Hi, there, and welcome back! Today we’re going to discuss the topic that you either love or dread: content. Today we are going to talk about the best method to create content as a health coach, yoga teacher, physical therapist and wellness entrepreneur.
Today, we’re going to go over specific questions like what is content specifically. Are you wasting time creating content? How will you know what works with your content? Why aren’t people reaching out? Should you batch and schedule your content? What’s the most important thing when creating content?
We’ll go over some of these questions and more. Let’s get to it!
What Is Content?
Most commonly, it’s thought of a social media post, or a reel, or an e-mail. That’s true. Content is any form of value you’re delivering out into the world. So, it could be written, it could be auditory, and it could be visual like in a video. You can even deliver content in-person, online, or through free events or paying events. Content is really just the value of creating an aha moment for a current client or a potential one and awakening or some type of insight.
So content does not have to mean a step-by-step or how-to process. That’s often what we think content is, and it can get us hung up that you have to create this very elaborate step by step by step by step to bring value into the world.
And then the other thing that happens often is creating the step-by-step process that causes you to freeze, or the other thing that causes you to freeze when you’re writing that all out or planning it, is that you’re giving away your best content “for free.” And when you give it away for free, then no one will want to pay to work with you – that’s just simply not true.
The Truth About Your Content, Whether It’s Free Or Not
Here is the truth: Whether you’re giving out free content or not, there are just some people who will never work with you for a variety of reasons, and they might consume all your content and love it and still never work with you. And that’s okay! Then there will be people, of course, who do want to work with you.
So for me, personally, my perspective on content creation is a way to express my creativity. I love planning and creating content through all the different mediums – this blog being one – and I know that some people will love it, some people will consume it and want to be compelled to work with me with their own individual problems, and they’ll reach out and pay to work with me and some people won’t, and that’s okay! I look at it as part of my contribution to the wellness community. It’s part of my community service. I’m not having or forcing myself to do it. I do it because I love it. I do it because I want to help people, and I’m not attached to whether a specific person chooses to work with me or not, following the consumption of content.
I Don’t Worry About Giving A Ton Of Value For Free
If you’ve been following me for a long time, you know I give a ton of value away for free. I’m never worried about whether people will still want to work with me or not. Here’s why: Because I believe they will need to work with me still, right? It’s one thing to consume a lot of free content. It’s another whole thing to be in a container where you’ve paid me, and I’m holding the space for you to achieve your goals, and we work through that together individually for your specific problems, how to work through those, how to achieve your vision, your dream. They are two different completely things.
What Do You Get When People Consume Your Free Content?
Here’s another perspective. I also believe that after consuming some of my free content, then an individual can be in a better place to work with me. They are more prepared, so then they’ll get results quicker.
So imagine if someone went through the last couple blogs, for example, on how to set up their own signature wellness program, and then they even read the one on branding, then they read the one on how to manage their stress and some of their fears, and then they showed up to a consult call, they’ll be ready to go, we can hit the ground running.
And in the paid container, we can probably get results much, much faster, versus someone coming into my world and not having read any of my content. And sometimes that happens too, and that’s fine. But I also put it in place to help those who do decide to pay and work with me get the results even quicker, in a pleasantly surprising way.
The other thing about content that I find is it helps the value inside my paying container. So every time I’m going to create content in terms of marketing or selling, it just tightens up my own intellectual processes. It tightens up what is actually in the selling container because I have to think about it so much more, I have to plan it out, and it helps to create a different layer of knowledge, a different layer of how to teach you, a different layer of your own questions and how to answer your questions more effectively.
So by creating content – free content – for marketing and selling, I’m actually making my paying content so much better. But that’ll never happen if I hold myself back with a thought, “Oh I’m giving away all my best stuff for free, so now, no one will work with me.” If this is my thought process, then I won’t create any content, and my free and paying content will never evolve. I’ll hold myself back.
How Do Paying Customers Benefit From My Services If They Are Already Seeing My Free Stuff Online?
