Most businesses look to acquire customers. Each and every day of the year a good organization strives to acquire and/or retain clients. There are many ways of doing this but most of it starts with developing a proper content marketing strategy. This is an effort to develop specific information and then share it via various media outlets, such as: publishers, guest blog columns, online business groups, member associations in your market, general social media outlets and Internet resources, and so much more.
We know that a push in media is a great way to bring awareness to your organization, which leads to acquiring new customers, members or followers. But is it simple to deliver? Are there key areas to focus on that reap real rewards?
Your First Goal: Awareness
Content marketing doesn’t focus on just selling something. Sure, promotion might be part of it, but it is more about bringing awareness to your company’s strengths – and doing so by communicating to a wide audience. You’ve likely heard the phrase “Content is King.” Believe it. Well-written content is a must as it reflects on you and your company. If you don’t have an employee that writes well and is good with online marketing, you need to hire someone or outsource to a marketing consultant.
Your Second Goal: Consistency
Naturally, you want to keep the customers you have while enticing new prospects. The idea is to inspire business loyalty from all buyers, so delivering "consistent, valuable information” is critical. Your website should have new content every week if not daily, so visitors come back regularly. You need to update your social media posts as often as every day or every week, depending on your goals. You should consider writing a weekly blog or e-newsletter and circulate them to “guest” resources who seek them in your marketplace.
Your Third Goal: Appeal
We all know that in today’s world of mobile devices and Internet platforms that quick access to information has changed buying habits. Buyers are hungry for information first and foremost and regularly search and compare before making a decision. When you think about the kinds of information that you find valuable during your own buying processes, you know what I mean. Did you first “Google” the topic to “search and find” what you were looking for? The company website with the best messaging or content would have grabbed your attention first.
Your Fourth Goal: Positioning
Yes, once someone or something has our attention, we look to educate ourselves before making a purchase or following them as a possible leader in their field. So it makes sense that when you create content, you want to position your company as an “expert in its field” - whatever field that may be. Proper messaging is important. You can’t just claim it, you have to explain why. Start by identifying who you are, what you can do, how you can solve a business problem, what your history is, why you are uniquely suited to help another business, among many other aspects.
I can assure you of one thing; when you start branding yourself or your company via a content marketing strategy that incorporates these four areas, the leads will start coming in.
Sand Sinclair is the editor of imageSource.
