Over the next several weeks, we'll be covering a tricky part of content and content marketing: PLANNING. So many of the people and clients we work with get stuck (understandably) on backing out of the day to day needs of their content and looking at the BIG PICTURE.

Yes. There's a big picture.

And the more you can see that big picture and break it down into quarterly, monthly, weekly, and even daily tasks, you'll see your content working better in a variety of ways:

• Your blog posts, podcast episodes, newsletters, social media, and more will flow together and be more cohesive.
• You'll have a coordinated effort on messaging to give your audience the same message a number of times, improving the odds of conversion.
• It'll be easier to produce the actual content, since it will be all organized ahead of time.
• If you work with a team, you'll be able to coordinate responsibilities and not be scrambling at the 11th hour.
• You can maximize marketing opportunities like trade shows, news appearances, and more by working backwards from the event on your calendar.

Doesn't that sound amazing? Instead of a random smattering of blog posts and tweets, you'll have a machine that is working FOR you and your goals. I know what you're thinking: "Jensie, that sounds so great. BUT HOW DO I EVEN START?" Excellent question. The first thing you have to do is figure out your big picture.

Start with these questions:

• What do I want out of my marketing? No really, answer honestly. It's more than just "MORE SALES". It's name recognition, fostering goodwill in the community, demonstrating your expertise, etc. etc.
• What is the point of my blog, social media accounts, and other tactics?
• What can I realistically expect?
• What events do I have on my calendar that I need to work in? What about seasons?

Get really, really big. I know, this is intimidating, and you're probably already tired. But you'll be SO happy you did it. Get through these questions, then I want you to pop over and listen to The Profane Marketer Podcast episode we just did on goals. Put together your big picture and your goals, and you'll be ready to plan your content for the year. Are you ready? Great! Get going, and then we'll be back in the next week or so with some great tools for you to help with the specifics of planning.

Jensie is the ringleader of Slanted Communication & Consulting. She is an expert in marketing, social media, content, and loves helping other entrepreneurs get started in their own adventures. Learn more about working with Jensie and her team here.