Learning from Business Mistakes
"If you're not making mistakes, then you're not doing anything. I'm positive that a doer makes mistakes." - John Wooden
Now I don't know who John Wooden is, but I do know that I make mistakes - a lot of mistakes.
Last week, I had the dubious distinction of being the only person I know of to trip going UP the stairs. I was carrying a cup of coffee in my left hand and a piece of toast in my right and ascending the stairs to start work for the day. My dog, Shadow, raced up to my right just as my left moccasin slipped off my foot. I caught my foot on the stairwell, and pitched forward.
In a split second, I had to decide, "Do I save the coffee, the toast, or me?" Well, the coffee sloshed over, the toast landed butter-side down, and I did a nice forearm-face-butt plant that left impressive bruises on my now coffee-splattered personage.
My dog, of course, looked concerned, then snatched up the piece of toast with glee. So much for man, or woman's best friend.
I was thinking about that fall today. Everyone makes mistakes. Everyone falls now and then. In business, we make lots of mistakes. We hire the wrong person. We invest time and energy into projects that fizzle out. We launch a new website only to realize that it's not responsive. We make a typo in the annual report, or print a sign that says CHRIS IS RISEN instead of, you know, the son of God, Christ. (I saw that one on Facebook and truly appreciated it as only a writer can appreciate such a magnificent typo.)
After a fall, what do you do? Do you pick yourself up and keep going? Do you nurse your wounds and bemoan your fate? Do you blame others?
When I told my husband later about my fall, he had a good laugh, then asked, "Did Shadow trip you?" I could easily have blamed the dog. Heck, I could even have blamed my moccasins. They are too loose, anyway. But neither caused my fall. I was trying to hurry to work. I was carrying too many things. I'd filled my coffee cup to the brim. It was that kind of a day. It all added up to a spectacular trip and fall that ruined a good piece of toast and necessitated an impromptu scrubbing of my wooden steps.
When mistakes happen, you can blame the dog, your shoe, or your slippery steps. Or you can simply laugh and say, "Yes, I tripped and made a mistake." Then you grab the paper towels and start mopping up the mess.
Good business people know that grabbing the paper towels, mopping up the mess, feeding the rest of the toast to the dog and giving yourself a refill on the coffee is what to do next. It's really no use blaming spilled coffee, loose shoes or slippery steps. Instead, take immediate action to claim and own your mistake...then fix it.
I think you can tell a lot about a person by the bruises they wear and the blame they affix on others. We can only progress in our careers and lives if we accept responsibility for things that are our fault. More importantly, when problems and mistakes happen, we have to be the strong shoulders to bear the load and fix the problem.
When mistakes happen, pick yourself up, accept responsibility, fix what you can, and move on. Most mistakes in business as in life are like a spilled cup of coffee or dog-eaten, butter-side-down fallen piece of toast.
Smart business people know that it's only a piece of toast, after all. There's a whole loaf of bread waiting in the kitchen.
How to Love Your Blog Again
Every relationship can grow stale at some point. That's why partners go into marriage encounter weekends, or why self-help books suggest dating your spouse as if you had just met for the first time.
For bloggers, the relationship between you and your blog can also grow stale. What was such an exciting adventure when you started it now seems ho-hum, or worse still, a daily chore you just want to get over, like brushing your teeth or making your bed.
Here's how to fall in love with you blog again.
Rekindle the Spark: Breathe New Life Into Old Blogs
Reinvigorate, rekindle and rejoice. Breathe new life into an old blog with these tips:
- Enter a blog challenge: Blog challenges can give you a reason to blog again. Blog challenges are online fun contests centered around a theme. "30 posts in 30 days" is one such theme, the A to Z blogging challenge is another. Each time you enter into a blog challenge, you're pitching your blogging talents against the contest rules. For me, entering one of my four blogs into the A to Z challenge helps get my creative juices flowing again.
- Enter a contest: Another fun thing to do is to enter your blog into a contest. You'll find awards competitions from magazines and websites as well as popularity awards given from one blogger to another like the Liebster Awards. It's all in good fun, and the added excitement can make you fall in love with your blog again.
