If your inbox is anything like mine, then you’ll be inundated with posts telling you what you should be putting on your to-do list for next year. And they drive me nuts. Here’s why:
A huge number of the items on the list this year were on last year’s list
I’m all for recycling, but these lists always seem to be about 90% the same things that were on last year’s last. Of which 90% were probably on the year before as well.
It’s lazy content. It can be the kind of content that doesn’t perform particularly well, as there’s little value to people. Probably if they keep coming up on a list then they’re a bit of a no brainer. Or they fall into the next category.
There’s still things we don’t want to do (and feel guilty about)
I don’t care how many times I read about how we really need to be producing video content. I don’t want to do it.
I’ve tried. Just once. And hated it. Making video is not on my to-do list.
I know content is not about us, it’s about the customer. But if our content is going to be authentic then we have to be able to put ourselves into it. And I know about stretching out of our comfort zones, but I’m not going to feel any better about video because I should be doing it.
Somethings are beyond our reach
Sometimes these posts are aimed at people in large marketing departments in large businesses with large budgets. And it’s good to keep an eye on what they’re up to as eventually there will be a way for all of us to do the same sort of thing. But for now, most of us are not close.
There’s alway the thing they’re selling
Of course, why wouldn’t there be? That’s part of why we all create content, right? It’s not the only reason but it’s definitely one of them. But it won’t necessarily help me make my business better in 2022. But often what they’re selling sways the content of the whole piece.
Maybe I’m getting these kinds of posts from the wrong kinds of business. Here’s what I’d like to see in these things instead:
The things they did this year that were a waste of time
Sometimes knowing what to stop doing is as important as knowing what to do. Honesty is definitely a big part of being authentic. Wouldn’t it be refreshing to hear not everything had been great, and to learn from someone else what the cons were as well as the pros of different activities?
The two things that really worked for their business
We don’t need 453 more things to add to our to-do lists. Being a small business owner, those lists are long enough already! But just like knowing what might not have worked so well, it’s a bit of a leg-up to get some positive views on what really worked in the real world.
The one thing they’re planning to differently, and how
Some things take a bit of trial and error. Sometimes we can be too quick to ditch something if the results aren’t quick enough. Learning from others can help us to either be more patient, or to recognise the signs of when to make a switch, and in what direction.
A post with those kinds of things in it would make me want to update a to-do list. It would feel like there’s some real value in the knowledge being shared.
What about you? Have you seen one of these that’s been useful to you or one that’s made you wonder why you bothered opening it? Love to hear your views.
