If you're like most business owners with a meaningful product or service that you want the world to see, you probably have tons of ideas in your head. You may be wondering how to get your business off the ground. And you probably want to wait until you get everything right before you write.
You may also be wondering what the future of writing (and technology) looks like and how your business fits in with this new future.
You're waiting to dust off your feather pen, and for that perfect, quiet moment.
You may think that you need to either:
1) Get clear on your branding before you commit to copy.
2) Find your writing voice before you start creating.
3) Get enough money for advertising (pssss: quality content is much better than advertising).
The future of technology belongs to those who own their own content.
The good news is that you'll always own the content on your blog. A blog is the strongest foundation for your social media efforts. What do I mean by owning your content? Well, you're not owning your content if you:
– Only post to social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Google+. Social media is super. But it's rented land.
– Don't regularly create.
– Create boring copy. Do you really want to be the owner of…boringness? That's like saying that your favorite food is bologna. Sandwiches are delicious and all but…if you have the choice to eat anything in the world, would you choose to eat a bologna sandwich? Turkey pastrami on rye bread with cole slaw and russian dressing? Yes, please. But bologna is boloney…and that's pretty boring. No matter how you say, eat, or try to dress it up .
Your business is your path to freedom. And when you own your own content on your blog, you're free to take that laptop and go wherever you please.
When you create quality content, you start to become free from fretting about the future. You no longer worry about the endless changes at Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. When you realize your future is at your fingertips, you do less work, but make more of an impact.
When you create regular content on your blog, you can write your way to freedom. No baloney sandwich.
If you're a regular reader, you may be wondering why I write about freedom so much. Not too long ago, I was chained to a desk. Like, I felt like I was in a prison (ok, maybe that's a slight exaggeration). But…I once worked a ton of needless hours to make it seem like I was busy and/or important (I was neither, but faked it well). I was forced to work during hours that weren't conducive to how my brain operates. I needed to be fully functioning at 9am meetings, even though my brain doesn't start functioning until much later in the day. For these reasons (among many, many more!), I wanted needed to be free from the traditional 9 – 5 work day to do my best work. To stay sane. To be the most productive. And to make the most impact.
I stopped beating myself up for not fitting into the traditional mold. And I started to create. It took me almost two years to get to the freedom that I have now with my life. And I love encouraging other purpose-driven entrepreneurs to do the same. The traditional systems never worked for me, so I created my own path.
Here's how I did it:
1. Start creating.
Think of your blog like your home. You want to find the right home, and you probably want to know what you're getting into before you move in.
Where should you move in?
I started on Tumblr back in 2007. I was developing my blogging voice and needed a quiet community. It was so quiet that no one even knew I was there (which was fine by me). The solitude and silence allowed me to listen, think, and explore the opportunities of publishing a particular perspective. It was the perfect platform for me at the time. I didn't want an audience. I didn't want to commit to a website on WordPress (just yet!)
I was synthesizing information. I learned that processing and synthesizing information is *so* crucially important if you're creating anything online.
When I was ready to launch my business, I got a self-hosted blog on WordPress. Within the first year, I quadrupled the blog traffic I had on Tumblr. But it didn't happen overnight. I had to continue to create regularly, in my own voice. This is something that takes time. If you're still in the early phase of your business, and not sure how to create in your own voice, give it time. Or contact me to learn more about our copywriting services.
2. Be consistent.
In the beginning, I was lucky if 5 people would read my blog posts. I didn't let this drag me down. I knew that I couldn't build an audience overnight. I simply set a schedule, and hit publish on a weekly basis. I remember feeling so scared about the first few posts. What if my readers would think my ideas sucked? What if, what if?! Ahhh, over time, I learned how to drown out these voices. But it wasn't easy at first.
3. Experiment.
I created awareness for my business through my content, and by meeting other like-minded folks. Doing this allowed me to experiment. I learned what worked, and what didn't. Getting insights into what resonates with your readers allows you and your business to constantly evolve. I had to reboot my thinking (because the old ways no longer work). It was quite an adjustment and I went through some major highs and lows early on. But if I never experimented, I would never have learned (ahh, the wisdom of age).
4. Publish quality content.
If you're writing for SEO purposes, everyone knows it but you. Stop trying to rig the SEO game. Don't even try. The only way to rise above the noise is to publish quality content. Consistently.
