, improved relationships… all that jazz. While I occasionally roll my eyes at this type of content, I find myself surprisingly immersed in reading them, especially when I stumble upon a gem that can’t be easily googled for the same old answers. You know what I mean?
So, I won’t waste your time because you’re probably about to watch Home Alone for the 26th time.
Here’s what you can expect (and I promise 90% of the content in this blog post is not googlable 😉):
- 3 Costly Mistakes When Planning Your Content and Why It Feels All Over the Place
- The Type of Content You Need to STOP Doing for Increased Sales in 2024 and Beyond
- A Plug-and-Play Formula for Writing Content that Opens People’s Hearts and Wallets
Ready? Let’s dive in!
Mistakes Entrepreneurs Make When Creating Their Content Plan
Mistake 1: You’re Switching Strategies Too Often
I’m all about working smarter, not harder, but let’s talk about strategy commitment. I get it; when something doesn’t work immediately, the temptation to switch is real. It’s easy to jump to conclusions like “Oh, I have the wrong audience” … “This is an outdated strategy; I need something better.”
But let’s be honest—on a scale of 1-10, how hard did you try to make that strategy work? And how many times have you tried it? Friend, good things take time. From my experience, I’ve experimented with various strategies like Instagram marketing, blogging, email marketing, pre-recorded video training series, live webinars, etc.
Here’s the thing: They all work IF you have the right messaging dialed in.
Many people think their content is their messaging. Wrong. Content is part of your messaging, but they’re not the same thing.
I like to think of it this way:
Messaging is what creates demand and desire for what you sell while simultaneously removing objections. It’s the ENGINE of your entire marketing strategy.
Content is the path you choose to get your messaging out. You could go route A (live webinar) or route B (challenge)- it’s up to you how you want to deliver your message.
And copy is what sells your stuff FASTER! It’s the vehicle that communicates your offer in a way that captures people’s attention faster and inspires them to take action faster. It’s about SPEED!
This is why I recommend working on your messaging FIRST before copy and then content.
As 8-figure entrepreneur, James Wedmore wisely puts it, “Messaging is what sells your stuff. It’s the 5% work that makes up 95% of the result.”
So, pause before you pivot. If you’re eyeing a new strategy, hold on! It might not be the strategy; it could be your messaging. Remember, strategy is the vehicle; your messaging is the engine. If the engine is off, the vehicle won’t go on smoothly.
MISTAKE 2: Your content doesn’t create demand or remove objections
There are only a few reasons why people don’t buy:
- They have doubts/limiting beliefs.
- They don’t need it or they don’t see the value in it.
- It’s not the right time.
- They have money objections.
And it’s YOUR job to address and overcome these limiting beliefs and objections so that there’s nothing else standing in their way. I wrote a blog post a while back about how how-to content is hurting your business, and unfortunately, I still see many people making this mistake. They create content that doesn’t create demand or overcome objections because we’ve been taught to “add value.” And when people hear that, they automatically think they need to give tips and tricks and step-by-step how-to tutorials…
Three things could happen if you continue making this type of content:
- People will see and trust you’re an expert, but they aren’t buying your stuff or choosing to work with YOU.
- People are taking what seems like FOREVER to decide they need your services/products, even though you know they need it NOW!
- People still come to you with hesitations and money objections no matter how hard you try to convince them of the benefits of your products/services, AND you have tons of testimonials to back it up.
Have you ever felt like you pour your heart and soul into creating super helpful content, thinking you’re adding value to your audience, but for some reason, they still don’t feel the need?
Here’s the thing: no amount of tips, tricks, or free value is going to help someone take action if they still have doubts. Your content HAS to lead people to take action, not just share what you know. Because people don’t need more information; they need you to guide them to make an informed decision.
Hot take: The highest converting content you will ever create is not tips and tricks like “How to do XYZ, 3 types of XYZ you need to do,” blah, blah, blah. This type of content is not inherently wrong; just don’t expect sales from it. In fact, I am also strongly against doing this type of content during a launch – big NO NO – but I’ll save this for another blog post.
