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5 SECRETS TO CREATING IRRESISTIBLE CONTENT CONSISTENTLY
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How To Create A Content Calendar with Trello
BUSINESS STRATEGIES
How To Create A Content Calendar
(Using Trello)
November 12, 2022
Kimberly Ann Jimenez,
Digital Strategist & Founder
Do you ever feel that you can never catch up on managing all your content?
From writing blogs, recording podcasts or videos, posting on social media, and sending newsletters. I hear you; creating content takes a lot of time and can get overwhelming.
And trust me; you are not alone.
After training and coaching over 30,000 entrepreneurs through our various courses and programs, I hear this complaint from hundreds of overwhelmed, burnt-out entrepreneurs, creators, and leaders every week like you.
And in this episode, I’m going to show you exactly the process workflow of creating content you can put in one place, my favorite tool— Trello, to keep you from feeling overwhelmed.
So let’s jump into it.
⭐Related Read: How To Create A POWERFUL Content Calendar With Trello
Inside Trello, we’re going to move from left to right. This is how we’ve structured a basic content calendar workflow. And we have two main points on the board, Long-Form Content, and Micro Content Ideas.
LONG-FORM CONTENT
There are two important reasons why I always recommend that you start with your long-form content.
Number one, it’s going to build your authority like nothing else. You must be building relationships and adding trust and value. And that’s where your sales will come from, primarily long-form content.
The second reason is it allows you to create content on social media much more manageable. Because then you can repurpose and reuse much easier if you just started with long-form content. Whether it’s Instagram reels, stories, or any post.
LONG-FORM CONTENT IDEAS
You’re going to start just creating a brain dump of all the different ideas you could create and make a new card for every post idea. Then add a label to the cards, so you’ll know if it will be YouTube, Blog, Podcast, etc.
I recommend starting to publish your long-form content at least once a week. It can really serve you to start there and then start building as you move forward.
RESEARCH
From Content Ideas, we’re going to move into Research.
Here you start looking at some keywords, some questions that people might have, or competitor ideas so that you reach or talk about this topic from a different angle.
Sean Cannell always says,
“You must research before you press record.”
And this doesn’t have to be an elaborate process. You can research for 10-15 minutes to get a basic idea of what is already out there. And how you can complement the content out there instead of necessarily competing.
It can be on YouTube or podcast, or it’s going to be on your actual blog.
PRODUCTION
The next step is Production. This is where you’re going to start creating the actual thing.
Whether that is a blog or podcast, or YouTube video.
You’re going to record it, you’re going to outline, you’re gonna write it, you’re going to edit all of that. And that happens in the production phase.
One of the things that I find extremely helpful in the production phase is having a big brain dump on everything that is required to go from idea to actual publication.
Dive Deep—The Content Calendar System 2.0 is our signature program where you’ll learn a much easier way to manage your content. It doesn’t involve spending hours on end glued to the computer churning content.
And have all your checklist for your Production phase to break down specific action steps and track your progress as you get things done.
And hey, if you just have all the list in your head, it will be overwhelming and chaotic. And we don’t want to do that.
Instead, have it all outlined here in Trello or whatever tools you use. So it’s easy, and it’s entirely out of your head. All you have to do is follow the checklist.
And as you complete each step, you can just mark it off, which is helpful.
Get access to Trello Template Pack and nail your Trello productivity without wasting hours building your boards from scratch, even if you’ve never used Trello before…
READY TO PUBLISH
So once you’re ready to publish, start moving those cards over in the Ready to Publish section, which just signifies you do the final touches.
Like the last proofreading, create some of that micro-content. And then we hit publish. And that is it.
PUBLISH
Once everything is set, you’re ready to publish your content and put it out to the world.
Quick Tip: Share it on your newsletter or social media and let them know you have just published your new video, podcast, blog, etc.
CONTENT BUCKETS
One of the things that I want to share before moving to Micro-content is to have Content Buckets for your individual social media platforms before you go into your micro-content ideas.
And I do not recommend that you try to tackle all social media platforms at once. You should have one pillar of a long-form content platform and one supporting one.
So that can be YouTube and Instagram or Blog and Pinterest. It’s totally up to you and where your audience is at.
So, this is what I would highly recommend that you do.
For example, set a time to post for your Instagram—Post once a day. And then have 5 content categories to post on this platform— business advice, video teaser, personal posts, promos, and behind-the-scenes.
So you know that you will have those kinds of posts, then you can go and outline or brainstorm different ideas for your Micro-content Ideas.
MICRO CONTENT IDEAS
When you have your buckets and content cards ready— images and captions on your Micro-content card-you can label on what platform they will be posted.
Once that’s done, you want to schedule that for a particular date.
And that pretty much has that week figured out!
The idea here is that you’re going to be planning all of your content in one place and then taking that to wherever you’re publishing it.
So you want to do the same thing with all of your platforms.
Start adding content based on the schedule that you’ve set up for yourself.
✨ Snag Now: FREE Online Success Path✨
OVER TO YOU
This whole process is straightforward and simple.
