Honoring Your Time
One thing that can be really overwhelming is the fact that you're going to be adding a content strategy on top of everything else that you are already doing. Let's look at some ways in which you can be efficient with your time.
Batching
Batching content can be a really great strategy for someone with a lot of ideas. The basic idea of batching is that you set aside a specific time or day to create your content. You can focus on one particular type of content, such as Instagram captions or blog posts, or a particular set of tasks (such as admin work or creating graphics).
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I always recommend building a ritual to begin your time with your content. This allows you to transition yourself from your "normal" mode of being to your "creative" mode of being and it also adds more meaning to the process. You can do this by brewing a cup of tea or lighting a candle, finding a favorite spot in your home, playing relaxing music in the background, and setting a timer (if you're on borrowed time). Then, just let everything flow from your mind onto paper or your laptop.
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This can also be done with photography. For Instagram photos, you can set up a couple of different shoots on the same day or take different angles of the same item. On days when you don't have a corresponding photo for your caption, you can go back through your bank of options and find something that is visually appealing.
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Re-purposing
Did you know that you can take one piece of content and use it over and over (and over) again in different ways? This is, hands down, the smartest thing you can do because it saves you from having to reinvent the wheel every time you sit down to write and also gets your content in front of different audiences.
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A prime example is my Coffee & Content Planning Workshop. I was able to take portions of that workshop (and some of the content from the slides) and create this course. The course can then be used as a lead magnet and a way to generate possible sales for my planner. I could also take portions of this course and turn them into blog posts (I've already done a blog post on maximizing content, so some of that information made its way here) or Instagram captions. You can break apart little pieces of the same body of content and elaborate on them elsewhere. Make snippets for newsletters, record a podcast, or make a video tutorial on YouTube.
Homework
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What existing piece of content do you have that you could re-purpose, and how?
Creating a content pool
A content pool is a space where you keep all your content ideas together. It can be one of the most helpful resources for you when you're stuck or in a rut. It can be housed in a notebook, a Word document, or even just the Notes app on your phone.
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Whenever you have a brilliant idea for a piece of content (or something that can be translated into multiple pieces of content), you can jot it down in your pool so that you don't forget it. Then, when you have a chance to sit down to plan, you can start to develop that content further.
Homework
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There's a section in your workbook that you can use as a content pool as you come up with ideas.
Scheduling
We've touched a little bit on calendar creation so far and this is just an elaboration of that. A calendar is going to be your best friend when it comes to meeting your goals and building in deadlines.
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After you have created a content pool, batched out your content, and figured out how to re-purpose it into other pieces, you can start to map out where those pieces fit in your calendar in relation to any key dates or awareness days that you have marked down.
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When it comes to actually choosing the calendar, the kind you pick should speak to your own personal planning and organizational style. Some people prefer wall calendars, others like keeping everything in their Google calendar, and some of us prefer the tried and true physical planner.
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If you are looking for a planner that will help you align your daily life with your content strategy, I have designed The Creative Planner just for you. There are weekly and monthly planning pages, along with specific places to mark out your weekly content in whatever formats you've chosen and monthly content & hashtag pools. You can track your own personal habits and sketch out new ideas with included graph paper on either a .pdf printed version or an actual physical printed one. The planner releases on October 1, 2020, but you can pre-order yours here.
Conclusion
Remember that no matter what you choose to create or what format you choose to create it in, your content is as unique as you are. Your voice and your authenticity will shine through your copy. The goal is to draw your customer in so that you can connect and build relationships with them but the path that you take to do that is completely up to you, depending on how that fits into your life.
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As ever, my door is always open for any questions or concerns. You can email me at amorrisseywilliams@gmail.com or DM me on Instagram (@williamsanastasia_). I'm always happy to chat and brainstorm!