As entrepreneurs, it’s not uncommon to associate making our dreams become reality with lofty vision boards.

But before you get started breaking out that construction paper, magazine clippings, motivational words, and the ever-present glue stick, take a step or two back. Take a sheet of paper and write your vision.

Your vision will identify your goals and aspirations. Consider it essential to your strategy, which will be the roadmap to your success. 

And guess what? For your vision to become a reality, you need to market your business. When you connect your vision with a content strategy you are showing that you are ready to make your dream a reality. Every piece of content you create–from the words on your website, the captions on social media, and your heart-centered email–must reflect and reinforce your brand vision. Therefore, it all must contribute to the narrative that you believe will move your business forward. 

Here are five tips that you should definitely revisit as we push forward in running our businesses. 

Tip 1: Connect Content Goals and Your Mission

Before you can even begin plotting your vision for this year, you need a mission statement. 

A mission statement is the “why” of your business and will help you define your brand goals. In other words, it helps you, as an entrepreneur to define your purpose. 

Writing a mission statement does not need to be a long process but it does need to be thoughtful.  

Here are some questions to ask yourself as you craft your mission statement:

    1. 1. What’s your business story? 

    1. 2. Who is your target audience? Buyer personas?

    1. 3. What do you do for your customer? 

    1. 4. What does your business do for you?

Tip 2: Don’t Forget the Power of Key Messages 

What are the key messages that you are sharing with your audience?

More than anything, you need to develop memorable messages for your audience. How does that happen? By identifying the ideas most connected with your mission and vision.  These messages will guide the creation of content that consistently communicates your brand identity.  

As you come up with your messaging, here are three questions that you must constantly ask yourself:

    1. 1. What do you want your audience to remember about your brand?

    1. 2. How can you solve their problems most effectively?

    1. 3. What are the benefits of working with you?

Tip 3: Share Your Messages in Intentional Spaces 

To build a strong online presence, your messaging needs to be shared in the following places: 

    1. Social Media. You don’t have to be on every social media platform to be effective—you need to show up where it counts. Choose two platforms that truly resonate with your vision, your content strategy, and of course, your target audience. For instance, if your business relies greatly on visuals, Instagram might be the platform for you to rest your flag. Or, if you are interested in providing professional insights, LinkedIn might be your jam. Do you have a creative approach and don’t mind lip-syncing or dancing? Head to TikTok. Whatever platform you choose, remember to stay true to your content strategy so that your messages are clearly understood.

    1. Your website. This is the hub of your business’s online presence. You’ll share the benefits of using your service while also nudging interested potential clients to take action.

    1. Email. Build your subscriber list and share resources and content that will support your target audience’s journey.

Tip 4: Build Online Relationships 

Building your brand requires more than just being online. You need to engage with your target audience as it will become an extension of your brand narrative.

Build a presence by:

    • Publishing a blog, uploading videos, and sharing your work on your website.

    • Encouraging comments and shares on your social media posts.

    • Actively involve your audience in the conversation. Ask them questions and then, respond.

Tip 5: Be Patient And Evaluate Your Content’s Performance

It takes time to see the fruits of labor associated with content creation. So, my greatest advice: just be patient!

Every month, take a look at the following analytics:

    • Website: who is visiting your site? What pages have the most traffic?

    • Email: how many subscribers are opening your emails? Are they engaging with links on your website or other resources?

    • Social Media: what posts are receiving the greatest engagement? What are you posting? When?

Femi’s Final Thoughts

Every piece of content you create contributes to the fabric of your brand story. When you align your vision with an intentional content strategy and plan of action, you are developing the foundation for an online presence that will not only position you as a thought leader but also be helpful to your audience.

Let’s work together to unlock the potential of your vision. Content strategy sessions are a great way to begin developing goals and objectives that will lead to strong key messages.