I hope you’re starting to see how this entire process of having a Content Calendar can help you relax, not stress so much about the content you’re creating, and, more importantly, not be overwhelmed or stay stuck.
And so, I want you to start creating more content because you’re a creator, not a consumer. That’s what entrepreneurs do.
If you want to dive in deeper, you must sign up for the Content Calendar System 2.0. You’ll learn how to repurpose your content and get as much mileage as possible.
And hey, if you enjoyed this episode and want to dive deeper into content marketing with me, here are three ways you can work with me.
1. Sign Up for Our Blogging Class– Get a FREE Download to our success path and know what to work on and not work on with your stage right now so that you can reach your goals faster and more clearly.
2. Listen to The Business Lounge Podcast– Come and Listen as we dive deeper every week into Advanced Business and Marketing strategies in the podcast.
3. Join The Business Lounge– Join our membership program where Chris and I coach and train online entrepreneurs on how to leverage proven + practical business and marketing strategies. To level up your business, attract more buyers, and create a business you love.
For now, I would love to hear from you.
Tell me in the comments below or message me on social media at @kimannjimenez.
What’s your biggest insight or takeaway from today’s episode?
And most importantly, how can you put it into action right now?
I’d love to hear from you.
Un beso,
Kim ❤️
Join The Business Lounge!
Master Online Marketing, Turn Followers Into Buyers, & Increase Your Income…
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3 Must-Have Content Hacks To Stay Consistent Even When You’re SUPER Busy
BUSINESS STRATEGIES
3 Must-Have Content Hacks
To Stay Consistent Even When
You’re SUPER Busy
October 27, 2022
Kimberly Ann Jimenez,
Digital Strategist & Founder
At least a couple times per week someone pops into my DM’s, or inbox with a question that sounds like this…
”Kim, I’m spending so much time on content creation that I can’t seem to stay consistent… what am I doing wrong?”
Well, friend, if you can relate, this episode is for you because today I’m sharing 3 ways you can be more consistent with content creation without feeling like you’re always running around in circles or starting and stopping a bunch of times.
Let’s get into.
So let’s dive right in with the strategies.
#1 Create content that
you can stick with
Let’s say that you think you have to start a blog, but you absolutely hate writing.
So you struggle to get content out there hoping you’ll get ‘used to it.’
And while that’s not impossible, if you hate writing, whether that’s writing a blog, or creating long Instagram captions, or creating content for a medium that is text heavy, and you hate it, it’s probably NOT the thing for you and you’re probably not going to stick with it.
The same goes for videos and audio.
So you want to find a medium that you can stick to and that your audience enjoys consuming.
I know that can be a little challenging, but I want to encourage you to find something that you’re good at and all you need is to sit and dominate one format, one platform and do it really, really well.
What is that content medium that you can stick to?
What is that content medium that you can learn to enjoy so that you can stick to it?
Is that content medium the right place for your audience?
And so you want to play with that.
But ideally, if you want to stay consistent with your content, you have to do the format that you actually enjoy. Otherwise, it’s just not going to happen, my friend.
So you want to find your thing and realize that as you get more comfortable with it, you’re gonna make it your own. Consistency starts with a form that you can stick to.
#2 Tighten up your content creation workflow
This means that you actually pay attention to the amount of time that you’re spending creating your content.
Chris, my amazing business partner, developed a process called the PADE method.
And we take a lot of our coaching clients through this method, where they’re tracking what they’re doing every single day, and every single task gets assigned with a particular time.
I. You want to time yourself.
How much time are you spending writing the blog?
How much time are you spending creating graphics?,
How much time are you spending filming the video?
How much time are you spending creating smaller content pieces?
Take inventory of your time spent. That’s basically how it works.
II. Always be thinking: How can you save time in creating your content next time?
How can you save time with your current workflow?
How can you record, film, or write faster?
I cannot tell you, as a former social media manager, how overwhelming it was for me to handle multiple clients at once, and to have to produce long form and short form content.
It was a lot! So I’ll always be thinking, how can I save some time?
III. Create templates
Do you have a graphic template to create your blog graphics?
Do you have a blog template saved on your WordPress site that you can just pop in?
Do you have a YouTube description template or email newsletter template?
Creating templates saves you a lot of time so you’re not creating new graphics, new podcast outlines from scratch, new captions, new stories every time.
It doesn’t mean that you’re going to send the same content, and it’d be repetitive, but this way you don’t need to start from scratch with every asset and it’ll help you save a ton of time.
And you can do the same thing with micro content.
#3 Get Help
It can be pretty intense to go out content creation on your own. And of course, you want to be smart about how you go about bringing on help.
I had already hired myself, so I was working full time in my business. And if you haven’t hired yourself yet, then you can totally just outsource on websites like Fiverr and on Upwork. Start with small tasks. I started doing that before I hired a full-time editor.
And so that allowed me to spend more time building courses, servicing clients, creating programs, leveling up my marketing strategy, and creating more content so that I wouldn’t be stuck editing for 15 hours a video that took me an hour to film.
