Mamahood is one wild ride. And one and a half years in, I’m learning a lot about myself, about what it takes to keep a tiny human happy and thriving, how to balance family life and work life… and (surprisingly) a lesson or two (or three) about content marketing. Here goes…
You can only plan so much: be nimble for the unpredictable
Think about how much time it takes you to get out the door to get to an appointment, or to head out to the mountains bright and early to hit the slopes, or to even just get outdoors for a walk around the block after a full day of back-to-back meetings on Zoom. Ok, jot that number on a post-it or in your head. Factor in a toddler or school-aged kid, and the time it takes to get everyone out the door – fully dressed, fed, geared up and ready-to-go – increases exponentially. Because things come up, $h!t happens and curveballs fly in (head’s up).
So this is not a scientific formula by any means (merely anecdotal evidence from my own personal experience and fellow mamas in my circle), but it’s a solid lesson. A lesson that applies to life in general as well as content marketing: plan ahead, be flexible.
There’s definitely value in preparing a content strategy, a roadmap, a content calendar and the like. In fact, I’m a strong proponent of doing the work. But, the reality is that as good as your intentions are to meticulously map out your content plan and schedule posts for the week, the month and so on – things come up. Life happens. A big news day steals the spotlight. A pandemic unfolds. Priorities shift. Values change.
And your content needs to roll with it, take shape and adapt. That means being nimble for the unpredictable – listening and learning, “reading the room”, hitting the pause button on scheduled posts when necessary. Above all, being human in what you say, how you respond and how you inform, inspire and help with your content.
Storytelling makes it memorable (and it’s in our instinct to share)
Ever catch yourself saying, “Remember that time when…”, followed by a funny or charming anecdote from your youth (or a hilarious moment or milestone with your kiddo) and a wave of nostalgia? Chances are, you’ve said this before time and time again. Why? Because storytelling makes it memorable and it’s in our instinct to share.
The same rule of thumb applies to content marketing. Make it personal, draw on your own experiences and bring your audience along for the journey. If you find common ground and share something useful, inspiring, entertaining or educational that your audience can relate to, they’re more likely to keep listening and reading – and if your message is paired with a compelling, visual element, they’re possibly more likely to share and amplify your message.
Progress over perfection: timing is everything
Parenthood is teaching the type-A personality in me to roll with it and see the beauty in imperfection. I remember one of many moments when I was in that postpartum blur with a newborn not too long ago – that sleep-deprived, un-showered daze and I had a mad craving for some homemade banana bread muffins. So I carved out a little slice of time to bake muffins (quickly) while baby was napping. The muffins weren’t perfect – in fact, they started to fall apart when I put them out to cool – but they were delicious and they hit the spot. They were a little taste of something that I love to do (home cooking and foodie pursuits) but didn’t have a lot of time to devote to during those long days. It was a win (for me) to smell that sweet aroma of homemade banana-walnut muffins, fresh from the oven – which wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t jumped at the opportunity in the moment.
You could say the same thing about those times when your content is paralyzed by the need to get that perfect shot and perfect caption for your Instagram feed. When you keep delaying the launch of your new website because every component has to look just right. When you can’t get past that mental roadblock of needing to look your absolute best in your “informal” day-in-the-life, behind-the-scenes selfie videos, so the footage you filmed last week stays tucked away on your phone and has yet to see the light of day.
Remember: progress over perfection. Try not to get stuck in that never-ending rabbit hole of constantly tweaking content and squirreling it away until it’s spot on. More often than not, done is better than perfect. And who knows, you might be missing out on an opportunity to be part of the conversation of the day because you’re too busy waiting for the right moment.
If you aim for authentic content that speaks to your (brand’s) values, that offers something of value to your audience, that inspires a call-to-action in some way, you’re already a step in the right direction.
Looking for a fresh take on your content marketing? I can help. Let’s chat.
- michelle