Stop "creating" so much marketing ... [🐝U]

Your problem isn’t creativity …
it’s the quiet exhaustion of having to decide - again - what to post when you’re online.

Most solopreneurs I talk to aren’t short on ideas.
They just think they are.

We’re short on:
→ energy to decide … again
→ the ability to narrow focus & follow through 1 idea at a time
→ a structured place to put ideas before we “forget” them.

We have so much more valuable information in our heads than we realize.

The “Curse of Knowledge” kicks in when you forget how confusing things were because it’s 2nd nature to you now

It makes you skip steps, assume context,
& you don’t realize what feels obvious or basic to you is actually incredibly valuable to someone else.

I’ve lost count of how often I’m on Zoom calls with a client or mentee …
they’re talking about something offhandedly & I interrupt mid-sentence…
“that sounds like a good LinkedIn post”
“that can be a prominent topic for your newsletter”

There’s usually a pause
Sometimes a head-tilt
& always a noticable “a-ha” moment.

Starting from scratch every time makes marketing feel heavier than it needs to be.

It’s not about sitting down at your desk & staring at your screen staring at a blinking cursor & struggling with, “what do I post on ___ today?”

& you definitely want to stop putting the added pressure of perfection.
I totally get why you do this.
Because I have to set a timer to keep doing it too!

You want it to land.
& you don’t want to sound sloppy or “wrong”
But spending an hour editing 1 social media post isn’t making it “better”
it’s making things heavier … & harder

When you have to start from scratch every single time
& you try to make it perfectly perfect
everything feels heavier (& harder) than it needs to be

& that can literally start to weigh on you & slow you down.

That’s where content buckets come in …

Content buckets are thinking tools, not posting rules

Content Buckets = relief.
not more discipline
not more creativity or output
relief!

They’re simple, higher-level categories to file things in.
They’re how you stop the endless debate you have with what to write every time you open your laptop.

They’re not a posting schedule or even a content calendar.
& they’re definitely not rules.

They’re an easy way to keep track of the type of thing you can share.

Having content buckets doesn’t limit you ….
They remove friction by reducing decision-making
& they create structure without boxing you in

You’re not forcing your ideas to fit a format.
You’re giving ideas somewhere to go as they show up.

Think of content buckets like chapters in a book.
Each chapter has a higher-level theme.

3–5 buckets that almost always work

Over the years I’ve noticed there are some common categories that work across all industries, like
- behind-the-scenes
- what’s coming up

The trick in effectively sharing this information is asking yourself … “what’s in it for them?”

Marcus Sheridan (They Ask, You Answer & you) has The Big 5:
1 - Cost & Price → what things cost & what impacts prices going up & down
2 - Problems → naming drawbacks, limitations, & this “might not be for you”
3 - Competition & comparisons → so prospects make a confident decisions ... it’s NOT trash-talking
4 - Reviews → the good, the bad, & the ugly … can be tied into problems to highlight who it’s NOT for
5 - Best in Class → best option for ___ situation … especially when the “best” isn’t you!

I’m using the They Ask, You Answer format for this newsletter.
Every email includes a link to a form you can fill in to share what you want to read about
& if forms aren’t your thing, you can reply to the email.

I don’t sit at my desk wondering what to write about.
You play a part in deciding that.

You can frame these as examples (not prescriptions):
- Mistakes / misconceptions in your industry
- Behind-the-scenes decisions you’re making
- Client questions or objections you hear over & over … & over
- Beliefs you’re quietly pushing back against

You can steal these or use them as inspiration to come up with your own

The point isn’t the buckets themselves.
It’s not having to stare at a blinking cursor or feel like you have to be clever, creative, or reinvent the wheel.

Now that you’ve got those buckets, let’s fill them up

How to keep buckets full without trying harder

Start with keeping a single running spreadsheet (not 17 tools)
→ have a separate tab for each “bucket”
→ make each line its own idea with columns for when & where you posted

Capture things like:
→ sentences you repeat
→ questions that make you pause
→ reactions you have during client work
→ things you learn & do so you can “teach”

Matthew Dicks calls this practice “Homework for Life"

The framework’s simple …
At the end of each day, write at least 1 moment that stood out.
It can be anything but preferably good.
& it can be as short as a word or phrase.

It’s not the most impressive
& it’s not even something you’d potentially post about

It’s not about journaling or writing.
It’s just enough that you can go back next week or next year & remember the moment

That’s it.
It can be 1 or 10.

“Homework for Life” notices what’s already happening & captures it.
Nothing to remember
& you’re never starting from scratch.

If you’re more analog, you can use a notebook or even post-it notes.

Whatever you’re more comfortable with …
You just need a way to capture the ideas
& track where/when you share them

Pro Tip: post organically
Don’t let Instagram post for you on Facebook.
Don’t copy/paste/publish everything exactly the same from 1 platform to the other.

You can’t complain about low engagement when posts make it obvious you weren’t really there.
& nothing screams autopost from IG onto Facebook more than a bunch of hashtags with @account call-outs that don’t work.

Pro Tip: space it out
I can’t tell you how often I see the EXACT same post on repeat in several groups flooding my feed.

It might get my engagement the 1st time but by the 5th I’m over it.

If you’re going to share, space it out.
Chances are if you’re in multiple groups, so is your audience.
& if you want to increase the chance of them seeing it & engaging, spread it out

I’ve actually stopped following people & companies that do this.
It feels spammy.
& because I limit my scrolling time, I want to see as much variety as I can when I’m online.

This is how your content becomes sustainable

→ Fewer decisions because you’re not starting from scratch
→ Less pressure to perform because you’re not faking it
→ More consistency (& momentum) because you’re working with your real life, not against it

Marketing gets easier when you stop asking yourself to perform & start paying attention instead

It works better when it’s observant, honest, & rooted in what’s actually happening.
The good, the bad, & the ugly.

Hitting a bit close to home?
Struggling to see what’s actually “post-worthy” in your day-to-day?

You’re not alone.
Just let me know & we’ll start with what’s already around you.

Make it a content-filling week.
EG

PS:

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What I’d change…
“ChatGPT is a superpower WHEN used correctly”
“When” implies you’re going to use it.
There’s a bit of future pacing involved.
There’s no maybe with “if”

“HubSpot’s guide … elevateS”
I wouldn’t necessarily use “elevate” “enhance” or “foster”
but I would make it plural verbs so the guide does the heavy lifting

There’s a disconnect between who the ad MAY be for & who they specify in the landing page when you click through.

Shoppers are adding to cart for the holidays

Over the next year, Roku predicts that 100% of the streaming audience will see ads. For growth marketers in 2026, CTV will remain an important “safe space” as AI creates widespread disruption in the search and social channels. Plus, easier access to self-serve CTV ad buying tools and targeting options will lead to a surge in locally-targeted streaming campaigns.

Read our guide to find out why growth marketers should make sure CTV is part of their 2026 media mix.

Learn more.

They’re still talking about Black Friday even though we’re past “the weeks leading up to Christmas”.

We’re definitely past the “holiday rush”

The dates on the landing page when you click the ad make no sense with the timeline in the ad OR when the ad’s allowed to run.

Think about how expensive & ineffective that can be for you & your clients.

PPS:
Every email is based on what you ask for … the more something’s asked for, the faster it finds its way to the top of the to-write-about pile
📣 Tell me what you want to read about … here

🔗 Connect with me on LinkedIn … here

📈 Want to talk about better marketing results for your business by being yourself?
Find a time that fits your schedule.