Why My Content Plan Warms Up Leads Before I Sell

It’s pretty simple: people who already know you are far more likely to buy something from you than a total stranger. This holds true for your social media audience. Every day, they’re bombarded with messages from people they don’t know, connect with, or care about, and they’ve gotten really good at ignoring the noise. They don’t have time to figure out why your product is worth their attention. That’s not their job—it’s yours.

Before you ever think about asking for the sale, you have to lead with value. You need to show your target market that you understand their needs, that you’re an expert in your field, and that what you have to say is worth their time. When your message is all about them, they’ll start to care.

Is Blogging Still a Thing?

Every year, someone in the media declares it the “Year of the Blog.” A quick search shows this has been happening since at least 2004. Headlines have swung wildly from “Why You Can’t Afford to Wait” to “Why Blogging Is a Waste of Your Time.”

The truth is, a blog is just a channel—a digital home for your content. To get a real return, your messaging has to be effective. Your customers are holding the remote, and if you don’t give them something worthwhile, they’ll hit mute. What’s undeniable today is that your efforts are doomed if you don’t offer valuable content as part of the deal.

Making Content People Actually Find and Read

Getting your blog noticed isn’t about the old SEO tricks anymore. Years ago, so-called experts taught people to use thousands of hidden pages or meta tags to cheat the system. Try that now, and you’ll find yourself in trouble with search engines. At one point, Google even blacklisted BMW for using “doorway pages” to artificially boost traffic, causing their top search ranking to plummet to zero. Google’s main rule is to design websites for people, not for search engines.

So, what does Google look for today?

• Once someone lands on your site, do they stick around and click on other things? A good tactic is to include links to other relevant posts and ask questions at the end to encourage comments.
• Do visitors scroll down past the initial screen? You can encourage this by breaking up paragraphs and images so they’re only partially visible, making people curious about what’s next.
• How long do people spend on your page? Including multimedia like audio files or videos can keep them engaged for longer.
• This is when someone visits your page and leaves immediately—a huge red flag for Google. Make sure your ads accurately reflect the content on your landing page so visitors feel like they’re in the right place.
• Google scans for poorly written, robot-generated content. Always proofread your work. It’s tough to spot your own mistakes, so have someone else look it over or use a tool like Grammarly. If you're serious about your , this is non-negotiable.

Beyond ranking on Google, a consistent blog establishes you as a trusted authority in your niche. It’s a chance for potential customers to get to know you before you ask them to buy anything. When you encourage comments, you create social proof that builds even more trust. If you're looking to turn a , this foundation is essential.

A Content Plan That Drives Revenue

To turn your marketing into actual income, you need a plan. Use your content to build trust, highlight a problem your audience has, agitate that problem a bit, and then offer your product as the solution.

Start by setting clear goals. Do you want to fill a seminar, book sales calls, or get more catering orders? Decide on your goal and the date you’ll make your sales request. I use my blog to offer value, establish my expertise, share case studies, and generate leads. Some of my most popular posts have been simple how-to guides that directly address a reader's problem. Whether you post once a week or once a day, consistency is what builds an audience of fans.

Finding Your Voice and Sticking to a Plan

To be effective, your blog needs a consistent brand voice. Your content should reflect your Unique Selling Proposition—what makes you different. Don’t try to be everything to everyone; that’s a recipe for bland content that converts no one. I write in my own voice, mentioning my interests in marketing, God, wine, and family. It’s not formal, and it’s not for everyone, but it connects with people. Being authentic is not only more effective, but it’s also easier.

Next, create an editorial calendar that supports your sales goals. Think like a magazine. A sports magazine might focus on March Madness in its February issue. Similarly, if I want to sell tickets to a customer retention event, my monthly theme might be “Why Customer Retention Is Crucial for Your Business.” Then, I’d create four weekly subtopics that build on that theme, with the final week leading into the sales offer.

To find topics, look at sites like Quora or Answerthepublic.com to see what questions people in your industry are asking. You’ll find their exact pain points and the language they use to describe them. This research is gold for anyone looking to that truly resonates.

Putting It All Together

Once your blog post is written, use it as the source for your social media content for the week. This ensures all your marketing efforts are aligned and walking your prospects toward a sale.

To stay consistent, automate your publishing. You can use tools like HootSuite to schedule social media posts and preset your blog posts and emails. We use a project management tool called Basecamp to manage our workflow:

1. We plan content a month in advance.
2. I write the blog posts, emails, and social media content in a batch.
3. Our proofreaders review everything.
4. Our designer formats the post and puts it on the website.
5. An email goes out to our list with a link to the new post.
6. I share it on social media several times throughout the week.

Whether you’re a one-person team or have a full staff, a schedule is key to getting results from your .

The Micro-Commitment Campaign

This is where it all comes together. Instead of selling to a cold audience, you warm them up first. Here’s how it works:

1. that appeals to your target market.
2. —a report, ebook, or video series—to capture email addresses.
3. to your target audience.
4. you’ve generated: your followers, website visitors, and email list.

When I tried selling a webinar to a cold audience, my cost was $3.00 per attendee, and only 20% showed up. When I switched to this micro-commitment strategy, my opt-in cost for the freebie dropped to $0.87. Even adding the cost to get someone on my email list ($1.23), my total acquisition cost was lower, and my show-up rate jumped to over 50%. This kind of targeted is far more effective.

The goal of your content should be to be so useful that people would happily pay for it. Stop shouting at strangers and start building relationships. Focus on being genuinely helpful, and you’ll earn the right to sell.