#20 I realized that the more you work for yourself, the more you should make your content creation a system

Last time, I spoke with someone who does hand massages on their own, and
I felt that "there might be many people who want to post but can't find the time."
and

They have an Instagram account and a website.
They also have the desire to use them to attract customers.
But they don't have the time to post.
They don't know what to write.
Even when they open the apps, they just end up looking at other people's posts.

Hearing that,
I thought that for people working for themselves, it might be difficult to keep posting based on willpower alone.

They have their main business.
They have to deal with customers.
They have household matters.
They have daily chores.

In the midst of all that, thinking of a post on the spot every time,
writing the text, choosing an image, and checking the timing to post.

That is quite a lot of work.

For content creation,
it might be important not just to "try hard," but to
set it up as a system

I know content creation is important. But I can't find the time.

I think that for people working for themselves,
they know that content creation is important.

To get known.
To be remembered.
To lead to bookings.
To convey their personality.
To make people feel at ease coming to them.

They probably know that they should be active on Instagram and their website.

But knowing that and
actually being able to continue are two different things.

When there is work right in front of you,
content creation inevitably gets pushed to the back burner.

Today's customers.
Preparation for tomorrow.
Confirming bookings.
Treatments and customer service.
Cleaning up.
Responding to messages.

These things take priority. Naturally.

After that,
even if you think, "Okay, let's post,"
your brain is already tired. Another day where I couldn't do it...

In that state,
thinking about what to write is exhausting, and the choice to stop becomes a habit.

Posting is less of a task and more of a series of "decisions."

Posting isn't just about
typing out words, is it?

There are so many small decisions to make, aren't there?

What should I write today?
Who should I write it for?
Which photo should I use?
Should it be an announcement or something about my daily life?
Will it sound too much like a sales pitch?
Is it too long?
Is this appropriate to post right now?
What about hashtags?

Thinking about all of this on the spot every time
is mentally exhausting. It makes you zone out.

The reason you can't post
isn't just because you lack writing skills.

It's not just because you don't have time, either.

It's because there are too many things to decide every single time.

That might be why you open Instagram but can't post anything,
and end up just scrolling instead.

Systematizing reduces the amount you have to think.

Systematizing your content creation
doesn't mean you'll automatically attract customers without doing anything.

Rather,
it just means you don't have to start from scratch every time.

For example,

Monday is for announcements.
Tuesday is for questions I'm often asked by customers.
Wednesday is for explaining my treatments or services.
Thursday is for posts about my daily life or personality.
Friday is for booking status and availability updates.

Like this,
you can decide on a post template in advance. You should just turn it into a routine.

Even just doing that
reduces the time spent wondering,
“What should I write today?”

If your post theme is already decided,
all you have to do is fill in the content.

Instead of thinking about the dish name every time,
it's like having it decided that
“Today is curry day”
or “Today is noodle day.”

That alone makes things much easier.

You don't need to overthink your post themes from the start.

If you run a personal business or work for yourself,
I don't think your post themes need to be complicated.

For example, how about content like this?

Information for first-time visitors.
Frequently asked questions.
Explanations of treatments or services.
Things customers tend to be anxious about.
Things you want them to know before booking.
The philosophy you value.
Information on available slots and business days.
Stories that convey your daily life and personality.

Even just this much can serve as material for your posts.

You don't have to write something special every time.

In fact, for someone seeing your content for the first time, basic information or FAQs can sometimes be more helpful.

What kind of person is running this?
Does it seem easy to visit for the first time?
What should I know before booking?

Just having that small amount of information
leads to peace of mind for the viewer.

Stocking up on post drafts helps your future self

On days when you have some spare time,
create a few post drafts.

This is also a form of systematization.

They don't have to be perfect sentences.

Things customers often ask you.
Things you value in your treatments.
Information for first-time visitors.
Things you want them to know before booking.
The reason you do this work.
Things you've felt recently.

Just keeping a memo of these
post materials makes a difference, doesn't it?

On days when you are tired,
thinking of sentences from scratch is too heavy.

But if you have a memo you made earlier,
you can edit it slightly and post it.

This is like a gift for your future self.

Your busy self
gets helped by your past self.

