Creating Content that Doesn't Make you Cringe: 6 content creation tips to attract right fit clients and unforced, natural sales

When I started my business, I found a lot of “proven”content and copywriting strategy to be formulaic, forced, and to be honest, a little bit cringe-inducing when I thought about replicating it. I also didn’t want to to be beholden to social media, create impersonal “funnels” or be constantly churning out content.

In fact, I distinctly remember the way my feminine soul withered around the idea of terming my business expression “content”. To me, content represented the fast-food hamster wheel of online marketing, where a quickened and relentless assembly line of micro content on multiple platforms was necessary to make even the smallest dent in the noise of the online space.

Content marketing seemed to be the place within a business where natural and genuine expression needed to be contorted into formulas and replicas if one was to be successful: ‘Use this template, wording, copywriting technique, social media strategy, formula to convince, cajole and subtly push people into buying from you.’

Instead, I wanted to gently create a deep connection with my own message and values, so I could naturally communicate that with the people I could serve (even if I didn’t have the perfect niche, customer avatar or carefully defined marketing plan). I wanted sustainable content that lasted for longer than 24 hours. I wanted to express my business in a way that allowed selling to feel receptive, softened and organic. I wanted my content to be a vehicle for connection, not convincing. I wanted the flexibility to flow and evolve my ideas and expression organically, without feeling trapped in a generic content plan.

The problem was, my sensitive soul couldn’t help but inadvertently soak up every single strategy and formula I saw online like a sponge. Which kept me doubting my message, expression and natural voice, thinking I had to dilute, distill, contort and mould my content into what others were doing.

I now know that this feeling isn’t uncommon- especially when sensitive, feminine souls are creating their own business.

The business space is deeply immeshed in a paradigm that has us observing what has worked for other entrepreneurs/creatives, and thinking that the key to our success is to do the same.

Yet there is nothing more depleting to the feminine soul, then trying to prove, convince and contort our service and creative work into what it is not.

There is nothing more disheartening than attracting clients and customers who do not actually value and resonate with what we offer. There is nothing more exhausting than feeling as though we constantly have to convince people into our business and creative work.

Yet this is exactly what happens when start seeing our content as a ‘tactic’ for our business. We not only end up abandoning our feminine integrity, but we also lose the vital essence of connection that magnetises the people who are a natural fit for our business.

When we contort our content into what we think it ‘should’ be, our ideal clients and customers cannot feel us- and therefore, cannot see the distinct value we hold.

So…. what is a sensitive-hearted, feminine-fuelled solopreneur/creative meant to do with all of this?

Well, after curiously observing my own content creation process (as well as working and connecting with like-hearted creatives along the way), I have come to see that the intuitive desire I originally held to create content from a place of connection, not convincing, is actually the very thing that has continually and organically magnetised the ideal clients and customers into my business.

I have also discovered that this natural connection can only be created when we feel safe to trust who we are, and who we are truly for.

When we feel rooted in this naturalness, we begin creating our content from sincerity, connection and natural magnetism. We build a distinct resonance through our content that speaks to the exact people that are meant for our work. It is only from this place that we are able to cultivate a deeper content strategy and build skill in the way we translate the value of our business, without losing the heart of who we are or feeling forced into replicating out-of-integrity tactics and expression that have “worked” for others.

On the other hand, when we are convinced out of our natural expression and service, we begin to see our content as a ‘tactic’ to pull people into our business. We abandon our feminine integrity and end up losing the vital essence of connection that actually has the deepest potential to magnetise the right people to our work. The people who are destined for our business cannot feel us- and therefore, cannot see the distinct value and true heart of what we offer.

What I now know, is that the best content is a true and natural reflection of the values, message and heart of you and your business.

Content is a deeply effective marketing vehicle that helps us to naturally attract people into our businesses- yet it does not have to ever be icky, cringe-inducing, exhausting, pushy or inauthentic.

Content does not need to convince, overcome the objections of wrong-fit people or relentlessly prove your authority. Instead, it can be natural, helpful to the perfect people for your business and rooted in gentle integrity.

Content doesn’t need to be “funnelling” people into buying by a certain time and based on treating people like commodities. Instead, it can connect, serve and express in a way that’s inviting and authentic.

Content doesn’t need to constantly “grab attention” or keep you tethered to social media and the whims of an algorithm. Instead, content can be sustainable, creative and organic, nurturing your business from the roots and setting strong foundations that help you naturally grow without artificial force.

