It’s not what you think.
It’s not to be part of a larger conversation.
It’s not to say something smart and impress people.
It’s not even to share useful knowledge.
While good content helps your readers to know, like, and trust you…
The hidden purpose of content marketing is to remove the burden of remembering you.
If you can consistently create content that’s relevant to your clients’ and prospects’ needs (even if it’s just once a month)...
They may not read it every time – in fact, they likely won’t.
But when they need a service you offer, they won’t have to spend time searching for someone who can do that for them.
There you will be, right in their in-box.
Where to Find Ideas for What to Share
You can watch me explain this in our recent Office Hours, here:
If you tend to resist doing your own content marketing because you don’t know what you’d talk about, here’s a new way to think about it that might help…
Rather than asking: “Why would anyone want to hear from me?”
Instead, remember this:
When you connect with someone, they just need to see that you can help them.
You are a potential resource to the people you’re reaching, and they need reasons to hire you.
So, here’s what to do…
You can always share what you know.
But more importantly, you want to share what you are learning about as it relates to their specific needs.
It’s using curiosity as a marketing tool.
One way to start is to reach out to prospects and interview them. They may be willing to spend 5-10 minutes answering the questions you’re curious about.
Here are some questions you could use:
- What’s your best marketing tool?
- What have you tried that isn’t working?
- What are you trying to improve in your business?
- In what ways do you want to serve your customers better?
- What questions are your customers asking over and over?
The role that content plays in the Simplest Marketing Plan and Your Business:
Content marketing really comes into play once you’ve established relationships with prospects and clients through targeted outreach and strategic networking.
Once you’ve begun to build a network, it’s the best way to stay in touch.
And it takes many forms, including:
- Newsletter - Email and/or via LinkedIn…
- Blog posts (yours or guesting)...
- Social media posts…
- Podcasts…
- Video…
What Content Marketing Does for Your Business
When you do it consistently, content marketing keeps you top of mind for clients and potential clients, by continuously “showing up” with helpful tidbits they can use.
It’s one of the best marketing tools to improve and maintain the health of your business in the long-term.
Do it consistently, and you will most likely see an increase in the number and quality of clients that you work with over time.
Need some help planning it all out and staying consistent? You can still get the Simplest Marketing Plan for 2023, with 11 months of live Office Hours sessions to keep you accountable, right here.