To keep posting,
this feeling might be important.

For individual businesses, content that conveys 'personality' is essential

When you work as an individual,
it's different from large shops or corporations.

It is not just about facilities and prices;
“what kind of person is running it”
can become important.

A shop you visit for the first time.
A treatment you receive for the first time.
A person you meet for the first time.

As a customer, aren't you anxious? I get anxious too.

People often look at the atmosphere first to see if they can feel at ease.

That is why, if your personality can be seen even a little through your outreach,
it can lead to peace of mind.

What kind of thoughts do you have while working?
What kind of people do you want to come?
What kind of things do you value?
What kind of atmosphere does the place have?

These things,
I think, are not something you write once and finish,
but something you convey little by little.

But it is difficult to think about that on the spot every time.

That is precisely why
it might be good to have posts that convey your personality
set as themes in advance.

Websites and Instagram are not finished once they are created

Just having your Instagram or website on your business card
is, of course, an entry point.

But, don't people who come to see it
sometimes think, “I wonder if this hasn't been updated recently?”
Like, the last update was last year (laughs).

If updates have stopped,
I wonder if they are still operating.
Is it okay to make a reservation?
Is it okay to inquire?

There is a possibility that people will think that. And I do think that.

Therefore, even if you cannot post every day,
it might be important to have some regular activity.

It doesn't have to be a perfect post.
It doesn't have to be a long text.

“I am still actively working”
“I am doing this with these thoughts in mind”
“I want these kinds of people to come”

Even if that is conveyed little by little,
I think it leads to peace of mind for the people watching.

Automation is not for slacking off on outreach, but for continuing it

When you use the word automation,
it can sometimes give a slightly cold impression.

Mechanical.
Cutting corners.
Taking the easy way out.
Losing the human touch.

Some people might have that image.

But I think a little differently.

Automation is not for slacking off on content creation,
but a support system to keep going. A support system.

To focus on your main business.
To value customer service.
To make it harder for your content creation to stop even on days when you are tired.
To reduce the burden of thinking from scratch every time.

For that purpose,
you can batch your posting schedule,
stockpile your post drafts,
and make your post management visible.

It's not cutting corners,
it's saving time.

Of course, just because you automate your posts,
it doesn't mean you are guaranteed to attract customers immediately.

But by continuing to post without stopping,
I think it leads to increasing the opportunities for people to get to know you.

First, create a 'state where it's easy to post'

When you can't keep up with content creation,
trying to increase your posts all of a sudden will just tire you out.

Let's post every day.
Let's make Reels too.
Let's keep Stories active too.
Let's update the website too.

When you think like that,
it's too heavy from the start.

First,
create a state where it's easy to post.

For example,

Decide on 5 post themes.
Create templates for frequently used text.
Draft just 3 posts.
Decide where to put photos.
Decide how many times a week to post.
Make your posting schedule visible.

This much is enough.

You don't have to be perfect from the start.

Even if it's just a small step,
the hurdle to posting will be lowered.

Maybe what I am creating also leads to that

At first, I was making a
Threads auto-posting tool for myself.

It's exhausting to feel like I have to post every day.
It's a burden to think of post content on the spot.
I want to manage my posting schedule all in one place.

That was what started it all.

However, after hearing from people who work for themselves,
I thought that perhaps this isn't just my own struggle.

Even if the industry is different,
and the social media used is different,
the reasons why posting gets pushed to the back burner are similar.

I don't have time.
I don't know what to write.
I don't have the bandwidth to research.
I end up just opening the app and looking at it.

That is precisely why
creating a format that makes it easier to post might be meaningful.

Summary

I realized that for those working for themselves,
it is difficult to keep posting based on willpower alone.

You have your main business.
You have customer support.
You have your daily life.

In the midst of all that, thinking of a post on the spot every time is quite tough.

That's why you should systematize your content creation.

Decide on posting themes.
Prepare your posts in advance.
Make your posting schedule visible.
Stock up a little on days when you have extra time.

Even just doing that
should reduce the daily burden a little.

The reason you can't post
isn't because you lack motivation.

It might just be that the environment
to make posting easier isn't set up yet.

Thinking of it that way,
perhaps content creation can be continued more gently.