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Strategy

Exactly What to Talk About (and When) to Build a Loyal Tribe of Repeat Buyers

It’s funny.

Every year at around this time, we turn with renewed attention and focus to our businesses, and try to come up with “new” ways and means to find success.

Photo by Karolina Grabowska

But the truth is that the principles of success are remarkably simple and never change.

– You don’t need to be on Periscope, or whatever the next “big thing” is…

– You don’t need more SEO…

– You don’t even need an expensive, fancy website…

It seems funny to have to say it — and perhaps goes against all the “guru” advice out there — but you can have all the growth and success you want in your business if you can master how you spend your time and where you direct your focus.

Quick & personal example: I know that to build the business (and tribe) I want in 2016, I need to touch my audience at least 3-times/week with truly life-and-business-changing content.

Frankly, that’s a #%^$-load of material to write over the course of a year, especially with a business to run. 😉

That’s why over the holidays Murray & I created something I call an “Editorial Calendar”, which is our detailed guide to knowing exactly what to talk about (and when).

Our Editorial Calendar:

– lists every promotional campaign we’re going to run throughout the year (both our stuff and other people’s) along with all the value we want to give that will serve, nurture & inspire you.

– tells us know exactly what to talk about and when to talk about it, so we’re constantly engaging our audience and bringing in new leads – and are never stuck staring at a blank page

4 Simple Steps to Create Your Very Own Editorial Calendar for 2016:

Step 1: Identify the top 6-12 actions you want to take to close the gap between where you currently are in your business and where you want to go by the end of 2016.

If you need help identifying these priorities, check out Part 1 of this New Years series.

If you have too many opportunities or you want to evaluate which ones to focus on first, then check out Part 2 of this series.

Step 2: Place your top priorities for the year into a rough 12-month calendar.

For example, if you plan on creating and releasing 2 products this year, what months will you release them? If you also want to launch 2 major list-building efforts such as telesummits or giveaways, when will they take place?

To keep it simple, you can use the calendar from the 2-page strategic planning template you downloaded in Part 1.

Step 3: Once you know what you’re doing over the year, it’s easier to see the message, story and topic themes for each month.

For example, I’ll be offering our new program, Internet Famous, for the first time in May, so I plan on doing a 30-Day Video Challenge in April to inspire my tribe to engage with me and get comfortable being the face and voice of their brand.

Structuring your marketing around clear themes will allow you to:

  • provide value around your key topics before and after you promote anything, so your audience doesn’t feel like you’re just slamming them with sales pitches and promotions
  • build interest and desire for each promotion by giving value around that specific topic in the days and weeks leading up to your promotion
  • focus ALL your marketing efforts (from blogs to social media posts) strategically around topics related to your products and services
  • give you crystal clarity on what to write about every time you sit down at your computer to craft an email or social media post

For more on choosing the right topics, check out my post: The #1 Thing You Should Be Writing About: How to Develop a Content Strategy for Your Blog and Social Media.

Step 4: Add in major holidays and events that will make your marketing or promotion relevant to what’s going on in your clients’ lives when they read your emails.

This can be really effective since the best marketing taps into the thoughts & conversations that your prospects are already having.

Here is a detailed list of 2016 holidays to add some opportunities to your editorial calendar:

JANUARY
• January 1 – New Years Day (popular topics: weight loss, resolutions, business/financial success, having a great life)
• January 17 World Religion Day (popular topics: spirituality)
• January 18 – Martin Luther King Day
• January 11 – Clean Off Your Desk Day
• January 13 – Make Your Dreams Come True Day
• January 14 – Organize Your Home Day
• January 17 – Ditch New Year’s Resolution Day
• January 18 – Thesaurus Day
• January 24 – Macintosh Computer Day
• January 26 – Spouse’s Day
• January 31 – Backwards Day

