Coming up with great content for you business can be stressful and difficult at times, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Many business owners realize at the end of the day they haven’t posted anything on social media yet, or worse… they haven’t posted in a while. Then they try to throw something together “real quick”. They struggle to find the right picture to go with what they want to say, or they can’t seem to find the words to go along with the photo they want to use.

Having an overall content marketing strategy isn’t even on their radar.

But what if I told you there is a way to consistently create a cohesive content marketing strategy that will help you make sure you always have the photos you need to promote your business? There is!

I’m excited to share 3 ways you can dramatically change the way you’re creating content for your business to make sure you meet your goals and attract your ideal audience.

1. Start with your end goal in mind

A great way to make sure your content strategy is in line with your overall business goals is to start with your year end goals in mind. Let’s say you own a landscaping business and you want to book 50 new clients by the end of the year.

Start with…

Who is your ideal client?

What type of help do they need?

What questions do they have?

How can you serve them and bring value to their life?

By serving your ideal audience well, you are more likely to reach them on social media.

Using the landscaping company as an example, you might want to work with families who are looking to create an amazing outdoor living space including things like pools, outdoor kitchens, water features, etc. They will need help finding the right vendors, knowing how to come up with a great plan for their backyard oasis, what plants they will need, how to know what plants will work best in their yard, how to plant containers, and so much more. You can also think about frequent questions your customers ask and incorporate that in your content strategy.

Additionally, you’ll want to break your yearly goal into quarterly, monthly, and weekly content ideas.

For example, if you want to onboard 50 new clients, you’ll need to add 12.5 per quarter, 4 per month, or 1 per week. That’s not so bad when you look at it that way.

Now, let’s look at how your strategic content calendar for the year could look.

For example in the 1st Quarter your content calendar could include high level topics like …

January – Create your dream backyard this year

February – Give yourself a gift you will really love this year

March – Time to get on the calendar to get your outdoor oasis ready by the summer

Then you break down each of these broad topics into useful content that your audience would love to know about. For each, you could include project examples, vision boards, behind the scenes of you doing the work, sketches, and other ways to give them ideas and inspire them on their journey of creating their ideal backyard.

You also want to show yourself, so they will get to know you and see why they should choose you over the competition.

2. Be consistent and show up

Showing up several times a week is so important. You don’t have to show up on all the social media platforms all the time, but it is very important to show up where your customers are spending their time. If they are on Instagram, show up there. If they are on TikTok, show up there. If they are email users only, show up there.

Let’s continue to use the landscaping company as an example. Instagram and Pinterest would be great places for that type of business to show up and share useful content. They are both photo heavy and are where people are looking for inspiration and ideas.

You can also use tools like Later and Planoly to schedule your content ahead of time.

Just showing up is not enough though.

You also want to be consistent with the colors and style of photography you use.

Creating photos that are in line with a company’s brand is one of my favorite ways to add value for my clients. This includes incorporating the brand’s colors and overall aesthetic, as well as, the tone of voice you’re using in your copy, the type of clothes worn in the photos, and any graphics used. This is part of my photograph packages along with offering Instagram grid design services so your feed is always on point.

Consistently showing up and consistently sharing on-brand images and video will really help you stand out. You can certainly do it yourself, but if you’d rather focus on building your business and leave the content to the experts, I’m here to help.

3. Create engaging content

Lastly, let’s create engaging content that your audience can’t wait to see! Engaging content can include things that are educational, inspirational, entertaining, or a combination of these things. The best place to start is by understanding your audience and what they want to know.

To find out what your ideal audience wants to know about…

• Call some of your best past clients to see what would have been helpful to them.

• Use polls and questions on Instagram Stories to better know your audience.

• Try all types of content at first to see what’s working. Make sure to watch those analytics and adjust.

If you’re working with a professional photographer, you’ll want to start prepping at least 1-2 months ahead of time to get the most out of your shoot.

Here’s what you’ll need before your branding shoot:

• Shot list

• Location scouting

• Talent acquisition

• Schedule hair & makeup

• Acquire props

By giving yourself time to think through all the details with your photographer your photos will better reflect your brand and help you reach your ideal audience and serve them well.

Take the photo above from Shanna’s photoshoot for example. By developing a shot list and understanding what elements we needed to include in her shoot to serve her ideal audience best, we were able to get a variety of photos including this one that shows off her gorgeous rugs and the color wheel she uses to help people in the interior decorating process. A lot of people in her audience didn’t realize she offered this service. Now they do!

Plus, you’ll be able to use the photos from your photoshoot for so many things other than just social media posts including website updates, downloadable content, email marketing, thumbnail graphics, article submissions, and so much more.

I hope these tips help you elevate the content you’re sharing!

Follow me @focusfairhope on Instagram for more tips and if you’re interested in learning more about creating ongoing content with me, click here to fill out a quick form and set up your complimentary consultation call!

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