How to create content that sells for your small business

Table of contents

1. Why most small businesses struggle to sell

2. Three marketing principles that turn viewers to buyers

3. Content that sells

You don’t need a huge audience to sell.

There are countless accounts with 100,000+ followers that struggle to convert their audience into buyers. Meanwhile, smaller accounts, with less than 1,000 followers, are thriving, making consistent sales and growing their businesses. Why? Because they’ve mastered the art of creating content that sells.

Take me, for example: I regularly make sales with no issue whatsoever, despite having just 240 followers on Instagram, 630 on Pinterest, and an email list of about 700 people. My audience is relatively small, yet I make consistent daily sales because I know how to convert my audience and turn viewers into buyers.

The truth is, if you can’t convert your current audience—no matter how small it is—scaling to a larger one won’t magically fix the problem. You don’t need more followers; you need a better understanding of marketing principles. That’s what makes the difference.

In this blog, I’ll highlight three essential marketing principles you need to understand to create content that sells. These are foundational strategies that will help you convert viewers into buyers, even if you’re just starting out or have a small audience.

Let’s dive in.

Why most small businesses struggle to sell

The issue with many small businesses trying to sell online is that they stop at surface-level advice. They focus on trending TikTok content, Instagram content ideas, or other quick-fix tips. While trends can give you a temporary boost, they don’t create sustainable results.

What’s missing? A strong marketing foundation built on proven principles. Without it, your content might look good, but it won’t convert.

Every piece of content you post should serve two purposes:

1. Drive a short-term result: Whether it’s to sell, nurture, or educate, each post should have a clear goal.

2. Build your brand: You should view each content piece as a small brick that builds your brand. Your content should consistently communicate who you are by remaining true to your values and visual identity. And that’s why blindly following surface-level tips and trends could actually hinder your brand—not everything aligns with the image you’re trying to create.

By focusing on these two goals, you’re not only setting yourself up for short-term results but also building a brand that will stand the test of time.

Three marketing principles that convert viewers into buyers

To create content that sells, you need to understand and apply these three key marketing principles:

1. The rule of 7

The Rule of 7 states that someone needs to see your message at least seven times before they take action. That means that repetition is the rule of the game. I’d even say that you need to repeat your message more than seven times, especially on social media, because algorithms don’t show your posts to all your followers. Your fear of sounding repetitive and annoying is holding you back.

Posting about your product or service once and expecting sales won’t work. No matter how well crafted and thought out your post is. You need to consistently remind your audience of the value you provide.

Here’s how you can use repetition strategically:

• Repeat the same message in different ways. For example, one post could be a testimonial, another a behind-the-scenes look, and another a direct promotion.

• Share the same message across multiple formats: carousels, videos, stories, or blogs.

The key is to ensure your message sticks by showing up consistently. Remember: you’re the only one noticing how often you talk about something.

2. The buyer journey

The buyer journey is the process your audience goes through before they make a purchase. It has three main stages:

1. Awareness: When potential customers discover your brand for the first time.

2. Consideration: When they’re interested in your brand and want to learn more.

3. Decision: When they’re ready to buy.

Your content should cater to each stage of the buyer journey:

• Awareness stage: Create content that introduces your brand and communicates your value, such as educational posts or entertaining content that gets people to follow you.

• Consideration stage: Nurture your audience with content that builds trust, like testimonials, behind-the-scenes videos, or how-to guides.

• Decision stage: Prompt action with clear calls to action, limited-time offers, or in-depth product highlights.

When your content addresses each stage, you’ll be able to guide your audience seamlessly from discovery to purchase.

3. The buyer types

Not all buyers are the same, and understanding buyer types is essential to creating content that resonates with everyone. Here are three key buyer types to consider:

• Emotional buyers: These buyers are driven by stories and values. They connect with emotional content like founder stories, behind-the-scenes looks, and posts that highlight your mission and values.

• Analytical buyers: These buyers are data-driven and need evidence before they purchase. They’ll respond to testimonials, case studies, and posts that show clear results and transformations.

• Spontaneous buyers: These buyers act on impulse. Flash sales, new product launches, and inspiring stories can motivate them to make quick purchasing decisions.

By creating content that appeals to these three buyer types, you’ll ensure your messaging resonates with a wider range of potential customers.

Content that sells: linking it all together

When you combine these three principles—repetition, the buyer journey, and buyer types—you create a content strategy that’s designed to convert.

Here’s how it looks in action:

1. You repeat your messages often enough to stay top-of-mind.

2. You create content tailored to every stage of the buyer journey, ensuring you’re moving your audience closer to a sale.

3. You cater to different buyer types, making sure your messaging resonates with their unique motivations.

Your step-by-step guide to a pro-level marketing strategy

This is exactly the approach I teach in The Streamlined Guide to Branding and Social Media Marketing.

The guide doesn’t stop at surface-level tips or trending hacks. It’s based on tried-and-true marketing principles that have been used by successful businesses for years.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

• How to create a brand: your brand strategy (including brand pillars and product pillars that you’ll be able to use as content pillars) and your visual identity. 

• How to build a content strategy that never runs out of ideas.

• How to apply foundational marketing principles like the Rule of 7, the buyer journey, and buyer types to your strategy.

• How to create content that not only attracts but converts your audience and builds your brand.

If you’re ready to stop guessing and start creating content that sells, grab The Streamlined Guide to Branding and Social Media Marketing.

Conclusion

You don’t need a massive audience to make consistent sales. What you need is a strong content strategy built on proven marketing principles.

By understanding and applying key marketing principles, you can create content that speaks directly to your audience and converts viewers into buyers. Start small, stay consistent, and watch your efforts pay off.

If you’re ready to take the guesswork out of content creation and start building a content strategy that works, check out The Streamlined Guide to Branding and Social Media Marketing. It’s your ultimate resource for creating content that sells.