Why do this?
In business
to business marketing you need to:
- attract and engage prospects,
- capture their interest,
- build long term relationships
Let me show you 12 ways to turn information about your products and services into one well-structured piece of content, which can:
· be used across multiple marketing
channels,
· grow and develop your social media
following, and improve their engagement,
· increase the number of likes and
shares on your business social media,
· organically grow and develop your
e-mail strategy and your prospect list,
· deliver more targeted and successful
direct mail campaigns,
· grow and develop your business blog.
All in all,
this will simplify your marketing!
Step one - plan your attack
First, write down the main products and
services that you offer. Prioritise them
by importance to you. For example;
- Which will deliver the biggest or quickest return?
- What business area needs the most growth?
- What will attract the most interest from
prospects?
If you have
a number of target markets, focus on just one to start with. Once you’re comfortable with the process you
can replicate it accordingly.
Step two: find the compelling R2R
Whatever you
write, it needs a compelling reason-to-read (R2R). If the reader’s
response to your piece could be “so what?”, then look for a better topic. Your
first thought was probably not worth writing about!
It always
has to be worth the reader’s time (to read it). The knack is finding a way to
position the content in a way that makes them feel they have received something
of value.
Now, from your list, take the top, most important item.
- go through the list of the twelve
approaches that follow, and find the one that gives your prospect
the best R2R.
In the
examples that follow it’s done by sharing interesting and compelling content
that should enrich the life of the prospect in some way.
The
twelve approaches
1. Recent
changes in legislation or law: Write about any recent or imminent legal changes
affecting your product or service, if that has an important effect on your
prospects. Position your business as the experts.
2.
Relevant and interesting news: Research some interesting and relevant news relating
to your particular product, service or industry and deliver it in a fun and
creative way. Position yourselves as the people ‘in the know’.
3. How to
choose which thing to buy: Help the prospect through the process (impartially) by
providing a guide to selecting the right product or service you offer. Be
balanced, let them decide, and position your business as giving good advice.
4. Show
how to DIY: Empower the prospect to do it themselves (as this article does!). Give
them enough information to have a go, chances are when they get stuck, it’s you
they will call. Position yourself as approachable.
5.
Discuss “what’s right for you”: It‘s similar to (3), the ‘how to choose’ approach, but
suitable when you face a range of competing channels. Discuss what product or
service delivery channel is right for them personally. This can be done by size
of business, location, industry type, etc. Position yourselves as confident,
enough not to need to hard-sell.
6. Share
a case study: Take a recent case study and use it to highlight particular features and
benefits of the product or service. Try
not to be too ‘braggy’ but show how your approach delivers real value to
customers. Position yourselves as caring about your customers and their
businesses.
7. Give
an expert overview: Give your own views, comments or
predictions on the choices in your marketplace.
Try not to be too forthcoming and always try to be balanced. Position
yourself as a confident, individual expert.
8. Write
an FAQ: Talk about the
most frequently asked questions (FAQ) and provide good answers! If you’re
brave, you can even ask for questions and run them as a side-note to your main
article in future editions. Position
yourselves as resourceful.
9. Share
your “top tips”: This could be top tips for buying or using your product or service, but
it could equally be just general help about something you provide or do.
Position yourselves as friendly and helpful.
10. Find
a seasonal tie-in: This works best if there is a particular time of year when one of your
products or services is in demand. Have fun, but try not to be too ‘salesy’.
Position yourselves as ready for the rush!
11. Use a
topical news story from the media: It’s probably best to avoid political or controversial
stories, but, if there is something that relates to your products or services,
use it. Try and find a fun and creative way to highlight a particular product
or service, but if it’s serious, be gently authoritative. Position yourselves
as ‘on the ball’.
12.
Announce an important change to your products and services: If you are changing the way in which
you do or sell something, AND it directly affects your customers, AND there is
a genuine added value as a result, then highlight these changes and explain the
additional benefits. Position yourselves as customer-focused.
It’s not about being
an award-winning writer and it’s certainly not how much you
write! Be passionate about what you do and communicate that to the reader.
write! Be passionate about what you do and communicate that to the reader.
Now…to use what you’ve written
First find the teasers: Pull
out some headlines or intriguing statements that will catch the eye, here are
some ideas taken from this one:
•
“Twelve ways to turn products and services into compelling content”
•
“Just one article can grow your social media following, and improve their
engagement.”
