How To Find Leads Online For Free. A Guide for Women Business Owners.

Discover the Secret to Creating Content that Gets you Eager Buyers in Both the Short-Term and in the Long-Run.

Do you know that feeling when you've poured your heart and soul into creating an amazing product? One that you're confident will not only knock it out of the park but also change both your life and your customers'?

Months have gone by, and sales are still stagnant. You've set up a dazzling website, cultivated a social media following, and consistently generated content, but there's barely any traction.

With dwindling funds and a growing desperation for a sales boost, the crippling self-doubt is rearing its ugly head. That was me — sitting there, staring at my brilliant website, yearning for the flurry of emails and Stripe notifications I had once dreamt of.

I'd read all the books, adhered to the "top tips", and even invested money to attract attention to my sales page. It felt like I had thrown a grand party, but no one showed up.

Devastating, isn’t it? If you've been in this situation, chances are, you're doing 1 thing wrong: you’re producing flat marketing content.

What’s Flat Content?

Flat content is the kind that fails to inspire action or stir emotions. While it may be easy to digest, it misses the most critical objective: transforming casual onlookers into engaged visitors and then into committed buyers. This type of content seems to plague the marketing world, especially on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Women are more inclined to create flat content because historically, in many cultures, women have been socialized to be less direct and more communal in their communication, whereas men may have been encouraged to be more assertive. This could, in some instances, result in women using softer or more passive language.

If your content feels flat, don't beat yourself up. Understand this: crafting compelling marketing content is hard. There's a reason why top-tier copywriters command rates of $100+ per hour. It's not because they’re good-looking —it's primarily because they drive clicks. In the digital realm, clicks equate to currency.

Once you master the art of generating captivating content, you'll be a master at boosting sales and you will certainly grow your business exponentially. The key is in understanding a few foundational principles and applying them diligently whenever you're creating marketing content for:

• Social media captions

• Your sales page

• Speaking engagements

• Blog articles

Best of all, great content can be a lead-generation powerhouse, both in the short term and in the long run. When you share your content on social media, it doesn't just spike your website traffic momentarily. This content, evergreen and authoritative, remains on your site, simultaneously enhancing your search engine credibility and serving your audience.

But what's the magic behind copywriters effectively turning mere followers into a torrent of website traffic, and those website visitors into loyal buyers? More importantly, how can you capture this magic, even if you’re not a professional copywriter? Let’s break down what makes exceptional marketing content:

1. It grabs the reader’s attention

2. It evokes an emotion.

3. It compels the reader to take action.

Every content piece that becomes a sales magnet embodies these three characteristics, irrespective of its format. Be it an Instagram caption, a YouTube video, a TikTok clip, or a blog post. If your content lacks these three pillars, it's flat, doing no favors for your revenue stream.

In order to produce content that contains those 3 attributes, we must first understand the background principles of online marketing. These are the non-negotiables. Before you pick up a pen, or a laptop in this case, set yourself up for success by lining up these basics. They are the fundamentals and If you follow these steps, you will see success and those sales start to roll in within days!

1. Target Someone

I emphasize "someone" because it's effective to hone in on one individual and communicate directly with them. A major reason content may lack impact is the attempt to resonate with everyone simultaneously. When you try to appeal to all, often you end up connecting with none. It's a common mistake, and I see it frequently. Even with a superior product, if you're marketing it to the wrong audience, your business won't flourish.

By pinpointing your ideal customer, you can grab their attention. Address them directly, share a relatable story, and inspire them to act. It's very hard to evoke feelings from a disparate group of people all at once.

Before effectively selling anything, it's important to understand:

WHO your ideal customer is.

WHERE they spend their time online.

WHAT problems do they face?

The strategy of focusing on a single individual is called building a "customer avatar." Documenting this avatar is the secret sauce to creating potent marketing content. To help in this process, I have provided the following worksheet that can help you gather essential insights.

As an example, consider this piece of content from LearnVest - a personal financial planning company. Can you tell who this ad is for? You could probably figure out their demographics and interests just by looking at the image. We also have a hint of their wants and aspirations.

