Copyright 2015 WishList Products
Copyright 2015 WishList Products
How to Create Epic Content Blueprint 3 Simple Content Patterns to Educate, Entertain and Engage Your Audience Presented by WishList Products
Copyright 2015 WishList Products
Section 1: The Psychology of Epic Content Why Is Epic Content So Important?
It’s the cornerstone of your community; the rallying point It’s how you spark engagement Getting the psychology of epic content creates consistency
5 Elements of Epic Content
Consumption Conversation Impact Interaction Anticipation
Consumption
Make your content easy to consume One concept per piece of content Small bites > big bites Max 3 lines per paragraph
Conversation
Create content that sparks conversation Create controversy (tipping sacred cows) Get personal (52% of content shared online is: food, home, lifestyle) Get emotional (EMV > 30)
Impact
Create content that impacts people’s lives Action-oriented content (gets results) Backed by real research, stories (believable) Anecdotal (inspiring)
Copyright 2015 WishList Products
Interaction
Create interaction around your content Ask for interaction (questions, comments, results) Highlight the good comments YOU interact
Anticipation
Get members to anticipate upcoming content Event calendar Overlapping content Ritualized content
Getting Started
Identify 5 ways you can make your content more epic Create a plan for your next piece of content Execute!
Copyright 2015 WishList Products
Section 2: How to Create Epic Content Without Thinking Why It Matters
Consistency matters It’s test-able Eliminate most of the mental effort
The Big Secret
Content patterns Use frameworks for creating epic content Accomplish the Big 3: Educate, Entertain, Engage
The Content Patterns
Why Everything Malcolm Gladwell Writes is Awesome Eben Pagan’s 4 Learning Styles 7 Steps to An Irresistible Story
Getting Started
Watch each lesson Pick a pattern that resonates Create your next 5 pieces of content
Copyright 2015 WishList Products
Section 3: Why Everything Malcolm Gladwell Writes is Awesome Why This Works
It naturally creates drama (tipping sacred cows) Positions your content as a deeper truth (more valuable) Naturally leads into a call to action
The Pattern
Describe a commonly-accepted idea Tell your audience it’s wrong (hook) Describe in detail why Describe how it affects your audience Tell them what they should do as a result
Types of Challenges
Organization o What seems organized is disorganized o What seems disorganized is organized Composition o What seems like separate parts is a single element o What seems like a single element is separate parts Abstraction o What seems individualistic is holistic o What seems holistic is individualistic Generalization o What seems local is general o What seems general is local Stabilization o What seems stable is unstable o What seems unstable is stable Function o What seems to function ineffectively functions effectively o What seems to function effectively functions ineffectively Evaluation o What seems bad is good o What seems good is bad Copyright 2015 WishList Products
Co-relation o Elements that seem unrelated are related o Elements that seem related are unrelated Co-existence o Elements that appear they can’t exist together can o Elements that appear they can exist together can’t Co-variation o Elements whose variance seems to correlate doesn’t o Elements whose variance seems not do correlate does Opposition o Elements that appear to be similar aren’t o Elements that appear to be opposite aren’t Causation o What seems to cause an effect doesn’t o What seems not to cause an effect does
Getting Started
Identify some commonly-accepted myths in your niche Find research/stories that back up the truth Create 5 pieces of content using this pattern
Copyright 2015 WishList Products
Section 4: Eben Pagan’s 4 Learning Styles Why This Works
The value of your information is in direct proportion to how much your prospect believes it’s going to solve their problem or give them the result they want Create content that addresses the 4 ways people learn best Ensures every learning style gets it Engages all parts of a learner’s brain
4 Learning Styles
Value-Oriented Learner Big Picture Learner Technical Learner Go-Getter
Value-Oriented Learner
Why do I need to learn this? Need to be motivated to learn Get them excited Tell them what they’ll get if they learn it What I’ll get, what I’ll avoid, what I’ll lose if I don’t
Big Picture Learner
What am I going to learn? For theoretical types Want the concepts and theory Want the big picture The theory, the history, the science
Technical Learner
How do I do this? Need specific sequenced action stepts Step 1, Step 2, etc
Go-Getter
What if I go out and I do it? Copyright 2015 WishList Products
Use the technique and see the result What do to do right now Issue a challenge What to watch out for
Getting Started
Identify 5 step-by-step tutorials you can create Research the history, science, results, etc Create 5 pieces of content using the pattern
Copyright 2015 WishList Products
Section 5: 7 Steps to An Irresistible Story Why This Works
Based on a time-tested storytelling pattern Naturally positions your content as highly valuable Leads naturally into a call to action
The 7 Steps
Hero Problem Guide Plan Call to Action Comedy Tragedy
Hero
The main character making the journey/transformation Called to a task outside their comfort zone, but necessary NOT the strongest or most reliable Changed by the adventure Who you want your audience to see themselves as
Problem
All stories need conflict. It’s the main question that the audience wants the answer to Without a central unanswered question, you lose the audience Will the character get out? Will they defeat the enemy? Will the guy get the girl? Will the team win the big game?
