How to overcome writer's block

I'm sure you have heard that clarion call of content marketing gurus: write great content and the visitors and clients will follow.

The problem is, it's rather easier said than done. The challenge for most people isn't that they don't know they need a lot of great content. Of course they do. It's just that it is hard to create it. Here are some tips that might just help.

Understand what sort of content your clients value: There are two very different types of professionals when it comes to creating content. One type of professional is the 'teacher,' which includes coaches, consultants, and trainers. People who are hired because clients want access to their expertise and usually want to learn some of it. I fit into this model. My clients want to get better at marketing and selling. I know a little bit about marketing and selling. So I can write about my area of expertise and share the best practices I know and clients will find it useful.

The other model is the 'do it for you' model. lawyers, architects - people who are hired because clients want what their expertise can do for them. But they don't particularly want to learn that expertise themselves. If you are in this model you have a bit of a trickier task. You can't just share best practices in your field - clients aren't that interested. They don't want to know how you do your job - they just want the results.

In this case, it's best to write about and to become known as an authority is how your expertise is used. Most clients don't much care how their architect goes about the process of designing buildings. What they do care about is knowing what type of buildings are the most cost effective or energy efficient to run. Which sort creates the right conditions for creativity? How to avoid problems reselling your building etc?

Focus on moments of truth: The second tip is to focus on content that relates to the critical buying moments of truth for your clients. There are two key points in their overall buying process when your clients are the most interested in your content. The first is when they initially realise they have a problem or opportunity.What's the first thing we do when we realise we have a problem that needs solving? We log on to Google to find more about it.

In my case, initial problem searches are things like "how to get more clients", "how to increase sales", "how to win clients with LinkedIn". They're not ready to hire anyone to help them in those areas yet. So they don't want to hear about my USP or why I am better than my competitors. But they do want to find answers to the questions they're asking.

The more content I have in these areas, the more I catch people early and get a chance to build credibility and trust with them. That's why I encourage visitors to subscribe to my emails. It's where I give out my very best content and where I can keep in touch with people once they've found me via that initial problem.

The next buying moment of truth is when they've made the decision that they want to fix their problem. And that they need help to do it. When your buyers flip over to that mode of thinking, what do they need to know?

Maybe it's what sort of solutions there are available in the market. Maybe it's how to find the best employment laywer. Maybe it's knowing how to run an RFP process to hire an architect. Whatever it is, that's the next set of content you need to have on your site. Content that positions you as a trusted advisor to guide your potential clients through the buying process. If you're ever looking for inspiration on what sort of things to focus your writing on, think "what's the first thing my clients need to know when they realise they have a problem?" and "what's the first thing my clients need to know when they decide to fix that problem?". You won't go wrong.

Put in the hard work: The final tip is to put in the work to create great content. There are two sorts of content that I find are both very well received by my audience, and that I can create without needing a spark of inspiration. Both involve hard work.

The author is Ian Brodie, marketing coach.
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