Other posts in this series:
How to Get Started with Content Marketing, Part One and Part Two
How to Find Your Groove as a Content Marketer, Part One and Part Two
The Evolution of a Content Master, Part One

---

What types of content do Content Masters produce?

As I wrote in the Content Marketing Model, "you're generating content at the rate of 6-10 pieces per month (or more), a rich combination of the three different types of content. You're posting consistently to your own blog as well as maybe writing some guest posts.

Your content is sharply targeted to provide stellar value to your readers and to engage with them at all levels of your product and service funnel. Your content packages are larger, serving as "flagship products" that reinforce your brand, expertise and value. And you can easily see the next flagship just up ahead."

No discussion of content mastery and flagship content would be complete without a nod to Janet Goldstein and her amazing ability to help entrepreneurs hone their message into a marketable, powerful and unique piece of flagship content. As a publishing industry insider, her specialty is books, but she does it all – home study programs, events, products, etc.

In 8 Simple Truths for Your Book, Janet writes, "Older ideas, uncompleted projects from the past, may need to be dropped or re-conceived from the perspective of your current experience and point of view."

You see, by the time you are approaching your evolution as a Content Master, you have already produced a substantial body of work; likely a collection of individual, highly-focused articles, reports, books, etc. 

Each of these items were created at a different point in your business, to address the problem, tool or idea that was most relevant at that moment. These smaller works represent a snapshot of where you were in your understanding of your business, your clients and your own gifts and talents.

Now, it's time to take a broader view. Survey everything you've learned and what you've come to understand about your life's work. Identify that overarching theme that fits just your best stuff (because you can let go of the rest), and is big enough for you to stretch into for years to come.

This is your flagship content. This is content mastery. This is the future of your business.

What does flagship content do for your business?

1. It gives your audience a non-threatening and self-directed way to learn and apply your methods.
2. It offers a choice for prospective clients who may want to access your expertise in different formats.
3. It provides a foundation for your future products and services.
4. It reinforces your brand and expertise on this topic.
5. It feeds your confidence and income so that you can keep going and produce more great work.

Where can a Content Master look for support?

Before you even start putting your flagship content together, consider seeking out the guidance of an expert strategist (we touched on this briefly in our look at the world of the Content Marketer). It can be overwhelming to deal with all of your content and decide how it might fit into a book, a home study program, an event or some combination.

You'll also need some excellent systems in place that will help you continue to publish your volume of 6-10 new pieces of content each month, all while devoting more and more time to higher-level activities such as relationship-building and flagship content. Watch for the launch of a group program designed to support you in this (BONUS: Janet Goldstein will be part of it! We don't know the details yet, but we're cooking up the best way for you to benefit from her expertise and passion).

At this point, you probably don't need an idea generator – ideas are not the problem – but you may want to leverage your time by turning over the production of your content. You don't have to always be the one to turn your great ideas into written content. That might be another way that someone else can support your work.

I began this discussion by saying that not everyone needs to be a Content Master. What's sad, though, is that many potential Content Masters will start their evolution but get lost along the way. Please, get the support you need to bring your work into the world on this bigger platform. The world will be a better place because you did.

Other posts in this series: How to Get Started with Content Marketing, Part One and Part Two How to Find Your Groove as a Content Marketer, Part One and Part Two The Evolution of a Content Master, Part Two

---

Should everyone try to be a Content Master?

My sister Ruth, the freshly-minted content starter, asked: What if someone is happy as a Content Starter or Content Marketer and doesn’t aspire to do more content than they already do? To which I answered:

I called the first level of the Content Marketing Model “Content Starter” for a reason – I truly believe that in order to achieve content marketing success you need to advance past the level of publishing one piece per month.

However, I think a LOT of people can stay at the Content Marketer level of 2-5 posts per month, be perfectly happy and achieve success.

Not everyone is necessarily cut out to be a Content Master, nor should they feel pressured to be.

How can you tell when the evolution is starting?

Sometimes you can’t. And that is why having a business coach, mentor and/or a mastermind group is so crucial once you get to the Content Marketer phase of the model.

They may be the ones to reflect back to you that you and your work are advancing to a new level of quality, visibility and leadership.

From there, it’s a matter of rearranging some things (mostly your own mindset) to fit your new role of Content Master.

Charlie Gilkey is coaching me through MY evolution and his is often the voice inside my head these days. In a blog post, he wrote: “Rather than do something small and work like hell to build a story around it, do epic shit and let it speak for itself.”

This speaks to why not everyone can or should be a Content Master. And why you sometimes won’t know you’re heading there until someone else points it out to you.

You’re not writing a story about being a Content Master, you are becoming one. You’re consistently producing masterful content that is rising to the top of the information heap on its own merit, while your real motives are to:

• Build and enhance your relationships with your clients, prospective clients and colleagues
• Continually develop the gifts and talents you’ve been blessed with
• Share your learning along the way, when it will help others to see your process
• Do what you love while helping your ideal clients take care of whatever is in the way of them doing more of what they love
• Participate in the abundant flow of value and money

Prerequisites (clues) for Content Masters

As a Content Marketer, you’ll already have these things in place:

• A business coach, mentor and/or mastermind group
• A website that is targeted to a clearly defined niche
• A basic pink spoon that is also targeted
• Social network accounts and profiles
• A blog
• A style guide and/or style sheet for your recurring writing questions
• An editor or proofreader (hey, we do that!)

