"How do you come up with an authentic
perspective on the "same 'ol stuff"?"
It's hard to come up with new ideas all the time, and you might be worried that eventually you'll run out of things to say.
At least, according to one of my subscribers, who left me their thoughts on my masterclass survey the other day.
And I can relate. It IS hard.
Take it from someone who has been writing about audio for over a decade...it can get exhausting trying to come up with a new angle.
But it's necessary if you want to grow.
If I want to promote my products and services, like the Step By Step Mixing System, EQ Strategies - Your Ultimate Guide to EQ, or the Easy Mix
Approach, I need to come up with something to say.
So I use:
- The Seinfeld Strategy: Basically stories about nothing pulled from my mundane life, often using self-deprecating humor to make people laugh.
- The Analogy Email: Coming up with analogies about how something completely different is somehow related to a topic you're interested in. Combine
this with the Seinfeld Strategy to create really random stories that somehow end up making a point.
- The "Humble Brag": Where I share a story of a reader or customer and how they've improved their lives using my products. Testimonials and case studies are the easiest way to market yourself.
- The Make-Fun Marketing Message: This is where I take somebody's angry comment they've left me on Facebook and use it to market myself. I look at these comments
as "little hecklers" in the online audience and I'm the comedian on stage that's tearing them apart. See a good recent example right here. Highly satisfying to write, but can lead to deteriorating mental health in the long run though.
- The Rant: Closely related to the previous category, but isn't directed at a specific comment or person,
but rather an opinion that I need to vent about. People either love these emails, or they reply with long, detailed opinions that do nothing to change my perspective on the rant. If they cross the line in any way, I use them as fodder in the next "Make-Fun" Message.
- The How-To: This is the easiest content to make as long as you know how to teach your audience a topic. However, it does little to strengthen your "thought leadership" or "brand personality" because how-to
content often lacks authenticity.
- The Answer Email: This is what you're reading right now, and although it's a bit meta, it did start by answering a question. Where the answer goes is anybody's guess.
And that's the thing with creating content. You don't always know where it's going to go until you start making it.
Action creates momentum. An
object at rest stays at rest. A piece of content in motion creates content momentum.
You may know what the ending point is:
- An email
- A song
- A video
- A podcast episode
- An article
- A piece of art
But you can't know exactly what it looks like until you start working on it.
A sculptor reveals the figure hidden in the marble. A writer forms the words onto the page. An artist channels their creativity onto the canvas.
As long as you stay true to yourself, pay homage to your heroes, and keep your creative momentum going, you're going to have an authentic perspective.
Don't forget, everything is a remix.
Hope that helps,
Björgvin