“Good content isn’t just what you say—it’s how it makes people feel.”
If you’ve ever watched one of my videos, read a blog, or tuned in to The Sip & Speak Podcast, I want you to know—it wasn’t random. It was designed. Not to manipulate, but to connect.
As someone who has spent decades behind microphones, in front of cameras, and coaching others on how to speak with power, I’ve learned a few things about how to create content that truly lands.
Let me take you behind the scenes.
1. It Starts with Why You Care
Before I record anything, I ask myself a single question:
“Why would this matter to the person on the other side of the screen?”
Every post, podcast, or caption starts from empathy. I’ve built a career out of connecting with audiences across newsrooms, boardrooms, and ballrooms. That experience taught me this: If you care about people, your content will too.
Sometimes, that “care” looks like:
- Solving a specific fear (like speaking up in meetings)
- Offering clarity (like how to prep for a panel)
- Sharing confidence boosters from my own toolbox
My mission isn’t just to be visible. It’s to be valuable.
2. I Use a Simple System: Think–Talk–Tweak
When creating content, I follow my own version of pre-production:
Think. Talk. Tweak.
- Think: What’s the real takeaway? Not just “how to speak with confidence,” but how to sound like a leader even when you’re nervous.
- Talk: I speak my first draft out loud. Why? Because if I can’t say it naturally, my audience won’t hear it naturally.
- Tweak: This is where I tighten the message. I remove the fluff. I cut the clichés. I make it feel like a conversation, not a lecture.
This three-part approach helps me create scripts that flow—and more importantly, connect.
3. I Let My Audience Write the Content (Sort Of)
Here’s a little secret: I don’t come up with most of my ideas. You do.
Whether it’s questions from my masterclass students, DMs from professionals prepping for a big interview, or feedback from Sip & Speak attendees—my audience is constantly telling me what they need. I just have to listen.
So when someone asks:
“Sam, how do I project my voice without sounding fake?”
That becomes a post, a podcast, or a video tip.
When you let your audience lead, you never run out of content—and they always feel seen.
4. I Dress My Content for the Platform
Every piece of content I create has a “home.” And each platform has its own language.
- LinkedIn: Professional, purpose-driven, value-packed
- Instagram: Visual, punchy, personal
- Podcast: Intimate, story-driven, reflective
- YouTube/Video: Structured but warm, with strategic energy
The message might be the same, but the delivery shifts.
You wouldn’t wear heels to the beach—and you shouldn’t wear your podcast script on TikTok.
5. Confidence Is My Content Currency
Let me say this clearly: Confidence isn’t a personality trait—it’s a muscle.
And when you train that muscle, your content stops whispering and starts leading.
That’s why I spend just as much time preparing my mind as I do preparing my script.
Before I hit record, I breathe deeply, visualize my audience, and say my power word: “Serve.”
Because I’m not here to “perform.” I’m here to help.
6. I Measure Meaning, Not Just Metrics
Yes, I check my views. Yes, I monitor my reach. But I don’t obsess.
The real metric I care about? “Did this make someone feel braver?”
I once got an email from a young woman who said she used one of my video tips to speak up in a team meeting for the first time. She didn’t go viral—but her confidence did.
That’s the kind of content I want to keep creating.
Because when you create from a place of purpose, connection is inevitable.
Final Thoughts
Content creation isn’t just strategy—it’s soul work. It’s showing up, even when the lighting isn’t perfect or the algorithm is moody. It’s choosing consistency over applause. And it’s remembering that the best content doesn’t just speak to people—it speaks for them.
So the next time you see a 60-second video from me, or read a blog, or hear my voice in your ear on the Sip & Speak Podcast, know this: It was made with you in mind.
Stay brave. Stay visible.
—Samantha J. Best
Let’s build your voice into your most powerful asset—together.