Guide
Characters don’t solve their own problems Somebody or something guides them out Empathizes with the hero because they’ve been there Gives the hero a plan When selling services, this is your product Copyright 2015 WishList Products
Plan
Given to the hero by the guide Will lead the hero out of their problem When selling products, this is the product
Call to Action
The point where a hero must decide to act on the plan A point of crisis in the story Stay in comfort zone or take action Guide calls the hero into action Will the rebels attack the Death Star?
Comedy
Stories with a happy ending are called a Comedy Audience must know what happens if the hero acts What’s at stake? This is your “after” results
Tragedy
Stories with a sad ending are tragedies Audience must know what happens if hero doesn’t act What will be lost? This is your warning
Important Notes
You’re usually selling the guide or the plan Educational/marketing content should always be a comedy Not following this pattern will likely cause you to lose your audience
Questions to Ask
Who were you and what did you want? What was the problem you faced and how did it make you feel? Who or what did you encounter that helped you What plan did you discover? What obstacles did you face in acting on the plan? What would you have lost if you failed? What did you gain by acting?
Copyright 2015 WishList Products
Types of Problems
Internal problems o Problems within the hero faces o Am I good enough? Am I brave enough? Am I cursed?
External problems o Outside forces affecting the hero o Some evil to defeat, a love to find, making the team
Philosophical problems o o o o
Effective story undertones Good vs Evil Nobility vs Savagery Freedom vs Tyranny
Getting Started
Identify a story from your life that helps illustrate your product Dramatize it using the pattern Test and tweak
Copyright 2015 WishList Products
Resources
http://www.aminstitute.com/headline/index.htm http://www.sfu.ca/~palys/interest.htm http://qz.com/132669/heres-why-everything-malcolm-gladwell-writes-is-socompelling/ https://blog.bufferapp.com/shareable-content-social-media-research https://blog.bufferapp.com/science-of-emotion-in-marketing http://coschedule.com/blog/emotional-headlines/
Copyright 2015 WishList Products
How to Create Epic Content Blueprint 3 Simple Content Patterns to Educate, Entertain and Engage Your Audience Presented by WishList Products
Copyright 2015 WishList Products
Section 1: The Psychology of Epic Content Why Is Epic Content So Important?
It’s the cornerstone of your community; the rallying point It’s how you spark engagement Getting the psychology of epic content creates consistency
5 Elements of Epic Content
Consumption Conversation Impact Interaction Anticipation
Consumption
Make your content easy to consume One concept per piece of content Small bites > big bites Max 3 lines per paragraph
Conversation
Create content that sparks conversation Create controversy (tipping sacred cows) Get personal (52% of content shared online is: food, home, lifestyle) Get emotional (EMV > 30)
Impact
Create content that impacts people’s lives Action-oriented content (gets results) Backed by real research, stories (believable) Anecdotal (inspiring)
Copyright 2015 WishList Products
Interaction
Create interaction around your content Ask for interaction (questions, comments, results) Highlight the good comments YOU interact
Anticipation
Get members to anticipate upcoming content Event calendar Overlapping content Ritualized content
Getting Started
Identify 5 ways you can make your content more epic Create a plan for your next piece of content Execute!
