Suzanne Chadwick  00:34

Hey, hey, welcome back to the podcast. It is awesome to have you here. As always, how are you? How's life? What's happening? Well, anyway, I am in Melbourne, and it is school holidays here. So I have about three or four kids in my house. So if you hear anything, that's what it is. And high five to all the parents out here doing the juggle. So you know, kind of mornings of work, things like that, then rollerskating, or the movies or whatever else, whatever else comes in the afternoon. So that's how I am manage, managing my holidays, if you're off somewhere sunny, and just like taking two weeks off. So nice. But that is not what we're talking about today is that we are talking all about how you can create content you love. And I feel like I have recently spent a bit of time really thinking about what do I want to share? How do I want to share it right now as I'm recording this. We're in April 2022? And how can I do things that really work for me? And I feel like this is like an age old struggle for all entrepreneurs, is it's how do I create the content that I love. But that works as well, to content that converts, content that builds community, content that attracts the audience that you want as well. There has to be a purpose and a strategy to content. You don't just want to be a content machine that and then it doesn't get the results that you want. Am I right, exactly. So that is what we're talking about today. But listen, before we dive in, I do want to let you know about a new free training that I am doing. One of the things I'm doing at the moment this year is I've decided to run a whole lot more live master classes, because I love them. And yes, I've got master classes on evergreen that you can go and check out as well. If you go to suzchadwick.com forward slash freebies, I have a number of master classes. But I really like the live stuff I'm looking at like events and stuff as well where I'm just like I just want to be with people. And so that is one of the content strategies that I'm using this year is to be live, to connect to grow my list, to grow my audience to grow my brand, through live trainings as well because I just like them. So on Thursday the 28th of April at 9:30am I'm going to be running a live training which is from burnt out creative to thriving group program creator. Now this is for you if you are interested in having a course that has a support element. So group coaching, you have a membership which is also a group program, or you want to start your mastermind so if any of those three things that appeal to you then that is what I'm going to be talking about in this masterclass I have had memberships I have got a mastermind I've also got a group coaching program. And can I just tell you that while how you build it might be a little bit different the way in which you support your clients you grow it you market it all come from the same principles. So I am super excited to be sharing how you can go from burnt out creative to thriving group program creator. In this masterclass all you have to do is go to suzchadwick.com forward slash Thrive t h r i v e yeah and you can come and join this free masterclass which I'm really looking forward to as well and stick around because I've also got a bootcamp coming up as well for a week in May that I can't wait to share with you as well see content. I'm excited about the content so I'm going to be telling you all about it in today's episode as well. So make sure that you go and you sign up for from burnt out creative to thriving group program creator for people with group programs with courses, memberships and masterminds. Yeah, head over to suzchadwick.com forward slash thrive and I cannot wait to see you there. But listen, I've got the goods for you today. So let's dive into this week's episode. Okay, so let's dive into this week's episode. There are a few different things that I'm going to take you through today that I think have really helped me just to, and one of the tips is not overthink it. But to create content that I love that I feel like,