- Start an idea file: Back in the days when I wrote for magazines, I kept a clips file or an ideas file. It was essentially news stories that sparked my interest. When I encountered stories like that, I'd clip them and keep them on file. Sometimes just going through my ideas file would spark new, fresh ways of looking at a topic. Then I'd go off and tackle my own research and have a new story at hand. You can use internet bookmarks to keep your own online clip file or use Pinterest to make a file for future inspiration. Just remember not to rewrite or reword an existing post from someone else. It's still considered plagiarism even if it's in your own words.
- Talk to your readers: By this I mean get out from behind your computer and actually mingle with the folks who read your blog. If you write about antique cars, go to a car show and listen to what people are talking about at the car show. If you're a recipe blogger, visit a cooking supply store or try a new restaurant. Get back to your roots and find the inspiration among your readers and target audience who inspired you to start your blog.
- Make an idea calendar: The creative well can run dry just when you least expect it. One way I get around this is to have an idea calendar for each blog. It's a printed blog planner (I like Sarah Avilla's planner at My Joy Filled Life. It's $4.95 but well worth it). I have posts noted for each week, so if there's a week when nothing immediately comes to mind to write about, I can flip through my binder and choose an idea. You can accomplish the same thing using a notebook. List the months of the year and ideas for posts that come to mind for those months. Maybe April is spring, Easter, new clothes, shopping, and September is back to school, new year, whatever. Having ideas at the ready can be a lifesaver when you feel like you just don't want to write anything more
Fall in love with your blog again. Find ways to rekindle that passion you once had for writing.
5 Surprising Reasons Why Blogs Fail
Do you know the reason why blogs fail? You might think it’s lack of interest, or maybe poor writing, but I’m here to share with you the 5 surprising reasons why blogs fail…and how you can turn that frown upside down and get your blog back on track.
5 Reasons Why Most Blogs Fail
One of the goals that I set for my website, Home Garden Joy, is to increase my site traffic and decrease my blog’s bounce rate this year. It’s not an easy goal. With WordPress reporting 74,652,825 blogs on their site alone, it’s tough to crack the blogosphere with zippy content.
I decided to join a link party or blog party this year to help boost traffic to my own blog. A blog party is an online event in which a group of bloggers bands together to share, promote, and help each other with their blogs. As part of the blog party, I visit at least 60 to 100 different blogs each week. That’s a lot of blogs!
Because I’m now reading so many blogs, in so many different categories than my own, I’ve gotten a really good sense about what makes a great blog, a good blog, and a boring blog. These 5 tips are derived from my own experiences reading 100+ blog posts a week.
Ready? Here’s why most blogs fail:
- What’s the point? Many bloggers have a hazy, unfocused blog that tries to cover everything under the sun. Today they’re writing about parenting issues, tomorrow about fashion, and on Friday, home decorating. That’s not to say that you can’t do this, but if you do decide to cover a multitude of topics, make sure you do in a fresh, fun way. Having your blog structured around particular posts on a certain day of the week, such as Foodie Friday or whatever can give it structure. Keep your blog focused around one major topic and similar related topics. Structure in blogs, as in art of music, is a key to a successful blog.
- Where do I look first? If you have 17 ads blinking and screaming at me, all boldface type, no discernible headlines, and giant blogs of text, I’m skipping your blog and heading elsewhere. Don’t try to cram your blog with every advertiser you can to make money. Focus on just a few or even none if you’re starting out. Purchase a good blog template if you’re not used to designing a blog. My site host, Web Design of Palm Beach, did an excellent job on the original layout of this website. I purchased the template for my blog, Home Garden Joy, on Etsy. Blogs can fail due to poor design. Hire a professional graphic designer to design your blog or purchase a license to a good stock template. Poor blog design turns readers away.
- Nothing new here. When was the last time you updated your blog? While you don’t want to be a slave to blog updates and send out several day, you also don’t want to let months rush by without at least one blog post. A good rule of thumb is to post 3-5 times per week if you want to grow your blog. Blogs can fail from lack of attention. Frequent updates signals your readers that you’ve got something to say. Don’t neglect your blog.