•
“Just one article can increase ‘likes’ and ‘shares’ on all your business’
social media.”
•
“Easily grow and develop your e-mail strategy and your prospect list”
•
“Develop your business blog, one article at a time.”
Next, recycle! Re-use those headlines as:
•
Posts
for your Facebook business page
• Updates
for your LinkedIn profile
•
Tweets
for your business’ Twitter page
•
Content
for e-mail and direct mail campaigns
We’ll use
this article as an example for what follows.
On Facebook
Discover twelve ways to turn your products and services into compelling content, whilst at the same time simplifying your social media marketing. (All of this text and any accompanying picture will link to the blog.)
Discover twelve ways to turn your products and services into compelling content, whilst at the same time simplifying your social media marketing. (All of this text and any accompanying picture will link to the blog.)
Other examples:
There is a perception that you need to produce lots of
individual and original pieces of content for your various social media,
business pages and blogs, and keep it all fresh and up to date. Thankfully,
that’s not quite true…
This week, I’m blogging about how one piece of well-constructed
content can work across all of your marketing channels.
Struggling with your social media
strategy? Today I’m sharing twelve ways to improve
social media, blog and direct marketing engagement, whilst actually simplifying
your marketing, all at the same time!
Note: While they’re on your blog they’re
not distracted by Facebook features!
On LinkedIn
Improve
your LinkedIn strategy: here are twelve ways to turn your products and services into
compelling content for all your social media profiles and business pages. Find
out how…
Are
you struggling to find enough interesting things to post, tweet
and blog about? Today I’m explaining how to easily write compelling content
for any product or service.
Keep
your marketing strategy simple! This is essential to its longevity – the easier it is to
manage the more likely it will continue. Today, I’m talking about how to do it
successfully.
Note: adding a time element (“today”)
implies a stream of useful knowledge. If they don’t bite at this one, they’ll
watch this space for something they like!
On Twitter
Twelve
ways to grow and develop your social media following and improve engagement… [Shortened link to blog]
Discover
twelve ways to develop your e-mail marketing strategy and grow your prospect
list organically… [Shortened
link to blog]
Turn your
products and service info into compelling content: twelve easy ways to do it… [Shortened link to blog]
Note: Twitter can be tough to get right.
Don’t try to cram too much into one tweet!
“Recycling” for e-mail and direct
mail
Rather than
use a generic sales e-mail or letter, send them your latest compelling piece of
content and merely encourage engagement through your blog or social media
channels. No pressure often works better!
Here’s how I’ve adapted my article to
run as a direct mail campaign;
Dear
,
As
a business with a presence on social media I thought you might benefit from a
recent article I have written on how to simplify your social media, blog,
e-mail and direct marketing strategies.
Whilst
I would welcome the opportunity to talk or meet with you, the purpose of this
letter is simply to introduce you to my local marketing blog.
Here,
I share interesting and useful information aimed at helping local business take
control of their marketing, empowering you to have a go yourself, if you have
the time (patience) and resource to do so.
I’ve
enclosed a copy of my recent article which I hope will be of use. You can see previous articles which cover a
number of local marketing topics on my website via the blog page – here you can
also sign up to my monthly marketing e-mail;
www.thelocalmarketingbusiness.co.uk
If
you would like to connect on social media then please feel free to drop me an
invitation, I often post links to other articles which share local marketing
expertise aimed at helping local business market themselves better.
I
do hope this helps you in some way.
Paul Kurnyta
Here’s how I’ve adapted my article to
run as an e-mail campaign
Final Thoughts
This
approach does take a bit of thought and preparation. One great article won’t do
much, but a string of great articles will work wonders.
Don’t worry
about duplication. If your customers see the same thing advertised in several
places, say LinkedIn and Facebook, they’ll assume it’s important. That works in
your favour.
Get into the
habit of doing this month in, month out.
As long as you share compelling and engaging content you can’t help but
see growth and success from your efforts.
Remember: to
succeed in Business to Business marketing you need to attract and engage
prospects, capture their interest and build relationships over time.
Get this
strategy right and you’ll do just that.
I hope this
helps.
Regards,
Paul
Paul
P.S. Please
do share any comments or feedback as I welcome your input. If you feel that this article helped, please
tell me. If you think it may benefit a colleague
or contact, then I would only encourage you to share it with them! Thanks.
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