So let’s take an example. When I had my brick-and-mortar physical therapy-yoga massage clinic, I used to do a lot of content for free for those who wanted to heal pain, sleep better through the night, get more energy, and feel better in their bodies. And so sometimes I would do specific yoga postures or breathing techniques that, yes, you would learn if you pay to work with me, I will say that again. The techniques for free or paying are the same.
Sometimes I will teach you how to do this two-strap traction or the breath work that helps to down-regulate the nervous system. The techniques are the same. And someone might have heard it on a YouTube video, someone might have heard it in a workshop for $40, and someone might have heard it in the one-to-one paying program – which is thousands of dollars. Isn’t that mind-blowing?
But here is the difference. The difference is when someone is consuming my content that they found on YouTube, or they just stumble upon our social media posts where they’re watching me explain the breath work, or how to use a yoga Asana with straps that maybe they haven’t seen before, the difference is, when they’re coming into my world as a one-to-one paying customer, I’m evaluating them. I’m listening to their story. I’m hearing their goals. I am bit-by-bit, whether they realize it or not, deciphering, “Okay, what’s the root source of the problem?” Then, I am combining all the techniques and knowledge I know. What are the most appropriate and efficient tools that they need right off the bat? What is level two progression? What is level three progression? I am going through all these filters in my mind to create the most effective program for that person.
So that’s the big difference, right? If someone’s going to consume my content on social media, they don’t know if that strap technique, even though it looks fancy, even though it looks cool, if that is the most appropriate thing for them. It might even make their problem worse. But if they’re paying me, they for sure know because I analyze their situation, I analyze their body, and I’m giving it to them specifically.
The same is true for my business entrepreneurs. I give a lot of free content away through my reels or even social media here. But, when they should apply some of that specific knowledge right now or to wait and do it down the road, they will not necessarily know the answer to that because they’re not in my paying container.
Just like for the patients who used to come for my brick-and-mortar physical therapy, where I used to analyze and then do an evaluation, I do the same thing for my entrepreneurs. And then following that evaluation, we create the structure and systems for their businesses that really helped to streamline all the tactics. And so if you don’t have someone doing that first step with you, then the tactics you can actually fumble around. You can be doing all the right tactics but if they’re not in the right order, or you have a lot of fears, or patterns, or beliefs, blocking those specific tactics, you’re not going to get the results that you want.
So I feel totally in alignment with giving away some of the same tactics for free that I would do in my container, because it’s how you apply those tactics, and what specific systems for your unique situation are most appropriate. So, there’s huge differences even though, on the surface, it might appear the same.
And I know that is the same for you as well. Some of you have so many specific specializations like pelvic health, or women’s health, or specialties in nutrition, specialties in yoga, where you are the expert. And it’s such a benefit to reach out to you and have you problem solve and evaluate and have you cherry pick the most efficient tactics and strategies for that client or patient in front of you, versus having them just consume all your free content, your blogs, your YouTube videos, and try to put it together themselves. It’s so much more time-consuming.
So keep posting, writing, making videos – keep doing all that free content. Because your clients still will need your help. And this is regardless if you’re doing one-to-one or group because there’s so many benefits to working in that paying container with you.
Are You Wasting Time In Creating Content?
Alright, so let’s talk about your fear of wasting time or even loathing creating content. A lot of the reason why you might hate social media marketing, or just marketing in general, or dread it, is because of that thought that it might not work for you, and then you’ll just be wasting a lot of time.
How do I know that to be true? Because most wellness entrepreneurs I know got into the business to help people, and they’re super creative. And that’s what marketing is. It’s using your creativity to help people, and most wellness entrepreneurs do this really naturally. What gets in the way is this thought that it’s going to be time-consuming and that it won’t work.
If you need help deciding the best path for yourself make sure to read and list to this episode on making big decisions.
