Generating content for your blog on a regular basis can be hard (OMG I knoooowwwww it can be hard!) but it’s like exercise — if you let yourself off once, you’ve created an out for yourself in the future. So the next time you’re feeling stuck, instead of giving yourself an out try one of these options:
1. Surf the web & social media and find an article, post, or news item that resonates with you. Open your post with a reference to the article and a link to it, summarize it if you wish, and then comment on a couple of things that especially stand out. Why does it stand out? What one piece of info is most important? (i.e. Your article doesn’t have to be completely original! Just be sure to site your sources!)
2. Compare how you’re feeling right now to how your customers feel when they’re up against a wall. This is a great moment for you to connect with them! What would you suggest that they do when they are feeling this way?
3. Go back to previous conversations when your customers have asked you for advice. What is a common question that you hear and what is your answer? (This is where there’s a benefit to being an email hoarder like me! It’s easy enough to go back and review old conversations.)
4. Look back through your existing blog posts. Can one use a “part 2”? If you’ve ever created any lists (like this one), perhaps an item you listed can be expounded upon just a bit?
5. Toss around some ideas with a colleague. Sometimes, it’s easier to be creative when we work through it verbally.
There are many other ways to generate ideas, but these are the five that I find most helpful. Do you have an idea-generating process that works for you? Please add it to this list via the comment space below.