Chris and I spend less than two hours a week in content creation, and we run three podcasts now, we run two YouTube channels, four combined Instagram accounts, we have Facebook pages, Telegram, Pinterest, and a lot of platforms, and we only spend that amount of time because we have positioned ourselves to be the talent in our business, instead of trying to do everything ourselves. And that’s a process.
And so, I just want to give you a model and something to look forward to so that you don’t have to feel the pressure of being all the things in your business.
And that’s exactly what I’m teaching you in this brand new content class. I want you to start thinking smarter. There’s a reason why we named that Smart Content Class.
Entrepreneurs are trying to do too much. We just have too much on our shoulders and it’s a lot.
So for entrepreneurs who are selling services and products and programs, we have a totally different ball game that we play and so getting smarter about how we play it is absolutely key.
CHECK OUT OUR FREE CLASS!
5 SECRETS TO CREATING IRRESISTIBLE CONTENT CONSISTENTLY (Even If You Are Super Busy and Without Being ‘On’ All The Time)
Get my exact 5-Step System to nail your content creation once and for all, grow an audience of buyers (not just followers), and show up unapologetically as an entrepreneur without spending all your time glued to your devices.
✔ 5 Content-Creation Mistakes That Are Likely Keeping You Stuck, Overwhelmed & Unmotivated and how to avoid them so that content becomes easy, enjoyable, profitable AND fun.
✔ Why People Aren’t Resonating With Your Content or Buying Your Products, Programs, or Services and 3 simple tweaks you can make right now to flip the script and create magnetic content that connects & sells seamlessly.
✔ The Exact Blueprint Your Should Be Following For Your Specific Business Model so that you’re always clear & confident on the BEST way to up online for your business (instead of modeling everyone else).
✔ A Proven Process To Transform Your Content Creation Process So You’re Never Creating Content On A Whim or wasting precious hours of your day that should be spent closing and servicing more clients & customers.
✔ The Exact Content Formula Businesses Like Yours Leverage Every Day to attract more engagement, leads, & sales with content without being perceived as an influencer or needing a massive audience.
OVER TO YOU
So, I hope this episode was helpful.
And if it was, make sure to come over to SmartContentClass.com. In there, you’re gonna get serious takeaways, so bring notes, bring pen and paper, because you’re gonna get my exact five step system to nail your content creation once and for all without feeling like it’s totally overwhelming.
Again, I hope that this episode gave you a lot to think about when it comes to creating content consistently.
There’s so much opportunity out there, and content is here to stay. We might as well master it in a way that feels right for us, that works for us, and that helps us show up confidently and own it.
Don’t forget to go all in. God has put you on this earth to serve others, multiply your gifts, and reach your full potential. Honor that gift.
We’re rooting for you.
I’ll see you in the next episode.
Un beso! Bye for now.
xx,
Kim❤️
Join The Business Lounge!
Master Online Marketing, Turn Followers Into Buyers, & Increase Your Income…
(All without feeling confused + overwhelmed trying
to figure out what to work on next).
How Often Should You Post On Social?
BUSINESS STRATEGIES
Do You Really Need To Post 15+ Times Per Day On Social Media To Stay Relevant?
October 14, 2022
Kimberly Ann Jimenez,
Digital Strategist & Founder
Okay, things have changed A LOT the past 2.5 years on social media. The game is different and we all want to stay relevant…
But does that mean we should up the anti, grinding on social media and posting 15 plus times a day?
If you do, how do you go about that?
If no, what is the right frequency?
What platforms do you need to be on?
It’s gonna get good, y’all.
We’ve been having this conversation over the last couple of months inside of The Business Lounge membership, because a lot of the experts tell you that the market is getting more competitive, things are getting crazier, you need to be posting 15-20 times all over social media on different platforms.
And while I think that there’s validity to that point, is it realistic?
So let’s talk about what you should be doing as a solopreneur, to stay super relevant with your content creation.
Let’s jump right into it!
We just sent out a poll recently asking about your biggest content challenges and we heard from over 400 of you who shared things like…
I’m just burnt out…
How do I make content work when the business takes up all my time?
I know I need to be creating content, but I don’t know how to do that when my lifestyle is so busy…
I 100% get it. Not just because I’m a former social media manager, but because this is my third startup, so I understand what it likes to do everything in the business and feel the pressure of having to create MORE.
So when I hear experts saying that you have to post 15+ times each day to stay relevant in this era, I’m calling BS.
I love it as a goal. I don’t love it as a blanket statement (it’s not true).
Because number one, is that really necessary? And number two, is that sustainable and realistic to where you’re at in your business journey right now?
I have yet to see a small business owner and entrepreneur who’s running an actual business solo createa that much content consistently, and profitably.
I’m sure that unicorn is out there, and we’re rooting him/her on because that’s an amazing goal.
But for the 99% of entrepreneurs just trying to make things happen online, I’m giving you permission to not have to start there.
