Whenever someone asks me how to attract their ideal client or how to engage their audience, my answer is always the same…CONTENT. Every online business knows (or should know) that demands for original, high-quality, online content are higher than ever. But with a little creativity and a decisive strategy, you don’t have to stress over having enough content to attract inbound traffic. Having a content strategy in place will set you apart from the competition, let your audience get to know you, and allow you to express your personal brand. Why? People buy from those they know, like and trust. Think of the online space as though you are throwing a cocktail party in your home. Would you ignore your guests? Of course not. You would pour them a drink. Ask them what’s new in their life. Offer them some yummy appetizers (i love dip!) Not having content is the equivalent of standing in front of your ideal client at the party and not saying a freakin’ word. So here are six steps to planning and creating a month’s worth of content in one day.

Step 1: List all KPO’s (key promotional opportunities)

Those “special” days like National Friendship Day may seem silly, but they’re a great way to tell a story and connect with your audience. Here’s an example of the first few weeks of a month. Some of the KPO’s that will be included in September are listed below :

• Sept. 1 – Emma M. Nutt Day and National Cherry Popover Day: Explore and celebrate the history of the first woman telephone operator — or elaborate on the origins of the cherry popover. Tie it into a new offer and tell your audience you have a deal as sweet as cherries. 
• Sept. 2 – International Bacon Day: If you’re enthralled by the great bacon trend that has become prominent over the last several years, you can dedicate a blog to writing about the history of bacon, where to buy bacon cupcakes, or how to make chocolate-covered bacon. And if you would like to show your healthy side, plan a great article about different types of vegan and vegetarian alternatives.
• Sept. 5 – Cheese Pizza Day – Write an article about the top ten places (locally, regionally, nationally and internationally) where people can get the best cheese pizza around. In addition, you can write an article on how to acquire or make pizza with the highest quality ingredients — from cheeses to the sauce to the crust. Have a picture of you and your family enjoying some pizza together.
• Sept. 5 – As an alternative, show your wild side and write an article for Be Late for Something Day — listing all the benefits of letting other people wait on you for a change.

Step 2: Think about the buyer persona (or kickass client) that represents the market segment you’re trying to attract.

For example, if I’m writing to an older, more conservative audience, I’ll be sure to include national days like Flag Day, 911, and historical biographies. On the other hand, if I’m writing for a younger audience — like young mothers — I’ll include content on health and nutrition, and life hacks such as how to make family meals under 20 minutes and how to prepare your home and family for the holidays. Lastly, each month I revisit my buyer persona write-up to see if it needs tweaking or expanding. The bottom line is this: When you create content designed for your ideal client, you win. Every. Damn. Time. Learn more about this in the masterclass, How To Attract Your Kickass Clients.

Step 3: Brainstorm

I like to write down everything that comes to mind on post-it notes. For example, suppose my target audience is Millennials, ages 23 to 37, and I choose to dedicate every day of October to National Gourmet Adventures Month. I’ll make a list of appropriate themes, topics, quotes, exercises, phrases and anecdotes. Then I’ll group similar concepts together — fun quotes for Millennials and interesting places to visit and try out the cuisine, for example. And if I decide to dedicate October to writing about how to celebrate the fall with exciting outings for the family, I’ll research and write on topics such as pizza farms  (not really..but you get the idea)…. The list goes on!

Step 4. Use tricks to fight off writer’s block. 

If you’re having trouble brainstorming, I have a trick that can help: I like to “reverse brainstorm.” I write down every bad idea I can think of, asking myself: “What could I write about that would turn people away?” This is the Constanza Principle. Remember when George Costanza decides to toss his gut instincts to the curb and instead consider radical alternatives to what his instincts tell him to do—and it works? The same works for reverse brainstorming. For example, for my October Gourmet Adventures Month, I would compile a list of things NOT to write about for my adventurous, experience-seeking Millennial audience:

• I will not write about ordinary staple foods unless they have a unique or holiday-oriented twist to them.
• I will not limit myself to local, regional or national cuisine. (My target audience loves to travel!)
• I will not exclude food that young family members can enjoy.
• I will not exclude vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free options — instead, I’ll probably dedicate an article to each!

Step 5. Plan the frequency of your posts. 

Write down how often you plan to post on each platform, how many lead magnets you will create, and how many blogs you will write — and commit to your plan. For example, you may wish to post on the various social media channels three-to-five days a week, and update your blog posts at least once a week. Be sure to construct a plan with a reasonable time-frame that works best for you. And most importantly, stick to it! Tip: I like to use the Chrome extension Momentum. Not only does it display a different gorgeous image every day but I can add my most important task like, Finish Blog Post On Content Planning. Every time I open a new tab, which is A LOT, I’m reminded of that task. 

6. Locate your images. 

Sometimes I find even more inspiration in the images I run across. Some of the sites I like are: stocksy.com, creativemarket.com and bloguettes.com. With the October Millennial gourmet food plan, for example, I’ll get inspired by international images of families and fancy food, global cuisine, and lots of pictures that illustrate unique twists on Halloween, Day of the Dead, and All-Saints Day foods and customs from the US, the British Isles, and Latin America. Finally, I organize my thoughts and… I write my posts.

And then …. Done!

With these six steps, you can create a full month’s worth of content. And you’ll have a lot of fun doing it. You’ll also tune in to your customers’ expectations and find creative ways to connect with them. And if you need some help, be sure to download this month’s Content Planner.