If you plan ahead, you can make your content work several different ways for you - making your job of adding value for your audience easier. For example, you could plan to write a blog series of 10 to 30 blog posts that can later be turned into an eBook with each post counting as a chapter of your eBook.
Not only will this type of planning help you create information products, but it will also help you do better being consistent with content creation. Since content is one of your most important assets you’ll be able to 'get ahead by planning ahead' and making a content calendar.
Plus, if you already know that you’re going to arrange the blog posts into an eBook you can outline each post better to ensure that you don’t have as much editing to do later. Additionally, you can base the content you create on your other products or services that you promote so that they’re even more useful to your audience.
That way you’ll have plenty of time to get the posts written if you hire someone, or do it yourself without stress if you’re a DIY person.
If you use WordPress there are a few different editorial calendar plugins that can help you with creating your editorial calendar. But, you can also use a good “old-fashioned” spreadsheet to create it. The important part is to write it down, schedule every aspect of what it takes to get it published and get it done.
When you are developing content ideas for your blog that you can also use as information products think about what you’re planning to promote in the next 90 days, whether that is your own product or service or someone else’s that you want to refer as an affiliate.
You’re going to come up with ideas when you’re not near your computer. Make it a habit of taking notes wherever you are organizing them each evening or morning as you prepare for work into your editorial calendar or project management system. When you are on your computer and get an idea, write it down right away so you don’t forget.
The best way to approach content planning of any kind is to fully understand your mission. If it helps you, work on writing a mission statement.
Fill in the blanks here: I help (who) ___________ do (what) ____________ by providing (how) _____________ with my (your products/services)__________________________.
This is a very simple mission statement that defines who your audience is and how you help them.
You probably studied your audience when you started your business but it’s imperative to keep studying them. While demographics often remain the same sometimes a group changes their perspective and ideas over time. Because of this, keep studying your audience by reading industry magazines, blogs, and news. In addition, join your audience in groups and at live events so you can get to know them better.
Every audience has a preference about when they want to buy something and put it to use. An obvious example involves yearly holidays (like selling Christmas decorations, Halloween costumes, or New Years weight loss programs).
Think of when your customers prefer to purchase. For example, if your niche is Home Schooling when are they more likely to buy informational products or other products from you?
If you know your audience well then you will know their pain points. When you can focus on a pain point you can create an amazing blog series that can turn into an effective information product.
If you do this, you’ll be able to organize and plan your content in advance.
This might seem difficult to accomplish but it makes everything so much easier. Not to mention it will increase your revenue by leaps and bounds because you'll know how everything fits together to ultimately lead your people to purchase your offers.
Next time I’ll talk to you about ways to ensure that you develop the habit of creating content for future product launches seamlessly as part of your overall content marketing plans.