Content creation is a full time job. Period.
As a former social media manager, who managed over 50 businesses content one on one, over the first few years of my career, I can tell you that what you see as the finished product on social is only half the story. What you don’t see is the hours and hours and hours they’re spending putting that content together.
So, as entrepreneurs, as a small business owners, we have to look for a better way. We have to think about how we deliver our content differently.
Yes, there are experts in this field who are telling you, you need to post more often. But frankly, those people are very much out of touch…
In fact, some of the big names have upwards of 20 people just on their content team managing, editing, and posting. Which is awesome, and 100% how it should be done… they just don’t tell you about it.
And so I just want to give you permission to play your game and show you how you can still post consistently without burning out, or producing an exorbitant amount of FOMO content.
Okay, rant over…
Now, how do you actually figure out how frequently you should be posting?
When it comes to frequency and how often you should be posting on social media. Think about two very important things.
Number one is sustainability; what is a frequency that you can sustain?
And number two, what frequency will give you the best results for that specific platform?
#1 Sustainability – What Frequency will help you post consisntently?
If you’ve been part of The Business Lounge, or you have downloaded our Online Success Path, you know that there’s six stages in your business journey. So, based on the stage that you’re at in your business journey, what is sustainable for you?
Master one platform that’s your pillar content —like podcast, blog, YouTube video, etc. And then one other supporting platform where people can find you, where you can share your show, where you can get discovered.
Let’s say you’ll want to commit to creating three reels every single week. You batch those in advance, and boom, you got your three reels. And so, you start developing that consistency that is by what’s sustainable for you. And then, as you stay consistent, you’ll start to see success.
So you just have to be smarter. And you got to think about how do you leverage the resources that you have when you have a very limited amount of time, very limited amount of energy and maybe even limited amount of money.
✨ Snag Now: FREE Online Success Path✨
#2 What Is The Best Frequency For the specific Platforms you’re posting to?
So if you’re using the same frequency on Twitter, like you do on Instagram, you’re probably not going to see much success. Right?
Twitter has a very short kind of window of opportunity when it comes to individual tweets. There’s a very short bandwidth there. And so you probably need to post more frequently on Twitter.
Well, what if TikTok is your thing? What’s the frequency like in TikTok?
What can you get away with that will still give you the algorithm boost but is still going to be sustainable for where you are right now?
So, really, that’s the wisdom behind content creation that is purposeful and that is geared to build a business in a way that is profitable.
#ProfitabilityOverPopularity all day long.
And so you’re stair stepping that idea.
And hey, I just want to be so so clear that I am not saying that you should not aspire to someday soon be able to post 20 times a day on all the different platforms and have a team that helps you manage it all.
OVER TO YOU
So, I hope this episode was helpful.
And if it was, drop some comments below or DM me on Instagram @kimannjimenez.
If it was not, drop me some comments too…
I would love to hear from you.
And hey, sneak into my five secrets to creating irresistible content consistently, even if you’re super busy and without being on all the time with our FREE Content Class. So you’re gonna get my exact five step system to nail your content creation once and for all, grow an audience of buyers, not just followers and show up unapologetically as an entrepreneur without spending all your time glued on your devices.
Again, I hope you enjoyed this episode!
Don’t forget to go all in. God has put you on this earth to serve others, multiply your gifts, and reach your full potential. Honor that gift.
We’re rooting for you.
I’ll see you in the next episode.
Un beso! Bye for now.
xx,
Kim❤️
Join The Business Lounge!
Master Online Marketing, Turn Followers Into Buyers, & Increase Your Income…
(All without feeling confused + overwhelmed trying
to figure out what to work on next).
There’s Hidden Money In Your Business! Let’s Find It.
BUSINESS STRATEGIES
There’s Hidden Money In Your Business! Let’s Find It.
September 21, 2022
Kimberly Ann Jimenez,
Digital Strategist & Founder
Did you know that there could be some hidden money opportunities in your business that you’re just missing out on?
I’m willing to be that right now. There are areas in your business where you might be leaving some cash, some dollars, some coins on the table…
How do I know that?
We see it all the time! So often, as entrepreneurs, we get bogged down with the hustle & bustle of business and totally miss the money-making opportunities that are staring us right in the face!
So if you’re needing to increase your cash influx, or are feeling discouraged because things aren’t moving along as fast as you’d like…
We got you covered with an episode from our new Insider’s Podcast which I host with my business partner, Chris, for our members inside The Business Lounge program.
We’re talking real tangible strategies that will help you earn more right now… And most importantly, you’ll leave you feeling encouraged and excited.
Let’s get into the show!
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE DON’T FOCUS ON THE RIGHT NUMBERS IN OUR BUSINESS
Oftentimes, with this new era of entrepreneurship, we’re just getting bombarded with messages that are so far removed from what it means to be an entrepreneur.
Track likes… track followers… track engagement…
But are those numbers what really matter?
Yes, followers are great, yes engagement is wonderful, but these vanity metrics keep you unfocused from the real mission: to sell & serve.