Copyright 2015 WishList Products
Section 2: How to Create Epic Content Without Thinking Why It Matters
Consistency matters It’s test-able Eliminate most of the mental effort
The Big Secret
Content patterns Use frameworks for creating epic content Accomplish the Big 3: Educate, Entertain, Engage
The Content Patterns
Why Everything Malcolm Gladwell Writes is Awesome Eben Pagan’s 4 Learning Styles 7 Steps to An Irresistible Story
Getting Started
Watch each lesson Pick a pattern that resonates Create your next 5 pieces of content
Copyright 2015 WishList Products
Section 3: Why Everything Malcolm Gladwell Writes is Awesome Why This Works
It naturally creates drama (tipping sacred cows) Positions your content as a deeper truth (more valuable) Naturally leads into a call to action
The Pattern
Describe a commonly-accepted idea Tell your audience it’s wrong (hook) Describe in detail why Describe how it affects your audience Tell them what they should do as a result
Types of Challenges
Organization o What seems organized is disorganized o What seems disorganized is organized Composition o What seems like separate parts is a single element o What seems like a single element is separate parts Abstraction o What seems individualistic is holistic o What seems holistic is individualistic Generalization o What seems local is general o What seems general is local Stabilization o What seems stable is unstable o What seems unstable is stable Function o What seems to function ineffectively functions effectively o What seems to function effectively functions ineffectively Evaluation o What seems bad is good o What seems good is bad Copyright 2015 WishList Products
Co-relation o Elements that seem unrelated are related o Elements that seem related are unrelated Co-existence o Elements that appear they can’t exist together can o Elements that appear they can exist together can’t Co-variation o Elements whose variance seems to correlate doesn’t o Elements whose variance seems not do correlate does Opposition o Elements that appear to be similar aren’t o Elements that appear to be opposite aren’t Causation o What seems to cause an effect doesn’t o What seems not to cause an effect does
Getting Started
Identify some commonly-accepted myths in your niche Find research/stories that back up the truth Create 5 pieces of content using this pattern
Copyright 2015 WishList Products
Section 4: Eben Pagan’s 4 Learning Styles Why This Works
The value of your information is in direct proportion to how much your prospect believes it’s going to solve their problem or give them the result they want Create content that addresses the 4 ways people learn best Ensures every learning style gets it Engages all parts of a learner’s brain
4 Learning Styles
Value-Oriented Learner Big Picture Learner Technical Learner Go-Getter
Value-Oriented Learner
Why do I need to learn this? Need to be motivated to learn Get them excited Tell them what they’ll get if they learn it What I’ll get, what I’ll avoid, what I’ll lose if I don’t
Big Picture Learner
What am I going to learn? For theoretical types Want the concepts and theory Want the big picture The theory, the history, the science
Technical Learner
How do I do this? Need specific sequenced action stepts Step 1, Step 2, etc
Go-Getter
What if I go out and I do it? Copyright 2015 WishList Products
Use the technique and see the result What do to do right now Issue a challenge What to watch out for
Getting Started
Identify 5 step-by-step tutorials you can create Research the history, science, results, etc Create 5 pieces of content using the pattern
Copyright 2015 WishList Products
Section 5: 7 Steps to An Irresistible Story Why This Works
Based on a time-tested storytelling pattern Naturally positions your content as highly valuable Leads naturally into a call to action
The 7 Steps
Hero Problem Guide Plan Call to Action Comedy Tragedy
Hero
The main character making the journey/transformation Called to a task outside their comfort zone, but necessary NOT the strongest or most reliable Changed by the adventure Who you want your audience to see themselves as
Problem
All stories need conflict. It’s the main question that the audience wants the answer to Without a central unanswered question, you lose the audience Will the character get out? Will they defeat the enemy? Will the guy get the girl? Will the team win the big game?
Guide
Characters don’t solve their own problems Somebody or something guides them out Empathizes with the hero because they’ve been there Gives the hero a plan When selling services, this is your product Copyright 2015 WishList Products
Plan
Given to the hero by the guide Will lead the hero out of their problem When selling products, this is the product
Call to Action
The point where a hero must decide to act on the plan A point of crisis in the story Stay in comfort zone or take action Guide calls the hero into action Will the rebels attack the Death Star?
Comedy
Stories with a happy ending are called a Comedy Audience must know what happens if the hero acts What’s at stake? This is your “after” results
Tragedy
Stories with a sad ending are tragedies Audience must know what happens if hero doesn’t act What will be lost? This is your warning
Important Notes
You’re usually selling the guide or the plan Educational/marketing content should always be a comedy Not following this pattern will likely cause you to lose your audience
Questions to Ask
Who were you and what did you want? What was the problem you faced and how did it make you feel? Who or what did you encounter that helped you What plan did you discover? What obstacles did you face in acting on the plan? What would you have lost if you failed? What did you gain by acting?
Copyright 2015 WishList Products
Types of Problems
Internal problems o Problems within the hero faces o Am I good enough? Am I brave enough? Am I cursed?
External problems o Outside forces affecting the hero o Some evil to defeat, a love to find, making the team
Philosophical problems o o o o
Effective story undertones Good vs Evil Nobility vs Savagery Freedom vs Tyranny
Getting Started
Identify a story from your life that helps illustrate your product Dramatize it using the pattern Test and tweak
Copyright 2015 WishList Products
Resources
http://www.aminstitute.com/headline/index.htm http://www.sfu.ca/~palys/interest.htm http://qz.com/132669/heres-why-everything-malcolm-gladwell-writes-is-socompelling/ https://blog.bufferapp.com/shareable-content-social-media-research https://blog.bufferapp.com/science-of-emotion-in-marketing http://coschedule.com/blog/emotional-headlines/
Copyright 2015 WishList Products
