Content Writing: Relationships are Built on Words

A Little Background + A Business Startup

I remember first starting our nonprofit Montessori school in small-town Wyoming. It was the school year that COVID-19 would hit and send us home early, social-distance style. 

In the early baby, baby stages of our school, we were focused on getting enough students to help keep the school running and pay the two of us teachers. Our audience was all local, a town of about 7,500 people. We didn’t need to market ourselves or our school in a big way. We just needed to get started and opened. 

We’d made a conscious decision to do just what it took to get things up and running, and we were right to focus on just that. [Insert the I’m-Still-Learning shoulder shrug] Just that took up every spare hour we could squeeze out of life. 

Fast forward a school year (and post-COVID-19 onset). We’re no longer the minority in our quest for alternative education for our students. The school grew. A lot. 

What happens when your hobby, business, school, passion project grows beyond what you yourself can manage and participate? 

Growing Pains

It’s the classic problem: you started this because you love it. It was your passion and drive that got it lifted off the ground. But now it’s grown so much that you find yourself needed on the administrative side of things more than the groundwork...the reason you first got it going.

So you take on more responsibility. 

But when your community grows (locally and beyond), they start to lose that direct access to you, the founder/leader/heart behind it all. Your tribe needs something to fill the void of you. 

Now, you could fill that void yourself. Sure. You could put in double the hours (probably for no extra pay if we’re being honest) and make yourself more digitally available after you’ve already clocked out. 

But c’mon, how long is that sustainable? 

Enter Content Writing

Content writing is the art...or science...of building relationships and providing valuable information through writing to your community. 

This is definitely something that took the back-burner when we were starting our school. I would guess that’s common. It’s something that can build a following and internet presence. But in a small, local startup, that doesn’t always feel too important. 

Written content is all about educating, entertaining, and engaging your readers. It’s a long-term approach to building trust with your community. It can come in the form of blog posts, newsletters, the words on your business’ website, e-books, how-to courses, video scripts, articles, social media captions, and more.

Successful content writing is all about the long game. It helps you build a base of followers and readers. It builds loyalty and trust with your brand as it grows. 

Content writing doesn’t focus directly on generating sales. Its aim is building relationships. Online this is usually measured in likes, shares, comments, and traffic to the content.

Offer Quality

Not everyone is gonna jump in line to participate in your brand right away. Writing quality content through all your school or business’ platforms can help readers get to know you without having to commit to you right away. 

This is where you have a chance to really WOW them. 

Blogs, newsletters, etc. aren’t something you throw out into the world wide web simply to check a box. No, no, no. You see, there are the people who’ve already bought into what you’re selling. And then there are the people you’ll have to court online for five years before they’re sold. 

Make your content quality. Know your audience. Speak to their problems with solutions. Let them know you’re the one they’ve been looking for. Give your readers something of value here. 

Committed to Your Followers

You see, your business may have grown beyond what you yourself can give. Maybe you’re not getting quite the face-to-face interaction with your whole community like you were in its beginning days. But that’s kinda the point, isn’t it?

You’ve grown your business beyond what you yourself can provide. But that doesn’t mean you can’t still connect with readers. Content writing lets people know who you are and what your business is all about. It opens the door for a different kind of relationship with your community. 

Commit to your readers. Your followers. Your tribe. Your clients. Your families. Your community. Give them a taste of the real-life relationships through some well-written content. 

So look sharp! It’s time to make sure your words are in order. Max them out. Make them resonate. Make them count. Let them breathe life into your brand and speak to your people.