That’s why we’re constantly talking about #profitabilityoverpopularity because when you focus on your ‘why’ followers, and like counts are a means to an end, not the destination.
So your first step? Diagnose your business.
Are you tracking the numbers that matter?
Or solely focusing on vanity metrics like followers & engagement?
Again… There’re tons of businesses that get a lot of revenue and sales from exposure. Visibility is really important (and we’re FOR it).
But it’s not going to matter if you’re only keeping your audience engaged on social media, and never moving them through the process of becoming leads and eventually sales.
And that’s what happens when you don’t focus on the right numbers.
You end up in a content hamster wheel trying to reach a certain milestone that all the experts have told you need to reach, and when it never happens, you give up because you’re not profitable.
I’m saying this with loads of love: If you’re not profitable, you’re not a business (yet).
And so we want to pull people out of that never-ending cycle.
WHY SHOULD YOU BE CONSTANTLY FOCUSED ON TOP, MIDDLE AND BOTTOM OF FUNNEL?
If you’re unfamiliar with the term ‘funnel’, don’t worry. It’s essentially a strategic way of taking people through an online sales process.
The top of the funnel is that surface level attraction and discoverability.
It’s that idea of attracting eyeballs into your business and getting seen.
E.g. social media, getting SEO traffic, running paid ads.
The middle of the funnel is shifting the relationship with someone who just found you on social media, but isn’t part of your email list.
There’s no way for you to follow up or change the relationship, send them promotional offers based on their interest, if you’re not moving people down in that middle of the funnel.
So what you’re focusing on in the middle of the funnel is building the relationship, going deep and nurturing those people, and then offering them an opportunity to dive even deeper via a paid offer. And this can happen in a matter of days, months, and even years.
E.g. lead magnets, long form content, newsletters.
And finally, the bottom of the funnel is where sales happen.
E.g. building sales page, upsells, order bumps, ascension funnels.
And so understanding what those three phases are and why they’re important is so so so key to really understanding your numbers.
So, for example, you have a pretty decent following on social media but your email list is terrible the focus in this scenario should be to work on the middle of your funnel or list growth.
If, on the other side of the equation, you have a good email list; you have a good offer, but you’re just not generating enough revenue to grow as fast as you need, you might want to play with building the bond with your list and adding more traffic to the top of your funnel.
Always stay on top of your numbers so you realize where you need to improve.
✨ Snag Now: FREE Online Success Path✨
WHERE’S THE OPPORTUNITY?
Sometimes, there are particular benchmarks that you’re not reaching, and you might feel deflated.
And that’s okay. It happens.
Instead of turning to self-criticism, use it to find the opportunity.
- Do you need to launch a new lead magnet that grows your list?
- Can you drive more traffic or build stronger relationships with your audience through your Instagram stories?
- How are you going to drive more people to your email list?
- How can you create a better content experience for people reading your blogs?
So, as you go through the process of looking at your numbers, keep in mind that numbers reveal opportunities, not just places where you might be failing.
It’s like looking at a scoreboard. Your opportunities are there. It’s a matter of looking at your numbers and figuring out how to adapt your marketing strategy to grow faster.
That’s how you create purposeful marketing.
That’s how you can feel empowered, NOT to follow marketing trends if you choose not to.
And more importantly? That’s how you unlock more sales and higher profits.
OVER TO YOU
I hope this episode is valuable to you.
And if it was, drop some comments below or DM me on Instagram @kimannjimenez.
If it was not, drop me some comments too…
I would love to hear from you.
Because we want to make things actionable and practical for you here.
And hey, if you’re ready to take your business to the next level, don’t forget to hop on the waitlist to join The Business Lounge, and dive deeper to learn how to start an online business — build a brand that fulfills you, helps you make a real difference all while being wildly profitable.
I hope you enjoyed this episode!
Don’t forget to go all in. God has put you on this earth to serve others, multiply your gifts, and reach your full potential. Honor that gift.
We’re rooting for you.
I’ll see you in the next episode.
Un beso! Bye for now.
xx,
Kim❤️
Join The Business Lounge!
Master Online Marketing, Turn Followers Into Buyers, & Increase Your Income…
(All without feeling confused + overwhelmed trying
to figure out what to work on next).
Top 3 Reasons You Should Create Long-Form Content That SELLS
BUSINESS STRATEGIES
Top 3 Reasons You Should Create
Long-Form Content That SELLS
August 26, 2022
Kimberly Ann Jimenez,
Digital Strategist & Founder
Have you noticed what most online business leaders have in common with their content strategy?
If you said, ‘they’re on Instagram!’ or ‘they have a big following’ you’d be right, but there’s something far more important that helps them establish authority, build trust, and close sales seamlessly…
If the title of this episode hasn’t clued you in yet… that special ‘something’ is they all create long-form content.
The unsexy, unshiny, but yet highly profitable side of content marketing that makes the likes of Gary Vee, Joe Rogan and Jordan Peterson mainstream authority figures in their space.
