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Last Friday, I did a poll on LinkedIn.
When asked, "What in your business do you want to improve?" 33% said they wanted to get better at strategic thinking.
But here's the thing... โ I think it's something else:) โ And how I know...is because I've been there!
I was a "doer."
You know...the person who could execute.
Early in my career, I'm not sure those closest to me saw me as "strategic."
And you know why that is?
Because I didn't see myself as strategic.
I was asking important questions, but I was young, and others were more senior than me.
Who was I at an associate level to be considered a strategist? (This was my inner dialogue.)
But the truth is, here's what I lacked...CONFIDENCE.
I bet you're already showcasing your strategic chops with your clients...
You've just got to own it!
So, if this is the hurdle you're trying to overcome, here are a few things that have worked for me in the last 15+ years of my career to build a confident mindset.
#1. Understand the job
That's right.
The benefit of being a "doer" is doing the job, learning, and having the practical knowledge of what it takes.
Sure, strategists will recommend tactics they've never used themselves, but I've found that the most admired strategic thinkers are those who've done the work firsthand and have a solid understanding of how it works.
They also tend to be better at NOT recommending things they know won't work from experience.
#2. Surround yourself with others smarter than you
Seek out those performing well, and look at building a genuine relationship with them.
When I've purposely pursued hanging out with others who know more than me in certain areas, I've gained valuable friends and pushed myself to learn more.
It's been the best way to step outside my comfort zone and get cozy with being a little vulnerable.
#3. Lean into what intimidates the crap out of you
If it makes you scared enough to hesitate, that usually means it's something you need to do.
Freaked out about being the lead on a project because you'll have to talk in front of a boardroom of people?
Do it anyway.
Not sure whether to apply for your manager's job because you're not experienced enough?
Apply anyway.
You're given the gift of experience when you take your shot.
Good or bad, those experiences teach you so much...and, in many cases, make you realize how capable you are.
๐ฏTakeaway
You're already being strategic with your clients, but you've got to own it!
Understand the job
Surround yourself with smart people
And lean into saying "yes" to what makes you hesitate
Try it, reply, and let me know where you're at.
Organic Traffic Tip๐
(Click image to check out my video post on LinkedIn)
๐Show some love to that older content.
If you have blog posts on your site that are three months old, it's time to look at them again.
Go to GSC, and under search results, check out "pages"
There on page 1, you should identify the blog articles 3 months old or older that have higher impressions and clicks
Click on them to see what queries are helping pull in traffic
See if there are ways to integrate those top terms into some of the body copy and H2s in your article
Delete any outdated or irrelevant content
Add relevant internal links
Go on Google to compare with other competing articles. Look at their headlines, format, # of reco's, etc. and find ways to improve your existing article with more value. DON'T copy. Rather look at how you can add a unique perspective. And see if any other images, infographics, or video links make sense for added value.
๐Always include updating older content in your content calendar.
Fill Your Cup Momentโ
I was watching my son's soccer game last weekend and started cheering like crazy as the boys made some impressive passes with fancy footwork.
They're 9 with so much ahead of them. โ In the midst of my cheering, my husband looked at me and said, "You're just shouting out everything."
To which I just laughed. โ I replied back..."And why not?! We're here. We're alive!"
Do you ever get like that?
Just shouting with excitement at the action happening right in front of you? โ Life is meant to be celebrated, right? โ You GET to be here. โ Even this Thursday, at my desk at home, I try to carry this thinking with me. โ This is the good stuff happening... Right now... Today. โ If you aren't embracing the journey, you're missing the best part of life.
Are you shouting with joy?
Are you celebrating the perhaps "ordinary" but honestly "good stuff moments" happening this very minute?
Allison's Picks
(No affiliate links - Just cool content I want to share.)
Need to find your next freelance gig? Check out Chris Bibey's Freelance Framework Newsletter. You get a list of freelance opportunities sent to you daily!
Shameless plug - I was featured on Entrepreneur.com in this article, "What's the Next Big Trend in Multimedia Content for Startups?" Check out several smart insights to keep in mind for 2024. I loved Alex Colhoun's idea for repurposing past newsletter content into videos.
Rand Fishkin has an awesome 5-minute whiteboard video about why a content strategy shouldn't be initiated first by just SEO keywords. From my experience, it's the right mix of deeply understanding your target and adding SEO keyword research. Great stuff!
Looking for a way to save time engaging on LinkedIn? Travis Caine did a helpful video about bookmarking your favorite people so you can create custom feeds and never miss their posts! Check it out here.
Early next week I'll be at CEX in Cleveland, OH๐
I can't tell you how excited I am to meet others, learn, and come back with ways to improve my content even more!
Reply back and let me know if you'll be there or if you have a specific content question you want me to find out.
For CEOs and Founders: I provide content strategy, planning, and execution, and I essentially become an extension of your team. If you need a strategist and writer to fill this gap, please reply to this email, and let's chat.
โRead more on my blog about content creation and freelance tips.
If you had fun reading, consider buying me a coffee. (Or a couple of Dunkin' donuts - I like those too!) - Thank you:)