Suzanne Chadwick  05:06

I get the response and reaction I want from my followers, I get the engagement. And it's really interesting to also think about, you know, what is the purpose of your content? What is it that you would see as successful? Because I think sometimes we're like, oh, like, I'm just not getting what I want. But then a lot of people don't define what it is that they want. So for me, I get the likes and the comments, but I get a lot of DMS, and I love shares, they're like my favourite thing, if you shared something that I create, that's like a big win for me. So those are the metrics for success to me, obviously, I take a look at link clicks, as in people that have gone to my link in bio, they've gone through the website, they've clicked something they've signed up for something like that's the main point, as well as that you want to engage your audience, but then you want them to follow through. So let's talk about creating content that you like, that you love, and how you can make it easier for yourself, because I feel like I speak to people all the time. And this is one of the hardest things that they deal with, because they feel like they've got to be this content machine. And it just takes so much time and effort. So the first thing I want to talk about is just getting back to basics. And I think that a lot of times people do this at the beginning of their business. But it's not something that they continue to look at. And so content pillars, which is basic to creating content, I think just revisit it so that they're current, so that you you're like I'm really passionate about these, I'm still passionate about these. And it's not something that you just set and forget. So for me, I've got my content pillars on my whiteboard that sit next to my desk. So I'm always taking a look at, I'm talking about sales and marketing, I'm talking about pricing and money, I'm talking about business strategy, I'm talking about branding, I'm talking about having a bold mindset, talking about SEO in Yeah, having savvy systems and automations talking about becoming that bold voice and really stepping into it, mind management, all the rest of it. So all of these content pillars at any point in time, I can just grab one, and be like, Okay, I'm going to talk about that today. So really have your content pillars in a place that you actively use them. So I use plan P L aw n as my scheduling tool. And within it, you can kind of set out what your key themes are, so that it prompts you to create content on that theme. So my themes are my content pillars. And within that I've got promo as well. So you know, I might do a real on thought management, which is something I've done recently. And then I'll talk about branding a tip on branding. And then I will promote something. So just having that kind of, I guess layout, as far as how you're going to create content, I think that's basic, I think that's like the minimum level that you need to have, so that you can create content that you love, and do it in a really easy and effortless way. Also really taking a look, obviously what products and services do you have and what content is going to help you to attract the type of clients you want buying your product and service. So I think sometimes, and this is a conversation I have as well is people who are just putting out content, and they're like, I give so much value I give so much value I give so much value. I'm like but what's your strategy around that value as well? Yeah, what is it that you want them to do? How do you want them to feel is the content that you're sharing an automatic where they're like, oh, my gosh, I want to know more or I want to work with this person or that's so insightful and different. I always say, you can never compete on tactics, you can only compete on thought leadership and unique ways of talking about what you do. So I think that really taking a look at what are the products and services that I have? And what is it that I'm going to be talking about that is an automatic lead in. So sometimes I'll do a post and it is value all of the tips. Here's all the stuff you need to know. And at the bottom of it. I've got, you know, tell me what you're struggling with at the moment or tell me you know what your thoughts are on X topic. Also, if you want to learn more, then make sure you check out brand builders academy or DM me and I'll send you this freebie. And so I think that it's just making sure that you're really clear that when you share content, you understand you understand, like it's you that has to understand what is the point like what is the point of this content? If I asked you like if I looked at a post and I said to you what's the point of this content? Hopefully you've got a really clear idea of what it is that you want people But to actually do and why you're sharing that piece of content as well. So for me, one of the things that I have recently done is I recorded a whole lot of stories, sorry, reels on mind management. And so I just sat, and I recorded like five of them. And one of the key things that I talk about in amplify as well as BBA. And one of the big things we talk about when we're at retreat, is mind management. Because at the end of the day, that is one of the main things Yeah, is that if you don't manage your mind, you're not going to do a quarter of the things that you really want to do. Because you're constantly be getting in your own way. So that's something that I talk about a lot. Then I also recently was promoting one on one business and mindset coaching, I was sharing brand tips. I also do like weekend posts, talking about rest, because obviously I talk about building a profitable business without the burnout. So I talk about taking timeout, self care, rest. So it's all reflective of what I teach what my clients come to me for. And then I make sure that that's the content that I'm reflecting. So get back to basics. If you don't have your content pillars, on a wall next to you or somewhere that's accessible, that makes it really easy for you to create content that is consistent with what it is you want to be known for. That's a really good way to do it. The second thing is tapping into what works. So ask yourself the question, what is it that your clients ask you? And what are the conversations that you have on a regular basis? Now, I haven't shared this before in a previous episode, which is the content spreadsheet. So I have a massive spreadsheet with lots of questions or clients asked. And the other thing I do is that I go back to questions that my brand builder Academy clients ask because we have weekly coaching calls during a live round and monthly coaching calls outside. And I take a look at what are the questions that they asked me and I may not answer that direct question, but I might answer a question around that. Yes. So really have a think about if you can create a place where you are collating all of the different things that you could be answering questions on or talking about. The second thing is ask your followers what they need help with. And this can kind of be hit or miss sometimes, because