For whatever reason, I’ve noticed that MOST online entrepreneurs are ALL IN posting on social media, but when it comes to creating blogs, podcasts, or videos (aka long-form content), it’s… crickets.
Humans are funny in that way, aren’t we?
I hear things like,
“I don’t have time to write a blog.”
“I don’t have time to record a podcast.” or
“I don’t have time to shoot a video.”
Yet, you’re on Instagram stories all day long…
Posting ‘dancy-pointy’ videos on TikTok…
Or churning out these VERY long Instagram captions…
So… what do you mean you don’t have time to do blogs or videos?
You’re basically microblogging on social media with Instagram and creating the equivalent of a YouTube video with your 4-7 TikToks or reels every week.
It’s not surprising though… is it?
Even though long-form, content builds insane authority, radically deepens the relationship with your audience, and helps you SELL more than social ever can… we’re just not addicted to it as we are social.
To make things even more interesting, we love to consume long-form content from our favorite business leaders like Dave & Rachel Ramsey, Jennifer Allwood, Michael Hyatt, Marie Forleo, and so many more…
So why aren’t we creating it with the same excitement we do social media content?
Let’s do something about that, because if you’re NOT creating long-form content, you’re absolutely missing out on an insane amount of leads & sales, not to mention tremendous opportunities to collaborate, get discovered, receive PR, etc…
Shoot, even Gary Vee, the King of social media, will tell you to create ‘pillar content’ FIRST (pillar content = long form content).
So, in this episode, I hope I’ll persuade you to jump into the ultra-exciting & profitable world of long-for content! Spoiler alert, you’ll learn how it will naturally improve your social media content too! #bonus
Let’s dive in!
When we’re talking about creating long-form content, the most popular are these three core formats.
✅ Text = Blogs
✅ Audio = Podcasts
✅ Video = YouTube / Alternative Video Hosts
Before you freak out, please know you don’t need to do all three. Just want to pick one that’s going to be your primary, and over time, if you want to build in more, you can.
For example, on this blog you’re reading, we’ve embedded our podcast episode which we syndicate to dozens of platforms, and the video version of the show will end up living in our own dedicated video host or, occasionally, on YouTube.
But we didn’t start there and you don’t have to either. One long-form medium is more than enough.
So which one should you pick?
Here are three questions to ask yourself:
1. What are you naturally good at? Or are willing to learn?
2. What channel can you be consistent with?
3. What mediums do your ideal clients consume content in?
I started with video because it’s what I enjoy creating most and how I feel most connected with my tribe, so we started a YouTube channel way back when.
I knew my people were on YouTube but that they also listened and loved podcasts.
So when the team and I explored adding podcasts into the mix, we quickly realized it came even more effortlessly than video for me, and The Business Lounge Podcast was born.
Now, writing isn’t my thing. Especially in English (being that this is my second language).
But blogs are a non-negotiable for me because I still want to leverage the search engine optimization for my site. So, I have my content manager transcribe these episodes into a blog format (which I polish & tweak).
You might go with a podcast and publish it to your site in a short blog format.
Or you might LOVE writing and only publish a blog. There’s really no wrong or right answer here.
There’s only what you’ll stay consistent with and what you place a strategy behind.
Now, let’s get into the good stuff! All the marketing benefits of publishing long-form content.
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#1 IT MAKES IT EASIER TO CREATE MICROCONTENT
Creating long-form content offers so much on it’s own, but there’s the serious added benefit that it makes creating social media posts an absolute breeze.
By splicing your videos, or podcasts, and even pulling excerpts from your blogs and turning those into micro-content pieces, you’re saving yourself HOURS of work on social.
And listen, this a former social media manager speaking… Creating social media content is so much easier when your content strategy includes creating long-form, content first.
For example, you can splice our YouTube videos and post them as Stories, as Reels, or as TikTok videos.
Or do the same thing with the audio by cutting a clip of the audio as a teaser and posting it as stories, or post it as idea pins on Pinterest.
Or you can also create carousels or graphics from your blogs and post them on Instagram posts or Facebook.
So instead of always coming up with brand new ideas for posts on social media, we are repurposing what we are already doing with our long-form content.
#2 BUILDS TRUST & AUTHORITY
This one is one of my favorites because when done right, it leads directly to sales.
It’s the ever-popular concept of show, don’t tell.
We have to realize that most consumers on the internet are weirded out because they’re going to do business with strangers on the internet.
So if you understand that whether your ideal clients are aware of this objection or not, it’s your job to overcome the objection. And there are few better ways to warm them up, put their concerns at ease, and build a strong bond than long-form content to help win the sale.
I’ll demonstrate this right now.
Many of you listening or reading this episode will find what I have to say compelling enough to want more. And you’ll enroll in our one of our most popular content marketing course, The Content Calendar System, join the waitlist for our marketing academy, The Business Lounge, or apply for our high-level coaching program, TBL Coaching.
Remember, you want to show people you can solve their problems or help them achieve a specific result.
