You plan your day, your menu, your diet. Why not your content?
Most of us follow some sort of plan for many things in our lives. Our calendars help us keep track of our meetings and other commitments, and each day our GPS systems ensure we get from Point A to Point B. We may work out following a specific routine, and we might eat within the confines of a certain diet. Yet, when it comes to our content, many of us ad-lib it, creating it without much of a plan at all.
But we know following a plan makes our lives easier. For example, having our day mapped out on a calendar is much easier than having to mentally keep track of where we need to be at all times of the day. So don’t you think having a content plan would create the same effect?
It does.
How many times have you sat at your computer, staring at the screen because you know you should create some kind of content – whether that’s a blog post, social media post, email newsletter or something else – but have no idea what to write about?
If you had a content plan, you wouldn't do that anymore. Instead, you’d have plenty of ideas at your fingertips waiting for you to get them down on paper. How refreshing would that be? You'd save a boatload of time not searching for topics and pulling your hair out because you have no idea what to create.
But along with giving you time and sanity back, a content plan also provides several other benefits that I call the 7Cs.
The 7Cs provide you with a state-of-mind, a can-do attitude and a path forward with your content. They all play off one another, and they move in a circular motion, meant to keep you going.
Let's look at each of the Cs in the 7Cs:
Control –
Over what you publish
Over your publishing schedule
Over the message
Gone are the days of chaos, chasing an idea and coming up empty. You know exactly what you need to do. Which brings us to the next C:
Clarity over –
Why you’re publishing what you’re publishing
What you want it to do for you
The message and the goals
You finally see the big picture with your content and what you want it to do for you. It's a great feeling, isn't it? That brings the next C to the surface:
Confidence –
In what you're publishing
Because you’re connecting with your audience
Your content is working
Finally, you're creating content with a purpose, not for the sake of it. The chaos is gone, and the next C settles in:
Calm –
You’re no longer stressed about not knowing what to create
You’re no longer anxious about your content’s performance
You’re no longer worried about “throwing darts in the dark” with your content
Things start to click, the momentum starts to build and your content starts to pay off. This is the next C:
Connection –
With your audience
They are responding to what you are creating because you are creating it for them, responding to their challenges, and letting them know you get them. This is exciting! And, then the next C starts to happen:
Conversion –
Your audience is converting into prospects
Right here - this is the whole goal of content - to use it to create prospects. And it's happening. There's no way you're going to stop creating your content now, which leads us to the final C:
Consistency –
And content becomes a priority again.
Isn’t it amazing what a plan can do for you and your content?
Want to hear more? Get in touch and let’s discuss how you can get content working for you and get the 7Cs into your life.
