10 MICRO-ARTICLES

FOR CREATING
IRRESISTIBLE CONTENT

It’s surprisingly simple.

These are the best of the best articles

for creating engaging content that
your audience loves.

Follow these strategies and

tactics, and you’ll soar to the top
1% of content creators.
#1 HOW TO CREATE
IRRESISTIBLE CONTENT

Want your content to break through the noise? It needs to be engaging and shareable.

Master both and you’ll soar to the top 1% of content creators.

Engaging means it’s (1) worth consuming (reading/listening/watching), and (2) worth interacting with
(reacting/liking/commenting).

And shareability matters because you want people to spread your content and extend your reach.
People will do that if it makes them look cool or smart. And if they want to be associated with your
work, that’s the ultimate sign they loved it — the holy grail of reactions.

But if people aren’t consuming or interacting with your content, they’ll never share it (duh).

So you need to know what motivates people to consume, then share.

Here’s my formula for getting there: Create something insightful, relevant, and actionable.

It’s incredibly simple. You just have to do it correctly.

The first step is creating something insightful… as in, interesting and thought-provoking. I do that by
writing content that’s directly related to my audience’s challenges and interests.

Here’s how I decide if something is truly insightful (and worth including): I call it the eyebrow test.

Because if something is truly insightful, I raise my eyebrows.

A reframe is a beautiful way to create something insightful because it forces your reader to rethink
their reality. They will naturally lean in and read more to address the curiosity you’ve sparked.

If something is thought-provoking, they’ll go furrow and go down.

Before publishing your next piece of content, ask yourself: What insight am I providing?

Then stress test it. Did my eyebrows move?

(Hopefully your eyebrows danced a bit reading this insightful content about insightful content.)
#2 CONTENT STRATEGY,
SIMPLIFIED

I got lunch with a friend recently who runs marketing at a B2B startup and wants to create his own
personal brand on LinkedIn.

He asked me for advice on building their brand and getting a content engine going. (I knew there
was a reason he offered to pay!) It was a good convo, and worth sharing with you.

His questions = italics. My answers = everything else.

What exactly is content strategy?

It’s pretty straightforward.

Content strategy is the process of ideating, creating, delivering, and managing content to
achieve a strategic goal.

TL,DR: Using content to grow your brand/business/whatever.

How’s it different from content marketing?

Content marketing is creating and delivering said content.

Think of it like this:

Content strategy is the what and the why.

Content marketing is the how.

Content strategy is a lot of decision making and planning – it’s your playbook. Content marketing is a
lot of writing and distribution, and is part of your content strategy.

Go back. What strategic goals specifically?

Think of the bullet points on your CEO’s “big goals” slide.

Usually revenue (that’s a safe bet. You can NEVER go wrong creating revenue with your content).
But it can be more nuanced or niche too. Could be:

• Breaking into a new vertical

• Brand building
• Increasing market share
• Supporting a new product launch
• Launching a category
• Pipeline. Wait, that’s basically revenue. But still. Pipeline.

That’s for B2B marketing teams. Individuals use content strategy to build their personal brand,
sell their product/service, and land new roles.

Hmmm… So you have two? One for Gong and one for you, Devin Reed.

You’re a fast learner.

Smart ass. So how do I create a content strategy?

That’s a two parter. Here’s a high level:

First, you need a brand strategy.

There are three core pillars in an effective and memorable brand strategy:

• Clear, unique point of view (POV)

• Clear target audience
• Defined brand tone

These critical elements are your baseline before choosing your topics, medium, or distribution chan-
nels or putting anything out into the world.

Then you decide what content to create and where to publish/promote:

• Medium (written, video, podcast, etc)

• Channel (web, email, social media, etc)

Combine the two and you’re ahead of 90% of marketers and frankly any content creator.

OK last one. Why do content strategies fail? We both know most B2B sucks.
Most people actually don’t have a detailed content strategy. They just go create content and hope
for the best.

To answer why it sucks...