- Nobody cares about you: Unless your blog is about an experiment you’re doing or your life, and you’re doing something incredible, I have to say this straight out: nobody really cares about you. If all your posts are about what you want for your birthday, your last pedicure, or the coupons you found online, you’re going to bore your reader to death. Many blogs fail because they are written all about the writer and not about the audience reading the writing. Write with your reader in mind. What do your readers want to know? That’s what you should write.
- Be original: Even though I don’t want to know every detail of your pedicure, I do want you to be yourself. I’d rather read the writings of a truly original person than to read a poorly reproduced carbon copy of someone. Be yourself. You can’t be anyone else. If you love puppies and heavy metal music, let your readers know that. Just because Blogger A is famous and Blogger B seems to be making a lot of money doesn’t meant that A and B know what they’re doing. They may be lucky, they may have good sponsors, or they may just have hit on a hot topic. I know of one writer whose blog gets 30,000+ hits a month. Now, I could copy what she does…or I could continue to be an original and grow my blogs in my own voice, style and tone. She’s popular…but I’m not her. Blogs can fail when you try to copy someone else’s style or tone, even if they’re popular. Be yourself. You can’t be anybody else.
Building a successful blog takes time. I know that there are stories out there of people who have managed to build a smashing success in six months, a year, or two. Good for them! Congratulations! For more writers and bloggers, success takes time. It takes practice. It takes blogging, day or night, day in and day out, until finally you hit that sweet spot known as success, however you define success.
Don't Rely on Free Sites for Your Small Business Website
A small business website is absolutely essential today to acquire, retain and create loyal customers. Self- hosted websites, or sites that you pay to have hosted online, are the smartest, safest option for most businesses. Why?
Once upon a time, there lived a young couple who were eager to make a home for themselves. They were newlyweds, and with all the enthusiasm of newlyweds, they set out to find a house they could afford. But they couldn't find anything, not even a fixer-upper, that was within their price range.
A friend suggested they rent his aunt's home. His aunt was going into a nursing home and didn't want to sell her house, but was willing to rent it. "Don't worry," the friend said, "When auntie dies, I'll sell you the house at cost, at this very low price, so you will have it forever."
Now he was a good friend...a great friend...so the couple never got the agreement in writing. Friends don't bail out on promises, do they?
The house hadn't been updated since 1952. It needed new windows. It needed new doors and a new roof. The lawn was ugly and bare. The inside and out needed paint and new carpet. The couple set out with a will, doing the painting themselves, even installing new windows.
They did a lot of work on a home they were sure would be theirs someday.
Now you know what happened next, right? They were just renters. The old aunt died, and suddenly the nephew realized he had a valuable, newly painted and fixed up property...to sell. The asking price was way outside what the couple could afford. They complained, but too bad. Out they went, the house was sold, and they moved on to their next apartment.
The story I've just told you is true. It happened to a relative of mine. And it goes to prove the old adage: NEVER build on rented land. In other words, if you rent a property, don't invest in it! Whoever owns the land gets whatever improvements you've made on it. Period.
Now what does this have to do with a small business website?
The Importance of Owning Your Own Small Business Website
How many small business owners do you know who rely on "rented" property for their websites? I'm talking about the businesses who insist that their Facebook page is their web page, even going as far as printing the URL of their Facebook page on business cards and brochures in lieu of a web address.
Others build websites on free hosting platforms. They're doing the same thing--investing in rented land. They have no guarantee that the site host won't discontinue the platform.
[Tweet "The importance of owning your own small business website. Free sites are dangerous!"]
I went through that exact experience with ivillage. Do you remember ivillage? It's faded from memory, but back around 1999 it was the bee's knees. I had my email account with them and set up several free websites for hobbies and my freelance writing. Then they decided to discontinue their free web hosting and email service. Ooops. Gone. My stories, everything I'd published online vanished. I had to scrambled to copy it all down before the site was removed.
Ditto with Yahoo Geocities. Remember Geocities? A great source for free websites...until Yahoo decided to discontinue their free service. Then they moved to SiteBuilder, and I had my business site hosted with them for over a decade. THEN they decided to shut down their service on that software, too. They'd still offer hosting, but only with their templates or your files. They discontinued the easy to use software that let me run a great retail site.
