Productivity and Writing Web Content-What to Focus On
In this Article: 1) Writing Web Content to Answer the Call of your Customers 2) Moving from Writing Web Content to Product Creation 3) Marketing Content to Build your Electronic Footprint It’s not hard to be BUSY when you own your own business; however, it IS hard to be PRODUCTIVE. If you’re wondering if there is a difference between the two, the short answer is YES! And this fun and informative video from James Wedmore, Online Video Marketing Strategist will give you some productivity tips that you absolutely should incorporate into your business. TIP: Stay to the VERY end because the “kick in the butt” comes in the last 30 seconds or so! With that motivation fresh in your mind, here are 3 steps for writing web content that will move your business in the direction you really want to grow…UP! Step 1: Writing Web Content that Will Answer the Call of your Customers 
Picture in your mind a Dartboard. The bullseye in the middle is the point at which your customer pulls out their wallet and makes the decision to purchase something from you. This is where the revenue comes in and allows you to pay the bills and live your dream another day. But the thing is, not every person goes from typing a word into the search engine and pulling out their credit card. There’s a little journey that most people take – the sales process. Online, your customer travels that journey by consuming various forms of content so they can:
- Get the answers they need
- Discover who the authorities are in any given field so they know whose opinion and advice to trust
- Get any objections, questions and concerns addressed prior to making their decision
- Seek social proof from friend and the collective “we”
So the first step for putting together your content marketing plan and writing your web content is to fully understand your customer and the questions they’ll have at each stage of the sales cycle. Part of the time you focus on your business should be in research. Discovering everything you can about your customers and understanding what keeps them up and night and also what inspires and moves them. Armed with this information, writing web content becomes very easy because you’ll know exactly what to say. Get your research in a little every day. I start each morning with at least one hour of reading. Most of the time it’s about subjects that are directly related to one of my clients, a book I’m writing, or a project I’m working on. Then (and this is key) IMMEDIATELY after my morning “smart time” is done, I will take action on what I just read. It could be a full article, a script for a video, or an outline for a module in a course. Don’t just store that information…DO something with it. Step 2: Moving from Writing Web Content to Product Creation 
You’re in business so by definition, you should be making money. This is usually in the form of a product or service, right? And, if you really want a “business” rather than a glorified J-O-B as a self- employed service professional then you really should put together at least one product that makes money for you whether or not your present. This product can be an online course, a Bootcamp, a series of audio lectures, or an electronic book for Kindle. That part is not important and each has its benefits. What is important is that you focus part of your productivity on creating something that will build your business and build your authority. This usually involves writing at some level, even if the final product is not written words (ie…video and audio products). One way to create that weekly content needed to satisfy your customer (step 1) and create content that will lead to a product (step 2), is to sort of double-dip. I like to have a goal – for example a book. Then, I set out to research and discover everything I can about the topic of the book. Finally, I plan out my editorial calendar so that every piece of content I put out in the weeks leading up to the launch of my book (or whatever the product is) is related to the subject of my book. Not only does that build up interest to the “coming attraction” (the product), but it allows me to focus my attention and energy on a single subject. In other words…it helps my writing to be more productive because it’s more concentrated. Step 3: Marketing Content to Build your Electronic Footprint 
Along with building your authority by putting out great content that matters to your customer (step 1) and through creating a product (step 2) comes the marketing of that product, marketing yourself, and building your electronic footprint on the internet. What do I mean by electronic footprint? Well, think about a big chain like Starbucks© or McDonalds ©…you find them everywhere, right? And even if you are not a coffee drinker or burger eater you are familiar with their brand AND you may even pop in every once in a while and purchase something because it’s convenient and familiar. Same thing applies for an online business. The more often people see you online, the more comfortable they will become with you and your brand (provided what you provide relates to them and answers their wants, desires, needs, and questions). And to get to that place of familiarity online you need a full arsenal of content: ie…Articles, Videos, and Social hits. The amount of marketing that you can do on your site and off your site is beyond the scope of this article; however, staying within the theme of productivity I would suggest that you start with just three. And not just any 3…choose 3 venues that will give you the farthest reach. Only you can decide which three match your customer’s online activity; however, I’m very comfortable to suggest:
- Video (YouTube)
- Articles (Your own Blog…with high-marks for WordPress)
- Social Platform that’s best for YOUR audience (Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest)
Yes…there are a lot more, but start with three, build a strong online marketing system that your team can implement on a regular basis, and then add to that system by producing more relevant web content and distributing to other areas such as forums, email marketing, bookmarking, and so much more.
Content, Products and Marketing
Being productive means moving your business forward. It’s these three areas of your online business that must get your attention in order to really reach the kind of success that you desire.
Your Turn!
So tell me, what are your questions about content marketing, writing for the web, and building your online business? Comment below OR email me directly at: [email protected]
