You’ve heard it everywhere. Don’t sound like a robot. Do sound like YOU. Don’t sound like a corporate gun. BE conversational. Infuse personality into your copy. Don’t bore people into a snore-fest.
Copy, by the way, is the fancy word for persuasion. Words that make you aww over a content piece, decide on an action, and click a link…which turns into a win for the other person (usually sales).
If you are reading this there is only one reason:
You want to find an easier, faster, and more visceral way to sound like the badass you really are…inside of you.
You see, no one knows how crazy good you are. How you can take that limp sales funnel and turn it into a dollar machine on steroids. No one knows how funny you are––you can make Chris Rock look like a joke with the way you tell stories. But here’s the thing:
You don’t have the “right” words to use to connect & engage with your audience so that they keep wanting more of you.
You worry about sounding unprofessional and what not. You agonize over how to win over your readers and slave over publishing the “right” content.
This isn’t just for writers!
It is for every content creator. The YouTuber. The Instagramer. The Twitterer. The Periscoper. The Blabers. Really, anyone who puts anything out on the internet. I will make you a big promise: if you are tired of dancing to the tune of every internet marketer out there, by the time you are done reading this guide, you will give your content so much personality that your readers will feel like you’re talking right next to them. This post is full of nothing most content marketers teach. I call it my unconventional approach to getting people to care about you.
Why creating content is such a struggle: my breakup story
I loved writing yet hated it with a passion. I wanted to be known for something other than writing––I didn’t want want to be just a writer. I wanted to be a _______ writer. I wanted to make money too. There are fitness writers and and finance writers. Where would Maggie fall on the spectrum?
Just being a writer was boring…so boring that it created psychological barriers for my creative process. I became aware of this and it freaked me out.
So I did what every other entrepreneur wannabe out there did, I listened to numerous blogging podcasts. I signed up for blogging challenges. I invested in email list-building and ‘The techniques that got me 6-figure income’ courses. I sat in on hundreds of webinars and learned how to start a coaching business. I read hundreds of books and decorated my desktop with many more ebooks. Oh––did I mention the ebooks were free? All this while I was working full-time and attending classes full-time!
I was a total information junkie! Yet I was out of love…with content creation. With writing.
The answer to my creative blockage didn’t come naturally.
So what’s the secret to using words discovering your voice and wielding it powerfully to engage an audience?
You guessed it: Go on several dates and discover your true self. Yes, go on a date with yourself. Go on a date with someone or something.
Stop being that girl or boy who holds no power in the relationship and instead says ‘YES’ every time your partner suggests something you’re not comfortable with. Stop listening to too many experts. Make an internal connection with yourself, see your flaws and all, get comfortable with them before you try to attract a mate who will treat you with respect.
Because content creation is like that. Writers are vulnerable and naked but powerful and clothed when surrounded by those who appreciate their content. It is the same with instagramers, YouTubers, and Periscopers; they spend fortnights preparing the stage for their craft with an unseen audience hoping to get that nod of approval from the real audience.
Your number 1 tip to getting those creative juices flow
But before you create an about page, before you decide on your byline and tags, before you design your ideal client avatars, before you come up with a list of influencers you’d LOVE to give a shout out on social media…
Stop. Breathe. Relax. Love yourself
You are more than you enough. Get to know yourself well enough to give yourself away without feeling inadequate. Love yourself enough to be generous with your flawed writing, videos, instagram photos, or whatever it is you create.
The definition of epic content is blank each time you decide to create something new; you get to decide what epic content is every single day!
And because you’re not trying to thrive in the shadow of somebody else’s star, you build instant connection with someone who loves you for you: you.
In other words, start with YOU.
Sigh. Writing this was cathartic.
This is part one of my series on “How to strategically use online content to get seen and paid for your skills.”