• They don’t know their audience well enough, so the content isn’t insightful
• It’s usually a product pitch masked as content marketing (never works)
• It doesn’t provide value to the reader
• It doesn’t stand out
• They aren’t consistent with their output
• As a result, they don’t hit any strategic goals.

They just end up spending time and money on content that collects more dust than visitors.
#3 TWO TECHNIQUES FOR
UNIGNORABLE SUBJECT LINES

Writing effective email subject lines is a super power.

Get it right, and you’ll grab attention and turn email into a persuasive tool for sharing information
and driving action.

Fail, and all the hard work you put into your sales/marketing/personal email will go unnoticed
(and unanswered).

It’s important to remember that your email subject line isn’t read in a vacuum – it’s surrounded
by waves of other emails in your reader’s inbox.

So it’s critical that yours stands out.

The key is having a trusted framework you can rely on.Here are two techniques you can use
when writing email subject lines:

Tip #1 Drive curiosity

I call it the “mystery” subject line. The goal is to create curiosity that motivates your reader to
open your email. By clicking, they hope to “solve” the curiosity within the body of the email.

You’re specifically being vague to intrigue the reader. Examples:

Subject line “This can’t be right” “I might be wrong” “Does this work for you?”

Reader’s
What can’t be right? Wrong about what? Does what work for me?
Reaction

(Notice the question mark in the last example – it’s designed to incite curiosity).

All this intentional suspense builds up and drives your reader to click.

Warning: You MUST “solve” the curiosity your subject line creates in the body of the email.
Otherwise it will feel like a manipulative gimmick to steal attention (aka clickbait).
Tip #2 Get specific

This is the complete opposite of the mystery subject line.

The “tactical” headline is straightforward and tells the reader exactly what’s inside.
The goal is to be upfront and clear about the value inside your email in order to entice the
reader to open.

Example: How to book A LOT more meetings with LinkedIn

The key here is two fold:

1. The topic has to be applicable to your audience. Specificity is key. My audience is sales

pros, so “using LinkedIn” is something they do and are about.

2. Include an outcome (ie, book more meetings) that your reader cares about. Just saying

“How to use LinkedIn” would have been too vague to be effective.

Relevant topic + desired outcome = compelling subject line.

If you use just one of these techniques this week, you’ll up your email game immediately.

Master both and your emails will become truly unignorable.

#4 PLAYING THE “WHAT IF” GAME?
Many of us play the “what if” game in our heads.

It starts with an idea like, Maybe I’ll take on that new project.

Then that voice in our head jumps in and starts saying, “What if…”.

And that voice LOVES negativity. So you end up with thoughts like:

What if I fail? What if it doesn’t work out? What if I look stupid?

On and on it goes.

(There’s a lot of research on this. It’s called negative self-talk.)

This pattern prevents us from taking chances and reaching our fullest potential because it crushes
hope before it has a chance to evolve into greatness.

So instead of going for it, we spiral into negative ‘what ifs’ until we’ve convinced ourselves that the
best route is doing nothing at all.

And playing the “what if” game this way means you’re guaranteed to lose.

That’s because you’re only playing HALF the game. You’ve stopped before giving yourself a chance
to counter with the positive “what ifs”.

What if it’s a huge success? What if I DO get that job offer? What if this becomes the biggest win
of my career?

Too often, we stop in the face of negative self-talk and never play out the positives that could emerge.

I used to play the negative “what if” game all the time. Weekly. Daily. Hourly.

Without realizing it, I had become my own worst critic — a heckler in the stands who was so effective
that I wouldn’t even put on my jersey because “I’d probably lose anyway, so why bother?”

I still have negative thoughts from time to time, specifically when I come up with ideas that require
trying something new or putting myself out there (like creating the Content Strategy Reeder).
But now I acknowledge when it’s happening and force myself to finish the game. I make myself
think of positive possibilities on a 1:1 ratio. For every scary possibility, I come up with one good one.

Try it this week. You’ll feel more empowered, less stressed, and your self-confidence will soar.

