3 Tricks to Write Content When You’re Pressed for Time

Jul 18, 2020

When I ask clients what prevents them from creating content consistently, I usually get one of two answers: coming up with ideas and finding time to write.

It usually takes just a few minutes of chatting to brainstorm some content ideas, but finding the time to write? That’s not so easy.

To say you’re busy is an understatement. Aside from being a business owner trying to build a profitable company, I’m sure you have other obligations that eat up the rest of your time, like a family, volunteer activities, and time for yourself.

That doesn’t leave much time to write content. And without content, your content marketing strategy is pretty weak.

But if you take a closer look at your day, I bet you’ll find little nooks and crannies of time where you can squeeze in a bit of content creation. Who says you need hours of uninterrupted time to sit and write?

When clients tell me they’re constantly losing the fight to find time to write content for their business, I remind them that there aren’t hard-and-fast rules about content creation. Instead, I encourage them to create content as they go about their busy day, rather than trying to find a block of time to sit and do it.

There are much better ways to create content for your business if you’re willing to consider alternatives to parking yourself in front of a computer screen for hours. At some point it’s inevitable that you’ll end up there, but you won’t need to be there for nearly as long if you try out these methods.

Outsource It

Obviously, the easiest way to create content without sacrificing your own time is to get someone else to write it.

Just because it’s your business, who says you have to be the one to write all of the blog posts and email newsletters?

In the world of online marketing, hiring a content creator is a tried and true method for getting content written for those who:

  • Have no time
  • Don’t have a “feel” for writing
  • Just don’t want to

Whichever camp you belong to, working with a copywriter or content creator can make it easy to achieve your content marketing goals in much less time than it would take you to do it yourself.

Plus, you can find writers for any niche and for any budget. But keep in mind you get what you pay for.

That doesn’t mean you should expect to shell out hundreds of dollars to hire top talent; there are plenty of copywriters online who charge low rates and provide satisfactory work. But if you’re shopping around to find a bargain basement cost, the quality of work you get will probably match.

If you decide to outsource your content creation, interview several writers before you make a decision. Ask for samples of their work, read reviews or testimonials (if they’re available), and choose the best you can afford.

Remember, you can always edit their work, but if you have to edit too much, what have you saved?

Repurpose It

If you’ve been marketing your business for a while, you probably already have a fair amount of content that can be repurposed:

  • Your blog
  • Email autoresponders
  • Free opt-in gifts
  • Paid products
  • Podcast episodes
  • Training webinars

Content you’ve already created is content you can use again. A blog post, for example, has all the content you need to create at least five social media posts or a video for your YouTube channel. Your training webinar can be broken up into free opt-in gifts (like checklists or printables).

A single piece of content can be edited and repurposed in a number of different ways, so don’t be afraid to reach into the archives to find old content that you can transform into something new for your audience.

Transcribe It

Why write when you can talk?

This is an excellent option for people who spend a lot of time driving, but it will work for anyone with a cell phone (so… everyone.)

What I love about the concept of dictating your blog into your phone is you can do it anywhere: while you’re waiting in line to pick up the kids after school, while you’re out for your morning walk, while you’re washing the dishes, or even in between client calls.

Take it one step further and send your audio files out to a virtual assistant be transcribed and all that remains is to edit the transcription. It may come back a little disjointed, but you’ll still find it’s way easier to edit even bad content than to start from scratch.

You’ll Never Have Time

I know I’ve uttered the words “I don’t have time” more than I care to admit. And I’ve used that phrase as an excuse for not writing content for my own business.

The truth is, I never bothered to look for the time. It was always there. I always had the option of outsourcing my content creation. My phone is always by my side and ready to take a quick dictation. And so is yours.

I hope you won’t let a lack of time hold you back from creating content anymore. There’s no better way to build your audience and establish your expertise than to share valuable content consistently.

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