Attract & Repel: A Content Planning Session For Creative Entrepreneurs
Something I’m super passionate about is using our online presence to attract dream clients and customers so that we can do the work that we feel inspired to do. You’ve probably heard me say a million times by now that Jennypurr is all about doing good work that feeds your soul as much as it does your bank balance, but that really does sum up how I feel about the freelance life and this journey we call creative entrepreneurship.
I work one-on-one with my content coaching clients to help them craft and create content strategy that allows them to use their voice and create digital content and products that connect, convert, and sell. I touched on content marketing just a few weeks back and shared my Say More With Less Approach, and today I want to dig into a content planning session for any creative entrepreneurs out there who want to explore how they can best create content that will help them to connect with the right audience for them.
I believe the best content strategy attracts and repels at exactly the same time. None of us want to become a jack-of-all trades, yet if we don’t get extra specific with our content and our online presence we may struggle to really attract dream clients and customers along the way. That’s exactly what this content planning session is here for, to help you dig into how best you can attract and repel and, ultimately, how you can share your message with the world and utilise the potential behind your online presence to be the one of the best marketing tools for your business.
Who are you creating for?
First up, let’s figure out exactly who it is you’re trying to attract. Who are your dream clients? Who do you serve best? If you’re struggling to figure this out, some questions to ask yourself are:
- Looking back at your previous and current clients, which ones did you find the most fulfilling to work with? Who do you feel you did your most productive and purposeful work with?
- Which mindsets do you connect with the most? Who does your work serve best?
- What type of clients make you excited to do the work? Who are you passionate about working with?
Start to try and build a really clear picture of who exactly it is you want to attract through your online presence. When we try to appeal to everyone we end up attracting no one, so don’t be afraid to get a little specific here.
Who are you not creating for?
Next up is to figure out who it is you’re not creating for. This is just as important as figuring out who your ideal clients and customers are, as nothing kills a creative entrepreneurs spirit more than doing work that just isn’t a good fit. We want to work with who we can serve best, and our online presence can do the tough job for us of repelling the potential clients and customers who our business just isn’t suited for. Ask yourself:
- From your past experience of working with clients, who do you know now just aren’t a good fit?
- Who does your work not serve best? Which mindsets and approaches to your industry just aren’t suited to your own approach?
- What type of work do you just not want to do?
“It’s really okay if your work isn’t for everyone. Actually, it’s pretty awesome if it’s not as that way you can really be of service to your ideal customers and clients”
What is the purpose of your content?
Before you dig into planning out upcoming content, I really recommend spending some time exploring the purpose of your content. We’re all speaking for a reason, and the more specific we get about why we’re creating and sharing online, the better job we can do of creating content that attracts and repels every step of the way. Start to really pinpoint the purpose behind your digital content.
The best way to do this? Ask yourself - what does my business need my content to do? Does it need to build brand awareness? Build trust with potential customers and clients? Market your products and services? Share your expertise? Give you a platform to share your message and ideas with the world? Open up networking opportunities? Once you pinpoint this, you can then really create with focus and intention.
Hone in on your message
What’s your message? What are you saying about your work, your industry, and the things you’re passionate about? You have something seriously awesome to say, even if you don’t see it yet, and honing in on that message is how you attract your ideal customers and clients and repel those who just aren’t a good fit.
There’s a reason why you chose your field and industry and took that brave and bold leap into the life of being a creative entrepreneur, and most creatives I’ve met all have something to say about their work and the industry that they’re so passionate about. They have a message, a purpose, an idea, or a methodology to share with the world and it’s at the core of everything that they do. Your content is there to share your message so that it can connect with the right people for you, so honing in on that message is key.
Ask yourself:
- What is the core message behind my work and my business? What is it I’m really trying to say and do?
- What’s the purpose behind my work? Why should people stop and pay attention to what it is I’m saying and offering?
- Who do I serve and why do I want to serve them?
- What part of my own journey and story so far has led me to where I am now? What part does my own story play in defining my core message?
Create content that connects
Hopefully by this point you’ll be feeling inspired and ready to create content that will connect with your ideal readers. The secret here is to find a way to share your message, build brand awareness, and connect with your ideal clients and customers in a way that is engaging and exciting for them to consume. There is no one way to create content online. I’m a big believer in thinking big and doing things a little differently, and it’s all down to you, your creativity, and your ideas to decide how and where you will share yourself and your work online. To tap into your ability to attract and repel, ask yourself the following questions when you sit down next to plan out your upcoming content:
- What can I share that will attract my ideal clients and customers and repel the not so dreamy ones? Can I be brave enough to really start to share my message, my ideas, and my methodology with the world?
- How can I market my services or products via my content in a way that feels authentic and valuable for my audience?
- What are the different ways I can share my message and purpose with my audience? How can I share what I do and who I am for?
- How can I channel my creative energy into creating content that works towards my business needs and goals? What content does my business need me to create right now, and how I transform that into a live blog post, newsletter, podcast, video, or resource?
- How can I be a little more vulnerable with the content I share and really start to express who I am, what I do, and the many aspects of my personal brand?
Figuring out the right groove and routine for how you will create content that not only feels fulfilling and exciting for you to create but also purposeful and focused for your ideal audience isn't an overnight task. It's something we commit to and keep working on each and every single time we show up and create and share. But embracing the attract & repel mindset can save you so much wasted time spent on trying to please everyone, so you can then just attract the right people for you so that you can fill up your schedule with work that feels aligned with your core purpose. Give yourself permission to serve the people you serve best, and to not be distracted by trying to be everything to everyone.
How do you feel about attracting and repelling with your content? Does it scare you? Does it excite you? Would love to know your thoughts!
p.s
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