FEBRUARY
• February 2 – Groundhog Day
• February 8 – Super Bowl (popular topics: football, commercials, advertising)
• February 14 – Valentine’s Day (popular topics: love and relationships)
• February 15 – President’s Day
• February 9 – Mardi Gras
• Black History Month
• February 1 – National Freedom Day
• February 5 – National Wear Red Day
• February 8 – Chinese New Year
• February 8 – Laugh and Get Rich Day
• February 8 – Clean Out Your Computer Day
• February 17 – Random Act of Kindness Day
• February 16 – Do a Grouch a Favor Day
• February Work Naked Day
• February 22 – Single Tasking Day
• February 26 – Tell a Fairy Tale Day

MARCH
• First Day of Spring (popular topics: cleaning and organizing, fresh starts, new life)
• March 17 – St. Patrick’s Day (popular topics: green, parades, good cheer)
• Women’s History Month
• National Nutrition Month
• March 4 – Employee Appreciation Day
• March 27 – Easter Sunday
• March 1 – World Compliment Day
• March 1 – Plan a Solo Vacation Day
• March 18 – Awkward Moments Day
• March 21 – Common Courtesy Day
• March 22 – International Goof Off Day
• March 30 – Take a Walk in the Park Day

APRIL
• April 1 – April Fool’s Day
• April 15 – Tax Day (popular topics: finance, government)
• April 22 – Earth Day (popular topics: environment, living green, recycling)
• Jazz Appreciation Month
• National Poetry Month
• April 28 – Take our Daughters and Sons to Work Day
• April 1 – Walk to Work Day
• April 14 – International Moment of Laughter Day
• April 16 – Wear Pajamas to Work Day
• April 18 – Columnist Day
• April 30 – Honesty Day
• April 23 – Take a Chance Day

MAY
• May 5 – Cinco de Mayo
• May 8 – Mother’s Day (popular topics: family, moms, being a mom)
• May 30 – Memorial Day (popular topics: patriotic, veteran, military)
• Lupus Awareness Month
• ALS Awareness Month
• May 5 – National Day of Prayer
• May 6 – National Nurses Day
• May 15 – Peace Officers Memorial Day
• May 21 – Armed Forces Day
• May 4 – Star Wars Day
• May 6 – No Pants Day
• May 6 – Military Spouse Appreciation Day
• May 18 – No Dirty Dishes Day
• May 20 – Be a Millionaire Day
• May 10 – Clean Up Your Room Day

JUNE
• June 19 – Father’s Day (popular topic: family, dads, being a dad)
• June 1 – First Day of Summer
• LGBT Pride Month
• June 3 – National Doughnut Day
• June 1 – Say Something Nice Day
• June 8 – Best Friends Day
• June 14 – Bourbon Day
• June 21 – Daylight Appreciation Day
• June 18 – International Picnic Day
• June 24 – Swim a Lap Day

JULY
• July 4 – Fourth of July (popular topics: freedom, barbeques)
• Dance Appreciation Month
• Eye Injury Prevention Month
• July 24 – Parents’ Day
• July 1 – International Joke Day
• July 11 – Cheer Up the Lonely Day
• July 13 – Embrace Your Geekness Day
• July 12 – Simplicity Day
• July 5 – Workaholics Day
• July 6 – World Kissing Day

AUGUST
• Back to School (popular topics: education, summer vacation, feeling good)
• National Immunization Awareness Month
• Medic Alert Month
• August 19 – National Aviation Day
• August 21 – Senior Citizens Day
• August 26 – Women’s Equality Day
• August 1 – Girlfriend’s Day
• August 4 – Single Working Women’s Day
• August 5 – International Beer Day
• August 5 -Work Like a Dog Day
• August 9 – Book Lovers Day
• August 12 – Middle Child Day
• August 11 – Son and Daughter Day
• August 10 – Lazy Day

