THE POCKET
CONTENT PLANNER BRAINSTORM, PLAN & CREATE BETTER ACTIONABLE CONTENT
by alisha byrd
Copyright Š 2016 by Alisha Byrd All rights reserved.No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without the prior written permission of the author. Requests to the author and publisher for permission should be addressed to the following email: xoxo@ thealishanicole.com Limitation of liability/disclaimer of warranty: While the publisher and author have used their best efforts in preparing this guide and workbook, they make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this document and specifically disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales representatives, promoters, or written sales materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation. You should consult with a professional where appropriate. Neither the publisher nor author shall be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.
PART I
Content is King PAGE 4
PART II
Content Types
Familiarize yourself with the different types of content that you can infuse into your brand.
PAGE 13
PART III
Brainstorm
An exercise to help you think of new ideas based on what you know and what your audience needs.
PAGE 20
PART IV
Content Creation
Use the planning sheets to begin jotting down your incredible ideas while you’re on the go!
PAGE 26
Table of Contents
Dig deep into WHO you are creating for and what makes up incredible content.
Conteisnt King PART I
4
Hello
I’m pretty sure you’ve heard this statement before, “Content is King”. Well if before now you thought that was just a bunch of “malarkey”, then know that that statement is 100% true. Especially if you’re really trying to grow your brand online.
Whether you’re publishing multiple blog posts a week, creating video tutorials or maybe even writing your own book, the content you produce and send out into the world can really make or break your brand. Why you ask? Let’s make it simple. Creating content is a huge way for you to stand out in your industry, prove that you’re an expert in your specific field and it’s also how you’ll get your audience to trust you! And in case you didn’t know my friend, TRUST = COINS. Trust me when I say this;
If you want to succeed in your specific industry, you need to consistently create valuable content. Because of the content I have produced over the past few years, I have been able to consistently bring in new coaching clients, launch a book and be seen as an authority in my industry. In this book I’m going to show you the exact strategies I used to make this happen! The Pocket Content Planner will not only serve as your go-to place to jot down and plan out all of your amazing ideas but it will also show you exactly how to create exceptional content that will leave your audience fiending for more. The planning pages are where you will begin putting your ideas in motion, adding all of the details and making sure you are scheduling it appropriately. They are perfect for planning blog posts, workshops, newsletters and even free or paid products. Take this book with you everywhere. On the way to work, when you’re out for a walk or maybe even your next trip to your favorite coffee shop. You never know when inspiration may hit. Whenever you have a great idea, whip out this book 5
and write down every detail before it fades. Remember, your brand is only as good as the content you create!
But first....
If you’ve ever purchased any product of mine or been to my blog on any occasion, then you know that I truly believe there is power behind getting extremely clear on WHO you want to target. If you can get a clear understanding of what they need from you, you’ll have no problem creating any type of content, gaining their trust and getting them to buy from you. So before we dig any deeper into content creation, we must first make sure you understand who you’ll be creating for. This little exercise is built up of several questions that will help you figure out your “who”. The main sections being; the basics, their interests and their pain points. If at anytime you feel unsure about exactly who you want to target, just think about where you were just 2-3 years ago! Most of the time, our audience is a spitting image of us and are typically where we used to be!
THE BASICS
What age range is your person in? What is their gender? How much do they make yearly? What is their education level? What career is she currently in? What is her dream career? What does she wish she had more of? (Ex: time, money, patience?) Does he/she have children? How would you describe their personality? What are their beliefs? What do they value the most? 6
THEIR INTERESTS
What is she interested in outside of work? What is she good at? What things does she get compliments on often? What is she passionate about? What lights her inner fire? How much does she typically spend on outside hobbies or interests? My dream audience’s favorite types of blogs/websites are _________________ and spends _____________ a day reading them. A few of their favorite blogs/websites are… 1. 2. 3. 4. The social media sites they stalk daily are… 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Which devices does she typically use for social media and read her favorite websites? (laptop, tablet, phone) She prefers to be reached via _______________. (Email, social media, etc) The only reasons he/she signs up for someone’s newsletter is because ________________________________________________. On the weekends he/she is probably _____________________________ _____________________________. What types of shows can he/she be found binge watching in their free time? What is her favorite music genre and which artist would she pay any 7
Content types PART II
8
CONTENT DOESN’T STOP AT WRITING One of the biggest mistakes I see a lot of creatives make is thinking content creation stops at writing blog posts. Although I will forever believe that blogging is one of the best ways to market yourself and what you do, it isn’t the only way to reach your audience! In fact, your audience may not even enjoy consuming written content. Which means you’ll want to switch it up! Content can be, but not limited to: - Newsletters - Video (Ex: YouTube channel) - Video tutorials - Podcast - Social media - Live workshops - Email courses - Physical book ..... Even the copy on your website! Your content can also be free or paid, which we will get into soon. I won’t dig too deep into every single type but I’ll touch on the major content types that can really be a game changer for your business.