It is very important that you gather this information directly from the source - your customer. In some cases, you will already be intimately familiar with them, but if you’re just starting out, you’ll need to survey and actually talk with your prospective customers to figure out who they are and what they need from you.

Capture their exact language and how they describe themselves and their challenges. This will go a long way in creating content that is intimate and engaging. When your prospect feels like you know them and are speaking to them in their language, the competition becomes irrelevant.

Start by building a single avatar—but don’t stop there. Your business almost certainly has more than one ideal buyer.

2. Talk About Your Customers’ Problems

Once you've zeroed in on that ONE person, this is where the emotional connection truly takes root. Don’t get caught in the trap that a lot of business owners end up in. And that is endlessly singing the praises of our product. It's easy to rave about our product, how qualified we are, the experienced team behind it, and its superior quality. While all this may be true, the hard reality is that most people are primarily concerned about their own problems.

Marketing is a lot like storytelling. A story becomes interesting only when its main character encounters a problem. You could provide the most detailed backstory about the character's life and what he wants, but without an obstacle to overcome, your audience's attention will quickly fade.

Imagine a Bourne film where Jason Bourne is rescued from the sea, instantly recovers all his memories, and everything's just fine. What if Nemo never strays from his father and avoids capture? Or if Forrest Gump lives a completely ordinary life without any unique challenges? Such plotlines would hardly sustain interest.

This story principle works the same way in marketing. Until a problem surfaces, you're essentially addressing a passive audience. In marketing, the key isn't just to promote your business, but to position it as the definitive answer to a pressing problem.

This blog post from Rocket Money calls out the problem in their headline and again in the first paragraph.

The problem is the hook. It is why people lean in and want to hear more. In movies and in marketing too. We have to keep talking about our customers’ problems or they won’t be interested in our products.

When you create content that positions your product as a solution to a problem, people will not only engage, they will also buy. Solutions and increased sales go hand in hand.

3. Be Generous When Providing Value

Many of us are familiar with the idea of sharing valuable information with our audience as a means to serve them, build trust, and nurture relationships. But here's where a lot of us miss the mark: the value we offer lacks depth.

Look around the internet and you will find a plethora of surface-level content—a quick tip here, a brief insight there. This skimmed approach may grab attention momentarily, but it rarely fosters lasting engagement or loyalty. It's like giving someone a puzzle with half the pieces missing. They have something to start with, but they can't see the full picture.

Gatekeeping knowledge or holding back the "good stuff" is an outdated model in today's transparent digital world. This selective sharing doesn't just underserve your audience; it diminishes your credibility and trustworthiness in their eyes. Why offer a mere taste when you can deliver a full course?

When you choose to provide value, your audience should truly walk away with a tangible result. Dive deep. If you're sharing a technique, explain the rationale behind it. If you're offering advice, share the nuances and potential challenges. Equip your audience so comprehensively that if they act on your guidance, they don't just get a tip—they achieve a tangible result.

Generosity in content creation is more than a noble gesture; it's a strategy. In the vast sea of online content, depth and genuine value stand out. When your audience realizes that you're not just sharing but empowering them, their engagement shifts. They don't just passively consume; they act, implement, and most importantly, they return for more. This is how you get repeat business and maximum profit.

In essence, the marketplace is no longer just about transactions; it's about relationships and trust. And what better way to build that trust than by generously offering tangible value? Your audience won't just respond; they'll resonate, and advocate, and your business will grow more than you ever imagined.

4. Don’t Play the Hero, Play the Guide

In his bestselling book "Building a StoryBrand" Don Miller introduces a paradigm shift in how we approach branding and content creation. It's easy to think that to make an impression, we need to come off as the strongest, the most knowledgeable, or the undeniable expert—essentially, the hero. However, Miller's perspective offers a refreshing take: become the guide, not the hero.

Imagine your favorite movies. It's often not the hero themselves but their wise, understanding mentor who leaves a lasting impression. Think Yoda in "Star Wars" or Mr. Miyagi in "The Karate Kid". These characters don’t steal the limelight but empower the protagonist to face challenges. This mentor-hero dynamic isn't just cinematic gold—it's an allegory for successful content creation.

