Know, Like, and Trust | How to do content marketing

A guy once told me, on our third date, that he was in love with me.

So I never saw him again.

We’d only met each other in real life three times, and there he was dropping the L-bomb halfway through the starter?

It was too soon. It was weird. And it made me think he had an agenda.

Because if someone starts laying it on too thick and too early, our alarm bells start to tingle and our boundaries shoot up. 

It’s the same in business.

If you come on too strong too fast, people will instinctively step back. 

But if no-one knows who you are that’s no good either.

What to do?

You’ve got to build those relationships over time. Showing up and showing your value before you pop that all important question, would you like to work with me?

You need to put the work in to become someone people know, like, and trust, as the saying goes. 

But that doesn’t mean they have to know you personally. 

So let’s talk about content marketing.

If you want sales tomorrow, then content marketing isn’t a good shout. But if you want to plant seeds and watch them produce steady results that compound over time, it’s very effective.

If you spend time building your brand, showing up consistently and with authenticity, your audience will feel like they know you. 

If your values resonate, they’ll like you. 

And if you can demonstrate your expertise, they’ll trust you. 

But Leesa, I don’t have time to write blogs, publish a newsletter, come up with thought leadership, regularly update my website for SEO, post consistently on social media, and run a business!

I know. 

Very few people can do all that and run a business and have a life. (Except maybe those weirdos who wake up at 5am to hydrate and go to the gym.)

That’s why people like me exist. You can spit your ideas at a copywriter and we’ll turn them into a structured, targeted content marketing plan.  

But if you’re not ready to hire someone, there are things you can start doing yourself, right now. 

Decide what you can do, then do it consistently

One blog a month and two social media posts a week, consistently, is going to get you much better results over time than multiple blogs and posts across a fortnight then crickets for months.

Not only do the social media algorithms reward consistency, but being a steady presence will keep you front of mind. People will get to know you, your voice, your opinions, and the services you offer. 

Throw in a monthly blog and you’ll not only be providing useful content, but you can also use it to update your website and boost your SEO.

So decide what you can do and do it consistently.  

Thought leadership

This one pretty much covers every single aspect of know, like, and trust.

Thought leadership demonstrates your expertise and builds credibility, while positioning you as an authority in your field. 

It’s also a great way to communicate your values, your point of view, and connect with the people you want to work with. 

And it’s something AI can’t do, so it’ll help your content stand out.

So, if you have something to say (yes, you do) say it loud and proud.

Know your audience

I know I keep banging on about this but it’s essential to know who you’re talking to. 

If you’re talking to everyone then your message will be so watered down that no-one will hear you.

Picture your ideal customer in your mind. What are they struggling with? What do they want? 

Speak directly to that. 

Cut the fluff.

Knowing what you’re trying to say will also save you time, energy and faffing. 

It’s not about you

Show off your expertise in a way that makes it all about your audience. Because they only care about your diploma in massage therapy if you can show them how it’s going to ease their back pain.  

This one saves you time too. Whenever you’re creating anything, ask yourself, do my audience care about this? Does it help them?

If the answer is no, scrap it. 

As an example, my website tells you that I’m a psychology nerd. This should be helpful to my clients because it means I can climb inside their heads and pull out their thoughts. But that Drama A-level I worked so hard for? Nobody cares.

Repurpose your content

This blog started life as a newsletter. Then it morphed into what you’re reading now. I’ve also uploaded it to my website, optimised it for SEO, and I’ve trailed it on social media.

Repurposing your content saves you time and gives you wider reach. It also helps your brain to not catch fire from constantly trying to think of new and exciting things to say. 

And it can actually be quite useful to say the same thing in different ways. Repetition strengthens connections in the brain, and helps your points to land.

Play the long game.

So, there you have it. A few pointers to get you started. 

And it is worth getting started. Because while content marketing won’t get you results overnight, the results do have a tendency to snowball once they get going. 

And they keep snowballing while you focus on other things. 

So decide what you can do, and do that consistently.

Or you, you know, I can do it for you.

Leesa x

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