A few years ago, I read a couple of standout books on business growth. Book Yourself Solid and Key Person of Influence.
They both landed the same idea in different ways. If you want to grow, you need to be known for something. Position yourself as the expert in your field.
After a couple of decades in marketing and creative industries, I realised I’d picked up a few useful things. So I started writing them down.
That sent me down the path of creating content properly.
At first, it was simple. A monthly blog. A newsletter here and there.
Then Covid hit, and things got a bit more creative. A bit more human. Not just to inform, but to entertain.
Some of the more ridiculous stories from my youth even made an appearance.
Dropping an entire pocketful of loose change in a Chinese restaurant? Tick.
My Aunty Nora’s dedication to tanning in the 80s? Also tick.
But the goal never changed.
Deliver something genuinely useful so the person reading it could move forward in their business.
That’s what this is really about. I wasn’t just posting for posting’s-sake, I was building authority.
Being the expert isn’t about knowing everything
You don’t need to be the loudest voice or across every trend.
You need clarity.
The businesses that win are known for something specific. They solve a clear problem for a clear audience and their content reflects that.
If your content could belong to anyone in your industry, it’s not building authority. It’s blending in.
Start here:
- What problem do you solve best?
- Who do you solve it for?
- What do they need to see before they trust you?
Be useful or be ignored
Most businesses get this backwards.
They use their content to talk about themselves. What they do. How long they’ve been doing it. Why they’re different.
But no one cares about that upfront.
It’s like being stuck next to someone at a party who only talks about themselves. You tune out pretty quickly.
Your audience is thinking about their problems, not your credentials.
So if your content is going to work, it needs to meet them there.
Focus on:
- what they’re struggling with
- what’s frustrating them
- what’s not working
Then help them make sense of it.
When your content feels like it’s written for them, not about you, something shifts. People pay attention. They start to trust you. And that’s what turns content into leads.
Answer the right questions
Your audience is moving through a journey. Problem → research → decision.
If your content only speaks to one stage, you lose them.
So keep it simple:
Awareness
“Why your marketing feels inconsistent”
Consideration
“What a content plan should actually include”
Decision
“How we build strategies that turn into enquiries”
That’s how content turns into leads.
Stop guessing. Build pillars.
If you’re making it up week to week, you’ll burn out.
Experts build around themes they want to be known for.
For you, that might be:
- content strategy
- messaging
- lead generation
- content mistakes
Now your content has direction. And over time, people start to associate you with those areas.
Have a point of view
Anyone can share tips.
Experts explain things clearly. Sometimes bluntly.
- “Posting more won’t fix your problem”
- “Engagement doesn’t mean it’s working”
You don’t need to be controversial. Just clear.
Because people remember clarity.
Make it human
There’s more content than ever. And a lot of it sounds the same.
Polished. Structured. Flat.
AI can help with direction. Planning. Getting started.
But it shouldn’t replace your voice.
People don’t connect with perfect content. They connect with perspective. Experience. Personality.
Before you post, ask:
- Does this sound like me?
- Would I actually say it this way?
That human layer is what builds trust.
Use AI for direction, not the final word
AI has changed the game. There’s no denying that.
It’s brilliant for getting ideas out of your head, structuring a plan, or helping you see gaps you might’ve missed.
But it’s a starting point, not the finished product.
If you rely on it too heavily, your content starts to sound like everyone else. Polished, but generic. Technically right, but lacking any real edge.
Use AI to:
- generate ideas
- structure your thinking
- add polish
Then layer in your experience.
Your opinions. Your way of explaining things. The little nuances that only come from actually doing the work.
That’s what makes your content feel real. And that’s what people connect with.
If you’re in Brisbane and looking for a marketing coach…
You’re not looking for someone who just posts nice content.
You’re looking for someone who can turn ideas into a clear plan. Someone who can connect content to actual leads.
That’s what your content should be showing before you even speak to them.
Final thought
Becoming the expert isn’t about impressing everyone.
It’s about making it easy for the right people to trust you.
Do that well, and your content stops being noise. It starts bringing in real opportunities.
If you’re in Brisbane and want help building a content strategy that actually drives enquiries, reach out and let’s map it out.