The blinking cursor on an empty page is one of the greatest barriers for any person trying to create content. That cursor is indifferent to your feelings, and very intimidating.
Even if you want to use Chat GPT, the AI needs a prompt. It needs a first idea.
This is where many people stop. They don’t know what to say. They don’t feel like they have anything interesting to say, or any content marketing ideas.
The thing is, if you can get past that first sentence, everything gets easier. Either the ideas will start pouring out of you, or you can use Chat GPT to give you an outline, and then you can sculpt your message.
I’ve been writing for a couple years. It took me a long time to figure out how to consistently identify topics. A lot of book reading… and soul searching. In this newsletter, I’m sharing the framework to overcome that first sentence.
I think these prompts can be used for any business. It doesn’t have to be insurance.
Content that educates about your product.
1. Everything you need to know about this product.
2. How to buy it?
3. What is the best?
4. Compare between options?
5. How much does it cost?
6. Any geographical nuances?
When I make these videos and blog posts, my target audience is a person that is in the process of buying my product. They are online researching the products that I sell, but they’re not ready to talk to a salesperson. They might even be researching me but aren’t ready to schedule time. My approach is that I’m going to answer their questions in a truthful and unbiased manner, then offer my services if they want to go deeper.
Many businesses hide these answers. They structure the sales interaction so that a client must speak with a salesperson to get the answers they need. Creating this kind of content gives you a competitive advantage over your peers because it allows for your potential client to get to know you on their terms. No pressure. It’s the equivalent of allowing someone to browse in a retail store without a salesperson asking them questions.
It’s true that some people will take the information and not buy anything. I think it’s very likely that those people wouldn’t have bought anything anyway. The fact that they could get their questions answered without using a salesperson’s time creates efficiencies.
Content creates efficiencies.
It also helps build trust.
There is a psychological concept called reciprocation. When people receive a gift, they want to give one in return. In this situation, content is a gift of information. If a person chooses to buy the product you sell, they are more psychologically inclined to do it with you if they consume your content.
Stories of Triumph and Disaster
1. What is a great success story?
2. What is a story of a failure?
3. How could someone have helped themselves?
4. What are the greatest obstacles to using your product?
Stories sell. They bring your product to life. They are more interesting than data dumps.
Also, you have an almost endless supply of them from your life.
Make a habit of writing them down in the notes section of your phone. Write down a one sentence prompt that will help you remember the story you want to tell. Then when you sit down to write your content, the prompt will be there and waiting for you.
Take out all names and identifiers when you tell the story, unless you have permission. Try to stay positive. You want to make people feel good and think that you’re not full of sour grapes.
But use your stories. They are unique. And they are interesting.
Questions you hear from clients and colleagues
1. What is an interesting question a client asked you this week?
2. What is an interesting question a colleague asked you this week?
3. What are questions you wish people would ask you?
4. What are questions that people should ask you to better understand what you do?
5. What are the most common questions you hear from clients?
Every week brings new opportunities for content. The interactions that you have with people around you are opportunities to create videos, blogs, and social media posts for other people with similar questions. More than likely, you answered several questions every week. These are great questions to answer with a video. It means there are other people out there with the exact same question.
Every week we all hear questions like:
“What is this?”
“How do I do this?”
“How do I solve this problem?”
“Why does this happen?”
You answer these questions when you’re having a conversation with a person. If you can record that answer, that makes for excellent content. These questions make excellent blog and video content because they’re very likely the same questions that a person will type into a search bar for either Google or YouTube.
After every meeting, write down one question you thought was especially good after every meeting. You’ll have plenty of content.
Stories about yourself.
1. Stories about your challenges
2. Stories about your failures
3. Stories about your shortcomings
4. Stories about how you overcame the three items above
5. What have you learned?
There’s a lot of content online from people talking about how great they are. I don’t know about you, but I find that content to be obnoxious. I don’t know that person. I don’t trust that they are a reliable source. And everything they say comes across as arrogant unless they are a demonstrably credible source.
However, I will listen to people that seem to have the same problems as me. I want to hear how they overcame those struggles. It helps me to not feel so alone.
The great part about this kind of content… It’s uniquely you. You have complete authority over your own story. No one else can take it. No one else can poach your stories.
I think it’s normal to believe that no one else will find us interesting. I certainly feel that way.
But it’s not true.
Especially if you have had a measure of success.
People want to know how you had it. They want to know how you felt along the way. They want to know that it’s not just them.
This content is relatable, even if someone isn’t in your industry.
Share about what you know in your trade
1. What are the keys to success in your work?
2. What is a change that you made that has made a difference?
3. What are things that make people in your line of work successful?
For me, I’m in the business of sales and marketing. Every business needs help selling and marketing their products. That means I have valuable knowledge that I can offer to a lot of people..
There are common habits that salespeople need to have.
There are common things that salespeople need to know, such as it takes 7-11 contacts before a decision maker will take your call.
There are common mistakes that salespeople will make.
And the thing is, every business has salespeople. Every business has the problem that they need to create more revenue.
Therefore, content from a person that makes their living generating revenue and can teach them about how to generate more revenue is valuable. That’s great content.
It’s great content because it’s evergreen and it speaks to a big problem. It speaks to a need for almost all decision makers… How do I grow my business?
Everyone has knowledge that can help a decision maker. Whether it’s how to increase revenue, decrease costs, improve efficiency, or maximize profitability.
Conclusion:
These are the frameworks that I use. I have no lack of content. I think if you diligently use these different frameworks, you will have no lack of content either. It will be unique to you, interesting, and it will help your target audience find you.
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