Creating a content plan that tells your story
Content is defined as “the information and experiences that are directed towards an end-user or audience. Something that is to be expressed through some medium, such as speech, writing or any of various arts.” For those of us who are marketing our businesses on social media, content is the key element to sharing our story in a way that will attract and sustain a captive audience. It’s definitely our bread and butter!
So how do you create a content plan? With an outline! Let’s take a little trip inside ourselves and answer these questions (be sure to jot down the answers!):
- WHO ARE YOU?
This may seem a little silly at first, but to share your story online, you really need to know what you stand for, who your target audience is, what your faults and talents are – and most importantly, WHO you are! You need to be as transparent as possible without dishing out any dirty laundry – remain professional but be personable! Allow your audience to get to know the real you. - WHAT DO YOU DO?
What are your passions; what does your business allow you to do? Sharing behind the scenes photos and Instagram/Facebook Stories, saying hello from a vendor event booth and even working at the park while your kids are having fun on the playground are all fantastic ways to tell your story while giving others a glimpse into your personal and professional life! - WHEN WILL YOU…?
What are your plans for your business? Sharing your short and long term goals will help you plan content not only having to do with your business but also the opportunities it provides you. Do you have anything fun coming up? An incentive trip? A fall craft show? Be sure to add them into your social posts that you create and schedule them into your content calendar. - WHERE DO YOU CALL HOME?
Without giving out specifics – like your home address, lol – where do you live? What is it like to wake up and spend a day in your shoes? Building relationships online require sharing about your day to day life and what makes it interesting to others is that they may have never been where you are! For example, maybe you reside oceanside – share a photo of you working from under your umbrella with a view of the surf! For someone who lives inland, that is pretty neat to see! - HOW DO YOUR PRODUCTS SERVE OTHERS?
There’s a great blog post about sharing, not selling on social which explains how it’s always best to approach people online by offering them a solution. Instead of pushing product, provide value and become a resource to them – basically, help them out! Hone in on how your products help others and then you will be able to come up with a ton of content that will support that purpose through blog posts, articles and videos – and of course you can and should create your own as well! - WHY ARE YOU DOING IT?
This is where you share your WHY. Be honest, be yourself. Your Why will resonate with so many and those are the people who will become your tribe. You’ll gain recruits through telling your story – you’ll make friends and form a sisterhood. It’s an amazing process and a story that you need to share often because there are new people discovering you daily online. Your content plan should include your past experiences and how you became who you are today because of your business and the people and products that brought you here.
We hope these six exercises have gotten your creative juices flowing so you can fill your calendar with amazing content that is true to YOU and your business! If you’re looking for more ways to connect on social, please join our free CinchShare Facebook Party & Marketing Training Facebook group – we have a fantastic community of small business owners who all share what works for them and you’re welcome to grab ideas and chime in with yours!
