As an online business owner, I'm sure you've heard you need to "show up" and "be consistent" when it comes to planning and creating content - you might even be rolling your eyes as you read those phrases. But, tbh, there is some truth to them.
However, I want to provide a little guidance that might seem more manageable for you.
YOU decide what "showing up" and consistency means for YOUR BUSINESS.
KEEP READING. This gets good.
If you're anything like me, you probably have a million and one ideas of what to do swirling around in your brain, but you're struggling with how to get them out and organize them in a way that makes sense.
Orrrrr...maybe not.
Maybe you have NO ideas. And that's okay, too.
Either way, we just want to give you a place to start.
Here are two steps - okay, maybe more like two-and-a-half steps, to get you going.
1. Use a content planner
More specifically, use our 2022 FREE content planner, created just for sleep consultants.
This little (actually BIG) freebie is going to change the way you think about content creation.
Our hope is that this tool helps you:
take away some of the overwhelm you might be feeling about content planning
help you organize your brain
stay accountable for planning and creating your content
plan to move forward and STAY CONSISTENT - however you decide that looks to you!
Sounds pretty great, right??
But, the real question is, how can you make this work for you?
Well, lucky for you, that's our next step!
2. Identify Your Starting Point Strategy (and Plan Away!)
This is your starting point if you don't already have one. Do it with consistency for a few months and track your analytics. That will guide your upcoming strategy.
In our content planner, you'll notice that we have some strategies included in the layout, rotating between a few content "buckets" or "pillars" for social media posts --
Sleep Tips - I think this one's pretty obvious, right??
Content Releases - when your blog posts, podcasts, youtube videos drop or are published
Behind the Scenes/Your Life/Your Story - everyone loves connection and these posts build know-like-trust with your audience
Testimonials/Client Experiences - social proof that you, in fact, do know what you're doing and actually help families get their children to sleep
Marketing Related - current sales, promos, giveaways, packages, services, freebies, courses, guides - what you offer and what's currently going on in your business
Assuming you're planning to post content on social media three times per week, the first two buckets should occur weekly and then rotate between the last three every third post. You can see what this looks like in the planner itself, as it is color-coded based on these content buckets.
There is also a section for you to outline your blog posts or podcasts or Youtube videos. There are bigger pieces of content that, ideally, should be released on a weekly basis.
For example, a strategy I use for my sleep consulting business, Lake Country Sleep, includes weekly podcast episodes and a monthly blog post. This is what I can handle and commit to from a creation (and time) perspective, which leads me to my next point.
If this seems like TOO MUCH to start with, no worries! Try only committing to two social posts per week, one blog post a month, and one email per month. As you have success being consistent with that, you can always add more...or take a bit away. Seasons of life, right? Pick what you can be consistent with and do it. Baby steps!
The main point is that you sustain whatever that consistency looks like for your business.
Your audience will come to know that, "Okay, it's the first of the month, Steffi has her new blog post out." Or, "Oh, it's Wednesday! Erin's got a new podcast out today." This is huge for building the trust factor with your audience, and just like you tell your clients to be consistent with their sleep training plans, you must also be consistent with your content plans!
Once you know what your strategy is and you've tested it out, now it's time to assess...is it working? What did my audience really like? What had lower engagement? What worked well...and what was a flop?
Do more of what worked and less of what doesn't!
Dig into your insights and analytics.
You'll find that your strategy may change over time as your audience grows and as the algorithm changes...cough, cough, reels, anyone?? SO many business owners' strategies HAD to change when Tik Tok came about, and consequently, Instagram Reels, because that was now the tool to help them grow their reach.
Here are a few last tips to help you identify what strategies you want to use moving forward, based on your goals for your sleep consulting business:
If you want to reach more people and grow your followers: use Reels and/or TikTok(this doesn't necessarily mean you'll make more money...)
If you want to serve your audience and provide helpful content that people save: create more carousel posts with timely and helpful tips - think, stuff they'll want to refer back to
If you want to drive traffic from social media to your website: create more content that lives on your website (blogs/podcasts/videos) - then include these items in your CTAs
If you want to build your email list: put freebies in your "link in bio" and direct people here as your CTA
If you want to identify yourself as a professional in the field: make more IGTVs or do some Facebook Lives and direct followers back to these pieces of content
All right, I didn't completely overwhelm you, right??
Remember, this isn't something you have to do alone! We offer business consulting calls where we can go over this document TOGETHER. We offer monthly content packages where we work together to plan your content and strategy and then the work gets done FOR YOU. I wrap it up all nice, with a bow on top, and all you have to do is put it where you want it and schedule it. You know where to find me if this sounds more appealing than everything else you just read about!
I'd love to know if you found this post helpful. PLEASE, leave a comment below!
xo,
Erin