You know that digital marketing is essential to growing your business. You’ve had a successful digital marketing campaign in place for some time. You sit down to execute the next part of your strategy. The first step is creating content, whether that’s social media posts, blogs, or video.
And… nothing comes out. You sit, staring at your computer screen, and you can’t make any words come out. The longer you sit, the more stressed you get, the more paralyzed your mind becomes. It’s a vicious cycle. Don’t worry, we’ve all been there. Some people call it brain fade. Some people call it writer’s block. Some people call it paralysis by analysis. Either way, you’ve hit a creative brick wall, and you don’t know what to do. Does any of this sound familiar?
Don’t worry, this is something that affects all creatives from time to time. If you want to get those brain cells firing again, here are some techniques that may help generate some ideas.
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Step One: Digital Marketing Doesn’t Happen Alone
You’ve been sitting in front of your computer for hours. Your eyeballs are drier than the Mojave Desert and your legs are so restless you can’t sit still. You’re stubborn – we get it, this is a common trait amongst business leaders – so you keep sitting, willing yourself to get it done.
There’s no winner here. It’s you versus you. Allow us to save you some time… SHUT DOWN YOUR COMPUTER AND BACK AWAY SLOWLY. Think about the place you feel most inspired. Admittedly, we don’t know you, but we’d put money on the fact that it doesn’t involve the four walls of your office and abundant blue light of your monitor. It’s okay to get out and take a beat.
Walk barefoot in grass. Treat yourself to a slice of pie. Climb a mountain. Scream at the top of your lungs. Call your grandma. Shoot for a PB at the gym. Whatever your process is, allow yourself the time and space to do it. Humans are not machines, so we shouldn’t expect ourselves to fire straight back up like a lawnmower that’s been collecting dust in a garage for the past six months.
You’ll be amazed what a little mental reprieve can do for your creativity. This is a great way to produce content when you need to knuckle down and schedule the next batch.
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Step Two: Create a Digital Marketing Brains Trust
Good ideas can come from anywhere. That’s something we can say with authority, because one of the unique aspects of our process at Beacon Media + Marketing is to involve our whole team when we’re brainstorming strategies. Many good ideas come from sources like our account managers or creative team. But sometimes other members of our crew – such as our Google Ads specialist or VP of Finances – will come up with something truly genius. Creativity knows no bounds.
Two heads are better than one. Four heads are better than two. Eight heads are better than four. You can see where we’re going. Whether you’re running a wealth management firm, a counseling business, an equipment manufacturer, a remote fishing resort, pull in your team and see what they can come up with. You’ll be amazed what happens once you start spit-balling.
One tip we’d love to give you (because we’ve definitely learnt this the hard way) is to delegate note-taking to someone right at the start. That way, you won’t whip up a frenzy of excitement with your greatness only to discover that no-one can agree on (or remember) the exact wording.
This is a great way to define your branding, key messaging, and strategic goals.
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Step Three: Check Out Other Digital Marketing Strategies
Sometimes, it can also be helpful to identify your three biggest competitors and scope out their marketing strategy. What are they doing? Who are they targeting? What kind of responses are the getting? Are there any things you can learn? And is there anything you could do better?
This can be helpful in a few ways. If you’re struggling to find motivation, this might get you fired up enough to smash out that content that’s been tying you down. If you’re short on ideas, it might ignite a flash of inspiration that will fill your mind with ideas (again, we can’t tell you how much we recommend writing them all down while they’re fresh!). If you’re planning a period of aggressive growth, this might help you develop the strategy you need to attract new customers.
The most important thing, when using this technique, is to be strategic. Don’t allow yourself to get overwhelmed, especially if your competitors are still a bit bigger than your business. Choose three businesses, pick three things they’re doing well, and identify three gaps that you can fill.
Simple. Oh, and also, be sure to avoid copying any of their ideas directly.
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Step Four: Use Your Own Experience To Inspire Marketing
Chances are, if you’re running a business, you’re an expert in the products you sell or the services you offer. Lean on your own experience to come up with ideas for content. It could be pain points that you’re frequently asked about, or that you’ve worked through yourself (confession time: that’s exactly what inspired this blog post). You might focus on the reasons you got into business – what is it about your product or service that got you excited right back at the start?
Digital marketing isn’t theoretical. It’s based on creating genuine human connection. Nothing is more attractive than authenticity, so don’t be afraid to share your story. You have a lot of knowledge and experience you can share with your target audience. So if you’ve hit a creative block, remember you already have all the information you need. You just need to get it out of your head.
This is a great way to fill a content calendar. If you’re planning to post three days a week, allocate a theme for each day. Monday could feature problem-solving tips based on FAQs. Wednesday could be cool product features that you’re genuinely excited about. Friday could feature tips based on your own experience. Once you create a framework, you’ll simply need to color it in.
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Step Five: Call In A Digital Marketing Agency
If you’re utterly, completely, hopelessly stuck, it’s time to call in the big guns. The team at Beacon Media + Marketing specializes in developing strategies and creating the content that will bring your plan to life. We’re in the business of helping other businesses grow, scale, and thrive. And we’re experts in overcoming creative blocks to ensure every piece of content achieves its potential.
We can help with everything from branding to website development (which includes SEO and hosting), social media marketing, paid ads, and content creation (which includes video and blogs). Our process is pretty straightforward. First, our account managers will arrange a meet and greet so they can learn about your business and find out what’s holding you back on the digital marketing front. Then they’ll bring in our full team for the brainstorm we mentioned earlier.
After this, we’ll create a strategy designed to achieve your goals based on the specific services you need. Once that’s approved, we’ll begin production. Every month, you’ll get a fresh batch of shiny new content. No more dry eyes. No more restless legs. No more hours in front of a screen.
Just lots of digital marketing goodness delivered straight to your customers.
Sound good? Schedule your free consultation today.