It’s a tiny change that’ll have a HUGE impact on your mood throughout the day.

I’m sharing this because you might be playing (or losing) the “what if” game and not even know it.

And if you’re nervous about a big idea, hopefully this is the nudge you need to go for it.
#5 HOW TO CREATE ACTIONABLE
“HOW-TO” CONTENT

Actionable content helps your reader solve a problem.

And readers LOVE it.

But for some reason actionable content is underproduced.

Not enough content creators think about what their audience can actually do with the great
information they provide. They often think that outlining a problem is enough, but it’s not.

Truly actionable content gives your reader a quick win.

Here’s the formula:

Insight + how to = actionable content

And here’s an example:

Insight = We’ve discovered that the most effective cold email call-to-action (CTA) asks for interest
instead of time to meet (source: Gong).

How-to = If you want to book more meetings, ask prospects, “Are you interested in discussing
[topic]?” instead of, “Do you have 30 minutes to meet?”

Now the reader knows what to do and how to do it.

Boom shakalaka! Mission accomplished.

If I had dropped the how-to content bomb on its own, my reader wouldn’t have understood what
problem it addressed or how to avoid using ineffective tactics in the future.

And if I had outlined the insight without something deeply actionable, then reader’s are left thinking,
“So what?”

Providing both pieces of the formula is essential if you want to get to, “Damn, that’s good! I’m gonna
share it.”
Here are four easy ways to provide the how-to element:

1. Include concrete examples of the idea or topic you’re discussing

2. Describe a “solve” — a unique way to make the reader’s life easier
3. Give people a quick step-by-step guide (like the one you’re reading right now)
4. Provide some copy/paste text they can use in their own work

Remember, actionable content is shareable content.

And when you give folks something worthwhile, they’ll keep comin’ back for more.

PS: Check out this checklist courtesy of Lynette Chua

#6 DEBUNKING “PERSONALIZATION
AT SCALE”

Nothing matters more than your audience.

As a content creator, that means your #1 priority is understanding your audience.

Despite the amount of content created today, most of it completely ignores this principle.

As a result, messaging doesn’t resonate, and content struggles to get traction or real results
(aside from high unsubscribe rates).

Take email for example, marketing campaigns or sales prospecting.

Most people think that using dynamic fields is personalization.

You know, fields like First Name, Company Name, Industry.

Those details get plugged into email campaigns and sequences and viola – personalization!

I call BS.

Buyers assume you know the basics about them because that stuff’s on their LinkedIn profile or
available in a basic Google search.

True personalization means speaking directly to a problem that your audience faces right now
in a way that resonates with them emotionally.

This is key for capturing — and keeping — their attention.

But first, here’s what you need to know:

-What do they care about (e.g., growing their business)?

-What are their challenges (e.g., building pipeline efficiently)?

-Which words do they use to describe their problems (e.g., do they say “email campaigns”
or “nurture sequences”)?
-Why are their challenges unsolved (e.g., they don’t know which part of their strategy works and which
doesn’t)

-Which emotions do they associate with those challenges (e.g., uncertainty, frustration, stress)?

Once you answer those questions, you’re ready to create irresistible outbound messaging.

The kind that helps you build your brand/pipeline/sales – you name it.

You might be wondering, but how do I do that at scale?

You can’t. “Personalization at scale” is nonsense.

Building relationships with your audience isn’t a volume game, it’s a value game.

Take the time to truly understand your audience, and you’ll build a loyal following and client base.
#7 1M VIEWS - LINKEDIN POST
BREAKDOWN

One of my LinkedIn posts got one million views, and I’m wondering.. why?

What exactly happened that

motivated so many people to
engage?

Of course I had an idea of how

it would land when I wrote it,
but after seeing it hit a new level
of virality, and after reading the
many, many the comments,
I can see why I got my intended
outcome – and a lot more.
Here’s a breakdown:

1. It’s very short.

One sentence all but guarantees that you read the entire post.

This forces an immediate reaction (pun intended). You either engage – react or comment – or scroll on.

