Writing as Therapy: Welcome to Content Marketing

Over the last couple of months, I have had the pleasure of inviting clients into my office so we can sit and chat about their marketing goals, review their website, or examine their social media. I’m often met with the same response when they walk into my office for the first time:

“Oh man, I couldn’t work here. It feels like a living room.”

“This is such a comfortable space.”

“This feels like a therapist’s office.”

I take them all as compliments, but I understand their meaning. In fact, I am surrounded by actual, licensed therapists in the hall where I work. When I moved in, one therapist asked me, “What type of therapy do you practice?”

Does writing therapy count?

I want clients to be real with me (as real as they are comfortable with) because the more authentic they are - the better their marketing will be. And it’s only fair if I practice what I preach: and I preach this because I know it works. I began writing blogs as therapy for myself and, eventually, a place to increase SEO traffic over the years. Those blogs I sent into the cosmic void eventually had friends saying: “Hey, I love reading your blog posts,” to potential clients asking, “Hey, could you write blogs for my business?”

Think about the content that you connect with. How many times have you posted something to social that was wrapped in fear, excitement or immense gratitude - and meant it? And what if that post was related to your business? What happened? It built trust. It built likeability. Yes, it’s important to have a professional attitude in the workplace, and I can guarantee most of us in small business do not flinch (or at least try not to) when we are met with ridiculous comments in difficult situations. Even if we go home to pour a large glass of wine (raising my hand), or immediately erupt into tears the moment we shut the car door (yup, over here) or turn off our cell phones for 1 hour because… we just need a break (same). Because this isn’t just a livelihood; for many of us, it’s our life’s work.

Those blog posts - my business’ content marketing - have become something much bigger and that’s because of their authenticity. I’ve compiled my favorites (and most popular) into a manuscript for a book that will launch early next year. This non-fiction endeavor is part humor, part horror and all too real. With end-of-chapter wrap-ups for aspiring women entrepreneurs to work on their business - and learn from my mistakes.

When I was 18 I told myself I would publish a book before I was 30. To be honest: I did complete a manuscript when I was 29 and had my sister read it. It was a semi-fictional story based on a highly-dysfunctional family. She said to me: “You can’t publish this while Mom and Dad are still alive.”

I listened to her for about 3 months and then I began to shop it around to editors. Unfortunately, that was the Spring of 2015 and by that August I was being asked to move out of my home, untangling myself from a bad marriage, and tackling my first full-time Lecturer position at UNC-Charlotte. That manuscript was buried for several years. And even when I returned to it recently, I realized: that’s not the story I want to tell anymore.

Next month, I will be 35. Technically I’m 5 years behind schedule, but theoretically, I couldn’t have written this book without those 5 years. So consider the work you are putting into your content marketing for your business. What story are you telling? Who are you in your business and do people know who you are? Tell your brand story in a way that is meaningful. There are hundreds of marketers in Charlotte. About 90% of them are women. I’m not unique. But my story is. And, I wager, most people remember me because of my story.

Thankfully, Mom and Dad can read this one.