Keep your audience engaged in half the time
Use this quick approach to stay connected with less effort.
Six months into the financial services industry, I was at a friend’s place, glass of wine in hand, frustratingly looking over the {ridiculous} 12-page sales presentation we were using in our office.
I’d gone on a bunch of appointments, but hadn’t closed a thing. I knew something was wrong, I just didn’t know what. So I asked my friend to role play with me and tell me what I could improve.
We turned it into a girl’s night. Food, libations etc. After eating and carrying on for a little bit, we start role playing. I think I’m killing it - until my friend abruptly stops me with a look of absolute horror on her face.
Her: Why are you saying all that?
Me: What you mean? All what?
Her: You’re going through every page line-by-line. That’s not how it’s supposed to be used.
Me: 🤯🤯🤯
She told me to treat the presentation like a tool kit. There were some base parts that should be covered every time, so I should keep those essentials on my tool belt for quick access. But the rest were tools in my toolbox to be used as needed, depending on the prospect I was sitting in front of.
Once I did this, everything changed. My presentations were shorter, prospects were more engaged, and I finally started closing. Also, bonus points for the fact that people were no longer kicking me out of their house.
Did you know that audience engagement drops off by as much as 45% when they’re hit with content overload from a single creator?
It’s easy to think more is better. But just like my packed presentation was pushing prospects away, too much content risks burning out your audience.
The trick? Have your essentials - the “belt” - that keeps your audience hooked, and save the rest for things like your lead magnets, offers, and coaching.
You’ll not only avoid exhausting your followers, but you’ll create that “can’t wait for the next post” feeling that keeps them coming back.
Here’s how I use my 5 step S.H.A.R.P. Framework to keep my posting schedule engaging:
S – Start with Your Essentials: Pick 1-3 core themes that you know will resonate deeply with your audience.
H – Hold Back on Extra Content: Only add extra thoughts or angles as part of your outlier content - lead magnets, offers, and coaching. People that opt-in for those are identifying that they’re interested in the non-core content.
A – Analyze Engagement: Track what your audience loves most and use that as your guide.
R – Refine Consistency: Set a posting rhythm that you can keep up with, and that leaves your readers excited instead of overwhelmed.
P – Prioritize Rest Days: Every audience needs breathing room. Pausing gives your best posts space to shine. If you’re a daily poster, this means spacing them out properly throughout the day.
Why This Works
Posting overload is a silent killer for a lot of would-be personal brands.
People who start off with a cadence of posting too much often end up getting discouraged faster, leading them to opt for the other extreme of not posting enough.
The inconsistency causes the audience to disengage further.
Here’s what you’ll get out of it:
You’ll build anticipation, keeping your audience hungry for the next post.
You’ll create content that sticks, instead of getting lost
You’ll keep the process enjoyable for yourself, which shines through in your work.
“You don’t need to post everything, everywhere, all at once.”
Your Turn
Take a hard look at your current posting schedule.
What’s the #1 piece of content you’re sharing that feels forced or drains your energy?
Strip it down to the essentials, and focus on what you actually want your audience to remember. Set aside the extras - just for this week - and commit to a schedule that prioritizes impact over volume.
You’ll be surprised at how much more engaged your audience becomes when you stop posting for the sake of posting and start sharing with purpose.