No need to click See More on this one. It’s impossible to lose your attention because I didn’t try to
hold it.

2. It sparked an emotional response.

Some people simply hate tattoos. They view them as unprofessional, bad decisions, and are often
judgemental of people who have them. Why would you do that to your body??

On the other side are tattoo owners and supporters. They think judging someone – especially their
professional ability – based on their body art is ridiculous. It’s art!
And I knew this visceral response would force people to pick a lane. Something the comment
section (quickly) confirmed.

3. It’s a personal story.

If I had simply said “I can’t believe people still think tattoos are unprofessional!” the post wouldn’t
have the same emotional pull.

That’s because stories are WAY more relatable, and therefore a more engaging vehicle for sharing
your opinion and experience. Plus I shared a lot about myself in one line:

-I have a ton of tattoos

-I was told I was making a career-limiting mistake
-I proved that stereotype wrong

This personal story also makes me more approachable, more human – despite having way more
tattoos than the average person.

There’s no perfect formula for growing your reach, but these are elements you can rely on time
and time again. If you’re looking for ways to boost your content’s engagement, use these insights
to guide your creation process. Don’t shy away from emotion.
#8 HOW TO SPARK NEW IDEAS
My best ideas never come from staring at a blank page.

I wish I could just flip a switch and brilliance pours out of me.

But the truth is, that almost never happens.

You probably feel the same way. Getting started is the hardest part when creating content.

If you want to consistently create new ideas, you need a creative process you can rely on.

That means becoming aware of what gets you in the zone (or “flow” state).

I’ve learned that my best writing comes from movement.

Try these out next time you need a new idea or motivation to create content:

1. Walk outside

By putting your body on autopilot, you give your brain room to run free and explore.

It starts combing over information, making connections, and new ideas will spark as a result.
I prefer no headphones to reduce distractions, but some people also benefit from focus music.

Even just 20 minutes a day will make a major impact on your focus and creativity.

2. Short, intense exercise

This is where I find my spark. A two mile run, 20 minutes on the Peloton – anything that gets me
out of breath and sweating is GOLD.

There’s research that discovered exercise makes us more likely to share information. Part of that
is because exercising releases endorphins, and endorphins make us happy. And being happy is how
I like to write.
3. Conversations

In order to create an output, you need an input. Spark new ideas by having conversations
with other people who are in your industry or share your expertise.

Listening to other peoples’ challenges and how they’re solving them will provide a new perspective
for you. You might hear something that inspires you or causes you to think critically – both are
fantastic sources of new ideas.

This is what works for me, but at the end of the day, you’ll find what works best for you.
Maybe you’re sharp in the morning, or maybe you’re a night owl and prefer to write then.

Be mindful of what works and what doesn’t and refine your creation process around it.

(I used #1 one to write this post).

Give these a try this week and see what creativity strikes.
#9 WHO’S YOUR VILLAIN?
Yesterday I did an exercise with my social media team at Gong.

The focus?

Talking about our villain.

You might be wondering what the hell villains and content creation have to do with each other.

But villains aren’t just for Marvel movies.

You need a villain to guide your point of view (AKA your POV – how you see the world and envision
what it could be).

Because identifying and attacking your villain will help guide your content focus and build trust
with your audience.

Let’s break that down real quick:

Your villain is the thing that prevents your audience from being successful.

It’s typically the thing your company solves.

Drift’s enemy is website forms because they prohibit meaningful buyer-sellers conversations.
Gong’s enemy is lack of visibility because it hinders revenue growth.

The Reeder’s enemy is ineffective content because it prevents strategic growth.

This is important because you need a problem (villain) to justify your solution.

Why this works: Studies have shown that people are more likely to bond over a shared dislike
– rather than a shared fondness – of a third party.

In other words, you can build trust with your audience by sharing a common enemy.
Your villain will also guide the content you create, helping you stay focused on a single topic that
aligns with the product/service you sell.

