Staying motivated and inspired is not easy. That's why I think one of the most important things for entrepreneurs is to know how to find tiny wins from the mundane. Personally, I think I've done quite a good job polishing my practice this July.
1. Providing content marketing education to students and adults
I woke up at 6am for one and stayed up until 11:30pm for another. There's no way I would have done either if I didn't truly love educating others.
Educating adults and high school students are very different. But at the end of the day, it all boils down to connection. How well can you resonate with your audience to convey your message?
The Hong Kong Taoist Association Ching Chung Secondary School is one out of 500 schools I have contacted. They were also the only ones who replied. I value this opportunity because I understand it's not the best time to pitch an extracurricular activity. Students are in their holiday mood, and many schools do not require them to come in for lessons anyways. Teachers are still dealing with all the repercussions of COVID 19, rearranging teaching materials and timelines. So it is my privilege to have Ms. Wong arrange for my visit to the school and host a 2-long Content Marketing 101 Workshop with 36 form 4 and form 5 students.
Apart from appearing approachable and talking to the students during their discussion sessions like a peer, I've realized that it is very effective to connect with younger audiences by giving them examples. In the workshop, I showed them two content marketing examples and told them to break into groups to craft their storytelling for a brand of their selection. Though the students started quite shy and uninterested (it was an additional compulsory lesson outside of the curriculum after all), I was pleased to hear the stories they shared in the end. It was evident that most of them already understand what makes content marketing different from other forms of marketing.
As for adults, I believe it's even more important to be entertaining. There are countless webinars for entrepreneurs and marketeers to watch every week. They are expecting to learn something new.
I am so happy to be invited by Joanna King to be one of the 12 speakers at her Social Media for Entrepreneurs Virtual Summit. I prepared over a dozen slides (when I was planning for just 5) and gave as many actionable points to help her audiences adopt content marketing for their own businesses the next day. I was blown away by the love everyone gave me. Each of their questions and appreciative comments truly made my day.
2. Attracting and connecting with like-minded individuals
One of the things I had to get back into the habit of is networking with others. Ever since the Marketing 2.0 Conference, I haven't had a chance to step out of the house and physically connect with other like-minded individuals. So I jumped at the opportunity when I received the Member's Happy Hour invite from esperanza.
It was amazing to connect with successful individuals who were either working high in the ranks for large corporates, founders who have built their tech businesses, and those who are involved in the education sector. My highlight of the evening was seeing John Tsang in real-life! (We're not related, but I guess that's why it feels like I have a special bond with this influential figure in Hong Kong)
I was also astonished to find that my content and story have attracted people across the globe! Through HARO, I got to connect with Ted speaker, Getrude Matshe. She was kind enough to invite me to the HerStory Circle, where she interviewed me about my slasher experience and my tips on creating good content. I can't wait to see the interview live and see what other collaborations may happen between myself and this celebrated author and Philanthropy Consultant!
Just as the month was coming to an end, I received an unexpected DM on Instagram. Chawn Bracey from Motivator Music included me in their Top 75 Speakers Today list. Seeing my name amongst other prominent figures in the industry was surreal. Not to mention, being picked up by a media unit from North Carolina is a great encouragement for me.
3. Receiving recognition for my value
Apart from continuing to grow my Mentorship for Slashers and Upskill Training program, I have several returning clients. Nothing beats getting their feedback on my work.
"You have the best possible personal branding in APAC!
Your westernized personal branding has attracted me, and I can see that we share the same inside language for content marketing through your content. As a fellow content marketer, I think we should see more of what you do in Asia.
The tweets you have helped create are really amazing! They were native and contextually relevant quality posts that connected and resonated with our target Gen Z audience. You clearly have a strong understanding of pop culture and is highly fluent on social media.
Your cadence and consistency have reminded me to keep up my own content. I have underestimated how much work it takes to create your own social media content and it really helps to outsource some of it to take the burden off! Thank you for providing valuable first steps to make content marketing feel less intimidating. I'm glad to have you help me get the ball rolling so I can continue."
- Jessica Lam, SEO Strategist of the brand creativesÂ
I've had a fruitful month that shows me my hard work is getting me somewhere. Like everything worth the while, it will take time to build my presence and attract more opportunities. But in the time being, I have gathered a good amount of learning and data to continuously refine my content, so I can better engage and connect with my target audiences. To me, it's about not giving up and having faith in yourself. Bring it on, August!
- Joyce
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