One of the biggest pet peeves of most service providers is wasting time. As a B2B service provider or a B2C service provider, time is one thing you can't make more of.
And if you feel like you waste time dealing with details rather than focusing on the future of your business, you're not alone.
In a recent time management survey by TAB, small business owners stated that they're spending a lot less time ON their business and more time IN their businesses. Owners said that they spent only 32 percent of their time working on their business--doing work like strategy, planning for long-term growth, working on goals, etc.
Business owners spent only 32% of their time working on their business, as opposed to working in their business.
If you're a busy service provider and are spreading yourself too thin, chances are you're not focusing on the work you do best. And chances are also good that you didn't start your current business in order to write blog posts, newsletters, and emails.
It's more likely that you recognize how important content marketing is and jumped in with both feet, thinking, "I'll figure out how to streamline this process later".
Only later never came.
So, now you're burning the candle at both ends: trying to grow your business, engage with clients, increase new leads, and juggle the entire content marketing calendar and all the associated tasks yourself.
It's exhausting just thinking about it.
"I Wasn't Expecting This..."
When Heath*first contacted me, he was unsure how we'd work together. He'd never hired a content writer before. Would it take me a long time to get up to speed and start ghostwriting articles for him?
Thankfully, that's not usually the case. I've been writing for the past15 years, so I have a good handle on what clients need and how to provide it for them as efficiently as possible.
First, I walked Heath through my process in our 15-minute introductory phone call. (You can check out my entire process working with clients in this handy dandy flow chart.)
Heath told me about his business, his audience, and what he'd been doing to reach out to them. He's a pretty low-tech guy. He's not very active on social media and doesn't have an interest in it.
Because of the type of consultancy he provides, longer, deeper messages that are meaningful to his clients are important.
Knowing your audience is key. Heath knew his audience well. He knew what resonated--and what didn't--with them. He prefers to communicate once a month with his clients.
That's where I came in.
Heath hired me to write monthly 1,000-word thought leadership articles.
This is my sweet spot. I love longer pieces that involve storytelling and help set service providers apart as experts in their areas.
"Thank you for this," Heath said after he'd reviewed the first article. "You just saved me many hours of work. That would have taken me forever."
Content Marketing and Its Value in Your Business
Blogs, newsletters, thought leadership articles, and other forms of content marketing do much more than just provide fodder for your website.
These pieces set you apart as a leader and an expert and can help build trust in you and your brand.
When you're already straining to make ends meet timewise though, it can feel impossible to add one more thing to your overstuffed schedule.
That's where working with a professional writer comes in.
Because we're adept at learning large amounts of information quickly and boiling that down into easy-to-digest pieces, you don't need to worry that you'll inundate us with too much information. Likewise, getting a new writer up to speed isn't as hard as it might seem.
Part sleuth, part storyteller, part organizational mavericks, quality writers have systems and processes in place to help them understand their clients' needs. Asking clarifying questions, streamlining information, and focusing undistractedly on outcomes, a content writer should be a welcome addition to your professional team.
So, whether you're feeling burned out or simply overwhelmed, know that you don't have to go it alone.
Hiring a professional writer to create your sharable story, motivate your clients to take action, and craft a memorable message for you will provide relief.
These essential pieces of content help to better position you as the expert you are. Working with an experienced content writer frees up time for the tasks that only you can do.
*Name changed to protect client confidentiality.
Joy specializes in writing simple, clear content for busy service providers. Learn more about her services or get in touch to discuss your project now.