There’s nothing worse when you’re starting a blog than going live with only a sliver of content.
We’ve all seen it before.
Maybe you see a link in a profile. Or you Google someone’s name.
You hunt down their site. You click on their blog.
And nothing.
There are, maybe, 3 posts.
You might as well just scream, DO NOT TRUST ME at the top of your lungs.
Now of course everyone’s gotta start somewhere. I get that.
But here’s how you make sure you don’t keep it that way for long.
Because no matter how many traffic generation strategies you look at, content is the backbone of making it work.
So, if you feel like you’re banging your head on the wall trying to come up with content, the ideas aren’t flowing fast enough, and the writing is taking for-EVER, then I’m going to show you a 3-part process to jumpstart your content library and get yourself a flock of followers addicted to every word you write.
It will build your list, get you shares, and pave the way to profit.
And it’s easy as pie. (Though, I don’t really know why pie is easy.)
I call it the Take and Bake formula.
Step 1: Create Your Irresistibility Magnet
If you want a bulletproof brand that builds an epoxy-strength bond, then here’s the first thing you need to do to get going…
I want you to think of the most influential people ever.
Really. Close your eyes. Scrunch up your face.
Picture them in your mind.
What do they all have in common?
Purpose.
Steve Jobs? He wanted computers to expand human potential.
Martin Luther King, Jr? Equality.
Buddha? Acceptance.
Christ? Giving.
Or just think of your favorite influences and authorities. I’ll bet every, single one of them stands for something.
After all, why would you want to follow someone who didn’t want to stand for something.
And it’s no less true for great brands, by the way, so you don’t get a pass, just because you’re running a business.
Nike is about you inner athlete. BMW is about exceptional experiences. IKEA is about everyday enjoyment.
And so it goes.
So, you need a purpose.
Without one, it’s almost a sure shot thing that over time, you’ll lose focus, as your content meanders from one transient thought to the next.
That’s why most sites read like a bunch of gobbledygook B.S.
They have no direction.
It’s purpose that lets your writing cut straight to the bone with blunt-force impact by packing your content with the power of belief.
Now in just a minute, I’m going to show you exactly how to translate that purpose into truckloads of fresh, exciting content.
But for now, I want you to pull out a sheet of paper and write out your purpose.
Just step away from the screen.
(For real…this is going to be here when you come back.)
And on that paper, write out a word or maybe a sentence that describes your purpose.
It doesn’t have to be elaborate or unique.
That’s what usually bogs people down. But there are only so many purposes, and just by you being you, you’ll give it your own spin. So don’t worry about coming up with a unique word.
Just write out a word that’s true to you.
Something you feel in your belly.
That you’ll fight for.
So write it out. Then stick it to your wall and come back.
Did you do it?
Good. You’re ready to move on.
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Step 2: Steal Mercilessly
OK. Now that we know your purpose, let’s get into the take and bake part of things.
So, here’s the key.
You have to steal.
Not copy. But out and out rip the hell off. Be a thief.
Like Picasso (supposedly) said. Great artists steal. So do great bloggers and great business owners.
There are two parts to stealing.
The first part is just figuring out what to steal. That’s the Taking part of the formula.
Now, before you start to break out in a sweat, because it’s wrong to copy, and because you want to be original and different and all, that, first, we’ll get that done.
But, second, remember.
It’s all been said.
And this is such a big mindset shift that so many people never get past.
Repeat after me:
It has all been said.
To death, in fact. But you know what? People keep reading. They keep searching. And new content comes out every day.
You know why?
Here’s the secret: It’s not what you say. It’s how you say it.
That’s key.
You’ve gotta embrace your own value, here.
You’ve gotta know your value doesn’t come in the advice. It comes in how you deliver the advice.
I mean…what, there are only something like 7 stories that exist. Every type of story out there fits into one of the 7 archetypes (yeah, yeah, maybe 8, maybe 5, maybe 9 depending on what you Google).
But there are billions of variations. And each one feels fresh in its own way. Except the sucky ones.
So just go find a bunch of popular topics.
There are a lot of ways to do this. You can use a tool like BuzzSumo. You can go to popular sites in your space. And (duh) there’s Google. Feel free to be creative.
My favorite? If there’s a group board on your subject in Pinterest (yes, for real—Pinterest isn’t just for crafts and recipes—go do some searching), they usually have hundreds, if not thousand of saucy posts that make for great inspiration.
OK. So, go write that down.
Done?
Good. Let’s hop into the final stage.
Step 3: Bake It Your Way
Alright. You’ve made it. Give yourself a pat on the back.
High fives!
So here’s what it means to bake it.
That’s it. Were you expecting more?
You don’t need it.
Now, to help make sure you don’t get stuck by overcomplicating things (No judgement. I do it all the time.) remember…
As humans, we do this all the time.
We hear a story from someone else, then we retell it with our own twists to emphasize our own beliefs.
Ask 100 people to describe a movie, and every single one of them will say something different.
You just have to let it flow.
Because the truth is, most people get it backwards.
It’s hard to come up with ideas and figure out what to talk about.
But when you try to copy too literally, it’s like trying to fit a round peg into a square hole.
You try to force feed your own ideas and words into a structure that was built for someone else’s.
So don’t try to copy.
Just use it to get started and get some ideas, then let go and say things like you want to say it.
And while you’re at it, write it out in one pass.
Just let it rip.
They say to write drunk and edit sober, and if you edit while you write, you’ll not only slow the process, but you’ll kill the ideas that would naturally flow into your head.
Your purpose gives you a point to make, and once you have that and you just allow yourself the breathing room to recognize it’s about how you say it and not what you say, creating content becomes infinitely easier.
Let me show you a few examples of how purpose and personality can change content.
Suppose someone else wrote about the key to getting attention and they said:
“The key to attraction is taking the time to address your audience for who they are.”
OK. So that’s our baseline.
Now let’s look at a few variations, so you can see how purpose and personality change everything.
Purpose: Courage from a straight-shooter personality
Variation: If you want to attract people, then have the guts to lead. Step into the fear, and just put it out there.
Purpose: Understanding from a caring personality
Variation: Everyone wants to be seen. We all want a bond with the people around us, and if you lower your guard and let your audience in, they’ll follow you to the ends of the Earth.
Purpose: Truth from youthful and blunt personality
Variation: You wanna get followers? Then you’e gotta be honest AF, and stop swimming in your bullshit.
Hopefully you get the idea…
Just talk like yourself, and think about the message you want people to receive.
Ask what is the one unifying principle that people need to understand to better their lives? What is the one thing you want to give to people?
If you pack your content with purpose without sucking up all of your time trying to reinvent a wheel that’s already working, pretty soon, you’ll be able to churn and burn like nobody’s business.
After all, a laser is just a bunch of light that’s all pointing in the same direction.
But because of that, it can burn through 20 feet of steel in a second.
Use the Take and Bake strategy, and pretty soon, you’ll become the go-to resource for legions of loyal fans.
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