TL;DR
- Learn your brand’s voice and standards—that knowledge shapes everything you write.
- Build a file of work you admire (old brochures, newsletters, ads) to pull from when you’re stuck, and follow creators a few steps ahead of you to see the actual process, not just the finish line.
- Know your audience’s platforms and language before you write a word—connection with real people beats chasing trends.
Not to be dramatic, but a blank page used to terrify me.
What if what I create isn’t right for the company? What if this fails because of me?
Impostor syndrome enveloped my ability to create anything because I was comparing myself to brands and businesses that far exceeded my brief tenure as a content writer.
But now that I have some years under my belt…I want to share with you a handful of things I wish I knew before I started this job:
- People want connection with people. Not brands. Shape your brand as a personality. Write and engage with your audience in a way that makes them feel seen and included. Make them feel part of your inner circle. That’s how you create relationships that keep people coming back to you and your company. And in most cases, don’t chase trends; chase your audience. Know the language and the culture of your audience. If you focus on platforms they don’t use, you aren’t going to reach them.
- Make your branding guide your Bible. Okay, not literally…make your Bible your Bible, but have a solid knowledge of the branding standards that you are writing for. Study the nuances and find the voice. Being solid in the tone and style, catching the nuances, will help you and your audience have a better understanding of who you are and what you offer.
- Be a hoarder. Start collecting work similar to what you are writing. I have a fat stack of magazines, old brochures, and an inbox filled with archived newsletters for inspiration. Whenever I feel stuck, I refer to them as a jumping-off point. I skim through the pages and dog-ear (is that a verb or a noun?) campaigns and phrases that I love, and note in the margins why they work so well and where I could use those ideas in my work. Inspiration, not imitation.
- I also encourage you to follow other writers, creators, and brands that are just a few years ahead of you. Observe your peers and pay attention to the steps they’ve gone through to be where they are today. If you only focus on studying billionaires and big-name companies, you don’t see the everyday work it takes to get where they are.
- Take risks. The best way to stand out is to not sound like everyone else. A simple statement, for sure, but it’s a great reminder. Thinking outside of the box is exactly what makes content marketing work.
- Set aside your ego (a hard one for me personally). The phrase “teamwork makes the dream work” has stuck around for as long as it has because it holds an enormous amount of truth. Do what’s right and best for your team, even if it means your idea doesn’t win. I’m not telling you to stop fighting for what you believe, or to let people run over you. I’m saying know when to let it go!
At the end of the day: write scared, edit brave. You don’t need to have it all figured out before you start—I sure didn’t, and I’m still learning more every day.
If you are still staring down that blank page, come talk it out with us. Book a free discovery call and get a team of experts who’ve been there before.