So I have a different perspective for you. It’s learning how to find some enjoyment, some happiness, a spark of light, and finding your inner creativity, when you go to create content. And here’s a couple of questions that can help:
What do you love to talk about? Let’s say you were handed a microphone and you were going to talk for 45 minutes just on the fly. What are some topics that you can talk about with passion? Just spontaneously you could ramble on. What are your soap boxes? What do you just love to preach about at a party? Where you could ramble in a stranger’s ear on and on and on and they would look at you like, “Oh my gosh, this person really loves to talk about that. It’s great!” Write down some of those topics. That’s what you can create a ton of content about.
Then when you get the topics, you can write them down, choose the strategy that’s going to light you up the most. So, if you don’t like talking on videos, then don’t choose videos. Do auditory content, for example, or write blogs, or write social media posts. There’s so many places that you can show up. Just choose one or two. Don’t get overwhelmed. Just one or two and then be consistent about it. Choose one of those topics and write about it or post about it or do a video about it and then choose another. It’s rinse and repeat.
Often, I find that some people write these, and I am guilty of this myself, where I try to fit so much information into one single post or one single piece of content. Choose one idea, one topic, and make that one post. And then for all the other ideas, just create a running list and post those, and create that content when you’re ready for your next piece of content. If you tried to do too much in one post, then it gets confusing, and your people aren’t as likely to get that insight or awakening.
It’s Going To Take Time And Consistency Is Key
Here’s the thing about content creation: it is going to take time. The more time that you invest, not saying that you have to overwork or hustle, but when you do invest time, the more likely you’re going to get the results that you desire. So, for example, if you’re rushing, if you’re forcing content, if you’re just trying to do it quickly, you’re probably not going to have the right energy, the right thoughts, the right belief behind it. So, it isn’t probably going to get the traction that you really desire.
You have to break this pattern and invest the time. Slow down. Notice what’s your thoughts when you’re creating content. What are your beliefs around the value that you’re putting out into the world? What’s the energy behind that? Because it really does make a difference. And I always prove this to myself time and time again: the content that always gets the most traction for me is when I do slow down and investigate what’s going on behind the scenes of just the content in the social media posts, for example.
So you’ll never be wasting time if you’re in the experimental trial and error phase. Because sometimes, the content you put out will immediately get the engagement that you desire. So someone might immediately reach out to schedule consult, or maybe they’ll send you a direct message, and then you will know, “Okay, whatever I wrote, whatever video I did, that really resonated with them.” And you should do more of that. Sometimes, though, it doesn’t work. In fact, most of the time, what you put out, you don’t see an immediate result.
Don’t Obsess Over Your Numbers
So number one, you have to let go of that attachment or else the content that you do put out will feel pretty huskily and grasping. Instead, you’ve got to put it out there and then release. Just move on to the next thing, move on to your one-to-one calls or the next class you have to teach. Just move on and let it go. Let it be out there in the world.
And you can always analyze, you’ve heard me say this before, that you do want to know certain numbers in your business at the same time. If you’re always checking numbers on your content and social media, that can be very distracting and time-consuming itself. So choose certain times to evaluate your numbers, so you do know if things are working or not, and what needs to be tweaked or refined or evolved or not. But don’t get hung up in your numbers. And don’t use your numbers against you that you are wasting time.
If you do a bunch of reels one week and get no consult, it’s easy to say, “Ah, well, I just wasted so much time there.” But you haven’t. If you keep going, keep trial and erroring, eventually you will get it right because you will land on the messaging, you will land on the content that your people really want to hear, then people will reach out. The only way you do waste time is if you do give up, if you stop doing it, then all your time will have been wasted. So stick with it.
Content Creation Is A Skill
Content Creation is a skill, just like anything else. Learning what your ideal client wants to hear, what compels them to take the next action, aligned, ethical urgency, all those are skills. And here’s the thing: they’ll pay off in so many ways in your business in all the layers of marketing, selling, and delivery, whether you consciously realize it or not.
And that’s why I always say yes, you can hire a virtual assistant or a marketing assistant or anything like that down the road in your business. But try to avoid hiring those people too early because then you miss out on learning the skill. And if you’ve never learned the skill, then you won’t be able to direct and guide them most efficiently. And what will happen is they’ll end up posting generic content that won’t get the results that you desire anyways, and that’s literally money wasted.
