EP 5: Content Creation Process For Coaches

Creating content can seem like a never-ending battle! From creating social media posts, writing your blog, crafting compelling email messages, and of course, creating content inside of your coaching and online training programs - I know firsthand how publishing content consistently can be a lot of work!

But, I also know the impact that consistent content creation and publishing can have on your business.

So, today, I wanted to give you some tips and share a process that you can follow to help make content creation easier and eliminate any overwhelm that you might be feeling.

Let’s go ahead and jump into my process of creating content like it’s your business (because it is)!

[START PODCAST]

I know you understand the importance of creating quality content in your business. Each piece of content that you create serves different outcomes that you are trying to achieve. For example:

• You create social media content to connect with and engage your followers.
• You write a blog or record a podcast to bring visitors to your website and build immediate trust and authority.
• You craft compelling email copy to connect with the people who are on your email marketing list.
• You create presentations to offer value to your customers through your coaching or online training programs.
• And you may even write sales copy to sell your programs, products, and services.

Just thinking about that list can be overwhelming! 

Before you throw your hands up and go grab the remote to go binge-watch your favorite Netflix show to forget it all. I want you to know that you can create amazing content consistently - without spending all of your time doing it! You have my promise.

And, I know that it can be done because I’ve personally been able to produce content every week in my business for the last 9 years.

Now, I will tell you - content creation used to be a huge chore! It seemed like it sucked up most of my time. I always felt like I was behind. Scrambling to throw something together and because of that, I felt like it wasn’t my best.

And then I found my groove.

I discovered some shortcuts to creating content in less time. I found some tools to make my life easier. And I developed a system that allows me to create content without feeling overwhelmed all the time.

And I am going to share it all with you today!

I’ve got content creation tips, strategies, and tools that are going to make your life so much easier, my friend.

Let’s do this.

Creating Weekly Ungated Content

STEP #1

Decide on the primary format you are going to deliver your free (ungated) content each week.

Ungated content is information that you share with your audience that doesn’t require them to provide you with their content information.

This type of content is extremely important to the success of your business because it is the content that is going to help you get noticed in your industry, and help you build trust and rapport (almost) immediately with your perfect ideal customer.

I recommend that you produce this content in one of (3) formats:

1. A Written Blog
2. Audio - in the form of a Podcast
3. Or Video

The format of your content is totally up to you. I would just suggest that you keep in mind how your target audience prefers to consume information and let that guide you.

STEP #2 

Pull out your calendar and schedule one full day that you are going to work on your business - specifically, creating your weekly ungated content.

There are a few things that are important here that I want to unpack here.

First of all, it’s really important that you put yourself in the frame of mind that working ON your business is just as important as any coaching call you schedule with a client.

If you don’t treat this time as equally as important, you will always feel like you don’t have time to stay consistent with your weekly content. And guess what? You’re right! If you don’t schedule the time, you won’t have the time. That makes sense, right!?!

Second, your clients do not know that you’ve set aside a day to work ON your business. So, if a client asks if you are free to do coaching on the day that you’ve scheduled to create your content you simply say, “sorry I am tied up that day”. They will assume you are working with other clients. That’s not a bad thing. And it actually makes you and your time more desirable. People want more of what is in scarcity.

But, I have found that one of the things coaches struggle with is giving themselves permission to work ON their business! Some struggle with:

• Feeling guilty
• Thinking that working with clients is more productive
• Or maybe they are avoiding creating content altogether

The thing that you need to know (beyond a shadow of a doubt) is that if you don’t create ungated content each week you will continuously struggle with:

• Attracting visitors to your website
• Validating your expertise with your target audience
• Building trust and rapport with visitors that land on your website
• And converting prospects into customers

I want you to hear me loud and clear on this…

This content (absolutely) affects all of those areas in your business. I am not “fluffing” it up for the sake of making this seem more important than it really is.

It IS that important.

That leads me to my third point. If you don’t prioritize working ON your business - no one will. It’s not your client's job to make sure you are focusing on the right things to grow. It’s not your employee's job either (if you have any). It’s your job, the entrepreneur (business owner) job to make sure that you prioritize your growth.

