Selling is marketing but marketing is NOT selling. Is your business using content marketing as a facet of your marketing strategy? It certainly is all the rage now, isn’t it? It seems marketers are falling all over themselves to increase budgets, increase volume, and in many cases, decrease value when you are making mistakes with content marketing.
Like any other business initiative, content marketing is a STRATEGY, not a tactic. And as such it should be planned and executed with well thought out processes and procedures.
Content can be confusing. It’s tough to get people to agree exactly what it is and isn’t. Much like an eminent jurist once said about pornography, you know it when you see it, but that is hardly a working definition.
To make things even more difficult, content requires intense integration of diverse capabilities. Creativity, storytelling, information technology, user experience, and other skills all must come together to build an effective product that touches hearts and minds.
Great publishers lead. People like Helen Gurley Brown, Henry Luce, and Anna Wintour created legendary brands by driving trends, not following them. They do not seek to merely join the conversation, but to lead it. If you expect people to listen to you, it’s best to have something meaningful to say.
If marketers are ever going to be successful at content, the first step is to start thinking more like a publisher.
The core challenge for any organization which seeks to build great content is that the capabilities and skills that need to be integrated come with people attached.
While there are articles, books, and a plethora of data on how to accomplish awesome content marketing, I’ve decided to touch on killer mistakes that you may fall prey to:
Avoid pushy sales messages.
Making mistakes … pushy sales messages
Successful marketers know good content aims to help, not sell.
Public relations focus
Here’s why: content marketing should focus on the consumer, not YOUR COMPANY!
Don’t know your audience
One of our biggest challenges is to create and deliver content that people actually want to consume. With so much competing for their attention, if you don’t the audience wants and needs, you will fail before you start. To create content that’s valuable, you need to know what your prospects and customers care about.
Not making it a “Project”
It takes gobs of time to do it right, and if done correctly it’s never over.
A solution for everyone at all times
Good content marketing efforts nurture prospects through the entire lifecycle and then continue to aid current customers. One-piece can’t please everyone at every stage!
Making mistakes … solely from the marketing department
Not only should you consider having several departments help create content, but you can’t rule out having your customers help you create great content also.
Not measuring results
If you’re not measuring your content marketing results, don’t stick your head in the sand and hide, you’re not alone. Stats indicate that only 15 percent measure results.
t’s important to know what’s working (so you can do more of it), and what’s not so you can either ditch it, or tweak it to perform better the next time around.
It’s not just a blog
While your blog is one type of content, it shouldn’t be the only way your company distributes content for your would-be clients to consume. There’s also social media, eBooks, case studies, videos, and more.
One-way communication.
One-way communication
It’s not enough to push your content out. To execute a content marketing strategy that sells, you’ll need to respond, comment, ask questions, and interact with the people who are consuming your pieces.
Definitely a two-way conversation.
Content marketing killer mistakes … neglect to do your research
Before you start any marketing activity (no matter how strategic or tactical), you have to know why you’re doing it. What does success look like?
I think the biggest mistake is not doing the foundational, big-picture work. You have to know whom you’re talking to, what they need and want to know, and where their interests intersect with yours.
Of limited to no value
The only way your content has a chance of being successful if it’s perceived as EXTREMELY valuable. As in, you’re sharing jaw-dropping tips and tricks for your industry.
Put a focus on only on yourself
I’d argue that marketers who do not build buyer insights or develop personas will forever revert to content-oriented that’s around products because that’s what they know best.
Think like the end-user, not like a business owner. Too many business owners and marketers are writing more for “their” way of seeing the world.
It seems like common sense to have sharing widgets on your content so users can easily make a couple of clicks on the mouse and share your words to the masses, but so many people miss this all-important step.
The bottom line
Successful content marketing takes time and lots of hard work. If you don’t have the time or energy, there are no shortcuts.
I can’t say it enough. Successful content marketing is all about solving your customers’ problems.
If you are looking for additional resources on digital marketing, one of my favorite experts is Jason Falls. You’ll find lots of good stories and examples to learn from his blog.
What do you think? Have any suggestions to add to this list in the comments section? We would love to hear them.
So what’s the conclusion? The conclusion is there is no conclusion. There is only the next step. And that next step is completely up to you. But believe in the effectiveness of word of mouth marketing created by remarkable customer service. And put it to good use.
It’s up to you to keep improving your creative marketing strategies. Lessons are all around you. In this case, your competitor may be providing ideas and or inspiration. But the key is in knowing that it is within you already.
All you get is what you bring to the fight. And that fight gets better every day you learn and apply new lessons.
When things go wrong, what’s most important is your next step.
Try. Learn. Improve. Repeat.
Are you devoting enough energy to improving your marketing, branding, and advertising?
Do you have a lesson about making your marketing strategy better you can share with this community? Have any questions or comments to add in the section below?
Mike Schoultz is the founder of Digital Spark Marketing, a digital marketing and customer service agency. With 40 years of business experience, he writes about topics to help improve the performance of small business. Find him on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
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