Suzanne Chadwick  12:22

obviously, you want them to be asking you questions around what it is you do and the things that you help with. But the more that your audience gets to know, you, obviously, the questions are going to be more aligned to whatever it is that you talk about. Otherwise, you can say, what questions do you have about building a profitable business? What questions do you have about how to get better at sales and marketing? Those would be questions that I would maybe ask. So thinking about how you can ask direct questions of your audience can really help them to ask you really great questions. And I think that that just keeps the engagement there. It keeps things flowing, it makes sure that the content that you're sharing is relevant for right now. And then obviously, Google, you know, see what's being searched, go to YouTube and type in some of the keywords that you like to rank for, and see what topics people are talking about, go into Google search, typing, you know, how to build a brand, how to build a personal brand, how to build whatever how to get better at sales and marketing or you know how to increase sales in my business. So I'll type those things into Google and I'll see what is coming up the most. And I might use some of those. So tap into what works and tap into things that are easily accessible for you, that help you to create current and relevant content too. Because I think that's one of the most important things is that if you're talking about something from last year, that's not really that relevant, you know, the market moves fast people whilst we are looking to you know, earn more in our business, work less, do more, etc. There are different ways of talking about it. And different topics are hot at different times as well. And so I think it's important within your industry for you to understand what that is. The third thing is having fun with your content, which is the whole point of this podcast as well. So what do you like to do? For me, I am enjoying reels right now because they are working which is another point is you know what, something that is working right now that you can really capitalise on. And so sitting down and recording those five reels that were more in depth content that was fun for me, I just basically wrote down five different points. And then I did like a part one, part two, part three, and I was wearing something bright and I did my makeup and my hair and so now I've just been dropping like one of those a week. And so that becomes a really great part of my content, which I don't have to be He's kind of doing on the go as well. You know, and what is something that doesn't feel like work or less work to you. And I think you do have to play with things. I think a lot of times people are scared to try new things, whether it's tick tock or reels or going live, whatever it is, just think about, what can I try and test because something that you might think that you're scared of, when you actually do it more than once, you might be like, This is really fun. So I love Jade from rara PR, she went live on her Instagram one afternoon at like, 430, I

