The question about "what should I say?" remains a puzzle for many. Creating an important message makes even the most experienced professionals think in circles.
Being in charge is not a guarantee of brilliance at exactly the right moment. Fear, doubt, distractions, pressure from peers... all add to the difficulty. Reading books and blogs may be helpful or can leaves one wondering, "what's next?"
"Which is the best way?" is a good question but not the right question.
"What should I write about?" prompts more questions than answers.
There are consultants who have all the answers and it should puzzle you since a consultant has only one perspective and may not truly know your skills and talents. You hesitate to tell your doctors the whole truth, why tell a consultant?
The answer to "What should I write about?" is pretty simple.
Customers, clients and prospects are the source for content. Each day they ask real questions which relate to both their hunger (wants) and needs. The questions may seem small, silly and possibly unimportant. In reality, they are important and those who are willing to invest in giving them the answers become a trusted authority. The questions they have can become a foundation for writing content.
Here are a few sources to find questions that you can write about:
Quora.com
Quora's mission is to share and grow the world's knowledge. Well over a million visitors a month, I expect it to go bigger since Linkedin moved away from providing a Q&A section.
Quora is a great source of knowledge. Ask any question, get real answers from people with first hand experience, and blog about what you know.
Linkedin.com
Linkedin has recently moved away from offering the Q&A section. In a few years it will be a faded memory. Linkedin Groups still exist. If you can filter through the promotion and the hype, you will find real questions from people who are hungry to learn. If you are a member of groups where your customers and clients are members, their questions becomes the title of your next article. You can join up to 50 groups. Caution: Each group owner of manager has an agenda. Be sure to follow the guidelines.
Forums
Forums exist to answer questions. Google search "yourtopic forums" and you will find people who have a problem they are trying to solve along with generous experts who share tips, links and resources. Forums typically limited since they are mostly text based.
Forums are where real people are hungry for solutions and it takes minutes to scan the questions, find something interesting that you can answer with one arm tied behind your back.
Fortunately there are many companies which use forums as a means to listen and serve their customers. If you ae an expert of a product or service, being active in the forum is essential and the company forum will keep you serving/writing and creating authority daily.
Writing the answer to one person's question may not seem impactful but there is a very good chance that there are thousands with exactly the same question who are searching on Google as you are typing your answer.
What is a forum/message board?
An internet forum, or message board, is an online discussion website where you and your visitors can hold conversations in the form of posted messages. These messages can then be viewed at any future time, even if you were not online when they were posted. Forums are a great way to foster interactions, begin discussions, and improve customer loyalty.
Proboards.com
You have decided to go big. You are a pro and you want everyone to come your way. You look in the mirror and tell yourself, "I am the smartest in the room and I will help the world".
If you have the confidence and expertise, you will most likely go to Proboards.com and start your own forum. (Free)
ProBoards is the largest host of free forums on the Internet. We provide the best forums and customer service to help your online community thrive. It is Free • Remotely Hosted • Reliable • Simple • Customizable.
It is a software platform. Do not jump into Proboards.com without first experiencing many other forums as a user/contributor. By the time you start your own forum, you will understand what the visitors are looking for, how to handle predators and how much work it will take to monitor the forum.
StartupNation.com
StartupNation is another resource which includes helpful articles, tools and FORUMS. StartupNation is a free service founded by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs. We created this site to be your one-stop shop for entrepreneurial success, and we’re thrilled that StartupNation has grown to be the leading online content and community resource for entrepreneurs.
It’s their belief that everyone can —and should—own a business, whether full-time or part-time. Our mission is to help you do just that!
Inside the site you’ll find all the easy-to-follow, practical information you could ever need to start and grow your own successful business.
StartupNation is all about giving you access to: Step-by-step advice. Helpful articles, Small business & entrepreneur forums, Local interest and professional groups, Member-to-member Networking, Expert Blogs, Podcasts, Contests, and much more!
In fact, if you are hoping to become an authority in your field, StartupNation offers a template. They think big and have built it over many years. (The ultimate entrepreneurs)
Within StartupNation there are groups and forums where people ask questions.
MosaicHub
MosaicHUB is an entrepreneur community and resource center where entrepreneurs, service providers, mentors and investors connect and find the tools to launch and grow great businesses. Their Mission: To foster a supportive community where entrepreneurs build relevant networks and find reliable information to help more people pursue their dreams through successful ventures. Ask a question or use the questions as a means to think about your topics.
Your own thoughts and ideas are grand. You can ask "what if", challenge the status quo and even tell "funny jokes". If you are stumped about what to write about, you don't have far to go. People have wants and needs, so just answer their questions and soon they will be sharing your content around the world.
