Using Writing as a Tool to Share Your Marketing Message
Uncover & reframe five common misconceptions about sharing your creative or business message by writing a blog
The people I work with – the coaches, the healers, the creatives and others – all have a meaningful message inside their hearts they want to share with world. They are strong, passionate people, and yet often, when I suggest blogging as a compelling way to share that message, many are resistant.
The business owners typically “get” the value of using a blog as a marketing tool to support their business, but many have a mixed relationship with it.
Maybe they’re not writing as a way to communicate to the ideal clients, but they’re convinced they should be. So weeks go by as they struggle to move forward. Or perhaps they are writing, but not about the things they feel most passionate or personal about, so their posts end up feeling stale. And its hard for them to maintain a consistent rhythm.
Sometimes, this resistance is built on some underlying misconceptions on what it means to share your message via a blog. If you’re not using writing as a way to share your message with the world, maybe you’re harboring a misunderstanding about what it means to do so.
5 Misconceptions about Using a Written Blog for your Marketing
You have to have a blog to successfully share your message.
I want to talk about this one right out of the gate. The truth is not everyone needs to use writing or have a blog to share their business’ message. In fact, I’d say that not everyone should.
Each individual is born with a unique set of talents, gifts and way of being in the world. When your marketing is aligned with who you are, that essence, is when it’s most effective.
For some, writing comes easy; their readers can sense that alignment and their natural energy shines through. Other people’s essence shows best when they’re on video. They have an ease there that doesn’t show up when they’re writing. Or still others have a way of speaking that makes a connection.
The primary way you market, especially when you’re in the early stages of business development, should be the way that feels the easiest and most fun. That means you’re aligned with your gifts. That helps others see you shine and makes it easier to show up with consistency.
Once you have a good rhythm for your content creation in place you can learn, explore and grow using other methods.
You have to wait until you have a website or until your business is more established.
There are good reasons to not invest all of your business development energy into creating content before you have the business basics in place. However, if you’ve got a message you’re longing to share, you don’t have to wait.
In fact, I believe in following your energy. If you have something to talk about, start talking about it. If you don’t have your marketing starting point in place yet, writing can you help you get clear about who you help and what you help them with.
And, you don’t have to create a whole fancy website to have a blog. A simple one-page one works just fine. It doesn’t need to contain anything other than your contact information and your beautiful words. Or, if even that seems too much, you can start sharing your thoughts today simply using your email server.
There’s a structure you must follow when writing blog posts.
Yes, there are some principles to help you write compelling content.
And yes, there are some specific things to do when you’re having trouble writing.
However, I’ve talked to some people who think they have to use a formula but they really want to share their message in poetry.
No, I tell them. Write poetry on your blog!
Or fiction or essays.
Or prayers or meditations.
While there are lots of people sharing teachings or aspects of their own personal journeys on their blogs, there are just as many examples of people writing fiction or sharing their poetry via a blog. A blog, by definition, is simply a regularly updated website or web page, typically one run by an individual or small group, that is written in an informal or conversational style.
That’s it.
Any kind of writing you love can be a way for you to share your message.
You have to write an article or post every week.
Not really. If you feel like writing every week is just too much given your capacity. Then honor that. Frequency is something you get to decide. And, yes, if part of your objective in your blogging is to provide help and healing to your community, being in front of them often is helpful. However, good news! There are no internet police citing you for not having posted lately. 😉
Being consistent is helpful so your community know when they’ll hear from you, but you get to decide on what feels most freeing to you.
Weekly? Biweekly? Monthly?
It all works.
You’ll have to deal with trolls.
I’ve written before on what to do if you get a nasty comment on something you’ve shared. And dealing with the thought of a potential troll is simpler than you think. When you start out, just don’t allow comments. You can turn them off.
And, in the highly unlikely event that anyone is insensitive enough to go out of their way to send you an email with unhelpful thoughts about your words, just block and remove them from the list, making sure you take care of any feelings or emotions that might come up in the process.
I know someone who likes to say that getting a troll-like comment is a sign they’re touching on a truth that needs saying. I love that re-frame.
Sharing Your MessagE
Sharing written content is a powerful, easily accessible way to start sharing your message with the world. It can help pave the way for the Buyer’s Journey, allowing your potential clients and audience know who you are, decide if they like your approach and ultimately helping build trust.
Sometimes, the reasons why people don’t share their message in writing is more complicated and might benefit from some deeper work, like coaching or an intuitive energy reading.
But, often, I’ve found it’s an honest misunderstanding of what using a written blog means and what it can be used for. If that’s the case, hopefully this article helps clear the air and will inspire you to put words on the page, sharing your message with those who most need to receive it.