Suzanne Chadwick  15:36

just come back from a walk. And she just got on and she's like, Hey, I'm just about to send out my subscribers, you know, email, and I just wanted to see if anybody was around and wanted to chat. And I thought, yeah, cool. Let's do that. And we ended up having this great conversation. But I know that she's been focusing on doing more lives. And sometimes it's just more fun with friends. So think about who are people. And this is something that I'm going to be doing, who are people that you really love to go live with? Who are people that you love to have a conversation with? What is a topic that you could both talk about, that would really interest both of your audiences where you can contribute as well, just after the rise retreat, I did a four way live. So you can have up to five, four people on a live. And so I had a couple of the ladies that came to the rise retreat, talk about what were their main takeaways, what was something that they learned that they could share as well. And so that was really fun. And the thing is, is that you're actually then reaching three other different audiences, if you do something like that. And it doesn't matter, like just give it a go, it is super easy. We always things think we always think things are going to be a lot harder than what they are. But just give it a go and see and see if you enjoy it. See if it's fun, see if you find ease in it. Because I think that when you can use the tools that are available to you right now. And use them to grow your audience to collaborate with others, to create content that you find fun. I think that's when you really shine, I think that's when you bring energy that attracts people, you know, I talk about being magnetic all the time, it's when somebody is on and they're having fun, they're sharing great things. It's really engaging. That's when you're like, that's awesome. And so even when I was speaking with Jade on the live, you know, you can see that people who don't follow me at the moment, were following like started following me. So you can really access other people's audiences. And it doesn't always have to be, you know, planned and meticulous and all the rest of it. But if you can find somebody that you really enjoyed doing that with, then use the tools that are available to you right now. And because I do use Instagram for a lot of my business, I just think like, that's where I want to be, it's the main thing that I use, I am going to believe it or not going to try doing more Facebook lives as well. Because I'm like, Well, why not? Let me give it a try. Like when I'm doing my Instagram Live, maybe I'll do my Facebook Live at the same time as well. So I think once again, just trying different things out and seeing what works for you and what doesn't, you know, is important. The next thing is being consistent. So I think that when you find something that you love to do, then hopefully consistency is a natural, kind of, you know, effective of loving what you're doing as well. And so I talked about this in BBA a lot. And it's professional practices. It's about not thinking about if you feel like doing something, it's just about having a professional practice of the things that you do like being consistent with your content. And so for me, that's the podcast, you know, being here sharing content with you every single week, because number one, it allows me to create new content that we share across platforms. It helps me to connect with you. I love all the messages that you send. Thank you. And also I enjoy doing it. Yeah, I enjoy creating this content. And the podcast has been an incredible Brand Builder for me too. So you know when people will normally come and they work with me and either amplify or BBA or bold speakers collective. Then when I asked Where did you find out about me nine times out of 10 they're like I listened to the podcast and then have followed you on Instagram etc. So once again, when you actually get a reaction, a positive reaction, the outcome that you want clients, etc, then hopefully that positive, you know, reaction from the work that you're doing, then spurs you on to do more of it. So I wouldn't not have the podcast, like unless podcasts die in the future. I'm like, This is what I'm doing. This is my professional practice. It is my marketing that I focus on every single week. It's the fresh content that I bring, and because it gives me the result So I want which is attracting incredible clients, why would I not do it? So I think just really think about what are you doing that you can hopefully find something you love that works. And by works. I mean, it helps you grow your brand, it helps you grow your business and helps you grow your revenue. And like I always say to clients when you get on stories, because I had a gorgeous client, and she's been in business for four years, she joined Brand Builders Academy this round. And she's not been on stories before. And now she's on stories, and she's sharing behind the scenes. And I just said to you, I once you start doing that, and your audience starts to interact with you, that will be the thing that keeps you doing it. And so just give it a go get out there. And you'll just find that you're not talking to yourself that people actually want to hear from you, and they want to engage with you. And the more that you do it, the more that'll grow. And so I think sometimes with content as well, we kind of think, Oh, well, I didn't want to lose and nothing happened. And I'm just like, you need to do it 100 times. And even if nothing happens 100 times you need to continue to do it. Yeah, like if that's where you want to be, if that's where your clients are. When I started the podcast, I don't even know that I looked at my stats that much. I was just kind of like creating content and putting it out there. And then we started, you know, we were using podcasts. And we started to see the stats. And we started to see the downloads, and we started to see the rankings in different countries. And I was just like, This is insane. And before we knew it, you know, we had several 100,000 downloads. And it's been amazing. But I wasn't only looking at the stats to define whether this was successful or not. I really loved it, I was getting a great response. And so even if the stats weren't amazing at the time, it's all a build, like I've had the podcast now for four years, four years, which is crazy. But I love it. So you've just got to continue to show up, have the professional practice, do the thing that is consistent, so that you can get the outcome and the results that you want. And they're not going to happen overnight like Pantene says, but it will happen. And the last thing is just saving time. So I am not here to get you on a content hamster wheel that you can't get out of and that it burns you out. That's like the last thing I want you to do. So for me, the podcast takes me about an hour a week. And then I outsource which is one of the time saving things I outsource to my content person and she does all of the other things so that I don't have to do that, you know, batching reels was a great time saver as well. And then scheduling so as I said, I use plan PLANN double n which I love. They're always sending me like, what's new in social media? What