All that to say, instead of thinking you need to “add” more value and information, proving you know what you’re doing. Let’s focus on REMOVING instead. What can you say in your content to remove resistance and objections? What stories or data can you use to back up your point? What can you say to remove fears? What are they believing about themselves or their situations that they think are impossible to get out of? Create content to address THAT! What can you say to remove false beliefs? Not all objections are real. Sometimes it’s just a misunderstanding or a question. What can you say to handle misunderstandings around what you offer? My favorite way to do this is to actually use my offer to overcome it. Which leads me to the third mistake:
MISTAKE 3: You have a bad offer OR a good offer but communicated poorly.
My students know this, but your offer is not a product or a service. It’s how you ask someone to buy from you/work with you.
Quit thinking that all you need to communicate the REAL VALUE of your offer is some 2-liner description and generic pain points and a few benefits.
Your offer needs to communicate what is in it for THEM and the problem you solve. Are your features positioned as something that will address and overcome objections? Objections like:
- What if …
- Yeah, but…
- I just don’t know…
If someone looks at your offerings and you’re still getting a lot of these points mentioned above, it’s time to work on the messaging around your offer so you can finally communicate it with confidence.
Because after all, your offer is ultimately where you’re leading people towards; if that doesn’t convert, it doesn’t matter how much traffic you have—your conversion rate will be very low. It’s like pouring water into a leaky bucket—you’re losing a lot of water…
Now that you know the top costly mistakes to avoid, let’s talk about creating the ultimate do-less-but-better marketing plan that works.
Step 1: Review your data and let that guide you
Before you block off your calendar and attempt a content batch day, you MUST review your data. This step takes you out of your emotions and empowers you to make data-driven decisions, allowing you to invest your time and energy more wisely.
Here’s what I mean; let’s say you’re consistently receiving inquiries but getting ghosted a lot, say more than 20%. Chances are you need to refine your sales call or the copy on your website, sales page, or pricing guide. Alternatively, if your sales call/sales page conversion is high but you struggle to meet your sales goal, it’s likely that your content isn’t resonating with your ideal client, and you need to learn how to communicate in a way that prompts more people to take action. All that to say, your strategy must be based on actual numbers; otherwise, you’re just guessing and hoping something will work, or you might accidentally redo something that’s already working. One common mistake I see people making is they think they need to work on or redo something based on their feelings. Like, do you REALLY need to update your website copy? Is your website REALLY the root cause of your problem, or is it the messaging in your content or the lack of selling?
What if you could glance at a few metrics and know exactly what to do to skyrocket your sales? Download this FREE calculator. Enter a few numbers, and voila! It will tell you what you need to DO to improve your sales without starting everything from scratch.
Download the Post-Launch Performance Calculator here!
Step 2: Prioritize Conversations
Once you’ve begun making data-driven decisions, the next priority should be conversations because it’s the most effective and efficient way to make sales. No posting required. No fancy launch tactics. Just simple sales skills to engage with people. Think about it; why would I spend 30 minutes on an Instagram post that only 4% of my followers see, and I don’t even know if they’re interested, versus spending 30 minutes talking to someone I know I can help? I’m going to choose that 1:1 convo any day.
Start with people you already know. Are there people who have expressed interest before but never moved forward? Anyone who recently downloaded your freebie, talk to them FIRST!! Know someone who knows others who need you? Email them for an introduction.
Studies show that 80% of satisfied customers would give a referral if asked, but only 4% would ask for it.
That’s a crazy stat to me!
And you’re probably thinking, “Ok, I can do that, but I still need to put out new content. how many pieces of content do I need to post every week?”
My answer? Enough to have at least 1-3 conversations every week. Conversations mean someone is remotely interested in what you’re doing, commenting on a blog post, a new freebie subscriber, an actual inquiry. Having conversations is what guarantees you will reach weekly sales and book clients consistently. Not sure how to turn leads into sales and have a conversation without feeling salesy? You might be a good fit for my Revenue Renaissance program.