Ok, I know that was some tough love, but it needed to be said.

I’ve seen so many amazing and talented coaches who have so much to offer the world and their customers struggle because they refused to prioritize working on their business and therefore never get their business really off the ground. 

It’s a shame because they were just one decision away from building a business of their dreams that could serve others in a meaningful way.

Enough about that!

My last point on the importance of scheduling your weekly content creation is that you will need a minimum of one full day (meaning 8 hours) to produce the 4 - 5 pieces of content that you need to create.

If you are blogging, it is very realistic to write 4 - 5 articles in an 8-hour workday.

If you are podcasting, it may take you more time depending on how much preparation you need to outline (or write) your podcast, record it, and edit it (assuming you are doing the editing). 

As you know, this is my 5th episode of Shop Talk. So far, each episode has been taking me about 5 - 6 hours to produce. I am confident that I will get faster - but, that’s where I’m at right now so I’ve blocked off 5 days each month for the rest of the year to work on publishing my podcast.

Assuming I get faster, I’ll adjust my calendar later. But, for now, I know 5 days is needed - so, that’s what I scheduled.

And if you are doing video, you need to make sure you are realistic in the time it takes to produce your videos as well.

Everyone listening here will be different. Some of you may just be starting in creating content and it takes you a little longer right now. That’s perfectly ok! Just give yourself the time you need to produce your content.

I promise, you will get faster and it will become easier. Plus, I have some tips to help you as well.

This leads me to…

Step #3. Create a list of all the steps that need to be completed in your content creation process before you start creating.

I’ve found in working with clients that the natural instinct is to go, “ok, let’s do this” and jump right into writing your content.

If you do this, it will take you a lot longer to produce your content.

Brian Tracey has a quote that I read years ago, he said, “10 Minutes in Preparation Will Save You Hours In Execution”. 

And it’s so true!

Have you ever dove headfirst into a project without preparing first? Then you are midway through creating the content and you realize there was something missing, or you were going in a direction that wasn’t on track with what you were promoting. So, you start over!

Taking 10 minutes to prepare would have avoided all the time and energy that was wasted.

So, that’s what I suggest that you do before you start creating your weekly content. Take 10 minutes to write out all the steps that need to be completed to not only create your content but also publish and share it.

If you are not sure what all the steps are, I can help! I’ve created a free resource for you that outlines my content creation, publishing, and promotion steps to producing my blog, podcast, and video.

Go to www.yourmarketingcoachonline.com/5 to get a copy of it. You’ll see it listed in the show notes.

I also want to share a tool that we use to keep track of and organize our process for creating content - Trello.

I have used many project management tools over the years but found the perfect fit for our business with Trello about 7 years ago.

I love Trello because of the visual aspect they offer to organize projects and tasks that need to be completed.

It doesn’t matter what project management tool you use. My point is that it’s is imperative that you use something to organize your work.

When you take the time to outline your creative process (or you download the resource I just mentioned) you should organize that process in a project management tool.

If you are a solopreneur right now (meaning, you are the only person in your business) this step is important. Not only will it help you get organized, but it is actually putting a process in place that you can use to scale later when (or if) you are ready to bring on other people who can help you.

If you take the time to document your process and organize it in a project management tool, then you have an asset that you can hand off to someone else to do in the future.

Trust me, doing these things now (when your business is smaller) is so much easier than when you have a thriving business that has a lot of moving parts.

Step #4 - focus.

There are two things that I want to drill down on here.

First, when it comes to creating content it can be really easy to get overwhelmed when you are looking at the entire process and what needs to be completed.

I have personally found it helpful to focus on one piece of content until it’s completed.

Mentally, if you are thinking of all 4 or 5 pieces of content that you need to create at the same time it can lead to confusion, frustration, and lack of clarity that can cause you to lose focus and time.

The second tip I wanted to share is along the lines of focus as well but in a different way. 

My recommendation is to focus on doing the things that only you can do when it comes to creating, publishing, and promoting your weekly content.

Let me explain…

You can get someone to help you with graphics.

You can get someone to help you with social media posts.