Suzanne Chadwick  22:58

are the things I need to know? What are the updates that Instagram has, etc? And can I just say, and I know that there'll be people out there going, but Suz that's what people tell us to do. I know that doing 30 days of content is a lot to think about. And can I tell you I don't do that. So for me, because I like to talk about things that are happening right now in my business scheduling for 30 days just doesn't work for me. I would feel stuck in it. But but there's a but, but what I have done around batching is that I have like 45 quotes, yet from masterclasses that I've run. And I've got a massive, I've got hundreds of photos in my brand library. And then I'll save the audio from reels that I get ideas for. And in the morning, I might go to my saved audios and reels. I'll pick one that I think is fun. And I'll do it in a couple of minutes. And then I'll post it and I'll get on with my day. So I've kind of got these little, you know, I guess, key things that helped me to consistently create content that I love. And that means that I can be posting as much as I want as well. So I could post two or three times a day, by the way, I don't, but I could, because I've got it all there. So I would really encourage you that if you're like oh my gosh, this is hard for me. Like spend a day just spend a day on content because I think that when you're in flow as well, it helps. So for example you could have what are what are 20-30 quotes that I love. They could be my quotes. They could be quotes from other people that I love. What are photos that I love to use? Yeah, what are my content pillars? Let me go revisit them, make sure that I still love them. I still know what I want to talk about. And they're relevant to my audience right now. If I want to try using real Let me play with a few different ones like you can obviously be recording them and then just getting a feel for it. You don't have to post it. You don't have to save it just play. Yeah, play and get used to it, and then give it a go and see, because I think a lot of times my clients have got awesome personalities. Yeah, they're funny, they're out there. And they just don't show that in their content. And I'm like, I love people. I love people who have a love, I love people who are funny. I love people who are obviously incredible at what they do. But I want to work with people who have fun as well. And so or they, you know, enjoy fun things. And so ask yourself, I you reflecting your personality in your content, because remember, I'm not just buying from you because of what you teach. I'm buying you. Yeah, I'm buying your ideas. I'm buying your personality, the fact that I want to work with you. And so how are you reflecting that in your content. And I think that if you can spend some time really working through that. I think it just makes your content engaging and stuff that people want to come back for. And obviously last week, we talked to Erica Reitman, about, you know, her episodic Instagram, which is so fun. And it's not always positive and upbeat. Like, sometimes she's talking about hard stuff that she's struggling with, and where, you know, this didn't work the way that she thought it was gonna work, etc. And I just think we are whole people, then we have got many aspects of who we are. And I think that, you know, you don't have to go into super personal things. But you can show different sides of you. And I think people are there for it. They are there for the journey, they are there to really get to know you. So think about how you can create and collate that content to make your life easy. And can I just say one of the biggest tips for creating content that you love? Is you ready for it? Have you got a pen? Have you got a piece of paper? Are you ready? Do not overthink it?

Suzanne Chadwick  27:14

Don't overthink it? That's That's what costs people so much time. They're overthinking it. Yeah, they might create stories, and then they'll watch them back. And they'll decide whether they post someone I'm just like creating stories, captioning it posting it. Let's go. Let's do it. Yeah, going to saved real audio, finding an audio I like recording the real posting it getting on with work, going to my plan, which is my scheduling tool, taking a look at all of the quotes that I've dropped in there, as well as all of my or a lot of my photos. And that's it. Yeah, just dropping it and posting it. So those are some of the key things, I think that can help you to create content that you love. So getting back to basics with your content pillars tapping into what works, which is you know, listening to your audience, getting the questions, having fun with your content, what do you like to do? Have fun with it, make it fun for yourself, work out how you can make it fun, being consistent as well. So professional practices, and then time saving, which is outsourcing scheduling batching. But the main thing, when you create content that you love, do not overthink it. Have fun with it. Yeah. If you've got any questions, let me know. But hopefully that has gotten you out of your content. Right. It's given you some fresh ideas, and it's got you moving, let me know send me a DM. I'd love to hear.