By Georgia Kirke with Daniel Disney
Last week, I was looking at Daniel Disney’s top tips for mastering LinkedIn branding. Another topic we discussed in the same conversation were the challenges behind maintaining a steady and consistent stream of content.
At Write Business Results we work with authors and content creators, helping them to create amazing personal brands built on libraries of content including books, blogs, and podcasts. One thing I notice is that sometimes there can be a fatigue that sets in with building a brand when it relies on a constant output of content.
Daniel is familiar with this, commenting “I’ve been sharing content every day for the last six years now solidly. I can tell you from experience how hard it is sharing unique, engaging content every single day, while trying to keep that momentum.”
He shared some of his ideas and suggestions on how you can share your amazing perspectives and information, adding value without reinventing the wheel every time.
You can hear our full conversation on the Interviews With Experts podcast.
Everything is content
Jumping straight down the rabbit hole with me, Daniel shared an analogy about content opportunities based off the film The Matrix. As he put it, the characters at first can’t see the data all around them. However, once they become aware that it’s out there they realise this data, ‘the Matrix’, is everywhere.
Daniel: “That’s the reality of content. There are content opportunities all around you. It’s not necessarily about reinventing the wheel. Sometimes it’s just about telling a story in a slightly different way – or being inspired by something that happened to you today.
It’s about finding different ways to retell stories and beyond that, you’re always getting new stories. The biggest challenge is getting comfortable creating content. As soon as you’re comfortable with it, you’ll start to see those opportunities and it becomes less of a burden.”
Let the inspiration flow
Every content creator, no matter how good they are, will still have off-days when they won’t know what to write or put out there. Both Daniel and I are very familiar with this feeling! However, as Daniel explains, you can’t force inspiration – you can only create space for it to happen.
Daniel: “The thing that I do if I’ve been over-thinking but I can’t think of ideas, is I switch off. I will stop trying to think of ideas.
I will go and immerse myself in something. I’ll listen to a podcast, or watch a YouTube video, or read a couple of chapters of a book. Usually within that will be the sparks of inspiration that will trigger something. I’ll be able to go ‘there’s an idea!’ and then I can write.”
Finding inspiration on the rainy days
A challenge to recognising that every experience is an opportunity for content is “what do I do when I’m not having content-worthy experiences?” When you’re active and out and about – travelling to places for work – content is easier to see.
When this is not the case, for example if you are based at home or have been working less than you normally would for some reason, finding good stories can be harder. Daniel shared a clever trick he uses when he’s suffering through an inspirational drought.
Daniel: “If you, like me, have a bookshelf full of books, you could every day just take a photo of a page in a book that you like. Do this, and write about the message of that page that you enjoy.
That’s not you having to ‘invent’ anything, all you’re doing is sharing your thoughts about someone else’s book. That will be valuable because there’ll be people in your audience who will have read the book and will agree with you.
Other people who haven’t read the book will appreciate you sharing it. They’ll go and buy the book because they can see it’ll benefit them. It’s giving value, without you doing anything. Just opening your eyes to what you could write about.”
Kat, our Senior Editor and Head of Operations here at WBR, demonstrates this philosophy of “everything can be content” masterfully in her recent article Sci-Fi And Spiders: Why Stories Have The Power To Change Minds. Through sharing an anecdote about the impact a book had on her arachnophobia, she shares valuable insights of the power of storytelling in content.
Have you tried these tips and are still coming up blank? Does the thought of producing content fill you with dread, and you’d like a helping hand to support you along the way? Are you looking for ways to release content more regularly?
We love helping people unlock their creative potential and provide valuable content in the form that’s best for them and their audience! So, book a clarity call today if you’d like to find out how we can help you embrace the content all around you in your life.