Everyone gets stuck on occasion. I’m not talking stuck, like Winnie the Pooh in his tree or like a kid getting his head stuck in a stair banister. I’m talking creatively stuck, as in, “Oh no…I’ve got write four blog posts this month and I don’t know what the heck to write about…”

Feeling stuck like that is no fun, especially when you’re a business person with a pile of tasks waiting for you. It’s easy to push aside content marketing and get back to things you feel like you can actually do right now, like pay the bills and check your Facebook account for the 100th time today (guilty as charged).

But if you keep avoiding the blank page, or in this case the blank screen, you’ll be left without content and without the opportunity to share your expertise with the world. And what fun is that? None in my book!

I’ve pulled together three of my top tips for generating content when you feel absolutely stuck, like you’re staring at a blank wall or that the creative well has completely dried up. Feel free to grab any of these tips and try them today if you’re facing that situation.

  1. Compile your own “top 10”, “top 5” or whatever list. Go back and look over what you’ve already created. Chances are good you’ve got several posts you can group together into a ‘best of’ sequence of posts. Write a one paragraph summary and introduction (surely you can do THAT), and then use bullet points to link to the original posts you wrote. Voila. Instant blog post!
  2. Create a meme, quotable quote, or Pinterest-worthy share. Use only your own original photos to ensure you’re in the copyright clear. Find a quotable quote. Use a free service like Pixlr.com or PicMonkey.com, add the quote, and share.  Instant content!
  3. Review a product, service or website in your industry or niche.  I like this one because you can talk about something or someone else without feeling pressured to sell, sell, sell. Plus, you’re sharing the love, by helping someone else sell without any pay off on your own. It’s a feel-good way to get yourself writing again. I’d stick with only positive reviews, but that’s just me. Negative may get you more press, but positive gets you more karma points.

 

The next time you’re feeling stuck, think of this:

 

JackLondonquote

 

 

So take action!

 

Written by Jeanne Grunert, Seven Oaks Consulting. Jeanne is an award-winning writer, blogger and marketing consultant helping companies acquire, retain and create loyal customers. She is available for freelance work.