While it may not be fair but it is true that we, as small business owners, tend to look at suits as bottom liners; only caring about ROIs and what is actually propelling the company forward financially. Of course this isn’t always the case but why cut them slack? They’re wearing suits. However, there is a person underneath that two-piece and believe it or not it is a person that you can relate to, under most circumstances. Content marketing is just now, at the end of 2014, getting its just desserts and here are some tips to get your business involved and pitch innovative but relatable content marketing.
One
In the world of numbers that bosses live in, it is hard to explain why a strategy did or did not work. While some big businesses can learn from trial and error, small businesses do not have that luxury. Being involved in small business, you MUST know your audience and market appropriately. But, in all of the information out there, where do you even begin? The best answer is: Your enemy is your friend. In that respect, check out the competition. There are even programs that can give your competitors’ analytics some analysis to show you what works or doesn’t for them. I am not saying to have the same marketing campaign; that doesn’t make much sense, but it does save you the time and headache of doing your own research and reports. Approaching your client or boss with competitors’ numbers is a great way to get their attention. No one wants to fall behind and more than likely they will take your pitch more seriously and therefore seriously consider it.
Two
Reach out to others. When pitching a service or idea, it is much easier to convince someone when you have the numbers to back you up. Not numbers on a piece of paper, but numbers of people or even departments working together to create organic content that will generate better ROIs (Returns on Investments). Content marketing doesn’t begin and end with the marketing department; it affects Public Relations and Sales, among others. If you aren’t sure who to contact or how to go about getting the numbers, do a little research. Ask around at the company or talk to the client. Asking a few questions before your pitch like, “Is anyone else involved in your companies’ marketing strategies?” can really change your pitch and the outcome. Knowledge is truthfully the best ammunition.
Three
The times they are a-changing and that is true now more than ever. Long gone are the days when consumers were solely swayed by marketing “techniques”. But, luckily for us, there are ways to see what works like collected data and mutually accepted metrics that display industry trends. By doing a little research you will find resources you couldn’t imagine existed. This can help your pitch to show that force feeding boring content and expecting impulse purchases is a thing of the past for one reason: There is too much shared information out there! Don’t be left behind because you never thought to check it out.
Four
Approaching a client or a boss with a marketing strategy is tough. It isn’t easy to get people to spend money but one thing that will get the dollars flowing is pride. It’s true. No one wants to be second best and no one wants to have a tarnished professional reputation. Keep in mind during your pitch that great content marketing tells a brand’s story. Driving your brand’s mission home to loyal consumers and even new potential clients is only the beginning but it is important because it is expected. “Why should this person use your services? Well, it’s because we care about people.” It isn’t hard to convince people, especially when it is true. This kind of brand involvement requires leadership and while many clients or bosses won’t want to add to their workload, they will realize the importance of your strategy and will get the “big picture.”
Content marketing is “any marketing that involved the creation and sharing of media and publishing content in order to acquire and retain customers.” If this doesn’t sell itself then nothing will. What is the point of marketing if not to “acquire and retain customers?” While you are pitching to a human and humans are nothing if not infallible; the pitch may not work and that’s okay. You tried. Now after taking these tips and doing a little bit of research, you can try and try again. Content marketing has been around for centuries and isn’t going anywhere; so perfect your pitch and provide a prettier outlook for your company’s marketing future.