Can you see a pattern here? As a small business owner, I absolutely need a strong, robust and well-optimized website. I have several sites now, two of which I host with Web Design of Palm Beach. (I highly recommend them, by the way. Great service, reliable hosting, fair prices, USA-based.) I now own my own land, so to speak, so the "house" I build on it in terms of my blog content and other content is mine.
Relying on a free web service, free blogging platform or worse, a social media website to host your online presence is like the couple in my story making repairs and improvements to a house they don't own. At any moment, the homeowner can snap his fingers and kick you out and take what you've invested. It's his right and your tough luck.
You do realize, of course, that a social media site or another platform can do the same with your business site? And then where would you be? You'd lose all that time and money invested in your site. You'll have to throw away the business cards, bumper stickers and t-shirts printed with your "website" address because it wasn't really a website at all.
Invest in yourself. Own what you build. Although at first it may seem like a strain on your wallet, in the long run, it's money well spent to build and own your own small business website.
If you're ready to build your own small business website, hire a professional marketing writer to craft engaging, search engine friendly text. Invest in professional writing services for a better return. Contact me, Jeanne Grunert, "the marketing writer", for great service and superior writing that gets results.
Five Reasons Why Your Business Needs Bloggers
Do you have a business blog? If not, why not? According to HubSpot, business who run a blog receive 67 percent more leads than those who do not. I don't know about you, but I'd sure like to get 67 percent more leads than my competitors.
Heather over at the Virginia Bloggers Club (of which I'm a member) has written a great post, The Five Reasons Why Your Business Needs Bloggers. A good blog can generate leads, improve your search engine rank, and drive more leads, traffics and visits to your website at a minimal cost.
Samples of Freelance Writing - Don't Write Them for Free
If you're asked for samples of freelance writing by a potential client, do share published samples. These can be samples you've published on your own - on Medium.com, on your blog, on your website. Or, they can be samples of published work completed for your clients.
But whatever you do, do not provide free samples for a potential client written specifically on their chosen topic. Any company serious about hiring pays a small stipend, even a fraction of the actual cost, to show good faith and good will to freelancers.
If you're a company considering writers, please do not ask them to do a test article or sample for free. Why? Watch this video.
Samples of Freelance Writing: Asking for Free Samples Is Not Industry Standard
Writers, companies hiring for freelance work do need to see samples of your work. But they should not ask for free samples of freelance writing. I have had 'samples' published by such unscrupulous companies.
Instead, provide samples as follows:
- Your own website and blog - yes, it is okay for you to write your own blog and use that as a sample
- Published works - anything published with your byline is great! Do share it.
- Samples of client projects (with their permission)
Paid test projects, on the other hand, are fine. If a client asks for a sample of your freelance writing work and is willing to pay even a small amount, that is acceptable.
Here's a more in-depth article I wrote about "writing on spec" - a term which means writing on speculation, or with an eye towards future work. It never or almost never works out. Professional writers, do not write for free on speculation or in hope of getting an assignment.
Should Freelance Writers Complete Free Test Articles?
As a freelance writer, I'm often asked to complete a test assignment. Sometimes companies offer compensation, sometimes they don't. Here's my answer to such a request, and why.
Why Freelance Writers Should NEVER Write a Free Test Article
Last week, I submitted an application to a company seeking a content writer. A friend passed the ad on to me, and the company looked interesting and well-established. The ad didn't say how much each article assignment would eventually pay, but the professional tone of the advertisement was encouraging. So too was the fact that I had impressive publishing credentials in exactly the space the potential client worked in - and magazine clips to submit on the exact topics he wanted someone to write for. It seemed like a slam-dunk, a home run.
The potential client responded within 24 hours. "Congratulations! You've made the first cut. You're among 25 writers we're considering for this vacancy."
You've narrowed it down to...25? Are you kidding me? Already I had that prickling feeling on the back of my neck that warns me a potentially bad situation is looming. But the next paragraph clinched it for me.
"In order for us to select the best writer, we require you to complete the attached questionnaire and submit two sample articles. Each article will be keyword-rich and 1,000 words. Submit your articles within 24 hours to us at..."
