3 questions to consider before you show up online; and their answers
Have you ever heard of a content marketing strategy and a content marketing plan?
If you have never worked in marketing then you may be like I was, and be totally clueless.
You may have some idea that, yes, I do need to do something to promote your health coaching business but it feels icky to do “ marketing” and sell yourself to the masses.
It doesn’t have to be like that, like a mentor of mine reminds me regularly.
Marketing is the way you manifest what you want in your business. In your business you want people to improve their lives, improve their health and wellness. If they don’t know how you can help them, then nobody wins.
So with that in mind let’s take a look at how a content marketing strategy and a content marketing plan can create win - win situations for you and your clients.
There are three questions to consider before you show up online.
Let’s take a look at these now and answer them.
The first question that comes up is:
What’s the difference between a content marketing strategy and a content marketing plan? Aren’t they the same thing?
I like to think of them like a road map. Both help me get to where I want to go.
When you look at a map, you get an overall view. You can see where you are right now, and you can see where you want to get to. This is your strategy. You want to move from point A to point B.
It’s the same for your business strategy. You want to get from where you are now to a particular goal. For example, you may want to take your health coaching business from local one on one clients to online group coaching.
Your strategy is defined by a start point and an endpoint
How you reach that point is up to you. This is your plan.
On your map, you know your starting point. What the map gives you is various ways of getting to your end point.
There is not one way to arrive at your endpoint, there are many different options available to you.
In your business content marketing plan. You get to choose the best path for you to get to your desired result.
Take our example above, you want to move to online group coaching, then you need a plan that let’s people know you are doing this.
So to answer question one: the difference between the two is your strategy is the big picture and your plan is the details.
Another big point here to keep in mind is this: over time your strategy generally stays the same, and your plans can (and probably will) change more than once on your way to getting where you want to be. If you want to read more about the difference between your strategy and your plan you can do so here.
Ever been lost without a map?
If you have all the time in the world it can be fun to be lost, but only until you need to be somewhere.
The second question that comes up about a content strategy and a content plan is:
2. Why do you need them?
Back to the road map analogy.
If you want to go somewhere you’ve never been before or are unfamiliar with, it’s helpful to have a map to help you get there faster or easier.
For example; on a trip to Japan recently, we often needed to get from our hotel to a restaurant, a train station or another place of interest
Using good old Google maps, Smartphone you put in where you are and then where you want to go.
Then it provides you with a number of plans to achieve your strategy.
the fastest route
the scenic route
a route past all the temples or shops
You decide which route you will take, and how you will get there. For example, you might choose the scenic route and you choose to walk.
Once you have done it a few times it gets easier to follow the right path. When you are really comfortable with the area you can choose a different plan depending on your needs.
As far as your online content for your business goes, without a strategy, it is difficult to know where you are headed.
You can still create content. But what will be its purpose?
Will you simply be creating content without a specific reason and how will that help you reach the people who need your help?
Having a strategy of moving from local one on one services to providing online group coaching online, is a clear example of a strategy you can put into your “Google maps”.
Got your strategy? Great, now you need a way to achieve it.
It is difficult to go from where you are to where you want to be without a process to get your there.
Remember the Google maps example when you put in your strategy? Google gave you a number of ways to achieve your goal.
It’s the same for your business.
You have a strategy, now you can create a plan.
A content marketing plan for your business consists of those day-to-day, week-to-week, month-to-month activities that get you to your strategy endpoint. The power of planning is in giving you options to make your goals happen
Which route do you need to follow to get you where you want to be?
That brings us to the next question:
3. How do you create them?
Creating a strategy is a simple matter of identifying where you are now and where it is you want to go.
Simple but not always easy.
Back to our road map. You’re hungry, you want to get from your hotel to a restaurant. You look at your map, first there is a number of restaurants to choose from. How do you choose? Simple answer: pick one.
Once you have done that, then you can plan how you are going to get there. How you get there will depend on. how far the restaurant is from your hotel, how hungry you are and what travel options are available to you? Do you need to use a bus or a taxi to help you get to the restaurant
For your business strategy, if we use the example above, you have already decided you want to move to group coaching online.
Your plan needs to address, how you want to get there.
What kind of content do you want to create, blogs, videos, email?
What channels do you like to use, social media, your own website, podcasts?
How much time do you have to dedicate to showing up and doing what needs to be done?
Other important considerations are what help might you need to create and implement your plan?
Knowing what you want can be hard to figure out
Creating a content marketing strategy and a content marketing plan does take some time. And often when you are in the everyday of running your business it can feel overwhelming to take time out to create a plan.
Sometimes you don’t even have time to think about where you want to be. So even your strategy is overlooked, while you are busy getting “things” done
And there’s nothing quite so exhausting as feeling like you are doing things because you have to rather than because you want to.
When you take the time to think about what it is you really want your business to do, for you and your clients, then you have a strategy that inspires you. Then doing the daily activities in your plan feel less overwhelming and aligned to reach your desired goals.
That is why you need both a content strategy and a plan!
I'm on a mission to help health and wellness business owners to be visible online without hiding their true selves.
To get clarity, confidence and the courage to show up consistently.
The health and wellness industry needs people committed to making a difference.
If you are committed to making a difference but need some help to get visible then reach out and lets make it happen!
