I know it’s late. But when in doubt, blame the delayed newsletter on the CrowdStrike meltdown.
With that said… let’s get into it!
Tonight, I’m going to show you how to create impactful content without stressing over production value.
In a world where sexy animations and high-end video editing seem to rule your social feeds, I’m here to remind you: ignore the wave. (for now).
Why?
Because in the beginning of your creator journey, you have more important things to focus on than the production value of your content.
Which we’ll get to.
By focusing on actually delivering impactful value to your audience, you attract loyal superfans who care more about what you’re saying than how you’re saying it.
This gained trust in your knowledge and ways of thinking ultimately lead to more:
- Followers
- Engagement
- Clients
Unfortunately, most people flip this priority and find themselves trapped in the overly-produced editing hamster wheel, believing that without flashy video editing, their content won’t stand out.
But why do we do this in the first place?
It comes down to 2 core reasons…
Reason 1: Pressure from Competition
Many creators feel that they need to match the high production quality of the big-named competitors. If they’re winning with it… then it must be the only what I can win too.
Reason 2: Lack of Confidence
Let’s face it, when we’re not feeling confident in our body, we try and make up for it by covering ourselves up with fancy clothes, jewerly, and makeup. Same with our content. When we don’t feel confident our content is actually delivering any value, we mask
it with fancy edits and animations to make it seem more valuable than it actually is.
Those are the core reasons why we put so much emphases on the production value of our content.
(And trust me, I’ve been just as much a perpetrator of this way of thinking as the rest of us).
So, that’s WHY we do it. But… like…
“Why can’t you just let me make my content pretty, Dave!?”
Well, again… it comes down to 2 main reasons:
Reason 1: Ain’t Nobody Got Time For That!
If you are your own editor or graphic designer (key words being “your own”) then you’re spending countless hours during your week learning new tools, watching YouTube videos on best practices, meticulously tweaking every pixel.
That shit takes a lot of time! Time you should be spending toward higher-priority tasks.
Which brings me to the second reason…
Reason 2: It’s Not The Priority
When you first start with content creation, your priorities are simple.
Figure out:
- What it is you have to say
- The clearest ways to say it
- How to consistently say it
Or, put another way: focus on the WHAT and not the HOW.
No amount of paint is going to make a Honda Civic drive like a Bugatti.
And the more time you spend focused on the wrong priority, is time lost to perfecting your messaging.
So… now that we know why it happens and why we need to avoid it, let’s talk about how to actually avoid it!
Here are the 4 steps to realigning your content priorities, focusing on what matters, and growing your following…
Step 1: Embrace Simplicity
A well-composed post with a clear message and actionable advise will often outperform a beautifully designed but shallow post.
For example, have you ever heard a quote that just changed your life?
They were just words. No glitter or fireworks. Just words put together in the right order to deliver a statement that changed the directory of your life.
Simple. But effective.
That’s your priority right now.
Step 2: Prioritize Consistency
Consistency takes a few different forms. First, maintain consistency in showing up and pressing “publish.” Why? Because perfecting your messaging is like perfecting your golf swings. It’s all about getting the reps in.
Practice. Try. Fail. Learn. Repeat.
The more you go through the cycle above the faster you resonate with your audience and the faster you grow that audience.
The second form of consistency is consistency in your messaging. Early in your creative journey you won’t know exactly what it is you have to say yet.
You’re still figuring out what you have to say and the best ways to say it.
I call these the “creator puberty years.”
But your audience needs to know what you believe in and how you can help them. So, if your content is inconsistent with delivering both of those things, they won’t know (a) why they should follow you and (b) why they should use your service.
Maintain consistency in your messaging to make it easy for your audience to associate concepts with you and your personal brand.
Step 3: Invest in Skills Over Tools
Initially, place your efforts into honing your expertise and knowledge rather than mastering every new content creation tool.
By focusing on growing your skills and expertise within your industry, you not only become better at your craft, but you also unlock more words of wisdom to pass back down to your audience.
Win/win.
Step 4: Gradually Improve Production Value
As you grow and possibly start earning revenue from your content, gradually enhance your production quality. By then, your loyal audience will have already formed because of your valuable insights.
Consider investing in better tools or hiring an editor once you have the bandwidth to make these additions without sacrificing content quality.
TL;DR
- Embrace simplicity in your content creation by focusing on providing actionable insights.
- Maintain consistent messaging to reinforce your brand and establish authority.
- Prioritize honing your expertise and industry knowledge over mastering every new tool.
- Gradually improve production value as your audience grows and your resources allow.
By ensuring your content is packed with value, you’ll create a solid foundation of quality content that will only be enhanced later on once you have the budget to increase its value through more engaging and supportive visuals.
But for now?
Keep it simple, keep it valuable, and the audience will follow.