How long does it take a professional writer to research keywords and topics, then write a really solid 1,000 word article? I would say at least one hour per article. So essentially, this company wanted two free hours of work from each of their 25 potential writers. Then, and only then, would one lucky writer be chosen to work with them. And by the way, they still didn't mention how much they planned to pay.
So I emailed them back and politely let them know that while I would be willing to complete a test, my rate for completing such a test is X, and I accepted PayPal and bank check.
They seemed absolutely flummoxed by my response. I received another email back, letting me know that it was standard practice within their company to ask applicants to complete tests. Writers, designers, computer programmers, whoever was going to work with them, they wanted a lengthy test.
Now while I can see such a test for a full-time position, for freelance work it is absurd. It is especially absurd when you consider that I had submitted published magazine articles on the EXACT topic requested in their test article.
I declined to write the test, and explained my reasons to them in this manner.
"Would you ask a lawyer to prepare a free legal brief for you so that you can assess his skills? Ask a physician to commit two hours at no charge to you so that you can assess his surgical skills? Ask a dentist to install a free filling and a crown so you can test his skills? No. So why are you asking writers to give you two free hours of their time?"
Their only response was to tell me that this was their standard method of assessing freelancers and so far, no one had complained but me. Well, I have news for them. The reason they haven't heard complaints yet is because the better writers packed up their keyboards and went elsewhere.
The sad fact is that many writers probably DID complete their test assignments. What guarantee do we have that the company won't use the two free articles produced as part of the test? None. Just their word that they have given the same writing prompts to all 25 writers and therefore couldn't use the resulting articles. After all, no one would want to publish, let alone read, 25 articles on the same topic. Right? Well, maybe...
Now I am not saying that this particular firm intended to get free content. It has been my experience, however, that companies who want lengthy free consultations or to "hear your thoughts" on their pressing problem before they hire you as a consultant are hoping to get free work out of you. Why companies think it is okay to do this with consultants and creative freelancers, such as designers, writers, photographers and others, is beyond me, but we (the creative types) do seem to get hit with this more frequently than say, other white-collar professions.
As a freelance writer, my experience is simply this: the best companies I work with are the ones who paid me a fair rate for a simple test assignment. Many paid me to participate in short online training courses to learn the ropes for their particular clients or content platforms. They paid me for my time.
If you are a freelance writer and a company asks you to complete a big free project, ask yourself (and yes, ask them too) why. Why do they want a test assignment? Offer clips of your work, links to it online, or a short paragraph if they truly want to assess your writing skills.
But don't give your time and talents away for free. You're worth more than that.
No, freelance writers should not complete test articles at no charge.
This article was written by Jeanne Grunert, president of Seven Oaks Consulting, and "The Marketing Writer". Jeanne is a 20+ year veteran of countless meetings which could have been handled by phone calls or emails. Her experience includes leading marketing department, writing books and magazine articles, and pushing cats off of her desk. Jeanne does not write free test assignments but she's happy to give you a satisfaction guarantee on your first project with her. If you're not happy with her writing, you're free to cancel and go elsewhere with no hard feelings and not a penny owed to her. For more information, visit www.marketing-writer.com, Jeanne's website.
What Is Long Form Content and Why Does It Work?
I saw some fascinating research today on long form content. For those not in the marketing world, long form content refers to longer online articles and blog posts. Many people think that longer stuff doesn't work - that people skip over and don't read it. Research shows, however, that the opposite is true. Well-written long-form content gets two thumbs up from readers, especially business readers.
What Is Long Form Content?
Ask any two marketers what long form content is and you'll get two different answers. There's no industry standard definition. I'd put long form content at 1,000 words or more.
Long form content depends on several factors to make it work online:
- A broad enough topic so that you can get plenty of "meat" into the content;
- Great primary research. You can't fake good long form content.
- A solid outline. Like building a skyscraper, you need steel girders under it!
- Written to be formatted for the web. Because long form conveys a lot of information, the information needs to be written with formatting in mind. Plenty of white space, breaks, lists, subheadlines - you get the idea.
- Formatted for easy reading. You can't just plunk down thousands of words of text on a white web page and call it a day. Long form content has to be displayed for easy reading on mobile devices and screens. That means links, jump links, pictures and so on.