BLOGGING We talked about what makes great content but let’s break it down a little further and talk about what makes a great, share worthy blog post.
click-worthy headline
I’m sure you’re creating great content but you have to first get people to read it. The first step is by creating a headline that makes your audience curious to see more. A great headline will tell your audience exactly what they are going to get after clicking. Great examples of a catchy headline are:
“How To ___________________.” (think step-by-step guides) “The Ultimate Guide To ________________.” “10 Reasons Why ___________________.” “How To __________________ in an hour or less.” 9
blog post image
Your post can have how ever many images in it that you see fit, but it is extremely important to have at least one large, vertical title image. This image is what’s going to make your post “pinnable” and it’s also what you can use when promoting your post on other social media sites.
introduction
The first paragraph that your audience reads should clearly state the purpose of the post and what they will have gained after reading it. What can they expect? What problem is this post going to solve?
body content
Of course, this is the “meat” of your entire blog post so don’t make it skimpy. A great blog post is very detailed and also includes proof to back up your information like videos, statistics, screenshots, etc. Since this section tends to be the lengthiest, break up long paragraphs with bullet points or sub-headers.
conclusion
This section is where you can briefly summarize the point of the post and wrap up any last minute tips, thoughts or opinions.
audience engagement
After you’ve hit your readers with all of this amazing content, don’t forget to get them involved. At the end of my blog posts I like to ask a question related to the post. This encourages comments and allows me to get the conversation started with my readers.
call to action
After the post is over, what do you want your reader to do next? Download a worksheet? Read a similar article on your site? Sign up for your newsletter? Purchase a paid product? Again, point your readers in the right direction & tell them what to do next.
10
Brainstorm PART III
11
BRAINSTORMING NEW IDEAS
You now know what makes great content and you are also familiar with the different types of content you can create. Now it’s time to dig deep, brainstorm and begin coming up with new ideas! Before we dig into this exercise, you will need to make sure that you are really clear about WHO you will be creating for. Take a moment to go back to the first section and refresh yourself on your who! If you skipped that part, this would be a good time to go back and complete it! Let’s get started! To begin your brainstorm session, I want you to think about three things we briefly mentioned before: 1. What you wish you knew about your industry 2-3 years ago. 2. What you currently know about your industry. 3. What are your audience’s biggest pain points. In the next exercise, go somewhere with little to no distractions and brain dump all of your thoughts into each category. Don’t think about what you will do with each idea just yet, simply get it out all on paper. WHAT DID YOU WISH YOU KNEW 2-3 YEARS AGO?
WHAT DO YOU CURRENTLY KNOW NOW?
WHAT ARE YOUR AUDIENCES PAIN POINTS?
___________________
___________________ ___________________
___________________
___________________ ___________________
___________________
___________________ ___________________
___________________
___________________ ___________________
___________________
___________________ ___________________
___________________
___________________ ___________________
___________________
___________________ ___________________
12
WHAT DID YOU WISH YOU KNEW 2-3 YEARS AGO?
WHAT DO YOU CURRENTLY KNOW NOW?
WHAT ARE YOUR AUDIENCES PAIN POINTS?
