By Brynn Everett, Marketing & Communications Project Manager, MindShare Strategies
With today’s fragmented communication and marketing channels, and complete control resting in the hands of the consumer, companies are forced to rethink their go-to-market strategies. One key takeaway from Joe Pulizzi’s “The Content Brand,” is to focus on the relationship of the customer. Many companies treat content like advertising, not taking into consideration what the consumer actually wants and values. He says, “You must create value for your audience BEFORE you extract value.” Pulizzi argues to reverse the common strategy. Instead of pursing and bombarding leads, first build a relationship with your audience, and leads will follow.
How to harvest this audience? Focus on the subscribers. These are the customers who are truly interested in your content and will be your leads. One caveat: your company must provide amazing and relevant content. In order for your audience to grow, there must be an exchange of value.
Where can you make the most impact? Focus on the channel(s) where your current consumer is, as these will have the most impact and influence. Most companies believe they have to have presence on all media and social platforms. If you truly understand your customer, focus on the few places where they are most receptive and will drive up subscription rates.
How long will this take? Content marketing is a long term approach. It takes time to build a loyal audience. It also takes time to create incredible content and become the lead expert in your niche. It’s like the saying goes, “it’s a marathon, not a sprint.” Your patience and persistence will pay off as a loyal audience ultimately leads to revenue.
So what is the key takeaway? Build a relationship with your audience through an exchange of valued content. When you build a loyal audience first, it allows you to then create your most successful product.