“Just put out content everyday and the clients will just start rolling in…”, says almost every biz guru on the planet.
Sounds good in theory. But is it really that simple in practice?
Sadly not.
Content is and has always been a force for business growth, but only if you know how to put it to good use. If it’s simply “collecting dust” on your website, or broadcasting itself into a void of nothingness on social media… it’s no bueno hombre!
But fear not, in this blog post, I’ll show you six effective ways to utilize your content strategically and foster business growth. So grab a pen and a notepad, and pay close attention:
1. Use it as free advertising
Traditional advertising isn’t cheap and often yields limited results. That includes ads on Facebook, Google, Linkedin, Youtube and Native Networks. Unless you’ve got an enormous amount of free capital lying around, you might want to turn your eyes to a more cost-effective form of promotion.
Content, on the other hand, can yield substantial returns for near-zero investment. Heck, you don’t even need an audience/readership. If you haven’t got one, you can collaborate with others who do, by guest posting on their platform… or you can simply SEOptimize your content for google’s search rankings.
The only catch is your content has to be really good for you to reach a decent-sized audience. And that’s a tall order with all the competition you’ve got for people’s attention in this day and age.
2. Build trust with new prospects
People often underestimate the amount of trust it takes before someone is ready to buy from them. This is why most businesses only ever sell to a teeny tiny fraction of all the people they could sell to.
This is especially true if you sell high ticket items of $6000 and over in a single transaction. It takes a whole LOT of trust before prospects will fork over that kind of money.
Less than 10% of curious prospects will buy right away. But for the other 90+%, it’s going to take a little bit of work to win ‘em over.
This is where content can be a godsend. You can slowly build a relationship with these folks by email or social media with fresh new content every week, until they feel comfortable buying from you. With each piece of content they consume they gain greater appreciation for your expertise in the field, and your ability to solve their problems. It goes a long way in getting them over the line.
3. Use it to improve the performance of sales teams
Sales teams are at the forefront of driving revenue, and providing them with the right tools can significantly enhance their performance.
Your sales people will often run into common roadblocks to closing prospects. A simple solution is to figure out exactly what these obstacles are, create content around the relevant topics, and send it to prospects to help overcome those objections. You want to send this content ideally in print by direct mail. But if that’s not feasible, you can always send it by email. Do this consistently, and you can be rest assured your sales teams will convert twice as many prospects when they follow up.
4. Use it to get a grip on your market
Before you can effectively cater to your audience’s needs, you need to understand them on a deep level. This is where content-driven research comes into play.
If you’ve got at least 1000 engaged email subscribers or social media followers who are also your past buyers, you’re sitting on a goldmine! By looking at what types of content your audience is favorably reacting to, you can figure out a lot about how to promote your existing line or products or services. It will also give you great insight into how to advertise to your target demographic, before ever wasting a dollar on untested paid ads. So don’t sleep on your email lists! They’re more valuable than you think.
5. Launch products intelligently, even with no money down
Launching a new product can be both exciting and daunting, especially if you’re on a tight budget. You can use your existing content channels to solicit pre-orders for an offer that hasn’t yet launched, and fund your first batch without a dime out of your pocket.
Start by teasing your upcoming product through various content channels, such as email, and social media with engaging posts, videos, and interactive content. Create anticipation and curiosity around your product. As the launch date approaches, consider offering other exclusive content, such as in-depth guides, tutorials, or behind-the-scenes looks. This not only generates buzz but also adds value to your audience. Finally, solicit pre-orders from your engaged list already warmed up and excited about your upcoming offer, in return for a generous discount or bonuses. By the time you officially launch, you should already have a pile of orders ready to ship, and a tried-and-tested campaign you can use over and over to generate new orders.
The possibilities are endless.
Content isn’t just a bunch of words on a piece of paper. Used strategically, it has the power to solve some of the biggest challenges your business faces. Its effectiveness however, depends entirely on the execution. Dry, aimless, boring content rarely achieves a thing. But if you know what you are doing, content can bring you rewards for years to come.
And if you’d like to find out what I can personally do to help with your content strategy, here’s a little magic button for you: