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It’s Make Cut Out Snowflakes Day, Reader... Let your inner child out to play!

In today’s edition:

• 🚫 Today's Tip of the Day is for video

• 👷 👳 Develop content that builds an audience for your offer

Are you concerned that low-performing videos are negatively impacting your brand reputation? Wondering if you should remove certain videos that didn’t get the engagement you were expecting?

Don’t Delete Videos With Low Engagement

Your content isn't just competing for likes today; it's building your legacy for tomorrow. Every post adds depth and authenticity to your brand. Think of it as your content library – a binge-worthy collection waiting for its audience.

So, don't get discouraged by low engagement. 

Instead, focus on creating a rich content library that showcases your unique voice and values. This is how you build lasting connections and turn casual viewers into loyal fans and customers.

Today's tip was inspired by Nicky Saunders, a featured speaker at Social Media Marketing World.

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How to Create Content for More Prospects in 2025

Tired of throwing marketing spaghetti at the wall? Want a proven system to generate consistent leads and sales?

Articulate Your Core Outcome Statement

The first crucial step is establishing what Emily Hirsh calls your foundation. At the heart of this foundation is a simple question: What is the core outcome your business solves for somebody?

"If I was to be sitting across from you in a casual conversation and I ask you, what do you do? Could you tell me that in a very clear one sentence?" Hirsh asks. The key is to use language your ideal customer would actually use, making it instantly understandable.

This foundational statement applies to all types of businesses, whether you're selling services, physical products, or digital products. Hirsh shares several real-world examples of clear, simple outcome statements:

• "I help entrepreneurs create a marketing strategy that generates leads and sales." 

• "I help repair people's blood sugar and A1C without needing medication." 

• "I help photographers add sports photography to their offerings."

• "I sell a skincare product that heals your skin with natural ingredients."

The power of these statements lies in their simplicity and clarity. This core statement becomes the driving force behind all your marketing efforts, from copy to strategy. Hirsh notes that this approach isn't just for promoting your overall business—it can also be applied to individual marketing initiatives like webinars or new funnels.

Define Your Unique Process

The second step is explaining your unique process or method. 

You have unique experiences, wisdom, beliefs, and opinions that inform your process because you've seen things that work and things that don't. This uniqueness is often missing from modern marketing approaches, making it difficult for you to stand out in an industry.

If you're struggling to outline your process, imagine you're trying to explain to someone how you achieve the results you offer or why your physical product is better than others on the market.

You can even record this explanation and use AI tools like ChatGPT to structure it into a process and identify core value points and components.

This approach works for various business types:

• For service-based businesses, it might involve explaining how you work with clients to achieve results. 

• For physical products, it could be why you created the product or what makes it different from others. 

• For event organizers, it might include unique aspects like speaker curation or event structure.

Build a Target Audience By Showing People Who You Are

Today, attention is currency, and building an audience starts with delivering content that makes someone say, "This content is worth my time." You're not asking for contact information or pushing for sales; you're only building value.

Create Your Content

Your content should directly connect to the foundation work in steps 1 and 2, including your core promise and your ideal customer's problems, frustrations, and desires. Each problem your ideal customer faces can generate multiple content ideas across different formats.

The key is aligning your content with your expertise and what excites you. "I always tell people, align your content with what you are excited to talk about, what you're excited to create, or what you're naturally good at," Hirsh says. This helps you create magnetic content that audiences want to consume.

Distribute Your Content

The key to successful audience building is having a defined marketing mix strategy that answers the following:

• What social media platform(s) and marketing channels will you use

• Where will you post

• How often will you post

• What are your core content pillars

Instead of trying to be everywhere, focus on platforms and content types that align with your strengths and where your audience spends time. Whether it's written content, audio, or video, consistency in your chosen format is more important than trying to do everything.

Hirsh recommends allocating about 5% of your monthly budget to promote content through ads. She uses this strategy for her podcast, creating short face-to-camera videos that preview episode content and directing traffic to specific page pages on her website. The cost of these ads is typically around $0.30 per click in the B2B space, though results in your industry will differ.

While she posts organic content four to five times per week, mixing various formats, including Reels, carousel posts, and photos, she views organic social media as a nurture strategy while using paid ads for growth. "I personally think organic can be a huge time suck without a lot of payoff," she notes.

Today's advice is provided with insights from Emily Hirsh, a featured guest on the Social Media Marketing Podcast and presenter at Social Media Marketing World.

Did You Know?

Cork trees can live for 150-250 years. The first harvest usually happens when the tree is around 25 years old and every 9-12 years after that.