I remember jumping on a zoom call with someone who watched one of my webinars last year. Though he was trying to sell me his service (which I didn't purchase), he did ask me a great question.
"Joyce, what is your #1 goal for 2022?"
And my answer was to become THE content marketer from Hong Kong.
There are various ways to measure the result. I could dive into social listening, assess my SERP, or ask my community what they think. They would likely be the more scientific and practical way of proving it.
But I didn't. I consolidated everything I've done in the past year and asked myself if each worked towards this goal. And the answer was yes. Results such as traffic, conversion, and awareness are treated as indicators instead of strict justifications. At the end of the day, I think it's just as important to acknowledge all my work as the step in taking action is just as valuable as the numbers it achieved.
For 2023? My #1 goal is to become a trusted perspective.
1) Networking and Interview
Being able to comfortably walk into a room full of strangers and talk about my passion is an achievement on its own. Compared to my first networking experience as an entrepreneur, I have become quite accustomed to different crowds. Yet, what's different about my first 2023 networking event at JC Legal is that everyone is highly transparent.
To engage in quality conversations with everyone (since it's a small group) made a big difference. I started spotting patterns, one being that everyone in the room was forced to pivot in 2022. With such learning, I felt less alone (considering I struggled last year myself) and was able to learn how others found their new opportunities.
On top of that, I offered my two cents at the Yeukai Business Show, sharing my insights and knowledge on content marketing with entrepreneurs in the UK and the world.
2) Mentorship and Education
This is definitely my highlight for January 2023. Apart from being featured in The CoCoon Foundation's latest publication (*Special note - apart from grammatical errors, the publication has made several mistakes. i) In stating I was a part-time lecturer at HKU, which is false. I was a part-lecturer at HKU Space. ii) With my company name, stating it as "Joyce Tsang Digital Marketing", which is false. My company name is Joyce Tsang Content Marketing. All responsibilities and effects caused by such errors lie with The CoCoon Foundation.), I was invited to join their Pursuit of X program as a 3-month, one-on-one mentor.
The more I engage in educational programs, the more I realize how much I love them. Exchanging valuable conversations with youngsters going through things I might have experienced earlier in my life is exhilarating.
I'm also spotting patterns with the youngsters I've spoken to. While they all engage in countless activities, building a crazy portfolio of involvements, suggesting their ability and clarity in goals - the opposite is true. Many actively join programs because they feel unconfident and struggle to find a purpose. My one-on-one mentee has even told me she didn't think she deserved so many opportunities and felt lost, even after being admitted to different programs. Such learnings have planted a seed in me, wondering what I can do to reach more of them and help them discover their real potential.
3) Community building
When I say it is highly important for any brand to have content across its content funnel, I'm not saying it from a point in theory. While Linkedin continues to be my most powerful content channel, other distribution channels are also required to get the job done.
I kickstarted a simple cold email outreach campaign at the end of last year. To be honest, I didn't have much faith in driving any actual conversions with it, but there was something I wanted to test. Interestingly enough, a good amount of people on the list continue to open and click on my email newsletters. The compliment received proves that it was worth the effort.
On top of that, I have joined a new slack community specifically for content marketers. Participating in groups like this not only helps me stay on top of industry news and trends. It's also a great way to build my confidence. Answering questions asked by fellow marketers and being treated as a valuable source of information proves that I am not bluffing and am "qualified" as a content marketer by the global standard. That is why my local audiences would tell me what I have advised them is the same as what they see global industry thought leaders saying.
4) Content reach
In the past month, a handful of audiences have reached out personally to tell me they are astonished at my output rate. While I credit it to my organizational skills, I wouldn't have been able to do all that I do if I allowed myself to get distracted by shiny objects. In marketing, shiny objects often refer to algorithmic changes, new formats, and hijacking trends. Though knowing about these updates are vital, it is best not to fall into the rabbit hole of chasing them.
That is why I'm so passionate about content marketing. It's not just a strategic way to grow your business but keeps you on track. At the same time, it helps you build your community, explore new potentials, and suggest opportunities. While people who don't use content marketing have to do separate things to achieve each of these objectives, I merely need to do one thing to drive traction to all. That's how I can stay focused throughout the years and consistently churn out content as though I know exactly what I need to do (which I don't, but I have a clear path to be closer to my north star every single day).
5) Personal growth
Another highlight this January has got to be moving houses. It was a goal I set in 2022. And while I was actively trying to make it a reality in 2022, nothing happened. Just as I let it flow, the perfect house came along, and my husband and I made the decision on the spot that day. The moving process was tough - we packed everything within days. It didn't get any easier getting our two dogs to adjust. But we're slowly settling in. We're grateful to be surrounded by nice neighbors, open space, and being (first time) within the area of food delivery service!
I have also been busy:
Creating content for earned channels (more media coverage to come!);
Refining my services based on learnings from Alex Hormozi (learn what they are in my 1st VIP Mailing List issue and subscribe for my all-new, monthly jam-packed long-form email newsletter here!);
And optimizing my BOFU content to attract high-quality, action-ready leads (fingers-crossed for me to meet my client target soon!)
There's still a lot of work for me to do regarding SEO and other authority-building content, but they are in the pipeline. Hopefully, they'll be ready to share in the next Entrepreneur Log!
- Joyce