You know there’s power in phone calls. Hearing a customer’s tone, inflection, even their word choice helps you make meaningful connections, learn something new, increase your networking or close a sale.
Before a potential customer even picks up the phone, however, you have an opportunity to shape their perception of your business, as well as showcase your thought leadership in your field. This is called content marketing, and it can assist in bringing in more informed potential customers to your business.
Content marketing, sometimes referred to as pull marketing, or inbound marketing, is designed to attract prospects to your brand because of the value of your product or company. Through blog posts, white papers, podcasts, social media, and videos, you share the benefits of your product or company with people searching for the same type of product. This has become a widely popular concept in the marketing world since it’s so effective for building leads in several ways.
Reach Interested Customers
Customers are already searching for a product similar to yours. Quality content marketing puts your resources and information at the top of a potential customer’s search results. The beginning of a content marketing plan should start with an analysis of your typical or ideal customer — their interests and likes, their demographic basics, and the reasons that they might choose you over your competitor.
As you develop and publish content, you’ll want to make sure the pieces are centered on your customers. Think about the reasons your product stands out, and address those in your content. For example, rather than a computer repair company telling people to choose them for a computer repair, the company writes articles about the importance of computer maintenance, creates how-to guides or videos on relevant topics (like increasing memory size), and provides helpful hints to keep computers running smoothly. As the content appears in search results, customers will become more acquainted and familiar with the company.
Establish Authority
Prospects want to know they are choosing the best in the industry. Publishing content that teaches and informs, rather than sells, shows your customers you know what you’re talking about, and that you have the experience and expertise necessary to help them with their needs. In the computer repair company example, this instructional content positions the company as a caring leader, who wants to arm individuals with the knowledge they need to take care of their computers. Since prospects have learned from the content provided, they’ll feel a closer connection, and will be more likely to call this company when they need more in-depth care.
Helps Solve a Problem
Let’s face it—everyone has a problem. Whether it’s big or small, and whether or not they’re even conscious of the problem, your prospects are looking for a solution. Content marketing helps these more top-of-funnel prospects not only see their problems more clearly, but also learn more about the exact situation and solution.
Going back to the computer repair company, prospects might search for information to speed up their computers, and then come across a guide pointing out the reasons computers might be slow. They sign up to get a white paper showing computer users the common ways to increase computer speed, and find the content so helpful, they sign up to receive the repair company’s emails. Each piece of content published helps customers identify a problem and shows them how to fix it. Ultimately, the content points the prospect toward the company itself for computer repair.
Think of content marketing as a way to tell your brand’s story—the ins and outs of what, why and how you do what you do. Before you’ve ever had a phone conversation with your prospect, you’ve already cultivated a relationship and level of brand loyalty, and laid the groundwork for a long-standing relationship.
Gabe Arnold is the founder of Copywriter Today where you can get unlimited fresh content for all your marketing needs. If you want 250 free headline ideas for your next marketing campaign, use their free tool here.
