Thursday, February 28, 2013

Content is KING...Last of the 3-Part Blog Series

Congratulations! You have stuck with me for the 3-part series on engaging your audience with great CONTENT! This series has given you tools and ideas for creating compelling content that will provide value to your target audience and keep them engaged with your marketing messages. But, WAIT! I am not finished yet! There are still 3 tips left. So, without further ado...here we go!
Not everything you offer in your marketing communications has to be original content. Sharing third-party expertise that can benefit your audience is a great way to deliver value without having to write it all yourself. Of course, when using third-party content, make sure to properly attribute where the content came from and link back to the original source if you can. But don’t just repost another article. Explain why you like it, and what you hope your readers gain from reading it!


There are three kinds of third-party content:
 
Collectible Content:
Gather a handful of articles from the web that are related to your industry and the interests of your target audience. In your marketing, provide a brief description of each article followed by the link to the piece (if electronic) or a specific QR code to scan with a smart phone. This is a fast and easy way to put your ad/newsletter together with quality content. All you have to do is share your opinion. It’s that simple.
A quick way to find content when you need it is to consider saving articles from your favorite email newsletters and blog posts in a folder in your email inbox. This way you won’t have to look far for content at the last minute. Another great place to find articles to share with your audience is Google News (http://news.google.com). You can enter a search term such as “small business marketing” and the news database will pull up all articles related to small business marketing posted within the last few days. You can automate this process as well by having Google News email you a list of the latest articles on a particular subject each day.
And of course, your favorite social media sites can provide great suggestions for articles. If you see someone tweet or post an article, save that URL in a document and refer back to it later. Before linking to a website, keep in mind that some online publications may have a reprint policy that includes linking. Generally, though, in this age of interconnectedness, it should be more than alright to link to an article you’ve found, just as long as you don’t claim to have written it yourself.

Pre-Written Content:
There are many articles written by experts that are available for you to reprint (for free!) in your marketing and PR. In fact, the web is filled with these types of articles. You just have to know where to look for them. Two recommended sites:

If you use an article from these sites, you will
need to publish it in its entirety and include the author’s name. At the end of these articles the author always includes a paragraph promoting his or her business along with a link. Usually these links are harmless and just lead to the author’s web page for products or services. Be sure to check out these links before publishing the article so that you’ll know what content your audience will see.



Ghostwritten Content:
The third option is to hire someone else to write your articles for you. It’s not as expensive as you may think. Best of all, with ghostwriting you retain all rights to the article and you can put your name at the top as the author. Just give the writer a subject, word count, example of what you believe good writing to be, and a firm deadline. Keep in mind that you’ll want to consider in advance what themes and ideas you want the articles to cover. This way the content will be higher quality and will truly stand the test of time.

DON'T FORGET! Repurpose your content across social media!
You can continue to use your good content across multiple social media channels in an effort to reach more customers, members, and prospects by linking to it on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, or whatever social media site(s) you use. Conversely, you can use social media to promote your business and drive subscribers. A day or two before your marketing message is scheduled to run (via Enewsletter, radio, TV, online or print) tease what the ad is going to be about and direct fans, friends, and followers to watch out for it!
There are many ways a business or nonprofit can generate compelling content that will keep customers and members interacting with their ad campaigns. Once you have a handful of ideas, you’ll find the process is easier than you thought and you may even have more ideas than space to use them, which is a good problem to have.



Need help coming up with content, or want to hire a Ghostwriter? Call me @ 515.259.0577 for a FREE consultation and brainstorming session!


515-259-0577 - office
316-644-7029 - cell
renee@trioagency.com
www.facebook.com/trioagency
www.trioagency.blogspot.com
www.trioagency.com

About TRIO Marketing|Branding|AdvertisingTRIO is a full-service marketing communications company providing a wide array of integrated marketing services to meet all of your business and marketing needs. At TRIO, we understand that each client is unique; therefore we provide customized solutions based on your goals and growth objectives. All of our recommendations are made specifically for you and your business.

TRIO Marketing|Branding|Advertising delivers an effective blend of creative talent and strategic thinking, delivering results that increase the bottom line of our client partners. We utilize our network of local experts in the community to execute the campaigns on the basis of design, printing and mailing.

Our Services include:

  • Marketing, Branding, Public Relations and Advertising Consulting
  • Strategic Annual Marketing Plan Development
  • Integrated and Interactive Marketing Services including E-mail and SMS Marketing
  • Promotional Products
  • Media Negotiation, Placement & Spot Traffic Management
  • Print Design & Production
  • Web Development & Search Engine Optimization
  • Direct Mail Services
  • One-on-One Business Development/Sales Team Coaching

At TRIO, we work hard to combine marketing talent and technology with outstanding customer service to build long-term partnerships with you and your business. Our strategies are delivered on time and in a cost-effective manner to achieve maximum response and grow your business.



Content is KING - Part 2 of the 3 Part Blog Series

"Content is KING - Take 2" A 3-Part Series on Engaging your Audience.


So, now you have your marketing plan in place. Now...what should you say to your audience? Last month, I gave two tips (Tip#1: Share your Secrets; Tip #2: Share your Knowledge) to help come up with creative, compelling content for your marketing. Want more ideas? Here are a couple more tips to get your creative juices flowing!

Tip #3: Rely on Your Customers’ Expertise.

A third option for content is to make your customers the experts. Sometimes, because they’re not as invested in and knowledgeable about your products and services as you are, they have a simplified perspective. Often, they value things about your products and services, or they have uses or tips, that you might not even be aware of.

  • Let your customers give advice.
  • Instead of giving subscribers your tips, ask a few of your best customers what advice they would give to fellow customers. For example, a gardening center might send an email newsletter with customer tips and ideas for creating indoor gardens. The gardening newsletter could include related offers for plants mentioned in the newsletter.
  • Be an expert interviewer
  • Interview your customers about their experience or expertise and share the interview with your audience. For example, a travel agent might interview a customer who recently took a trip to a featured destination. In this case, including a few photos from the customer’s trip would be a great addition (after all, a picture is worth a thousand words.)

Tip #4: Turn Questions into Content.

Customer questions posed to you through email, over the phone, on social media, or through any other channel are a perfect base for creating content. Chances are good that more than one person has the same question, so your answer can benefit many. Take the question and answer and turn it into an article for your newsletter or advertisement.

For business-to-business organizations, monitoring social media sites — particularly Twitter and LinkedIn — for industry-related questions and trends can provide similar content. Take a question posed to a group and answer it. Doing so can demonstrate your expertise in your industry. If you’re going to use your questioner’s name or any other identifying information, it’s recommended that you get his or her permission before publishing the question in a public forum.


Tip #5: Share your Humanity.

Nonprofit organizations can add content that takes the reader beyond just a plea for donations. Organizations should publish “mission statements” that bring the mission of the group to life. For instance, a local Leukemia Society could feature a child and family dealing with the disease. Doing so puts a real face on the issue for readers. Profile staff members as well and share their story of why they’re involved in the organization. People like reading about other people, even if they don’t know them personally. And anytime you do a story about a person, make sure to include his or her picture. That makes the story come to life. While the main body of your marketing piece should be an article that ties to your mission statement, nonprofits can add a soft sell by listing ways subscribers can help without donating money. For example, they could donate used clothing, time, or goods. Make it obvious that there are many ways they can help.

The takeaway here: Remember this - People first! Think about YOUR customers and ask them to review your products or services, and don't just concentrate on your customers...remember your employees and volunteers, too.

Look into the Future: Next month, I will talk about using 3rd Party articles and Collecting Content as well as Hiring a Ghostwriter! Stay Tuned!!

Need help coming up with content? Call Renee @ 515.259.0577 for a FREE consultation and brainstorming session!
515-259-0577 - office
316-644-7029 - cell
renee@trioagency.com
www.facebook.com/trioagency
www.trioagency.blogspot.com
www.trioagency.com

About TRIO Marketing|Branding|AdvertisingTRIO is a full-service marketing communications company providing a wide array of integrated marketing services to meet all of your business and marketing needs. At TRIO, we understand that each client is unique; therefore we provide customized solutions based on your goals and growth objectives. All of our recommendations are made specifically for you and your business.

TRIO Marketing|Branding|Advertising delivers an effective blend of creative talent and strategic thinking, delivering results that increase the bottom line of our client partners. We utilize our network of local experts in the community to execute the campaigns on the basis of design, printing and mailing.

Our Services include:
  • Marketing, Branding, Public Relations and Advertising Consulting
  • Strategic Annual Marketing Plan Development
  • Integrated and Interactive Marketing Services including E-mail and SMS Marketing
  • Promotional Products
  • Media Negotiation, Placement & Spot Traffic Management
  • Print Design & Production
  • Web Development & Search Engine Optimization
  • Direct Mail Services
  • One-on-One Business Development/Sales Team Coaching
At TRIO, we work hard to combine marketing talent and technology with outstanding customer service to build long-term partnerships with you and your business. Our strategies are delivered on time and in a cost-effective manner to achieve maximum response and grow your business.