Are you turning into a parrot?
If your content strategy consists of repeating what everyone else is saying in slightly different words, then you’ve pretty much answered the question.
While there’s a whole industry out there making billions by helping time-poor entrepreneurs looking for swipe files, scripts, and AI prompts that will magic up quick content without them thinking too hard about it, it’s an immediate boost when you can break away from the herd and use your creativity to present something different.
Creative content marketing doesn’t have to be a copy-paste job based on keeping up with the latest marketing fads. Neither does your corporate content need to be dry and stale.
But using an original spin on current ideas and taking creative approaches will make your content resonate with the people you’re trying to reach.
Be an original, not a copy
Intuitively, we all know that using hideous phrases from ubiquitous social media guru-speak, like “10X your sales with this 4-step script, available to the first 5 people who DM me with the word Kerching!” turns genuine prospects all the way off. Aside from sounding scammy, the only people these false scarcity and fear-based sales tactics work on are those who may be in a desperate situation.
Even if you intend to be helpful, is this really the way to build healthy, long-term business relationships?
Ignore the hints and tips that push you towards those tactics. Instead, practice being approachable and offering some food for thought, along with calls to action – you’ll soon find that your prospects are more likely to be interested in what you have to say and, eventually, offer.
The moment you stop relying on stale, recycled content, you open your business up to a whole new level of engagement with your audience – prospects will be more likely to read, share, and comment on your content because it’s different from what they’re used to.
This separates successful businesses from the ones that fade into obscurity (or notoriety, in the case of those with shady ethics).
What makes your business unique?
Before you go in all guns blazing, ask yourself what makes you… you. What’s your edge?
There’s no need for an existential crisis here, as this doesn’t need to be anything OTT. Despite what the IG gurus will tell you, it’s more than OK to be ordinary. Your uniqueness comes from your team’s collective blend of personal life experiences, education, and interests – with an emphasis on the word personal.
The way you see your business, and how it serves your clients, stems from this perspective. If you lean into this view and share content that reflects your brand, you’re more likely to attract prospects who share the same values as you.
For service-based businesses where the emphasis is on building relationships and working on a one-to-one basis, this is absolutely crucial for your longevity. If not, doing what you think you should do, based on what everyone else is doing, is a great way to end up burnt out. Trust me.
In my case, I found my footing once I learnt to trust my own judgement instead of external forces – and running my business has become much more fun!
Flex your creativity muscles
You’ve probably heard the adage that creativity is a muscle – which means you can exercise it to strengthen it, just like any other part of your body.
Get those gains in by:
- Seeking new challenges: If you’re feeling stuck, try taking on a new challenge outside your comfort zone. This could be something as simple as writing about a trending topic from a different perspective, writing about topics that are rarely discussed, or coming up with a bonkers idea for a content marketing campaign.
- Being open to change: One of the biggest blockers to creativity is fear. When you’re afraid to try something new, it’s hard to let your imagination run wild. But if you’re willing to experiment and take risks, you’ll be amazed at what comes out. When you brainstorm, respect that all your ideas are valid – no matter how nuts they might sound at first.
- Getting out to meet new people: Meeting new people is an excellent way to stimulate your creativity. Whether it’s attending a conference or joining a networking event with like-minded individuals, it’ll open your eyes to new perspectives and ways of thinking – and you might find inspiration in some surprising places.
- Experimenting with different formats: One of the best ways to get your ideas out there is to experiment with different formats to make your content more engaging for your audience. This could involve using interesting visuals, incorporating humour, or using a different medium, like video.
- Practising regularly: The more you practise, the better you’ll get. Whether you’re coming up with ideas for content themes, writing lists of potential article titles, or developing a longer-term content strategy, practising will help you improve your idea-generation skills. Whatever type of content you’re planning on creating, make it your mission to put something out there consistently. It’ll pay off massively in the long run.
To sum up
Creativity is essential for successful content marketing that will lead the right prospects to your business.
By using different formats, experimenting with different topics, and focusing on what makes your brand unique, you’ll be on your way to creating content that will capture the attention of your target audience.
