What will it take to execute new strategies, create better content, and succeed?
♻️ Planning. Publishing. Testing. Analyzing. ♻️
I'll share my insights if you share yours - right here! Let's learn together. Let's do this.
I have a mind for math. As a child growing up in the 70s, I played board games with my siblings
each Sunday afternoon. My dad taught us how to play strategic games too. Chess, backgammon, card games, lots of card games.
Before I could read, I learned to count, add, divide and multiply numbers, and make snap strategic decisions that were mostly based on instinct and luck, not so much on statistics. 🤣 I can add dice faster than just about anyone I know. Puzzles? I love them. I'd be the puzzle master on Survivor if they'd have me!
Numbers make sense to me. 'Growing up Dutch' means that time played an important role in my life, starting at birth. Dutch people are punctual to a fault, they will do anything in their power to be on time. Fact: Dutch babies sleep more than babies in other cultures by over 2 hours each day, all thanks to our 'calendar culture'.
Here is an example of how I was taught to use math to be punctual by my Dutch parents.
Time of appointment = x hour. Next, add up total travel time, + 5 extra minutes + any miscellaneous time (parking, applying makeup, walking to the appointment from the parked car) = y minutes.
This is my on-time formula: x hour - y minutes = time to leave, with a 99% success rate.
It's simple. I've done it in my head 1000s of times. Repetitive patterns are a way for me to simplify life, and make all things run smoothly.
Thanks to games like Yahtzee, Monopoly, Battleship, Risk, and Rummikub I use deductive reasoning and math in my daily life - and I apply it to...Marketing!
How does this apply to marketing? Stick with me for just a sec. 😅
Mind For Math. Mind for Patterns
Creating a content calendar for a whole year seems like a daunting task, right?
But what if... there is a simple formula you can use to map it out, starting with an editorial calendar?
You don't need much to get started. To create a basic calendar with ideas, all you need is one theme per month and a spreadsheet. The best part?
You can use this formula for just about any industry - and multiple clients - and apply it year after year.
The Calendar Formula for 12 Month of Content Ideas
In a previous newsletter, Crush Your Content, I shared an idea generator formula with you. This idea generator should have you creating content all. day. long. into. eternity.
However, if you need something more concrete, simplified, and duplicable, this calendar formula I am about to share with you is going to help you out!
Theme of the Month + 4 Keywords = 4 Themes of the Week
Example: February. Industry: Plumbing (B2C)
Love + Staff + Product + Community + Brand = we love our staff + (new) products we love + we love our community + tools we love.
Packing this out and applying the formula to plumbing, it might look like this:
Week 1 = staff highlights, how-to videos done by staff members, team celebrations, plumbing certifications we took, kudos to our hardworking plumbers, what it takes to be a plumber, interview with a plumber.
Week 2 = the best hot water heaters, new faucets, awesome sinks, and other products we think our audience should know about. Showing off how 'lovely' plumbers can make your home by installing new products.
Week 3 = community involvement: water charities, local food banks, Habitat for Humanity building sites, volunteer opportunities, kids sports team sponsorship.
Week 4 = the best tools, hacks, vendors, brands, and local shops we frequent for our orders.
Now you have the start of an editorial calendar, enough to create videos, blogs, quotes; all types of content.
Rinse and Repeat. Pick a New Month + a New Theme
Apply this formula to the next month, and the next, and so on.
Now I am not just going to leave you with one example. Here is my (swipeable!) theme-idea list. The same one I use for my own clients.
January - renewal, health, commitment
February - love, winter, sweet
March - spring, growth, competition
April - weather, planting, finances
May - education, music, mental health
June - summer, water, cooking
July - freedom, vacation, family
August - learning, outdoor fun, food
September - fall, preparation, community
October - harvest, pumpkin, baking
November - thankfulness, giving, sharing
December - celebration, reflect, planning
Don't limit yourself to these themes. Do think about current events, holidays and cultural celebrations when picking a theme.
BONUS TIP: Yearly recurring themes can be a great opportunity to update blog articles and white papers, too!
My January Theme is... Start!
To use a monopoly reference: January is the time to "Start. Advance to Go and collect $400" (just kidding)
Instead of collecting $400, I want you to go out and collect whatever you can this month!
Collect (new)
clients
audience members
listeners
tools
knowledge
connections
skills
team members
ideas
subscribers
and more!
Create All the Content - But Only After You Plan Out Your Themes!
Go forth and start creating content like a boss.
Give me a shout if you need some eyeballs on your calendar. Yep. I'd be happy to do it - now or later in the year. Just send me a message.