Convert Your Content Into Revenue (Part 1)

For advisors, thought leaders and game-changers, your content—your body of work—is a serious asset.

Successful authors know this. They’re used to trading words for money and are well versed in the value of book deals, copyrights and licensing fees.

But if you haven’t published (yet), you may be vastly underestimating the value of the blogs, white papers, videos and assorted training materials you’ve spent precious days, months and years developing.

Not to mention that idea floating in your head. You know the one. You’ve been flirting with it for a while but have yet to buckle down and build it out into something tangible.

It breaks my heart when I meet a talented creator who hasn’t quite figured out how to put their works to their highest, best use. To create revenue and—ultimately—build wealth from their content.

Don’t let that be you.

Instead, explore your content like you’re going on a treasure hunt. Keep an open mind and you just may surprise yourself with the value you have locked away.

The rule: just because you did something five or 10 or even 20 years ago, doesn’t mean it can’t still be relevant. Just don’t assume all you have to do is dust it off. Times have changed and your work needs to look, read, play and sound current. Right-now modern and up-to-date.

Okay then. Let’s do this.

Destination One: Your client work. We’re talking about the tools, content and supporting systems you’ve developed for your direct (private) client consulting, coaching and teaching. You may have used it 1 to 1 or in group meetings and private workshops, events and training. Note to new consultants: try recasting your experiences as consulting or coaching engagements to fully realize their value.

Some examples: client presentations, consulting deliverables, worksheets, calculators, projection models, coaching assessments, surveys, private research studies.

Destination Two: Your published content. Think anything and everything that’s seen the light of day beyond your private client work. This is your public self—your shared ideas and tools.

Some examples: blog and guest blog posts, e-newsletters and mailings, videos, articles, books, speeches, public workshops, webinars, interviews conducted or granted, media mentions, digital or physical products, white papers, surveys, research studies.

Destination Three: Your unpublished ideas. There may well be untapped gold here, but if you don’t get in the habit of jotting down your ideas, you may never uncover it. Keeping your musings front and center tends to encourage synchronicity with the people and circumstances that will bring your best ideas to life.

Some examples: the book idea you’ve toyed with, a new kind of client that might appreciate your work, a new service to add to your repertoire, a potential alliance, a new way to get paid.

This excavation is something I do with every client, whether they are building an emerging pool of authority assets or have amassed a lifetime body of work.

It’s essential. Because without doing some spadework, you’ll never fully realize the power of what you already have.

So—set yourself the task of exploring your existing content this week. Inventory your assets. Make a master list.

And then come back to this space next week (or sign up on the orange bar above) and I’ll show you how to start unlocking that revenue.