“I’ve been creating all this content and showing up on all these platforms. But it feels like such a waste because it’s not bringing in sales.” 😫
It’s something I’ve heard from just about every single client and student I’ve worked with in my business over the past six years.
So if you’re also investing loads of time into the 2nd full-time job that is content creation and not seeing much in the way of returns, the first thing you should know is that it happens to the best of us.
The second thing you should know is that it’s not your fault.
We’re just bombarded with marketing advice that often doesn’t fit our unique reality as solopreneurs. Like:
- Show up on every platform. (Mmmk, but I don’t really have time for that…)
- Post every day. (But I’ve got a business to run… by myself.)
- Go viral and focus on followers. (So that’s the metric I should be measuring my success against? Not sales?)
- Offer, but don’t offer *too* much. (What does that even mean?)
It’s confusing. And overwhelming. And defeating. And flat out not helpful. Because it doesn’t serve you as a solopreneur who’s doing this whole thing solo and probably needed sales, like, yesterday.
Plain and simple, if the content you’re creating as a business owner isn’t actively bringing you customers, it’s not doing it’s job. It’s just burning you out instead of helping you grow.
This is where we fix that. I’m breaking down the five biggest content red flags that block sales and how to fix them.
Wands at the ready… 🪄
1. It’s not written for your customer
Show of hands. The last time you sat down to write an article, or a note, or podcast episode, or a YouTube video, was your first question:
- What will get me the most followers/likes/comments/shares? OR
- What will attract the most potential customers?
You might think they’re one and the same, but ooohhh, my friend, they couldn’t be more different.
Have you ever heard the saying: “What you focus on, you get more of?”
Nowhere is that more true than in your marketing.
Showing up and sharing a cute GIF of puppies playing in a sprinkler might get you loads of likes and visibility. But here’s the question you need to be asking yourself:
Was that visibility meaningful to my business?
Did those people get a clear understanding of what your business is about? If someone were to ask them what you offer or are an expert at, would they be able to accurately answer (even in a general way)? Did they leave that post with a better understanding of how you could potentially help them?
If the answer is no, you need to push pause for a minute and think about what really attracts buyers. If you’re not sure, keep on reading.
2. It doesn’t bridge the gap to your offer
Fundamental truth about why people buy:
We never buy the product, service, or event. We buy the solution to a problem, the transformation or outcome we think that thing will give us, and who we think we’ll be after we have it.
Once I understood that to my core, it transformed the way I looked at my content.
My content wasn’t something I just threw up for the heck of it to get more eyeballs. It had a very clear job to do. To show my audience that I understand their problem, that I see the ideal reality they’re trying to reach, and that my business and what I offer are here to help them get there.
Put a different way, the job of your content is to build the bridge from where your ideal customer currently is (swirling with their problem) to where they ultimately want to be (a point in the future where their problem is solved with something that you offer).
It exists to constantly help them take baby steps in the right direction and overcome all of the obstacles that are currently preventing them from getting there.
If you’re an HR consultant and you know one of the big obstacles for your audience to work with you is getting their leadership team on board, you create content around that.
When you create content as stepping stones that guide people forward on their quest to solving their problem, you naturally create demand for what you offer. There’s nothing forced or desperate about it. It’s helpful. And that’s what helps you build an audience of fans who are lining up to buy what you’ve got.
3. There’s no clear invite to get more
Ninety percent of the content you share in your business needs a next step. Full stop.
Not a flimsy: “Double tap if you agree!”
Or a half-hearted: “Save for later if you found this helpful!”
I’m talking about a full blown invite to jump aboard the “You, Inc.” Express. To check out your latest blog post. To download that valuable lead magnet. To join that next-level training. To book the groundbreaking Discovery Call. To shop the latest styles. To schedule the transformative appointment.
Real, valuable steps that take people one level deeper into your business and one step closer to a solution.
Here’s how I like to think about it:
Every time you share a piece of content, you’re broadcasting to the world that you’re here. If people read/listen/watch what you share and like what you’re about, there’s a good chance they’re going to be looking for a way to get more from you. Do you really want that opportunity to go to waste?
Um, no, right?! You worked hard to find that person and get your content in front of them. Don’t lose people before they even really get a chance to experience your greatness.
Give them a clear, compelling, and VALUE-DRIVEN call to action. No matter if you’re driving them to a reg page or podcast episode. Tell me in my kind of language what’s in it for me when I do it.
Not everyone will take you up on the invite. But the right people will. And those are the people you’re showing up for anyway.
4. There’s no system for sales
Individual posts don’t get you sustainable sales. Systems do.
I used to see the purchase journey as something very linear.
Someone sees my Instagram post. → They visit my website. → They book a discovery call. → They make a purchase.
But no one makes a purchase like that. I sure don’t and I’m going to go out on a limb and guess that you don’t either.
In reality, most purchase journeys look like this.
Someone see my Instagram post. → They look at my profile. → They click through a few of my posts. → They sign up for my lead magnet. → They open a few of my emails. → They visit my website. → Life gets busy and they forget about me. → They open another email. → They read a recent blog post. → They peep my services page. → They go to book a Discovery Call. → They change their mind. → They read another email. → They join a training. → They book a Discovery Call. → They sit on the decision for 3 days. → They make a purchase.
(Please tell me that sounds exactly like how you make a purchase decision. Otherwise, I’m going to feel like a total weirdo. 😂)
The point is expecting someone to make a purchase off of a couple (sporadic) IG posts is unrealistic and it’s setting you up for disappointment.
If you want to make more sales, you need a system that gives your people the touchpoints they need to make a confident decision. And you need that system to work behind the scenes to bring people to you. Instead of you chasing after them.
5. No one is seeing it
If a tree falls in the forest, but no one’s around to hear it, does it make a sound?
It’s a brain bender for sure. And truthfully, I have no idea. 🙃
But what I can tell you is if you make an offer to an empty room, it doesn’t matter how great the offer is, no one is going to buy it. In order for your content to get you customers, it ultimately needs an audience.
And I’ll take that one step further—it needs the right audience.
Reach is important. Engagement is important. But only if it’s the right people (those people who are going to be interested in what you are offering).
The cool thing is when you start to focus your attention on creating content for your ideal customers, you start to get more valuable leads and followers. Because they’re following you because of how they think you can help them. Not how they think you can entertain them.
tl;dr
If you want your content to actually get you customers, then your content needs to be created with those customers in mind.
Forget the algorithm. Forget the IG gurus and the TikTok influencers. Set aside the trending audio and the Canva templates for a hot sec. Recalibrate on your people. Regardless of what anyone else says, nothing else matters a whole heck of a lot if what you create doesn’t land with them.
If you want a roadmap that helps you do just that with zero guesswork or overwhelm, my Content to Customers Blueprint will help you start creating customer-attracting content in just 90 minutes. Grab it today and start making more sales with your content by tomorrow!
👉 Click here to grab the Blueprint!
Let that become your north star, your tuning fork, and watch how quickly your results double, my friend.
0 Comments