Tempted to buy marketing templates that take care of your newsletters and social media posts? Stop. Unless you want to donate money to the seller. Here’s why it will never get you results. Especially since the world changed in March 2020. The problem is not the quotes, or the posts, it’s the lack of YOU in them. Why You Really Can't Use Other People's Templates It’s the lack of you using analytics (that are FREE on every social media platform) that kills your social media marketing. No one is you. If you’re given a template you’ve taken personal training and already watered it down. Personal training that is about the uniqueness of an individual – their flexibility, mobility, strength, endurance, their alignment, their daily repetitive movements and postures… should also be about the optimal match between the client and the unique trainer. You're the Brand You’re unique in your “why” and your education, and credentials, in your life history and work history. You’re unique in your brand. Marketing templates that give you the same quote cards and memes, even images to use as any other trainer, make you lost in the sea of hundreds of thousands of trainers pouring content online. What’s happening now is that the few that are good, really good, really connecting are standing out. You can still find room to stand out too. What you do need is a system. You need a style guide, and a way to create blog posts that don’t take you 8 hours like many other well-researched articles can. You want to know how to generate SEO for gaining traffic organically before you ever spend money on advertisements. The short cuts right now? The work every day. Your GPS So, it’s true my friend. You will work harder. You will not have it handed to you. And it’s also true that you will sustain your career by rolling up your sleeves. I will add a link in this very short episode for both the Style Guide, and for the 5-Minute Blog posts. If you don’t have content on your website, start with the 5 Minute Blog Posts. Block off three hours. Create 6-8 blog posts of at a minimum 300 words. Give each a scientific reference and an internal link your website. Don’t ask a blog reader to buy something. Ask them to leave a comment or question. Ask them to follow you on social media. When you have the right actions in the right sequence you will create a business that will last. Resources: 5 Minute Blog   Style Guide   Leave a rating, comment, and subscribe in iTunes   Ask a question there and I’ll answer it in a future podcast