One of the points that anyone marketing in the 21st-Century will reach is the moment known as “writer’s block.”

We know that we need to be creating great content and pushing it out — whether online, via e-mail or print newsletter, or through social media such as Facebook, Twitter, etc. But what happens when you start running out of ideas for content? It’s that moment when you approach the blank screen, the blank sheet of paper, etc.

We save our very best ideas for the members of our Strategic Marketing Program (who also receive mentoring, coaching and accountability for taking action), but let me throw out some real gems for you quickly:

1. Get to know (and then write about) the changing needs of your customers. As if the faster-than-ever changes in society and business that came with the 21st-Century weren’t enough, this economic climate has produced an even faster rate of change for your present and future customers. Note that this content is focused on their needs… not just on how you and your business can help.
2. Tell the story of your recent customer/client interactions. What were their unique needs? What problem(s) were they trying to solve? How did your team/staff/product/solution change their situation? If necessary, change names to protect the innocent (or guilty, as the case may be 🙂 ).  But remember that the purpose of search engines is to serve up relevant information to the searcher… who just might be your next customer. (Not to mention that your newsletter subscribers & social media networkers are more apt to read a story than your marketing blather.)
3. Make a list of the top questions that your customers ask… and answer them. And don’t just put them on that FAQs page of your site. Tackle each one with a separate, unique piece of content… and make it interesting! Train your staff (or yourself, if appropriate) to make note of the new, interesting or unusual misunderstandings your customers have about your product or service. Chances are, you’ll learn something about what your prospects need (or more importantly, want) to know!

Bonus Tips

One concept we constantly drive home is… overdeliver! Exceed expectations! So… now that I’ve given you 3, here are some more!

1. In case you missed it, overdeliver.
2. Model what you hope to convey. The folks over at sitepronews.com published a great piece on content for social media in which they mentioned making numbered lists. Since they didn’t number theirs, let me summarize it for you:
3. Write compelling stories
4. Interview an industry expert
5. Spark a debate
6. Share your own knowledge to help others
7. Write numbered lists.

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