Make it Count
Having trouble finding the time, topic and continual motivation to write — write — write? Me, too.
Content is king. You’ve got to be a visible expert today to create awareness for you and your ability to help clients — to ultimately engage clients. That means, on top of learning your trade, you need to generate a lot of material. How can you inspire yourself week in and week out? The key is to get organized and prepare.
1. Get organized and plan ahead
You are a lawyer and, in addition, now a writer, commentator, reviewer, biographer, profiler, columnist, analyst, blogger, “Like-r” and “emoticon-er.” Not only do you have client deadlines, you have a ton of writing deadlines. Going crazy yet? It’s what I feel like when I am missing all of the switches on Luminosity’s Train of Thought and the train misses its stations. This is because I haven’t planned ahead.
Take a few hours and map out a schedule for at least the next quarter (of a year) with:
• All of your committed writing deadlines;
• Topics for each of them; and
• The most important message for each (key takeaway).
Then enter into your personal calendar your deadlines and an alert that gives you one week before each deadline to prepare and write your material.
Try this today: Ask each client you talk to (off the clock) what their most pressing and frustrating issues are. You will become inspired with offering solutions that you can turn into relevant, client-driven topics to write about. You can also send a survey to many of your contacts and ask them what their toughest issues are and get many ideas.
Take a few hours and map out a schedule for at least the next quarter (of a year) with:
• All of your committed writing deadlines;
• Topics for each of them; and
• The most important message for each (key takeaway).
Then enter into your personal calendar your deadlines and an alert that gives you one week before each deadline to prepare and write your material.
2. Finding inspiring, client-relevant and personally motivating topics
I wrestle each month with the topic of this blog. I’ve written for a few years now and it’s really difficult to constantly come up with inspiring and relevant topics.Try this today: Ask each client you talk to (off the clock) what their most pressing and frustrating issues are. You will become inspired with offering solutions that you can turn into relevant, client-driven topics to write about. You can also send a survey to many of your contacts and ask them what their toughest issues are and get many ideas.
3. Develop an approach
There are a ton of online templates for writing different kinds of materials, but they all have a similar approach: Do some research, create the context and flow of your “story” by developing an outline, write the piece, edit, edit and edit it again, ensure you have your attributions and a good conclusion that sums up and reiterates the most important message.4. Procrastination is your enemy
I am going to take my own advice and come up with blog topics for the rest of the year. If you have any suggestions — please let me know.