Show… don’t just tell. And that’s the magic of long-form content.
And while you can partially achieve this in a micro-post on TikTok, for example, there isn’t enough time in a 3-minute video, or a 140 character tweet to show off what you can do.
Only a tiny percentage (less than 5%) of your market will decide to buy right after reading one of your Instagram posts.
So if you’re struggling to book more clients, get more discovery calls, sell more of your courses, or have people join your membership, it’s likely because you’re missing the mark with your long-form, content, or you don’t have long-form content at all.
So if you want to build the type of trust, likability, and authority that leads to sales, long-form content is a must.
Whether you’re selling information, actual services, or physical products, having that long-form content is so important.
And brands that get this are crushing it.
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#3 IT GIVES YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO SELL
Seriously.
If you’ve listened to the Joe Rogan Experience podcast, you know there’s at least 3 ad spots (if not more) per show.
It’s the same concept you see in radio, or Television ads.
You create long-form content, in their case in the form of a show, or a movie, and you put ads on it.
Except, in this case, you’re producing the content and advertising your own products.
Simultaneously, you’re giving away tremendous value, and building that relationship while giving your readers, listeners, or viewers the opportunity to do business with you (or not).
Because you’ve educated people, and because you’ve added value to their lives, you get to feature and pitch your products, programs, or services.
So whether that’s directly linking to your products on your blog, talking about promo spots on your YouTube video, or your podcast… Long-form content gives you the opportunity to sell seamlessly.
✨Next Level Content Plan: Content Calendar System 2.0✨
OVER TO YOU
So I hope that this episode has your wheels turning to create long-form content or leverage what you’re already producing more efficiently.
Let me know if it has in the comments below!
And if you want me to do part two on how to use your long-form content in your sales strategy and leverage it to its full potential, let me know in the comments below too or DM me on Instagram @kimannjimenez.
I would love to hear from you!
Because we want to make things actionable and practical for you here.
And hey, if you’re ready to take your business to the next level, don’t forget to hop on the waitlist to join The Business Lounge, and dive deeper to learn how to start an online business — build a brand that fulfills you, helps you make a real difference all while being wildly profitable.
I hope you enjoyed this episode!
Don’t forget to go all in. God has put you on this earth to serve others, multiply your gifts, and reach your full potential. Honor that gift.
We’re rooting for you.
I’ll see you in the next episode.
Un beso! Bye for now.
xx,
Kim❤️
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Should You Launch a Course or a Membership?
BUSINESS STRATEGIES
Should You Launch a
Course or a Membership?
July 29, 2022
Kimberly Ann Jimenez,
Digital Strategist & Founder
Thinking about adding more passive income offers into your business? Feeling stuck between launching an online course or membership?
I got you!
After transitioning from a service-based business to an education model seven years ago, and serving 31.8k students, we’ve learned a thing or two about selling courses & memberships.
So, I can tell you from experience firsthand that they’re completely different beasts.
And when I say completely, I mean it.
From the marketing to margins, what is required of you to succeed with both models is quite different. And naturally, they both have pros and cons.
And so you definitely want to stick around because I’m going to share with you each of these business models’ unique aspects, and which one is right for you.
So, let’s get into it.
This episode will cover:
- The unique aspect of Online Course and Membership Program.
- The pros and cons of launching an Online Course.
- The pros and cons of launching a Membership Program.
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Catch up on our latest posts:
ONLINE COURSES
For running a course, I always recommend that you ease into it.
Running and selling information is one of the hardest things you’re going to sell online. But it’s also one of the most fulfilling, most profitable, and most scalable ways of getting your message out into the world.
Don’t get me wrong though, creating a successful course is quite complicated. And I want you to be ready for it.
It takes more than just throwing together a few lessons and calling it a day to create a course that gives your students tangible results and sells consistently.
Courses tend to be a kind of self-study. So people go through the program, you record it; you build it; you document your methodology, you figure out how to get results for people… And then you have that standalone program that is evergreen, mostly.
Some courses are run in an open-closed business model like traditional college classes would, some are run where the program is available anytime, and some are run in a hybrid system–meaning there is an open-close enrollment period and there is also an evergreen element where students can join year-round behind-the-scenes.
Courses are pretty straightforward compared to memberships when it comes to designing the content but they’re also a lot of upfront work.
But then you can actually deliver those courses time and time again. And that makes them very convenient.
They’re often also sold at a premium, which means higher margins, and less accessibility. All good things in my opinion, but that also means you’ll need to constantly attract new customers.
MEMBERSHIP PROGRAMS
Membership sites are ongoing subscription model services.
So they’re designed to continue delivering value to people at a much lower price point, for the most part.
So memberships really excel at the numbers game. They’re going for a ton of different members at a low price point for recurring revenue–every month, quarterly, or annually. It just depends on how you structure it.
Memberships are a recurring business model.
And so this is the moment where you have to get real with who you are and what you like, and what you can realistically do in your business that you enjoy.
And so going through that process of understanding how a membership works and how it’s run versus a course, is helpful.
