When you first emerge from a productive brainstorming session, it may seem like there will never be enough time to develop all your ideas.
There's a sense of glee and excitement about sharing your topics, and maybe even a little bit of fear that it was the last productive brainstorming you'll ever have.
Mix those feelings together and it becomes tempting to pour every single thought into your very next blog post. The unfortunate result can be a hodgepodge of topics that take the reader on a long, winding journey - if they stay with you that long.
Content marketing is most effective when each piece of content addresses one specific question or challenge that is important to your ideal client.
Here are some tools that will help you focus, long before you sit down to draft, write or edit:
- A current content strategy with the topics that will be most meaningful to your audience - update this regularly with surveys, interviews, metrics and other research techniques
- A blog post calendar where you can slot in future post topics (I use and recommend Charlie Gilkey's Blog Post Planner and Calendar)
- Idea catchers for when inspiration strikes, including at least one high-tech or low-tech mobile option for when you're on the go (remember to schedule regular times for transfering ideas from your idea catcher to your blog post calendar)
Here are some tips to help you focus your mind and your topic when it's time to draft, write and edit:
- Use lists either as the main content of your article (e.g., a top 10 list) or as a way of structuring your work (e.g., present one main topic and then list three supporting points) - for more help with lists, join the free call, How to Write a Better List
- Write to one ideal client, imagining they are sitting right across from you
- Keep asking yourself, "what is my point?" - if anything you've written doesn't support your point, save that content for another article
So don't try to write the article of a lifetime by pooling together all of your freshest ideas at once. Instead, remember, you have a lifetime to write articles! When you spread your ideas out, they'll be easier for your audience to take in - ensuring a long and healthy exchange of ideas and services.
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