You can get someone to help you with posting your blog, podcast, or video.

You can even get someone to help you with research if that would be helpful.

But, no one can create content from your point of view as you can.

You see, as a coach or consultant, your point of view on what you do and how you do it is what sets you apart from everyone else in your industry.

You cannot hire someone to think as you do.

That have had the experiences like you’ve had.

That has the expertise you do.

Only you can do that. And only you should do that.

My recommendation, hire someone else to do the rest.

Before you start pushing back on me (mentally) on this - hear me out.

When you take on doing ALL the tasks that are needed to prepare, create, produce, and promote the weekly content you are distributing all of your creative juices in a ton of different areas.

The equilibrium of life is that we (humans) all have the same amount of time.

When you are trying to cram all of your energy into an 8-hour window tackling 10+ different tasks to produce your content, it is inevitable that some piece of the process is going to suffer. Most of the time, it's the quality of the content.

If your content isn’t good, there are many consequences:

1. You don’t feel good about it
2. Therefore you don’t believe in it as much as you would content that you are proud of
3. If you aren’t proud of it, you are less likely to want to share it
4. So, you’ll promote it once and then let it fall to the sidelines
5. All that hard work that you put in was for nothing
6. And you just keep thinking…my next piece will be better

It’s an ugly vicious cycle. If you’ve experienced this, you know what I’m talking about here.

Now, some of you are listening and thinking - but, I love doing the graphics. I love scheduling my posts. Etc.

Do I have permission to coach you right now?

Let me ask you a question…

Is it that you love doing those things - or would you prefer to do those things because they are easy for you and it gives you an excuse to avoid the harder things that matter most?

Sit in that for a minute…

Let me say it again.

Is it that you love doing those things - or would you prefer to do those things because they are easy for you and it gives you an excuse to avoid the harder things that matter most?

We convince ourselves that we love doing those things - and that they are important to staying creative - but, more often than not it’s our way of avoiding doing the things that scare us but will actually help us grow our business.

Powerful stuff here.

My recommendation is that you get help to do the things that don’t require your creative genius. You focus your energy on doing what no one else can do - create and produce amazing content that connects with your audience in a powerful way.

And I know some of you are worried about the money you need to spend to get this help. Listen, I get it! Budget is something that needs to be considered. 

But, I would suggest that you take a hard look at your budget and see where you can find the money to invest in help.

Don’t spend all your time trying to save pennies when it’s costing you thousands.

Think about that for a minute.

All the extra hours you are spending each month that you are spending doing tasks that you could hire someone to help with - are hours that could have been spent:

• Producing amazing content that attracts more visitors to your website
• Or, create a new program you could offer to your existing customers
• Or, following up with prospects to convert them into a customer

My suggestion is that you lean into what you are worth. Stop spending all your time trying to save pennies when you could be generating thousands (if not hundreds of thousands) of dollars.

I’ve got some recommendations on how you can get help that I’ll include in the show notes. You can check them out at www.yourmarketingcoachonline.com/5 

And the last step in my content creation process, Step #5 is the ultimate content creation strategy - how to turn one piece of content into 70+ pieces of microcontent.

I love, love, love this step because this is where all your hard work can be amplified to help you get more exposure, build more trust and authority, capture more leads, and convert more clients.

Oh, yea and save you a ton of time in the long run.

Yep, it is that powerful!

I see so many entrepreneurs spending a ton of time, money, energy, and resources to create really amazing content - and yet, they don’t optimize it.

Here’s what most content creators do:

• The write an amazing blog post
• They send an email to let their existing list know about it
• They post it on social media one time
• And then they move on to the next piece of content

That’s it!

There’s so much more that you can do - and that’s what we are going to wrap up this episode talking about.

I’ve got some amazing ideas on how you can turn that one piece of valuable content into 70+ pieces of microcontent.

BTW, I define micro-content as the content that you create that’s a spin-off of your initial core content.

