Plan a Years’ Worth of Content (in less than an hour)
It’s that time of year.
It’s time to put together your content and promotional calendar for the upcoming year.
This year, I put together my yearly content plan and promotional calendar in less than an hour and I want to share my super simple process with you!
Let me explain what I mean by my content plan and promotional calendar.
The type of content I produce is my podcast, blog and social media. Sometimes, I do a Facebook live and occasionally I have a special opt-in for the content to help grow my email list.
You may do something different like a weekly Facebook live or a YouTube video.
For my promo calendar, I’m promoting my Facebook ad consulting service, my free virtual bootcamp, or my paid client program. .
You may be promoting your online course or a service that you offer.
I also want to point out that I know my audience well.
I know exactly what they want to learn and the topics that interest them the most.
If you’re a beginner and getting to know your ideal client, you may need to do some research to understand their needs. The best way to conduct this research is to ask them!
You can send out a survey to your email list or ask on social media.
Also, I’m very clear on the goals for my content. It’s to educate my ideal client and inspire them to take action.
Many online course creators get stuck in a process where they’re busy, but not working on what’s important to grow their online course business.
All my content is focused on these topics with one goal in mind: To help my audience sell their online course!
Now, let’s jump into the process I used to create my content plan and promotional calendar in less than an hour:
Step 1: Outline the dates you plan to publish your content. (5 minutes)
This can be weekly, monthly, or whatever makes sense for your business.
There are some influencers that say you need to post a blog or podcast weekly. This is not true! You don’t need to kill yourself and constantly be in content creation.
There are benefits to publishing a blog or podcast weekly. It provides you content to post on social media and send to your email list.
However, I’ll be honest.
On the lists I’m on, when that certain day comes around and I know they’re just emailing about their weekly podcast episode, I hit delete immediately.
I know that I can listen on my iPhone when/if I want.
Focus on quality over quantity.
The other thing I want to mention is that I have planned out my content by week for the entire year. Will I launch every single podcast episode or blog that I have listed on my plan? Probably not. I’m sure that I will change some things around and skip a week at times, but I will follow it pretty closely.
Step 2: Fill in your Promotional Calendar (5 minutes)
My promotional calendar drives my content plan. Why? Depending on what I’m promoting (selling) during that month, I need to publish different types of content based on the buyer’s journey (more on this in Step 4).
For instance, next month, I’m running my evergreen sales funnel for my Facebook and Instagram ad consulting service.
Online course creators who’re interested in this service are evaluating different Facebook ad consultants and are in the consideration stage of the buyer’s journey (moving to the decision stage).
Content that I have planned for this upcoming month include “Is Your Online Course Business Ready for Facebook Ads?” and “How to Choose a Facebook Ads Consultant.”
See how this content aligns with what I’m promoting next month (my Facebook ad consulting service)?
For each month, outline exactly what you’re promoting/selling that month. For me, it looks like this:
January: Facebook Ads Consulting Service
February: The Funnel Cure (free virtual bootcamp)
March: Magic Marketing Program
April – July: Facebook Ads Consulting Service
August: The Funnel Cure
September: Magic Marketing Program
October – December: Facebook Ads Consulting Service
For you, it may be an evergreen sales funnel for your online course or a group coaching program that you offer.
Step 3: Brainstorm Content Ideas (30 minutes)
In this stage of the process, I use a Google sheet to write down all my content ideas. I came up with around 65. My goal is to create 52 pieces of content so not all made the final cut.
If you need inspiration for your content ideas, review podcasts and other blogs related to your content area.
I don’t want you to copy what someone else has done, but rather use it for ideas and ways that you can put your own personal touch on the content.
For instance, let’s assume that you help moms with budgeting and managing their finances. Some podcasts and blogs to take a look at for inspiration may be The Chris Hogan Show, Dave Ramsey, and Rachel Cruz.
Hot tip: When you’re in a launch or selling your online course, consider content that moves your online course prospect towards making a decision.
Examples for this type of content includes an Ask Me Anything podcast or Facebook live, an interview with a successful client, or a podcast on how you helped them.
In this 30-minutes, anything goes. Write down all possible ideas for your content plan. Now go!
Step 4: Organize your Content Based on the Buyer’s Journey (10 minutes)
In this next step, you will organize your content based on the buyer’s journey. If you’re not familiar with this, let me explain.
The buyer’s journey is a step-by-step process that people go through when making a purchase decision.
First, they become aware that they have an issue and define their problem. This is the awareness stage.
Next, in the consideration stage, they will start researching options to solve their problem.
In the final step, the decision stage, they will choose a solution.
Examples of content for the awareness stage is information that your ideal client would be researching on Google or Pinterest as it relates to your expertise area.
For me, this would include any type of content related to Facebook or Instagram ads, or anything related to online course sales funnels and how to sell an online course.
Next year, here are some awareness stage type content that I have planned:
5 Essential Tools for your Online Course Sales Funnel
How to Set Your Facebook Ads Budget
The Formula for a Sales Page That Converts
Who You Should Target in your Facebook Ad Campaign
Choosing the Best Facebook Ad Campaign Objective
In the consideration stage, your prospect has defined their problem that they need to solve and are in the process of evaluating options.
In this stage, your content needs to help them understand how they can solve their problem by seeking help and what kind of help they need.
Examples of the type of content I publish during the consideration stage includes:
Is your Online Course Business Ready for Facebook Ads?
How to Choose a Facebook Ads Consultant
Using a Self-Liquidating Funnel to Pay for your Facebook Ads
What to Focus On in your Online Course Business
What’s an Evergreen Sales Funnel and Why You Need One?
For the decision stage, your content should focus on answering questions about your program (e.g. through a Facebook live or a podcast).
It’s a great time to focus on highlighting a case study or a client interview testimonial.
In this stage, you’re answering objections and highlighting why YOU are the best person to help them solve their problem or achieve their result.
Step 5: Determine the Type of Content You Will Publish (10 minutes)
In the last 10 minutes, I want you to outline the type of content you’ll publish. For example, if you’re doing a client interview testimonial, will this be a podcast? Facebook live?
In my plan, here’s a list of the type of content I will publish:
Blog
Podcast
Social media post
Facebook live
Opt-in
Other content options include YouTube, Instagram live, and video.
I’m not publishing all this content every week.
Some weeks, I may only publish a podcast and a social media post. In other weeks, it may be a blog, podcast, social media and an opt-in.
Bonus: If you’re interviewing guests for a podcast or a Facebook live, add another column for guest speaker and add in potential guests or the type of guest speaker you want to invite to be on your podcast.
There you go! That’s the super simple 5-step process I used to plan out my entire years’ worth of content to help take my audience on the buyer’s journey. And I did all of this in less than an hour!
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