Plus, you’ll have/need/notice:

• An established practice of publishing consistently 2-5 posts per month
• An editorial calendar (try @CharlieGilkey’s free Blog Post Calendar) for your expanded publishing schedule of 6-10 (or more) pieces of content per month
• A responsive, targeted community of readers and colleagues
• At least five hours per week to spend on content marketing and social networking

But the NUMBER ONE prerequisite for the evolution from Content Marketer to Content Master is having something great to say.

In Part Two, we’ll look more closely at flagship content and discuss some sources of support for Content Masters.

Other posts in this series:
How to Get Started with Content Marketing, Part One and Part Two
How to Find Your Groove as a Content Marketer, Part One
The Evolution of a Content Master, Part One and Part Two

---

In Part One, we talked about the content you'll be working on in this phase of the Content Marketing Model, the systems and tools you'll want to have in place, and how you're building your relationships with prospective clients and with colleagues.

Advancing your writing skills

As a Content Marketer, you're continuing to work on your consistency, getting into a groove with more regular writing throughout the week. And this consistency applies to the quality of your writing as well. With a bigger audience and a permanent archive of your work via your blog, it's more important than ever that your pieces are well-written and error-free.

You're also applying more strategy in your content marketing, perhaps planning topics that relate to an upcoming launch, or planning broadcasts for days or even times that your readers have previously been most responsive.

If you're thinking ahead to the next phase of your development, content mastery, you may even be starting on your flagship content, writing it bit-by-bit as your ongoing articles or blog posts. Now THAT'S a savvy strategy (and how I wrote my first e-book)!

Where might a Content Marketer look for support?

Before we talk about using formal support systems, let's talk about how your broader networks can support your writing efforts.

Your audience can offer crucial feedback with their comments, questions and actions, and equally important data with their silence.

Your colleagues can offer concrete assistance such as feedback, topic ideas and collaboration. They may also share your writing with their own tribe via links, comments and/or social network updates. 

And don't minimize the power of your network as a source of pure, juicy inspiration.

If you're writing your own content, keep an eye out for some exciting new writing programs and services that are on the way. In the meantime, be sure to make the most of your support resources such as an editor, a VA with proofreading experience and a central writing reference guide for everyone who sends out written communication on behalf of your business.  

Once you're comfortable delegating some of your content publishing tasks to a VA, you may be thinking about adding to your team or even progressing to an Online Business Manager model.

If you're dictating your content, it might be time to bring someone on board who can help with content strategy (watch for new support options coming soon). This is especially important as you're becoming a Content Master and building your flagship content.

Other posts in this series: How to Get Started with Content Marketing, Part One and Part Two How to Find Your Groove as a Content Marketer, Part Two The Evolution of a Content Master, Part One and Part Two

---

As you get more comfortable building your business online, you find yourself with more to say, a bigger audience that’s listening and the confidence to talk to them. In other words, you’re a full-fledged Content Marketer, publishing 2-5 articles or blog posts every month (not there yet? maybe you’re a Content Starter).

Prerequisites for Content Marketers

Here are the things I suggest you have in place as you transition from content starter to content marketer (please note that some of these are affiliate links):

• A business coach, mentor and/or mastermind group
• A website that is targeted to a clearly defined niche
• A basic pink spoon that is also targeted
• Social network accounts and profiles
• A blog
• An established practice of publishing consistently once per month
• An editorial calendar for your expanded publishing schedule of 2-5 pieces per month
• A style guide and/or style sheet for your recurring writing questions
• An editor or proofreader
• At least three hours per week to spend on content marketing tasks and social networking

Building your communities

You’re clear about what you do in your business and who you do it for. That focus is increasing your visibility, attracting prospective clients and making it easier for colleagues to refer you.

You’ll want to be spending more time consciously cultivating that network of colleagues via social media sites such as Twitter, LinkedIn or Facebook.

Personalizing and packaging your content

You’re likely offering more structured group and individual coaching programs now, based on the model that revealed itself through your successful experiences with clients. And as your services become more specific, so does your writing.

You’re naturally infusing more creativity and personality into your writing. On the one hand you have more feedback from your bigger audience, and on the other hand, you’re claiming your own style of writing, trusting that your ideal clients will resonate with it.

At this point you’re building up enough targeted content that you can begin packaging it together to create new pink spoons or other products for your marketing funnel.

Aside from content marketing tools like articles, blog posts and products, you’ll need additional written content for your coaching programs and marketing activities. This content may include coaching exercises, scripts for your videos or handouts for your teleclasses.

Hint: Remember that for visual learners (like me), audio isn’t enough. In order to make the deepest connection with each learner, offer your material in a variety of formats, including written (here are 3 Ways to Enhance Your Live or Recorded Audio Offerings).

In Part Two, we’ll look at how you’ll be advancing your writing skills at this point in the Content Marketing Model, and how your network can support your efforts.