Content does not need to be a ‘means to and end’ or a tactic that you have to begrudgingly do to create results. Instead, it can be a natural process of artistry, connection and heart, that serves to deepen your own understanding of your distinct gifts, service and right fit clients and customers.

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Yet even with all of this said, I do know that sometimes it can take a little longer to learn to cultivate this type of natural and connected content, in a way that is magnetising to the right people. It can feel tempting to contort your content into something that does not reflect the true value and heart of your work, in the hope of making more sales and getting more customers/clients. It can feel tempting to seek out quick fixes, or replicate what you have seen work for others.

Yet replicated content tactics are not sustainable, nor do they attract the right people to our work.

Instead, I want to share with you 6 keys that I have found to deeply support the female creatives and gentle entrepreneurs drawn to my work, in creating impactful content, while softening into a true understanding of who their work is meant to support.

6 keys to help you create naturally magnetising content that results in unforced sales, right fit clients and an audience who truly values your work.

1. Deepen your own connection to the heart and message of your business.

So often in business we are pointed straight to the external. External metrics, external audience perceptions, external strategies, external results. Yet in this, we often forget to spend time nurturing and remembering the deeper heart of our business. We can often find we inadvertently disconnect with our deeper message, and instead become swayed by what seems to be working for everyone else.

I find that often the most important part of creating deeply and naturally compelling content, is returning to the intimate roots of our own business and creations, free of the many external expectations that we have picked up along the way.

In taking the time to do so, you’ll understand (and appreciate) the true value and essence of your work, which allows you to build trust and naturalness when expressing what you offer/do. The more you intentionally connect with your own creativity, service, insights, knowledge and gifts, the easier it is to translate them to other people.

2. Focus on your right fit audience, rather than trying to convince those who are not meant for your business

This is a big one for so many of the sensitive, deeply feminine-led souls drawn to my work, who naturally feel a responsibility to serve/support anyone who comes into their field.

So often, we become unconsciously focused on ‘convincing’ and trying to appease those who are not meant for our work, instead of focusing on the natural connection we can create with those who are a natural and true fit.

Rather than focusing on overcoming objections, proving the importance/validity of your work, or thinking that you have to ‘push people over the line’ to invest, I encourage you to deepen into trust and clarity around who you are most naturally equipped to serve- and then focus on creating content for those people.

This can be scary because you may feel like you’re limiting your audience (and sales). Yet this is actually the most powerful pathway to creating natural, unforced sales and clients who truly resonate with what you offer.

As well as this, as a small or sole-run creative business, YOU are the one who will usually be providing (or overseeing) the service/product/customer care to the people you attract. So you want to make sure they are people who you actually genuinely want to work with/serve, and who appreciate, align and gain true value from your work.

3. Cultivate practical writing/expression skills and understand key principles of sustainable content, rather than replicating quick tactics.

As I mentioned earlier in this article, content “tactics” are not sustainable, nor do they attract the right people to our work. Instead, I suggest intentionally cultivating both writing and expression skills, as well as learning foundational principles of sustainable content creation. In doing this, you have two core business skills that will serve you ten-fold in your business, and make everything so much easier.

The truth is, translating your work/services/creations/art into truly magnetising content that markets your business for you, is not something that you are expected to be able to know how to do immediately as a business owner (even though it can often feel that way).

Usually, in larger businesses there is some-one whose full time job is to create content and then strategise how to get it found online (in fact, often this is two or more jobs- content writer, content creator, marketing manager, marketing assistant etc). Yet as creatives and solopreneurs, much/all of this is our job. And usually we have not been formally trained in it. Which means that of course there is a learning curve, a time of refining, cultivating and experimenting- and that’s okay!

Yet taking the time to build both skill and self trust in being able to create naturally magnetising content is one of the deepest gifts you can give yourself as a sole business owner (even if you choose to outsource copy/content projects, the foundational skills are still deeply necessary to brief anyone you outsource).

It is a gift that allows your content to work for you more and more deeply over time, in a way that makes sharing and selling your work online feel softened, organic and completely true to who you and your business are.

4. Take at least 3-6 months to focus on experimenting, creating and reflecting instead of over-planning and strategising.

I find that this is true, whether you are at the beginning of your business journey, or are looking to inject renewed focus as a more established business who wants to ensure your content is truly working for you.