Why Does Long Form Content Work?
It works because it conveys information, plenty of information, and it gives readers tremendous value.
Wordstream offerred insights into why long form content works via several graphs. The interesting thing about long form content is that it increases reader engagement and time of visit, two important signals that Google and other search engines use to assess the value of website content. The longer people stay on your blog or site, the better. Long form accomplishes this admirably.
Why Don't More Companies Use Long Form Content?
Company owners have also bought into the myth that "people don't read anymore." My question to you is this: what people are you talking about? Do YOUR customers read?
Let's look at two of my niche areas: gardening and business. In both niches, people can and do read. They crave information. Gardening tends to rely a lot on pictures, but the business world? People love facts, figures, case studies, illustrations and more.
Long form is harder to write. If you're used to just dashing off any old thing for your blog or website, the idea of creating a 1,000+ article can be daunting. Most casual writers can't craft a solid outline, and they sure as heck can't create readable online copy. That's where long form content separates the men from the boys or in my case, the women from the girls; it's where the better writers excel, and the weaker ones flounder.
I love writing long form content and offer it as my area of specialty to interested business owners. If you're intrigued by the thought of adding some longer guides, articles and blog posts to your website but still uncertain whether or not they work in today's fast-paced world, check out the following articles:
- Forbes: Why Long Form Content Marketing Works and Why It Doesn't
- QuickSprout: How Content Length Affects Ranking and Conversion
- KISS Metrics: Why You Should Create Long Form Content (and How to Do It)
- Search Engine Watch: What Type of Content Should You Create
Retention and Loyalty Marketing Strategies
Today on my Blog Talk Radio Show, "Words That Work," I'll be speaking about retention and loyalty marketing strategies. In the world of direct marketing, there are three phases of direct marketing: acquisition, retention and loyalty building. I like to apply these concepts to the world of content marketing.
Most businesses spend a tremendous amount of time, money and attention to the acquisition phase of the business cycle. They emphasize bringing new customers and new business into the firm, and spend princely sums on wooing new customers in the door. The problem with that model is that eventually you do run out of new customers. Worse still, it's difficult to bring in new customers if you haven't put any emphasis on retention or loyalty-building strategies.
Your best marketing is conducted not by some fancy advertising or marketing agency, but by satisfied customers. Consider the following statistics, all gleaned from 7 Surprising Facts About Customer Referrals:
- 5% of new business comes from referrals – New York Times
- 92% of respondents trusted referrals from people they knew – Nielsen
- People are 4 times more likely to buy when referred by a friend – Nielsen
Given these statistics, focusing on retention (keeping a customer for the long term) and loyalty (keeping long-time customers happy and eager to be your "brand advocates") makes good sense.
Encouraging Happy, Loyal Customers and Brand Advocates
Over the course of my 20+ year career as a marketing executive, I've found that the following 10 ideas and concepts will help any business grow their base of happy, loyal customers, customers who are eager to become your brand advocates. See if you can implement any of the following ideas:
- Reward existing customers first before offering deals to new customers: Satellite TV and cell phone companies are notoriously BAD at doing this. They offer great discounts to new customers but treat their existing customers badly, raising rates, hiking fees, and charging for every little thing. Instead of giving great discounts to your new customers, reward your longest and most loyal customers with surprise savings. Waive fees for them. Give them coupons, discounts, special gifts not available to your new customers. Let them know you value their loyalty.
- Surprise and delight your long-time customers: This is a corollary to item one, above. Surprise and delight your long-time customers. Waive a monthly service charge. Give them one thing free.
- Say thank you: This may sound corny, but in an age of fast-paced digital everything, an old fashioned, hand-written thank you note may really surprise and delight existing customers. This is especially good for service-based businesses. Let customers know you DO appreciate them.
- Ask for their opinions and ideas: Engage your long-time clients in customer panels, surveys and discussions. Call them and ask them what you can be doing better. They will be flattered and honored that you are asking for their opinion!
- Change only what's broken; don't change what you are doing right. You're obviously doing something right if you have customers loyal to your company for many months or years. Don't noodle around with what's working. You can add product or service extensions, but avoid the "new Coke" trap and don't mess with what's working. People DO like classic things and don't always crave the new!