We are all, in essence, living out our own epic tales. Every person feels like the hero in their own life story, juggling their problems and aspirations. Now, introducing another "hero" into their story can lead to cognitive overload. They don't necessarily need someone else claiming to have all the answers or displaying a "been there, done that" attitude. What they need is empathy, guidance, and a companion who gets it.

This is a great example of playing the guide. Amy Scott positions her company as the provider of resources and support to help the hero (her clients) win the day. Notice how she leads by talking about the hero and the problem and NOT about herself and her achievements.

As content creators, this means our messaging shouldn’t scream, "Look at how awesome I am!" Instead, it should resonate more like, "I understand what you're facing, and I can help." The distinction is subtle but profound. Being the guide means you acknowledge the journey of your audience. You’re there to offer wisdom, tools, and strategies—not to overshadow them but to empower them.

When you position yourself as the guide, you're allowing your audience to see themselves in the narrative you're weaving. You acknowledge their struggles, affirm their aspirations, and offer a hand in their journey. In doing so, you're not just delivering content; you're building trust, fostering relationships, and creating a community that sees you as a valuable ally.

5. Ask for The Sale

This might seem obvious, but here’s a reality check: too many business owners - especially women are dropping the ball when it comes to asking for the sale. Ever come across content that feels like an endless monologue, only to leave you wondering, "So, what now?" Or content that kind of, sort of, maybe suggests you buy, but doesn't come right out and say it? This is where women especially need to pay attention because we tend to make this mistake.

In the digital marketplace, being overly passive can be a business downfall. If you don't confidently present what you have to offer, potential customers might just scroll on by.

Now, don’t get me wrong—I’m not advocating for pushy sales tactics. However, there's a vast difference between being pushy and being direct. When content creators tiptoe around the sale or use vague calls to action, it sends an unintended message: they might not fully trust their product's value. On the flip side, a clear, confident call to action exudes belief in the product's worth and its promise to deliver. It converts onlookers into buyers.

In addition to that, when you strategically place visible "Buy Now" or "Schedule a Consultation" buttons, it’s like planting flags of assurance throughout your content. Each one says, "I stand by this. I believe it can benefit you."

Ultimately, confidence is contagious. If you display faith in your product, it encourages your audience to have faith in it too. When crafting content, remember to be the confident vendor in the market, not the hesitant one. Make your pitch, believe in its value, and don’t shy away from asking for the sale. After all, if you don't believe in your product, why should anyone else?

How to Insert the 3 Attributes

Now that we understand the fundamentals of online marketing, let’s get into detail about how we can transform our content from flat to great. From crickets to bags of money.

Grab their Attention

The digital world is saturated with information. Every second, countless new blog posts go live, tweets are tweeted, and Instagram photos are uploaded. Amid this noise, how do you ensure your content stands out? In a sea of sameness, your content needs a unique hook. It could be a surprising fact, an engaging headline, or a controversial opinion. Something that stops the reader in their tracks, making them eager to dive into your content. Here are some ways that you can grab your audience’s attention:

1. Unexpected Headlines: Craft a headline that's provocative, unusual, or poses a question that readers haven't encountered before.

2. Vivid Imagery: A striking or unexpected image can halt the automatic scrolling behavior many of us have developed. Use images that evoke emotion, curiosity, or surprise.

3. Interactive Content: Quizzes, polls, sliders, and interactive infographics can break the monotony of passive consumption.

4. Video Jump Cuts: Changing scenes or angles abruptly in videos can retain the viewer's attention. For YouTube or Short-form video creators, this strategy keeps the content dynamic and interesting.

5. Storytelling: Start with an unexpected story or anecdote that isn't obviously related to your topic, but then skillfully weave it in. The initial disconnect draws readers in as they try to figure out the relevance.

Remember, the key is not to overuse these techniques to the point where they become the new pattern. The idea is to disrupt the expected, so sparing use ensures these strategies remain effective.

