Your audience doesn't care about you

The moment you stop assuming your audience cares, is the moment your content is going to resonate with them.

Here's why:

That 2 paragraph company story you have on your website is not going to inspire the reader-it's only going to fatigue them. 

Every time your audience looks at your content they are asking themselves one simple question:

"What's in it for me?"

They are already making a sacrifice by consciously consuming your content...They are sacrificing their time & attention, just as you are by reading this email.

This is why, as the marketer, we need to make our content as easily digestible as possible. 

Create scannable content

We do not read content.

We scan it.

So, write every word with intention, a "why"

Adding impressive wording isn't going to wow your audience, it'll just confuse them.

Write with the goal of simple delivery and understanding.

Creating the solid groundwork for your brand

There are endless amounts of ways to create scannable copy, but this all comes down to one thing. Your clarity and your driving force.

You need to know why you're writing what you are writing.

An author doesn't just write chapters for filler. They are all a part of the framework. Each chapter serves its purpose, whether that be crucial information for later in the story, or character building.

You need to create your story's foundation before you start writing, before you start creating. 

So,

What are you writing to achieve? Community building? Engagement? To provide value? To sell?

And who are you writing to?

Remember, you wouldn't sell bourbon to a baby. Well, you couldn't physically or legally sell bourbon to a baby, but you could more easily sell it to a 32-year-old whiskey connoisseur.

There is a time and place for your content, and if your content isn't converting, it is most likely a result of one of these two problems:

1. It's not getting put in front of the right audience

2. It's not good content or it doesn't fix a problem your target audience has

To figure out which one of these applies to your content, I would not only recommend assessing it yourself, but gather a few people you trust (especially those who fit into your target audience) and ask them to provide a critique on your content.

After you find the problem holding you back, know your goals and start creating the foundation for your content.

If you're not clear on your goals, this should be your first step, not creating content (unless you want to go through an extensive process of experimentation.)

Once you have that foundation you can use it as your cheatsheet of sorts. Trust me, this one document can go a long way and can be referenced for nearly every part of your brand (website, content, ads, etc.)

A successful brand is cohesive and repetitive--And remember, not all repetition is bad, so long as it's backed by intention.

Start asking yourself what your goals are, short-term and long-term.

Only then will you be able to create content, and an overarching brand that converts.

Where to start...

The best way to find inspiration is to study other brands. I will continue to say this until the end of time, 

"Steal like an artist."

This is a book written by Austin Kleon, and it contains a critical message:

Nothing is innately original and all art is a combination of everything that came before.

You are most likely not going to recreate the wheel, you are just finding a gap in the market for your brand or services. 

Learn to be a guide

If you've read "How to build a storybrand" you know that you are not the hero in your customer's story. You are the guide.

You need to be the one that helps them achieve their desired outcome.

Further, don't make your website about you, don't make (most of) your content about you...Make it about what you can do for them.

Enable them to be the hero.

Do your research, find what they need, and find a way to give them exactly that.

Resources

You guys already know. Here are some places to start in whatever stage of branding you are in:

•Steal like an artist by Austin Kleon

•How to build a storybrand by Donald Miller

•Hellostorytale on Instagram

•Hubspot blog

•Reddit (don't underestimate this one)

•Start with why by Simon Sinek

•The brand gap by Marty Neumeier

•Your social media platform of choice (study your favorite accounts, see what worked and what didn't, and investigate why the content performed the way it did)

As always, if you have any questions about any of this or need extra resources, respond to this email or dm me on Instagram/Twitter. I hope you have a lovely day, and I’ll talk to you guys soon.

-Sara