Step 1 — Strategy and Goals (Beginner-Friendly, White Theme)

Step 1 — Strategy and Goals (Beginner-Friendly)

In this step you will plan your content before you start writing. You will decide who you are talking to, what problem you are helping them with, what action you want the reader to take at the end, and how you will check whether your content worked. Everything here is explained in plain language with many examples so that even a complete beginner can follow it with ease.

What “strategy and goals” means in simple words

“Strategy and goals” is the simple plan that tells you why you are making this content and what result you want from it. You are going to write down a short description of your reader, a short description of the reader’s main problem, a single action that you want the reader to take after reading, and a clear way to check success after you publish. When you do this first, you avoid confusion later because every part of your content will point in the same direction.

Plain idea: If you cannot explain your plan in one short paragraph, your plan is not yet clear. Keep simplifying the plan until you can read it aloud in about thirty seconds and it still makes sense to someone who is new.
Strategy & Goals — Steps A–F Card Grid (White Theme)

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6 Steps: From A to F to setup “Strategy and Goal:

For more detail about STEPS click on cards or scroll below the cards:

A — Choose one main goal

Pick the single result you want from this content so the reader knows what to do.

  • Decide the one outcome you want.
  • Keep the goal practical and easy to see.
  • Examples: download a checklist, subscribe, start a trial, or share.

B — Describe the reader

Write two or three sentences in everyday words about the person you are helping.

  • Say what they want and what blocks them.
  • Use plain language, not marketing terms.
  • Read it to a friend to test clarity.

C — Write the main problem

Write one friendly line that sounds like the reader talking about their problem.

  • Keep it short and honest.
  • Use real words from comments or simple interviews.
  • Let this line guide your sections and examples.

D — Pick one action at the end

Choose the exact action that matches your goal and write the button or link text.

  • Examples: “Download the checklist”, “Subscribe to the newsletter”.
  • Place it near the top and near the end.
  • Avoid asking for many actions at once.

E — Set a simple success number

Decide how you will check success, and choose a time window to review.

  • Write a number like “at least 2 out of 100”.
  • Connect it to the action you chose.
  • Set a review time, for example, “within 30 days”.

F — Collect limits and rules

Write the tone, required links, short notes, and the final date for publishing.

  • Tone, internal links, and any short safety notes.
  • Legal or compliance lines if needed.
  • Deadline for publishing.

 

6 Steps: From A to F to setup “Strategy and Goal:

For more detail about STEPS click on cards or scroll below the cards:

A — Choose one main goal

Pick the single result you want from this content so the reader knows what to do.

  • Decide the one outcome you want.
  • Keep the goal practical and easy to see.
  • Examples: download a checklist, subscribe, start a trial, or share.
Plain wordsReal needs
Actions & Easy Success Benchmarks

Step A — Start with one main goal for the content

Begin by deciding the single result you want from this content. The result should be practical and easy to see. For example, you may want people to download a checklist, subscribe to your email list, start a free trial, or share the content with a friend. When you choose only one main goal, you make it easier for the reader to understand what to do next, and you also make it easier for yourself to measure success later.
Example: You are creating a guide that helps first-time bloggers plan their week. Your main goal is to get readers to download a printable weekly planning checklist. This means your content will gently lead the reader toward the download link and will not ask them to do five different things at the same time.
Helpful tip: If you feel tempted to add a second goal, save it for another content item in the future. Keeping one goal per content item protects clarity.

Step B — Describe your reader in clear, everyday words

Write two or three sentences that describe the person you are talking to. Use everyday words, not technical labels. Say what this person is trying to achieve and what blocks them. Imagine you are talking to a friend and explain who the reader is in a friendly way. When the reader’s picture is clear in your mind, the tone and the examples in your content will feel natural and helpful.
Example: “This content is for people who have just started a blog and feel lost about planning. They want a simple way to decide what to write each week. They do not know how to set a small goal for each week, so they jump between ideas and never finish.”
Small check: After you write your reader description, read it to someone who is not from marketing. If they understand it immediately, your description is clear enough.

Step C — Write the reader’s main problem in one friendly line

Now you will write the reader’s main problem in one friendly line. The line should be short, honest, and written as if the reader is speaking. This helps you choose the right content structure and the right examples. It also prevents you from drifting into topics that do not help the reader.
Example: “I want to plan my blog for a week, but I do not know where to start, so I end up doing nothing.”
Helpful tip: If you are unsure about the exact problem, read a few comments on forums, or ask two or three people who match your reader type. Copy the real words they use and keep them in your notes.

Step D — Choose the single action at the end

Decide what action you want the reader to take after reading. Use simple words for the action, like “Download the checklist,” “Subscribe to the newsletter,” “Start the free trial,” or “Save this guide.” This action must match the main goal you chose earlier. It should be easy to understand and easy to do in a few seconds.
Example: Because your main goal is to help readers plan their week, your action is “Download the weekly planning checklist.” You will place the download button near the top and also near the end so that the reader can find it quickly.
Avoid this: Do not ask the reader to download, subscribe, start a trial, and share all in the same place. Too many requests create confusion and reduce action.