Evoke an Emotion

A widely accepted idea in the fields of psychology and marketing is that many buying decisions are primarily driven by emotions, with logic and reason often used later to rationalize or justify these decisions. Use emotional language and imagery to connect with your audience on a deeper level. This could be the sense of belonging (e.g., "family" in Coca-Cola ads), the feeling of luxury, success or achievement. Here are some strategies:

1. Use visual language: Use vivid and descriptive language that paints a picture in the reader’s mind. Instead of saying "a sad day," you could say "a day where the skies wept endlessly."

2. Rhetorical Questions: Asking questions can make readers reflect on their own feelings and experiences. "Have you ever felt alone in a crowded room?" can trigger personal memories and emotions.

3. Use of Emotional Triggers: Words can be powerful emotional triggers. Words like "love," "hope," "dream," "fear," and "loss" can tap into deep-seated feelings.

4. Contrast: Highlight the 'before' and 'after' or the 'problem' and 'solution.' This contrast can evoke emotions like relief, hope, or desire.

5. Direct Address: Speak to the reader using "you" to make the copy feel personal. It helps in building a one-to-one emotional connection.

6. Empathy: Show understanding and compassion for the reader's situation. Let them know you've been in their shoes and understand their feelings.

7. Use of Analogies and Metaphors: Relating your message to a known scenario or feeling can help in transferring emotions. For instance, "Navigating the website was like trying to find my way through a dense forest" evokes feelings of confusion and being overwhelmed.

8. Validation: Let your readers know that their feelings or struggles are valid and understood. This can foster a sense of belonging and trust.

Remember, authenticity is vital. Overusing emotional strategies or coming across as insincere can be counterproductive. It's essential to understand your target audience deeply, so your attempts at evoking emotion resonate genuinely with their experiences and feelings.

Call to Action

One of the biggest mistakes a lot of content writers make is leaving the readers hanging. Writing is a form of leadership and people will go where you tell them to go. Always include a call to action that is relevant to the content you are creating.

Crafting an effective CTA involves a combination of psychology, design, and strategic positioning. Here are some key strategies to enhance the effectiveness of CTAs in your content:

1. Be Clear and Specific: Ensure the reader knows exactly what to do and what they'll get. Instead of a generic "Click Here," use "Download Your Free Guide."

2. Use Action-Packed Words: Use verbs that incite action, such as "Discover," "Learn," "Grab," "Start," or "Join."

3. Benefit-Driven CTAs: Highlight the value or benefit the user will get. Instead of "Sign Up," say "Get Instant Access."

4. Reduce Risk: Offering guarantees or highlighting a lack of commitment can assuage fears. CTAs like "Money-Back Guarantee" or "Cancel Anytime" can make a difference.

5. Leverage FOMO (Fear of Missing Out): Phrases like "Join Thousands Who Already Have..." or "Be the First to Know" can tap into the fear of being left out.

6. Use Numbers: They can be specific and enticing. "Join 10,000 Subscribers!" or "Only 5 Seats Left!" can motivate action.

7. Make it Visually Stand Out: If your CTA is a button or banner, use contrasting colors, larger fonts, or compelling graphics to ensure it grabs attention.

8. Position Strategically: Your most compelling CTA should be above the fold on a webpage. However, also consider adding CTAs at regular intervals, especially in long content.

9. Create a Path of Least Resistance: Make it easy. If your CTA leads to a form, ensure it's user-friendly. If you're asking for sign-ups, minimize the fields required.

Remember, a Call to Action is your chance to guide your reader to the next step in their journey with your brand. Making this step enticing, easy, and rewarding will improve your chances of driving conversions.

Wrapping Up

This all seems like a lot. I get it! But honestly, if you are going to create content for the purpose of sales, it makes sense to invest the time and effort to make it impactful. Flat content that people scroll by may as well not exist. In the vast sea of online information, depth, emotion, and a clear action path make all the difference. Arm yourself with these insights, and your content can shine, resonate, and most importantly, get you buyers!