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Your Messy Middle Is Marketing Gold
Why showing your imperfect process builds trust and connection
Susan Balding
April 15, 2025
Hey Bold Creator,
You know that awkward place between idea and execution?
Where the plan is fuzzy, the to-do list is chaotic and nothing feels quite “ready”?
That’s the messy middle and it’s exactly where the magic lives.
Real connection isn’t built through perfection.
It’s built through presence. Process. Personality.
That’s the messy middle and it’s exactly where the magic lives.
Your magic is already in motion. Let’s build from there.
Messy Zone Map | Susan Balding
Connection Lives in the Drafts
I used to avoid sharing anything until it was perfect.
The content that connects the most, is often behind-the-scenes. The undone. The draft that never got finished, but often sparked a conversation.
This week, I turned one unfiltered idea “The Messy Middle is Where the Magic Happens” into a full content stack: a long form post, a visual, and a story prompt.
Turns out, you might not need more content. You just need to rework, revise, and revisit what’s already in your draft worth sharing.
💬 Storytelling Prompt:
Tell a story about a moment you almost didn’t share.
What made you hesitate?
What happened when you finally shared it?
How did your audience respond?
Let that be your post this week.
(Bonus points if it was raw, weird, or wildly imperfect.)
Ready to transform your content strategy this April? Let’s create something extraordinary together! Book a Discovery Call 👇 https://calendly.com/wildlyconnected-scee/discovery-call-1?month=2025-03
Work in Progress | Susan Balding
📝 A Personal Note from My Own Messy Middle:
I recently took one half-formed thought, “The messy middle is where the magic happens” and turned it into 5 pieces of content:
A long-form post
A short story
A visual with a quote
A conversation prompt
A soft offer
That’s when I realized:
I didn’t need more ideas, I needed more momentum from the ones I already have.
And the mess? That’s part of the momentum.
🔥 Bold Challenge:
Share your “not ready” moment this week.
A caption you never posted
A messy draft
A flop you learned from
A behind-the-scenes image from your creative chaos
Start posting before you're ready.
The best ideas don’t come from overthinking, they come from doing. Draft, post, learn, repeat.
💡Quick Tip:
Look at what you're avoiding posting right now. The draft, the thought you haven’t voiced, the post-it stuck to your laptop.
That’s your content seed. That’s the real brand-building moment
Photo Collage | Susan Balding
🛠️ Bonus Tool: The “Messy-to-Magnetic” Content Prompt
Use this fill-in-the-blank sentence to turn your messy moment into a post:
“I almost didn’t share this because ______________, but here’s what happened when I did: ______________.”
💡 Try posting this as-is on LinkedIn, Notes, or IG.
Tag it with #BoldMessyMiddle or reply to this email and show me what you’re working on I would love to cheer you on.
🔥 Your Bold Next Step:
Want help turning your messy idea into five scroll-stopping wins?
Check out the Bold Content Kit or reply “messy magic” and I’ll send you a free repurposing prompt to get started.
Until next time,
Susan Balding, Creative Alchemist & Idea Generator💡
Creator of the Bold Engagement Blueprint + Bold Content Kit
Bold Ideas. Dynamic Content. Innovative Impact. Follow me on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-balding-b20274/for weekly tips and inspiration.
Want unique, custom content to boost your reach? Check out my done-for-you packages. Choose the package that resonates with you. Take a look here:
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P.S.- COMING SOON!
Do you want to turn your plot twist into a visual brand story that hooks and converts?
Check out The Bold Engagement Blueprint—where cinematic storytelling meets scroll-stopping strategy. 🚀