SEPTEMBER
• September 5 – Labor Day (popular topics: workers, American principles)
• September 1 – First Day of Fall
• September 11 – Patriot Day
• National Yoga Month
• September 11 – National Grandparents Day
• September 1 – No Rhyme or Reason Day
• September 6 – Fight Procrastination Day
• September 6 – Read a Book Day
• September 10 – Swap Ideas Day
• September 13 – Positive Thinking Day
• September 28 – Ask a Stupid Question Day
• September 28 – Good Neighbor Day

OCTOBER
• October 10 – Columbus Day
• October 31 – Halloween (popular topics: costumes, makeup, candy, treats
• Breast Cancer Awareness Month
• National Book Month
• October 3 – Child Health Day
• October 17 – Boss’s Day
• October 13 – International Skeptics Day
• October 17 – National Clean Out Your Virtual Desktop Day
• October 27 – American Beer Day
• October 29 – Internet Day

NOVEMBER
• November 1 – All Saints’ Day (popular topics: costumes, makeup)
• November 11 – Veterans’ Day (popular topics: soldier, military service, war)
• November 8 – Election Day
• November 24 – Thanksgiving (popular topics: gratitude, recipes, family)
• November 25 – Black Friday (popular topics: shopping, sales, deals)
• November 1 – Author’s Day
• November 3 – Men Make Dinner Day
• November 4 – Common Sense Day
• November 6 – Zero Tasking Day
• November 13 – World Kindness Day
• November 15 – Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day
• November 20 – National Absurdity Day
• November 24 – Celebrate Your Unique Talent Day
• November 25 – Buy Nothing Day

DECEMBER
• December 25 – Christmas (popular topics: shopping, family, celebration, traditions)
• December 25 – Hanukkah (popular topics: shopping, family, celebration, traditions)
• December 26 – Kwanzaa
• December 31 – New Year’s Eve
• National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month
• Seasonal Depression Awareness Month
• December 5 – Day of the Ninja
• December 7 – Letter Writing Day
• December 18 – Free Shipping Day
• December 26 – Thank You Note Day
• December 27 – No Interruptions Day
• December 31 – Make Up Your Mind Day

SOURCES:
http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/fun/
http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/us/

This one exercise of creating a marketing and promotional calendar will make the difference between having a business stuck in neutral or driving your success forward.

Not only will having a marketing calendar allow you to consciously craft your year, it will give you the “mental freedom” of knowing exactly what to write/say and when to write/say it.

No more staring at a blank sheet of paper 🙂

Love it? Hate it? Let me know...

  1. Gladys Avatar
    Gladys

    What a great article! Thank you! You were not kidding when you said you’d be giving a ton of life- and business-changing content! 🙂
    Going back to read Parts 1 and 2!!! Thanks again!

  2. Malene Avatar
    Malene

    I think this is a great post.

    A New year does not have to be a lot of new stuff. Thank you for the reminder :-).

    I will go deeper with the products I already have, so they become much better.

  3. Virginia Avatar
    Virginia

    Sometimes you have to hear or read something a few times before saying – yeah – really need to do this. The editorial calendar fits in this category. Thanks. Also like the fun holidays. Will figure out a way to use my collection of quotes and good sayings with many of these.

    1. Marisa Murgatroyd Avatar
      Marisa Murgatroyd

      I’m glad this is the time you heard it… 🙂

  4. Humberto Lopez Avatar
    Humberto Lopez

    Cheerfully,innovative,and well developed marketing strategy which supports creation,promotions,sales, and a huge client”s data base. Keep it up !!

  5. Joan McManus Avatar
    Joan McManus

    Wonderful post! Pen in hand – ready to go!

    1. Marisa Murgatroyd Avatar
      Marisa Murgatroyd

      Love it Joan! Thanks for sharing 🙂

  6. Steven Avatar
    Steven

    Build a school in 2 to 3 major city’s like Los Angeles Chicago New York and expand from there have coaches in each location teach students how to build their business. Just take a look into how Online Trading Academy train their students. I personally believe it’s the absolute best business model I’ve ever seen

    1. Marisa Murgatroyd Avatar
      Marisa Murgatroyd

      Awesome Steven, I love it!

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