__________________
__________________
__________________
__________________
__________________
__________________
__________________
__________________
__________________
__________________
__________________
__________________
__________________
__________________
__________________
__________________
__________________
__________________
__________________
__________________
__________________
__________________
__________________
__________________
__________________
__________________
__________________
__________________
__________________
__________________
__________________
__________________
__________________
__________________
__________________
__________________
__________________
__________________
__________________
__________________
__________________
__________________
__________________
__________________
__________________
Now that you have your ideas out on paper, in the next exercise I want you to begin categorizing those ideas. Do you want to turn a particular topic into a blog post or maybe you want to turn it into an e-course? Here’s where you’ll begin organizing all of your ideas! Also, don’t feel as if an idea can only be used once. A free email course can easily be turned into a paid workshop just by adding in more valuable details! 13
Content Creation PART IV
14
now is the time to start...
Well my friend, you’ve made it to the end and by now you should be confident enough to go forth and create the most incredible content your audience has ever witnessed! You know why great content can really take your brand to the next level, you know the different types of content you can create and you also know the necessary factors needed to begin creating. This last and final section is where you will begin to put everything you’ve learned to use and plan it all out. Like I mentioned when we first got started, I want you to take this book with you everywhere! Whenever you get a great idea, open up these planning pages and jot down every single last detail before you forget! Record what type of content it will be, when you will publish it and any to-do’s that you must create before it can go live. Use this as a sort of content planning journal. Also, don’t think these planning pages are just for blog posts. You can also use these to map out your next e-course, your next paid workshop or maybe even a live event! Make it as messy as you need to! Best of luck in your journey and happy creating!
xoxo, alisha nicole
15
TITLE:
LAUNCH DATE:
CONTENT TYPE:
BLOG
VIDEO
SUMMARY/OUTLINE
/
/ 20
TO-DO
MARKETING IDEAS
LINKS TO INCLUDE
CALL TO ACTION
SCHEDULE
TITLE:
LAUNCH DATE:
CONTENT TYPE:
BLOG
VIDEO
SUMMARY/OUTLINE
/
/ 20
TO-DO
MARKETING IDEAS
LINKS TO INCLUDE
CALL TO ACTION
SCHEDULE
TITLE:
LAUNCH DATE:
CONTENT TYPE:
BLOG
VIDEO
SUMMARY/OUTLINE
/
/ 20
TO-DO
MARKETING IDEAS
LINKS TO INCLUDE
CALL TO ACTION
SCHEDULE
TITLE:
LAUNCH DATE:
CONTENT TYPE:
BLOG
VIDEO
SUMMARY/OUTLINE
/
/ 20
TO-DO
MARKETING IDEAS
LINKS TO INCLUDE
CALL TO ACTION
SCHEDULE
TITLE:
LAUNCH DATE:
CONTENT TYPE:
BLOG
VIDEO
SUMMARY/OUTLINE
/
/ 20
TO-DO
MARKETING IDEAS
LINKS TO INCLUDE
CALL TO ACTION
SCHEDULE
TITLE:
LAUNCH DATE:
CONTENT TYPE:
BLOG
VIDEO
SUMMARY/OUTLINE
/
/ 20
TO-DO
MARKETING IDEAS
LINKS TO INCLUDE
CALL TO ACTION
SCHEDULE
TITLE:
LAUNCH DATE:
CONTENT TYPE:
BLOG
VIDEO
SUMMARY/OUTLINE
/
/ 20
TO-DO
MARKETING IDEAS
LINKS TO INCLUDE
CALL TO ACTION
SCHEDULE
TITLE:
LAUNCH DATE:
CONTENT TYPE:
BLOG
VIDEO
SUMMARY/OUTLINE
/
/ 20
TO-DO
MARKETING IDEAS
LINKS TO INCLUDE
CALL TO ACTION
SCHEDULE
TITLE:
LAUNCH DATE:
CONTENT TYPE:
BLOG
VIDEO
SUMMARY/OUTLINE
/
/ 20
TO-DO
MARKETING IDEAS
LINKS TO INCLUDE
CALL TO ACTION
SCHEDULE
meet alisha!
Alisha Byrd, better known as Alisha Nicole, is an author & creative business coach dedicated to helping creative women turn their passion into a profitable online business. Whether you’re just starting out or have been in business for years, her main goal is to help you ditch fear, gain clarity and begin making a living doing what you love!
phil 4:13
YOU CAN FIND HER AT
WWW.THEALISHANICOLE.COM EVERYWHERE ON SOCIAL MEDIA: @THEALISHANICOLE
looking for more?
Check out other titles and helpful resources from Alisha at www.thealishanicole.com/shop