To intentionally take the time to build skill, voice and expression without the pressure of things needing to ‘work’ immediately, is something that I deeply encourage. I find that releasing this pressure is what allows you to approach your content creation from a place of true connection, rather than an underlying feeling of needing to convince, push and force customers/clients/sales. And this is what tends to make all of the difference in the future success that your content yields for you.

The beauty of online content (especially sustainable content that doesn’t disappear from visibility after 24 hours) is that we can always refine/change/edit and build on it. (In fact, this very blog post is something I wrote over 6 months ago, and am now coming back to, because I felt inspired to refine and add to what I originally wrote).

So remember that no content you create is a waste of time, even if it doesn’t create results immediately. It’s all a process of discovering what works best for you and your business, and laying strong foundations- all while nurturing and refining your natural voice and building trust in your expression.

5. Know that content creation is one piece of a much broader business ecosystem.

Often I find that focusing on other areas (eg. deepening into your creations, refining services, figuring out who you truly want to work with, letting your message evolve naturally, building your visibility, gaining more confidence/experience in your work) can be what is actually needed, before you can create or see the true impact of high value content that truly connects and compels.

I have worked with women who feel like changing their content will be the secret ingredient that ‘fixes’ everything in their business. Yet we then delve deeper and find that actually, they are unclear on many aspects of their business. Sometimes they find they are offering services or trying to force creations that do not feel entirely true to them, which creates a big block around creating content. Sometimes they are in the experimentation stage, and just need to practice creating, expressing and writing, without worrying about the quality of their content too much. Sometimes they are unsure of where they want to focus their business, or have not yet figured out where they feel comfortable sharing their message.

All of these things are deeply linked with how effective your content will be. Yet what I have also noticed is this; when you start focusing on your content, everything else in your business will organically arise for reflection/refinement. It is impossible to create truly magnetising content without having a deep trust and resonance with the broader elements of your business. (This is why I see my Content that Connects course as so much more than a course about creating content- because once you start focusing on your content, you naturally begin refining/understanding everything within your business!)

6. If your content isn’t “working”, it may be a visibility issue, not an issue with the quality of your content.

Often, I see people with incredible content- yet they doubt it is quality content because they are not seeing any engagement/sales. Yet often the truth is, the content just hasn’t been exposed to enough people (or enough of the right people) to create the results they are seeking.

If this is you, you may not be sure of how you can make actually your content more visible to people. You may not resonate with the more outward ways you think you are expected to share your content. You may be visible, but to people who are not a good fit for your work (for example, friends and family on facebook). You may not know how to optimise your content for search engines so it is found by the right people who are actually actively searching for what you offer.

Especially at the earlier stages of business, you might spend a lot of time thinking you need to change/tweak your content, when really, you just need more eyes on your content- or a more focused audience that actually resonates with what you offer.

If this is you, you might like to explore Growing a Business Without Social Media, where I focus on helping you create natural discoverability online, so your content and business is actually being found by not only more people, but the right people.

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Most importantly within all of this, I want to reiterate that content creation isn’t something that should be forced, exhausting or formulaic- and it definitely shouldn’t make you wither, cringe or feel like hiding, procrastinating or avoiding, instead of sharing your business.

Yet content creation also isn’t something that just comes naturally and effortlessly, without some focused intention and support, as well as natural trial and error. I find that the deeply perceptive, highly intelligent feminine souls drawn to my work, place a lot of pressure on themselves to have it all figured out- when actually, effectively translating your (often constantly evolving) business into tangible expression is not a simple task.

If this is you- please know that there is a path that allows you to see content creation as meaningful connection, artistry and a beautiful insight into the deeper essence, value and heart of your unique gifts and service. A path that allows you to create scalable conversations that carry your message without you needing to be constantly available or online 24/7.

A path where you don’t have to create content in ways that feel cringe-inducing, misaligned or out of integrity- but instead you can receive organic and sustained results through creating natural, resonant content that deeply connects with the people you are destined to serve through your business and creative work.

Belinda x

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learn more

Read this article : Connecting instead of convincing, unwinding hustle and is your business accidentally speaking to a false audience?

Explore Content that Connects, a self-paced resource for the deep-hearted creative/solopreneur of feminine integrity who wants to unfold the layers of expression, connection and magnetism that will naturally draw in a truly resonant and receptive audience for her business, creative work and deeper service in the world.

Explore Growing a Business without Social Media, a softer approach to becoming visible to the right clients and customers online