In my opinion, the perfect model is having both.
And that’s what we do, we actually have three ways we serve our clients. We have courses; we have membership sites, and we have actual services through our coaching programs (and soon physical products & software).
We built these assets over time, I’m not saying you should not start doing all three, please don’t.
But starting with one like a course, and growing into a something like a membership, or a coaching program gives you the best of both worlds.
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COURSE PROS
- Very little maintenance work, depending on how you structure them.
- A lot more passive than memberships.
- You can charge a premium with ease.
- Marketing is more streamlined since they’re more popular than memberships.
- A great way to test the waters is to launch a mini-course.
COURSE CONS
- You don’t have a lot of recurring revenue and it’s unpredictable if you’re running it on the organic side.
- Launching & re-launching can take a toll.
- When you’re getting started, it can be nerve wrecking to wonder where your next sale is going to come from.
- Updating your course is very time-consuming and if you promise lifetime updates, your clients aren’t paying for that extra time you invest.
- You have to tweak the sales model often in order to keep that flow of traffic coming in.
- You have to constantly be chasing customers. So you have to create new customers all the time in order to have enough sales.
- You’re putting all of your eggs in one basket (course) and appealing to multiple avatars can be a challenge.
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MEMBERSHIP PROS
- You have that recurring revenue.
- You can create community.
- You know what’s going on in people’s minds and in their businesses, because you have that community aspect if your membership has a community aspect.
- And also allows you to capitalize on a pretty wide amount of like volume.
- You’re creating a program that is way more accessible to your people.
- The lifetime value of most of the members is pretty substantial. It’s multiple years of being in the community.
- You have that human connection, but at the same time, you can predictably increase your revenue.
MEMBERSHIP CONS
- People associate memberships and ongoing subscriptions, like a bill. They don’t look at it as an investment, no matter what kind of business they’re in.
- A lot that’s involved in running a membership. There’s more admin work dealing with members whose payments fail or need to update their billing information.
- You’re constantly selling to people inside the membership to keep them and retain them as customers for as long as you possibly can.
- It’s very labor intensive. E.g., hosting Q&A, sending out newsletters every week to keep everyone engaged, sending text updates, scheduling events, answering questions.
- It definitely has the retention factor. If you check your churn rate, it is the percentage of people that you essentially lose overtime. So you need to have a solid sales system to replace those members every month.
- There’s a price point expectation sometimes. Most membership sites charge $20-$50/month if they’re B2B and $10-$30/month if they’re B2C but that’s not to say there aren’t plenty of memberships out there that charge a premium (I’ve seen up to $600/mo) so you can really determine what to charge based on research and your gut.
So, where do you thrive?
So that’s where it comes down to your personality.
Are you more of the open-closed model with courses?
Are you more of the launch model with courses?
Maybe you’re setting your course, Evergreen?
Or do you like building over time?
Ideally, you would have the cash flow of having that amount of money come in at once through courses.
And then the ongoing stabilization of a membership is ideal, but you stair step that.
You usually start off with courses, and then you build a membership on the back end as a continuity program, not the other way around.
And so, for me, that is the ideal. That’s where you get to a point where you can have the best of both worlds and not have to stress about one or the other.
So if you’re asking, if you should start a course or a membership? It really depends on:
number one, your personality; number two, how much experience you have in marketing them.
number one, your personality; number two, how much experience you have in marketing them.
If you want to build a membership, I would highly recommend starting really simple.
Create something that you can deliver without a lot of energy or effort on your part.
So, keep it simple. Find ways to add value that don’t require your own time, and you got to get a little creative, but it is possible.
And if you’re starting courses, I would say, start also very simple.
You do not need to start your first course that’s $3,000 If you’ve never sold a course before.
Instead, I would love to see you start something small and an introductory course may be something that you can record live or teach live, so you get that feedback, that initial feedback.
Start with something small, instead of diving right into a big kahuna course recording dozens and dozens of lessons, putting together a full curriculum, and then getting crickets when no one purchases.
✨Next Level Content Plan: Content Calendar System 2.0✨
OVER TO YOU
Alright guys, I hope that this was helpful.
This is a question I get asked all the time. And so it was about time that we address it here on the show.
And as always, I hope that you continue moving forward and your purpose. I hope that you realize that God has called you into this season for a reason.
It is your mission to multiply your God-given gifts, because there’s people out there that really need what you have to offer.
And hey, if you’re ready to take your business to the next level, don’t forget to hop on the waitlist to join The Business Lounge, and dive deeper to learn how to start an online business — build a brand that fulfills you, helps you make a real difference all while being wildly profitable.
And now, I would love to hear from you in the comments below this article or DM me on Instagram @kimannjimenez.
What’s your biggest insight or takeaway from today’s episode?
Do you have specific ideas or suggestions that you want to hear on our future episodes?
I would love for this to be a conversation.
I love you and don’t forget about leaning into your purpose.
I’ll see you in the next episode.
Un beso!
Bye for now.
Kim ❤️
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