The problem is that most B2B marketers think that their product is therefore the hero because it
defeats their villain. Hooray! Go product!

Wrong.

Your audience is ALWAYS the hero.

Because when it comes to your narrative, readers will only identify with your story if they see
themselves in your narrative.

When they see a hero is like them – for example, a fellow marketer who also struggles with web
conversions (negative outcome brought on by the villain) – they naturally identify with them.

They aren’t going to relate to your story if the hero is a product or service they don’t know,
haven’t used, and don’t understand.

(Read that again.)

Drift’s heroes are marketers.

Gong’s heroes are sales professionals.

The Reeder’s heroes are content creators (you!).

But here’s the thing: The most common mistake is making the audience the villain.

When you attack your audience (even if unintentionally) you distance yourself from them
– pushing them away from you and towards your competitors.

That makes your product/service the sidekick. Your job is to help the hero defeat the villain.

So ask yourself: Who is my villain?

Identify your villain. Uplift your hero. Win together.

#10 GOALS & MILESTONES
There are no “secrets” to success. No one thing – just do THIS and you’ll be a millionaire! – exists.

But in my content career I’ve found that focus and momentum are critical for long-term progress.
The best way to stay focused is to set goals. And the best way to build (and keep) momentum is
to set milestones.

Creating goals and milestones is the most important part of your content strategy because they
guide all of your decisions and content creation efforts.

Without goals and milestones, you’ll create a content hamster wheel – you’ll burn time, money,
and energy with little show for it.

But with them, you’ll accelerate your success and build massive confidence along the way.

For context, I followed this framework in 2021 to…

• Double my LinkedIn audience (20k 44k)

• Build and launch CSR
• Reach 182% of The Reeder’s revenue target

The strategy is simple. It really just comes down to how you execute. Let’s get into it.

Step 1: Lock in your strategic goal

What’s your strategic goal? In other words, what do you want to accomplish?

This is the Why behind your content strategy. It’s how you ensure your content is intentional.
Don’t limit yourself. Think BIG – really big.

Do you want to create a new revenue stream? Do you want to pivot or elevate your career?
Do you want to increase your income?

The right content strategy can fuel all of these. Here are some examples:

• Launch a customer success bootcamp to make supplemental income

• Close two deals per month using LinkedIn so I can save for my dream car
• Reach 10k engaged followers on LinkedIn so I can position myself as an industry leader
Notice “posting on LinkedIn every day” is not on the list. That’s a tactic that might help you reach
your goal (directly or indirectly), but it’s too small to be your strategic goal.

All of the goals above will take some time to accomplish, and that’s a good thing! It means you’re
building something big.

But here’s the thing: when setting out on a long-term journey, it’s common to give up when results
don’t come right away. After chipping away for a few weeks, you might get disappointed because
you still haven’t reached your goal.

Instead of focusing on what you have done, you focus on the success you haven’t experienced
(ie, your strategic goal). Unable to recognize your progress, frustration sets in and you’re tempted
to say, “Ah screw it” and quit.

This is why most people fail. And that’s why you need milestones.

Step 2: Define your milestones

Milestones are micro goals that you set along the journey to your big goal. And they’re critical
for maintaining momentum.

Think of them as checkpoints in your journey.When creating them, you want to be thoughtful,
specific, and realistic. You’re essentially listing the building blocks needed to reach your strategic
goal. Brick by brick you’ll build your Rome.

The final aspect of creating your milestones is including completion dates so you can hold yourself
accountable.

OK, here comes the fun. It’s time to create your goals (yes, right now, while you sip your espresso,
walk your dog, sit by the fire, or however you prefer to do your thinking).

I created an *insanely* simple Goals & Milestones Template that you can use to create your goals
and milestones in minutes. I even filled out an example version to help guide you.
You can check it out here.

Warning: it’s just a Google doc. Make a copy and go nuts :)

Last thing: If I were to include a Step 3, it would be to Commit. Once you lock in your goals and
milestones, commit to them mentally.

It’s the difference between having goals and reaching them.