- If you do add something new, offer it to your long-time clients first: If you do add a product or service, let the old timers know first. Make them feel like they are part of an inner circle of advocates by releasing new product information to them first.
- Go the extra mile: Set up a special hotline for your long-time clients. If they have a problem, prioritize your customer service by loyalty, giving special attention to customers who have been loyal to your company for a long time.
- Send a token gift: A small gift to say thank you may be appreciated by your customers.
- Share information freely with them: Add rich content to your website that continually strives to help your customers solve problems, learn new things, or interact with your brand. Make the content free. In the long run, you will reap new sales from existing customers that will more than pay off your investment in long-form, rich content.
- Integrity builds loyalty and trust: When all is said and done, it is professional integrity that builds loyalty and trust for your brand. All the free gifts in the world won't make up for a company that misses appointments or deadlines, sells products that break, or doesn't live up to its brand promise. Make your word and keep your word to build long-term loyalty.
This post was written by Jeanne Grunert, president of Seven Oaks Consulting and author of Pricing Your Services: 21 Tips for More Profit. Please feel free to share a link to this content via your favorite social media outlet. Thank you.
B2B Content Marketing for Customer Acquisition
I generally think of marketing in three phases: acquisition, retention and loyalty-building. Content marketers tend to focus on the tail end of that three-phrase cycle, loyalty building. B2B content marketing is ideal for building brand loyalty. Magazines, long-form content, case studies and similar content marketing strategies are often used to great effect by B2B marketers to boost loyalty. However, B2B content marketing for customer acquisition can be equally as effective if it’s done well.
Why Are Customers Looking for Your Products or Services?
All good marketing programs, including content marketing programs, begin by answering the question, “What do my customers want or need?”
People shop for products and services based upon needs. Those needs may be physical needs; you need milk for your cereal, so you go to the store to buy it. Needs may also be psychological. I made an appointment with my favorite hair salon a few weeks ago, and the first words out of my mouth to my stylist were, “Blonde me.” I needed a psychological “lift” for the new year, and my naturally ashy blond hair had turned dark brunette over the past year. An hour or two at the salon and I left with lighter hair and a lighter spirit. In that case, my needs were psychological.
Before crafting your content marketing programs, know what your customers want or need. Conduct surveys, listen to their comments on social media, visit with them, hang out with them, but do understand what they need. That understanding flows into the first segment of a three-step acquisition program.
Good B2B Content Marketing Begins with Education
Once you understand what your customers want or need, you can begin to think of how your products and services might fill that need. But don’t rush right into an advertising campaign disguised as content marketing. Instead, educate them first on how your products or services solve that need.
How do you educate customers via B2B content marketing? You have many choices:
- Educational content: This type of content tends to revolve around industry facts. Statistics, facts, data, product information are all forms of educational content marketing.
- How-to articles: Teach your customers how to tackle simple tasks that solve their problems and win their attention and loyalty. How to choose an accountant, how to tackle a computer-based task, how to do something smarter, better or faster are all great how to article types for B2B content marketing.
- Advice: I like using personal advice from an authority or expert to educate customers. This works best when your brand is already well-known or you have a strong ‘voice’ in the industry. I’ve used this successfully with manufacturing clients and those who have a very unique, specialized area of expertise. Customers are hungry for advice from a true ‘expert’ in their industry, especially industries where products are more prosaic and functional.
B2B Content Marketing as an Acquisition Funnel
All steps along your B2B content marketing program should act like a sales funnel, gently leading and guiding prospects to make that final decision to call, contact, or complete a sales action. Once you educate prospects, it’s time to introduce solution-focused content. Such content takes the educational information shared in step 1 and introduces your firm as a solution for whatever problem led them to your content in the first place. By helping, advising and guiding instead of hard-selling them on your product or service, you can share useful, actionable information without clubbing them over the head (figuratively, of course) emotionally with hyperbole charged rhetoric. Instead, you’re selling to professionals in a manner that appeals to them as business people.
Jeanne Grunert is the president of Seven Oaks Consulting, a content marketing writing and services firm based in Virginia. She hopes you found this article educational and informative.