Awesome Inspiration!

I always recommend having an idea catcher. Somewhere that you record all of your content ideas as they come up. Finding an idea that inspires you can sometimes be the hardest part of getting started when sitting down to write. But ideas can be found in any situation. They can be:
  • Problems you solve
  • Something new you have learned
  • Questions you get asked
  • Concerns in your market
  • Trends and news
  • Real experiences and examples
  • Your opinions
Once you have the idea, you need to start writing. The suggestion that I give to clients, friends and anyone else who will listen is this: introduce and explain an idea and then give practical advice about how to implement it. Of course that’s fairly simplistic but not a bad place to start.

My reason for this suggestion came from my previous Insights training about different personalities. Some people have a preference for ideas and the big picture. Other people prefer detail and the practical application of concepts. If you write as I’ve suggested above, you’ll have something for everyone.

Scott Stratten, in his book Unmarketing. Stop Marketing. Start Engaging., recommends a peppy little formula for successful content creation – his 3 P’s:
  • Point – State your main point.
  • Prove it – Give an example, scenario or other proof.
  • Perform it – Tell people how they can learn from the proof and make it happen for themselves.
It’s a little more savvy than my version and inspired me to think about writing in a new way.



 Originally published in Work Better, Not Harder on August 2, 2012

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