How do you keep finding interesting content?

Rick Pullen of SmarterMarketingformula.com asked: the membership stuff sounds interesting, how d’you keep feeding interesting content?

It seemed like a great idea for a post and I have decided to reveal all here:

If you were expecting me to start talking about RSS feeds and stuff, you are going to be disappointed. You might find that this article is the opposite of what you think.

Authenticity is key and I explain how you can use your authenticity in this article, or at least how it works for me. I hope that you find this article inspiring.

I think content comes naturally if you are really interested and passionate of the subject. – Passions range from dark to bright sides often including ‘feelings’ based on actual experiences.

I realise that is a bit woolly, so let me explain a bit more…

I have found that as you ‘find your voice’ people start responding to you. When I first set out I got a lot of spam reports, unsubscribes, then I got a lot of emails from people that said that they really like my aggressive approach – funny as it was never intended to be aggressive – we did make a lot of sales though (thank you).

I just thought that I was talking about my favourite subject. I wanted to make my writing engaging and so I offer people reasons to opt-in – or buy – or both.

I was overly aggressive in the beginning I can see that now. I now get no spam reports and very few (but still some unsubscribes).I don’t mind if some people do unsubscribe, I don’t plan to spam or annoy. I accept that some people are not in the right frame of mind to accept what I write to them. We none of us are everyone’s ‘cup of tea’.

To, others, many thousands I clearly do offer the type of tea they like to drink. I have set of morals that I adhere to. I think you know what they are and that they stand for the right things.

There are specific systems that I follow and these are in part dictated by technical plugins that we use in the WordPress installation that provides control over the way that content is delivered.

Systems and technologies really help you to think much more strategically about the content. You find that you will create ‘rules’ when you start a membership site and those ‘rules’ are enforced by the ‘system’ that you create in the process.

Initially, you will find some content that is obvious and essential that you provide. Then it is a process of improvement and engaging through feedback. As well as emails sent to us, we also ask members to complete questionnaires from time to time.

It all starts just by talking to people about your stuff. You have to be a little patient to work out how to get it right. A membership site works over time, you must start, you simply must.

People have asked me to provide expertise to them in their business and I have been very glad to facilitate, of course. We provide information, done 4 you services and we mastermind solutions through my mastermind group. I love doing what I do and I often discover things that are funny, odd and appropriate.

Really once it starts, one thing rolls into another.

If you start the journey, you have got to a) be prepared to row (lead by example), have the patience to deal with things step by step ( I just love this stuff and fully fall in love with every project I do ). You have to have an objective as to where you are going (just to be known as the man that ‘does this stuff’).

That is the honest to goodness answer. I thought I would tackle the mindset and the source of ideas for content rather than do a mechanical ‘how to’ video on this subject – let me know if you would like that as well.

I would love it if you have any questions if you could post a reply here that would keep it in context and allow others to join in. You will get better answers too – through crowdsourcing (asking the ‘crowd’).