Why "Just Write Good Content" is Terrible Advice

What I Wish Someone Told Me Before

Author

Stephen Stanberry
August 5th, 2025

In partnership with

So friend!

I'm about to challenge something that most content creators hold sacred:

"Just write good content" might be the most incomplete business advice I've ever encountered.

Let me share a story that completely shifted my perspective on this.

Last week, I was working with a founder who had been creating content for eight months. Her posts were genuinely beautiful - thoughtful reflections on her entrepreneurial journey, vulnerable shares about overcoming challenges, inspiring insights that consistently earned dozens of saves and meaningful comments.

But when we talked about her business results, the conversation took a different turn.

"I get incredible engagement, but somehow that's not translating into actual clients. What am I missing?"

She wasn't missing creativity or authenticity. She was missing strategic intention.

Strategy beats storytelling every time.

Let me repeat:

STRATEGY BEATS STORYTELLING EVERY TIME.

Strange coming from someone who preaches storytelling, right? But hear me out for just a sec.

The breakdown: Strategy > Story > System

Here's what I've learned from working with hundreds of entrepreneurs: your story is the vehicle, but strategy is the destination.

Without knowing where you're taking people, even the most compelling narrative becomes just another piece of content in an oversaturated feed.

The transformation happens when you shift your approach:

Instead of asking "What authentic experience should I share today?" start asking "What specific outcome do I want for someone who connects with this story?"

My client made this exact shift. Rather than posting "Here's how I navigated self-doubt as a new entrepreneur," she began framing it as "If you're struggling with confidence in your first year of business, here's the framework that helped me move from uncertainty to serving clients boldly."

BOOOM!!!!! You see the difference, friend?

Same vulnerability. Same personal connection. Completely different purpose.

Your content doesn't need to become less personal - it needs to become more intentional.

The most successful entrepreneurs I work with understand that every piece of content is an opportunity to guide someone toward transformation. They're not just sharing their journey; they're creating a pathway for others to begin their own.

Enjoy, I’ll see you tomorrow

Stephen

P.S. The goal isn't to choose between authenticity and strategy - it's to find how they amplify each other.

And if that’s what you’re trying to figure out right now?

I put together a guide called [Love, Learn, and Live Storytelling]—and it’s not your typical storytelling playbook.

Inside, I’ll show you how to:

  • Build stories that connect and convert

  • Share content without oversharing

  • Turn life lessons into business growth

  • And finally feel confident telling your story online

It’s just $7, and it’s already helped dozens of entrepreneurs go from stuck → storytelling.

👉 [Grab the guide here] and start turning your voice into a strategy.

Because your story deserves more than likes, it deserves leads.

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