Step 3: Create 6 mega pieces of content that create demand and overcome objections
Alright, now that you are making data-driven decisions and prioritizing conversations, let’s chat content creation. Because, yes, if you’re a business owner, you need content.
Just like my friend Christina puts it…
But remember, don’t just give them some tips and tricks. Create content that converts!
Paint a picture of the transformation AND remove objections/misconceptions by building a case. Tell them why what you’re teaching matters and that they are not alone if they haven’t experienced their desired transformations yet.
Want a simple example? What do you think the case I’m trying to make in this blog post? I could have started the blog post with just a simple step-by-step how-to, but I set it up in a way that helps you hopefully recognize the importance of messaging even if it’s just a tad. Are you ready to do the same for YOUR brand? Here’s how!
1. ASK SOME PRE-WRITING QUESTIONS
Once you have your final content topics, let’s ask yourself these questions BEFORE you start writing.
- How does this fit into my overall strategy? How is this topic related to what I actually do and offer?
- What’s the call to action?
- What objections/limiting beliefs do I get all the time about this topic/issue?
- What “small wins” can I give them so they trust I can help them?
- What client work or past work of mine do they need to see from me to understand this?
2. RESEARCH
After your brain sump your answers, your next step is to do a bit more research. Have you ever clicked on a blog post and it’s not what you expected it to be? Yeah, by spending some time doing more research to build your case and back up what you’re saying can make or break your content.
Here are some ideas:
- Include 1-2 quotes or data points
- Use examples
- Use metaphors
- Share testimonials
- Share a story or tell a joke
- Share case studies
- Share screenshots
- Embed a loom video/tutorial
3. OUTLINE
Here’s a quick formula to help you write your hero content. You don’t have to follow this formula to a T. Think of it like a pre-writing exercise, giving you prompts to get the words out. Also, first drafts are the worst…but you can always edit.
Introduction: Introduce some pain points your audience is experiencing OR a mistake (if you wanna go bold) people are making and talk about why it doesn’t work. And then tell them what they’re going to learn in this post/video/episode.
Acknowledge, empathize & transition: Tell them you understand where they are coming from and why they are doing that mistake.
Discredit the common misconception: Use case studies, metaphors, counterexamples to show them why it’s not helpful
Consequence: Tell them what’s going to happen if they don’t adapt to this new way.
Introduce a new way to look at it (aka your vehicle/domino belief): Tell them what they actually need in order to have the transformation they desire (this HAS to be related to what you actually sell).
Bridge: Give a reason as to why your vehicle is important. This is a connection piece. Explain why it’s important by exposing your values and how much you care.
Build desire for your complete framework or ONE specific part of your framework: Ask if they really want to keep operating at [insert common behaviour in your industry]. Paint a picture of what your framework is and what life would look like if they had your framework. The more specific, the better!
Teach: I recommend adding 2-3 simple teaching points that stem from your framework.
Present your offer: This step is optional.
CTA: Tell them what to do next. A freebie? Read other blog posts? Leave a comment? Send you a DM on Instagram?
There you have it! Conclusion:
Your marketing plan is your compass for the year ahead. It’s not just about adding value; it’s about connecting with your audience and inspiring them to take action.
When you’re ready, here are different ways you can work with me:
- Freebies – Why do some entrepreneurs have more leads and sales than others? Simply put – they know how to get people’s attention and inspire them to take action. Start with these FREE juicy resources including a plug-n-play Landing Page Template and a PDF guide for the creating 3 Types of Lead Magnets that Get You Paid, and more.
- Revenue Renaissance – Strategize, organize, & craft messaging that skyrockets your sales! This is my done-with-you program plus a suite of copy templates and video lesson series to help you achieve weekly sales or enroll 5-10 clients in 90 days without creating content for the sake of content creation…OR YOUR MONEY BACK, BABY!
- Done-For-You Website Copy – Let me help you start generating more leads on autopilot, making more sales, and creating a bigger impact!
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