Step E — Decide how you will check success

Before you write the content, decide how you will check whether the content worked. Use one simple number that is connected to the action you chose. You can call this a “success number.” For example, if your action is a download, your success number can be “the share of readers who download,” and your time window can be “within thirty days.” Writing the number and the time in advance keeps discussions calm after you publish because everyone knows what you were trying to achieve.  

Measure your Success (Example Actions)

Example actions which could measure success.

Action at the end Easy success number Time window
Download a checklist At least 2 out of 100 readers download Within 30 days
Subscribe to newsletter At least 3 out of 100 readers subscribe Within 30 days
Start a free trial At least 3 out of 100 readers start Within 45 days
 
Example: “Success means at least two out of every one hundred readers download the weekly planning checklist in the next thirty days.” This sentence is easy to read and anyone on your team will understand it.

Step F — Collect limits and rules before you start writing

Write down anything that you must follow so that there are no surprises later. These can be tone of voice guidelines, links that must be included, short notes required by your field (for example, safety notes in health topics), and the final date for publishing. Keeping these items in one place saves time because it prevents re-writing at the last minute.
Example: “Tone: friendly and simple. Links: include the page with more planning tools and the page that explains the weekly calendar. Note: add a short line that this is general advice and not medical advice. Deadline: publish by the last Friday of this month.”

Create a one-page plan you can share

Now put everything you wrote into a short plan that fits on one page. Keep the sentences long enough to be clear and do not use short labels that need special knowledge. The plan should be easy to read for someone who has never worked in marketing. When this plan is ready, you can share it with your team, and they will all understand what you want to make and why it is important.  

One Page Plan (Summary Table)

Note down these points.

Reader Write two or three sentences that describe who you are talking to in everyday words.
Main problem Write one friendly line that sounds like the reader speaking about their problem.
Main goal Write the single result you want from this content in clear language.
Action at the end Write the exact words you will show on the button or link.
Success number Write the number and the time window you will use to check success.
Limits and rules Write the tone, the required links, any important notes, and the deadline.
Example (a complete plan in plain words): “This content is for people who started a blog and feel lost about weekly planning. They want a simple way to decide what to write each week and they want a short checklist they can print. The main goal is to help the reader download a weekly planning checklist. The action at the end will say ‘Download the weekly planning checklist.’ We will call it a success if at least two out of one hundred readers download it within thirty days. The tone will be friendly and simple. We must include a link to the page that explains how to use the calendar. We will publish by the last Friday of this month.”
  Checklist Before You Write

Checklist You Can Follow Before You Write

 

When all of the above points are done, you are ready to move to the next part of the workflow, which is learning about your reader through simple research and then planning your sections.

Common problems and simple fixes

Problem you may face What it looks like Simple fix you can try
Too many goals at the same time You ask the reader to download, subscribe, start a trial, and share, all in one place Keep only one main goal and one action. Move other requests to a small section at the end or to another content item
Unclear reader Your examples do not match anyone and the tone feels cold Write two or three sentences that describe the reader like you are talking to a friend, and keep this in front of you while you write
No success number After publishing, the team argues about the result Write one number and one time window before you write and add it to the plan
Late surprises Someone asks for a required link or a safety note at the last minute Collect limits and rules in the plan so that everyone can see them early

Practice: write your own plan with the help of examples

Below you will see three short sets of sentences that act like training wheels. You can copy the structure and change the words so that they fit your topic. Each set includes the reader, the problem, the goal, the action, the success number, and the limits and rules. By writing in full sentences, you learn to explain clearly without special marketing language.   3D Boards — Training Sets

Training set 1 — Software tool for simple reports

Training set 1

Software tool for simple reports

This content is for people who manage small marketing projects and often feel stuck when they try to collect numbers from different places. They want a simple way to see results without spending hours. The main goal is to help the reader start a free trial. Action: “Start your free 14-day trial.” We will call it a success if at least three out of one hundred readers start within forty-five days. The tone will be friendly and patient and we will include a short note about data privacy. We will publish by the second Tuesday of next month.

Training set 2 — Travel adapter guide for first-time travelers

Training set 2

Travel adapter guide for first-time travelers

This content is for students who are traveling outside their country for the first time and feel confused about plug types. They want one clear answer and a simple checklist. The main goal is to help the reader subscribe to the email list so they can receive the full packing checklist. Action: “Get the packing checklist.” We will call it a success if at least three out of one hundred readers subscribe within thirty days. The tone will be simple and friendly and we will include a table that shows plug types by region. We will publish before the summer break starts.

Training set 3 — Morning routine for beginners

Training set 3

Morning routine for beginners

This content is for beginners who want to build a short morning routine and do not want a complicated plan. They want a list they can follow in ten minutes. The main goal is to help the reader download a printable routine. Action: “Download the 10-minute routine.” We will call it a success if at least two out of one hundred readers download it within thirty days. The tone will be friendly and safe and we will include a small safety note that suggests talking to a professional if needed. We will publish by the end of the month.

 

Your next step after this plan

You now have a plan in clear, everyday language. The plan tells you who you are talking to, what problem you are solving, what action you want at the end, how you will check success, and what rules you must follow. The next step is to learn a little more about the reader using simple research and to collect questions that real people ask. This will help you choose sections and examples that truly help the reader.

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