There’s a reason my newsletter is called the Content Catalyst. Coming up with new content for your business’ blog or Instagram or Twitter is not an easy task. Not month after month, week after week and day after day.
Not saying it’s not worthwhile, but working out what to post all the time can sometimes leave you scratching around for ideas. It’s one of the things I hear most often when talking to small business owners about how to create content that engages customers to do something.
If you subscribe to my newsletter then you’ll already get the Content Catalyst land in your inbox around the middle of each month. In it you’ll find a condensed list of all the awareness days, public holidays and other interesting things happening that month.
Which might make for a moments interesting reading, but is not much use if it doesn’t help you come up with some ideas. Here’s how you might use it to plan some eyecatching content in 10 minutes:
Pick the days that are key to what your business does
So, if you’re a craft brewery, then you’ll be interested in Beer Lover’s Day. You could probably run a week’s worth of content in the run up to that day. Not to mention some special promotions.
If you’re a cafe or restaurant, then Better Breakfast Day on September 25th is going to work well for you.
And if you’re a pirate…well, 19th September has got your name all over it.
Pick the days that resonate with you
Being authentic is so key in the content you produce. So pick days that mean something to you. For example, my Dad had Alzheimer’s disease, so next month is World Alzheimer’s Month. I would need to think about what the story was, how it would be relevant to my readers, but I could definitely write from the heart.
Sometimes it doesn’t need to be directly about your business. It’s okay, more than okay, to show your human side. People buy from people they trust, which usually means they like them too. Have you ever trusted someone you didn’t like?
It doesn’t have to be too serious though. Of course write about Alzheimer’s or World Suicide Prevention day, if you can do it authentically. But equally, if International Talk Like a Pirate Day resonates with you then go all out for that. Here it’ll probably be Punctuation Day, given my obsession with stray apostrophes and the like.
Pick days that you could have some fun with
This month has some crackers. I particularly love Fight Procrastination Day on the 6th September.
Though you might not end up writing anything until the 7th.
I would think that you could have quite a lot fun with World Gratitude Day. Could be anything you’re grateful for, from an amazing customer through to the invention of gin, the fact that Bake Off is back, or that Love Island isn’t. Again, this is another day that’s great for showing different sides of the people that make up your business.
Do the opposite of what people might expect
So, you’re a meat business. People might not expect content from you on Hug a Vegetarian Day on 28th September. Which might well give your content additional stand out. You don’t have to be controversial, although you could be. Just make sure you are well prepared for all outcomes.
With just those 4 approaches, you could have 4 very different posts all ready to start on. You can then start to plan how to amplify each post, and then think of any additional posts you want to add in on other news from your business that month.
Hopefully it’s a great start for you each month.
Love these ideas! I use key awareness days that link to my business but hadn’t thought of using more personal ones to show the person behind the business.
It has to feel right for your business, and be done in an authentic way, then it can be a great route to some really compelling content.