It doesn’t matter if you are blogging, podcasting, or creating video - the core content that you created can be turned into additional pieces of content that can help you:

• Build brand awareness
• Create social media posts to share with and engage your followers
• Capture leads
• Nurture prospects that are on your existing email list
• Convert prospects into customers
• And delight and wow your existing customers

We’ve got a lot to unpack here, so let’s dive in…

Quick warning, I am going to move fast (because I have 70+ ideas to share) but you can download a copy of this list in the show notes at www.yourmarketingcoachonline.com/5 

For the purpose of my examples here, I am going to assume you are starting with a blog article that you’ve written.

So, here you have your blog article…

The first piece of micro-content that you could create is to turn it into a presentation slide deck.

That slide deck can be shared on LinkedIn (who owns SlideShare). This will help you elevate your profile and give your visitors another way to consume information from you.

You can also share your blog as a LinkedIn Article to help you get more exposure.

Next, you can have someone look through your copy and pull out little nuggets of gold that could be shared as social media posts.

You can create:

• Quote Images
• Motion Graphics with Biteable
• And just simply post questions to engage your audience
• You can also just share a link to your blog to send visitors over to your website

I’ll be sure to link to Biteable in the show notes.

If it makes sense, you could also have a designer turn your article into an infographic that can be shared with others. 

You could also message other entrepreneurs who have blogs and let them share the resource on their sites. They get a great piece of content to post, and you get more exposure at the same time.

You can also submit your article to sites like Medium, Reddit, BizSugar, Quora, Scoop.It to get more exposure.

Another thing that you can do is take the presentation that you had created and present it live on:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• YouTube

Actually, if you use the software Restream, you can stream live to over 30 sites at the same time!

Once you are done with your live stream, you have a video recording. Take that video and add it to your blog where you originally posted your copy. This gives your visitors a few different ways to consume your content.

You can also strip your audio from your video - you could post that as a podcast or just an audio file.

You can break your audio down into little snippets and make a soundbite with a really cool tool called Wavve. I use this to make our soundbites for Shop Talk.

Heck, you can even slice up your video and make short video clips as well.

You can also take your article and turn it into a:

• PDF
• Guide
• Worksheet
• Workbook
• eBook

…that you can use as lead magnets to capture leads.

You could also add a “Free Resource” page on your website where visitors can request your most popular resources.

Check out Ep 3 of Shop Talk where I share “How to Turn Your Website Into a Lead Generating Machine”. In that episode, I share specific strategies on how you can leverage free resources to capture the contact information from your website visitors. 

Go to www.yourmarketingcoachonline.com/3 to listen in.

After you’ve created multiple articles, you could compile them into a “Little Black Books of Secrets”.

Oh yea, and you can even turn your articles into a book! Seth Godin has done this a few times. He’s taken his blogs and complied them into a book that he sells on Amazon.

Of course, when you post your article on your site you should be sending your existing subscribers an email to let them know you’ve posted a new article that they can check out.

But, you can occasionally send a “best of blogs” to your prospects and customers to highlight articles that people have found really helpful.

BTW, if you ever fall behind on your content creation - sending a “best of blogs” can be a great way to give yourself a little breather so that you get caught back up!

If you send newsletters, you can use your micro-content to compile a complete publication. Include an audio snippet, the slide deck, a link to the complete article, and a free resource they can download to create a complete publication from just one piece of content!

And my last two tips are that after you create all of this amazing micro-content you could put it inside an online membership that you give away for free or sell as a paid members-only community.

And don’t forget, you can also include any of your content in your paid programs or use them as tools you provide clients when your are coaching them 1:1

The possibilities are absolutely endless!

Honestly, I could go on and on. But, I think you get the point.

It’s important to point out that you don’t need to do them all. Pick which strategies make the most sense for your business and audience.

Have someone help you.

Your job is to produce the initial valuable content, and then let your assistant or other people help you curate that into additional pieces of content.

Closing Remarks

I hope that you enjoyed me pulling back the curtain to my process and how we create content consistently - and you can too!

This concludes this episode of Shop Talk.

Could you do me a favor? If you liked what you heard today, can you help spread the word and share this with others?

This is my fifth Episode of Shop Talk and I could use your help in reaching more amazing entrepreneurs like you!

I appreciate you - and will see you again next week.