So keep going, keep experimenting. And remember, if you feel forced or shooting, then maybe the medium that you’re using isn’t best. So switch it up, try LinkedIn maybe if you haven’t done that before. And here’s the thing: stick with it for at least three to six months consistently before you keep hopping around so people at least can get used to seeing you and hearing your content.
Batching And Scheduling Your Content Creation
Personally, I always plan to post on social media or record a podcast. I have certain times in my week where I know I’m going to be planning podcast, recording podcasts, doing Facebook Lives, etc, etc. However, when it comes to posting a social media post, for example, at a specific time on a specific day, I don’t plan that detail. I find that I always tried to plan it, but then it never really goes to plan. So I just am consistent in my own way where I know that each day, I will post it. But the time really depends on energy and when I really do have time, so it’s kind of a hybrid approach.
It’s also the ability to be able to look several months ahead and notice what needs to be marketed coming down the pipeline. For example, I do workshops every four to six weeks on average. So every few weeks, I know that I’m going to be marketing a workshop, and I have to plan ahead for that so I have the topics, so I can remember to promote it on my Facebook Lives, etc, etc. If I don’t look ahead, then I don’t remember to add these additional plugs, and I miss out on the marketing momentum.
So there’s no right way to batch and schedule your content. Some people use third-party apps. Personally, I don’t like using those because I do find that my engagement is a lot less. And I’m more inclined to interact and engage with people because that’s what social media channels really are. If I personally just go in and do it myself and schedule a certain amount of time afterward to engage with someone after a post, that’s always when mine does the best. But you’ll find your rhythm. I know people that batch out a couple of hours, they write all their social media content for the week, maybe even the month, they plan it out, and that really helps them. And then they can go in and post what according to their schedule. For me, it’s a little too rigid. So you can create your own hybrid approach for scheduling content, batching content, plan out the whole month, plan out the whole quarter, you do you – just develop a rhythm and then stay consistent, that’s most important.
What’s More Important Than Creating Content
One last topic we’re going to talk about in terms of content creation is there is something more important than creating content. So being by yourself, creating content, planning content, strategizing content and that is the most important thing of talking with and meeting people.
Whether that be helping people in Facebook groups, whether that’s sending messages to people, whether that’s going to networking events, and just meeting more and more people, that is the most important thing.
So for me, that’s always scheduled first in my calendar then I can spend more time being creative on my content because I know I’ve done the most important thing. It’s easy to hide behind content creation – the planning of the content, the proofreading of the content, all these additional things you can really get lost in and consume. You can be behind your content creation for weeks at a time, and never really have talked to any real-life humans. That will slow down your business tremendously.
So first, always engage with people, whether that be in-person or online consistently and content creation comes next. So, hear me again, talk with people first, then do content. Because doing a Facebook live, doing a post-recording a podcast, writing a blog, YouTube video, is not the same as personally engaging and hearing someone’s story and just getting to know them again, whether that is in-person or through a message, there is a big difference because those are the relationships you’re building. That is really the whole purpose behind the content in the first place.
Conclusion
So keep recording your content, and keep being creative. It does help people. Keep going. And remember to keep connecting with people at the same time.
And if this seems like a lot, just reach out to me. I’m happy to work with your schedule for you because you don’t have to spend exorbitant amounts of time to get the results that you desire. I’ve shown that time and time again in my business when life throws us curveballs and my schedule is hijacked through various means that consume a lot more time than I realize or I plan for it. I’m still able to continue moving forward in my business, and I’m always pleasantly surprised, especially recently, the last six months or so, how my finances just keep growing and growing and growing. So it’s possible for you, too, to create the results that you desire without the overworking and the hustle. There might just be small tweaks and what you’re doing. And then of course, perspective shifts in your mindset.
So I’m happy to help with that. Just reach out and connect with me!
I will see you next week. Bye for now!
If you are wanting to sign more clients make sure to sign up for the free 5 day training:
You can sign a client immediately following this training. If you want to determine if you are a good fit for one of Alison’s programs book your free consult call here:
