Who, What, When, Where and Why – what do these words have to do with content marketing?
As you begin work on your content marketing campaign, in order to get the most out of it, you’ll want to think about the following statements and questions. Your answers should be spot on so you’re laser focused on exactly what it is you want to accomplish.
WHO -- WHO Will Your Target Market Be?
Depending upon what kind of business you have, your answer may be simple or may require further research.
With the advent of Spring, let’s say you’re starting a lawn care business. Your services will include mowing lawns, planting gardens, clearing debris, trimming shrubbery, etc.
Your target audience will most likely be homeowners to start with. Later, as your business grows, perhaps you’ll want to move into the commercial arena but for now, you’ll concentrate on homeowners living in towns and cities around you.
You’ll probably begin by using social media to spread the word about your new endeavor. You’ll also want to print flyers and spread them around town – you may even trade some free advertising on your flyer for businesses that will allow you to leave your material on their counter or put a poster in their window.
Content marketing is just that – “content.” While you pursue computer-based marketing, don’t overlook the old “tried and true” methods for getting the word out about your business, too!
WHAT – WHAT’s the Purpose behind Launching a Content Marketing Campaign?
As you develop your business goals, always keep your “eye on the prize.” All of your activities, whether its blogging, building your subscriber list, branding your company, etc. should always be geared toward your main purpose.
Harnessing your energy in a specific direction is what will drive your business to the next level. You want to do as much planning as possible so all your efforts are working in tangent with each other.
WHERE – Is there a Void that I Can Fill Through My Content?
Going back to our lawn care service example -- finding out about the competition is key to getting customers for your business.
Many lawn care services are small operations. The business owner may be the “business” or may employ only a handful of workers. Needless to say, until the business grows, only a handful of customers can be acquired.
Other than the first time you meet, your homeowner customer may not even interact with you. They may be at work when you go to their home and the check in the mail may be the only contact you have with them.
If you want to grow (no pun intended!) a successful business then you need to take the time to explore what your competition is doing and make an effort to do better.
Think about how you can use content to create more value for your business. If you know your customer then you can make it more personal.
Think about how you can bring more value to your customers. How can you help them in areas that they’re not even aware they need help in?
WHEN – Set a Timeframe for Your Content Marketing Plan
Start implementing your plan immediately but don’t tackle everything in one day. By creating a schedule for your content, you’ll be organized and won’t feel like the sky is falling on your head.
Again, a lot of what you do is contingent upon how much help you have to do it. Is it just you controlling everything for your business or do you have helpers?
Even though you may be ready to dive right in and start putting your content on every site under the sun, do your due diligence first. Think about all of the above components as you plan your content marketing strategy.
Post to sites where you’ll be getting the most results with your content. Obviously, this will be a work in progress until you get a rhythm going and start getting interaction.
WHY – Look at Your Company Through Your Consumer’s Eyes
What message can you get across through your content to your prospective client/customer that would make them care about doing business with you?
Why buy from you? Why use your service? What makes you different from other companies selling similar products or performing similar services?
As you write your content, be very thoughtful and objective about what you’re saying and how you say it.
You need to come up with a unique selling proposition – something that will knock your company out of the ball park and move you up the ladder beyond the competition.
What’s unique about your lawn service business? What more can you do besides cut grass and trim?
When the others finish the routine work, do they quickly load up their equipment and leave or do they go the extra mile? Imagine how much more valuable your company could be if you were to take the time to leave a checklist behind of what other tasks need to be addressed in the next couple of weeks or months – fertilizing, deadheading and dividing plants, pruning trees, etc.
An extra few minutes of your time has provided your customer with valuable information about their yard. You’ve taken the time to project future needs that will keep their yard looking great and their lawn, plants and shrubbery thriving.
You might go one step further and take pictures of what needs to be addressed and email them to your client so they have a clear cut idea of what you’re referring to.
You’ve now set yourself apart from the competition by spending a little more time creating a reason for your customer to refer you to their friends and neighbors and in addition, cemented your WHY.
No matter what business you may be in, sit down and figure out how you can make it more meaningful for your customer by providing a more personal approach that sets you apart from the competition.
Take your ideas and turn it in to useful content that you can post to your blog, website or use as handouts for your customers/clients.
Remember to use the five W’s as you plan each content marketing campaign so you’re getting the most from your efforts and your customers are getting the most from you!
