How to Market with Content

If you've ever read a website that says something like this, you understand the challenge about communicating with customers and prospects.

We offer robust software solutions that can help your company operate more efficiently. We create custom applications and create powerful tools to help you serve your customers. We are the leading provider of enterprise application integration solutions and have earned a reputation for breakthrough performance.

Some companies devote space on their website and other marketing materials talking about their process, how they achieve their goals, and tout their position as an industry leader. It's hard for prospects to stay engaged, especially early in the sales cycle when they don't yet have a relationship with the company. The best way to build a relationship with a prospect is to provide useful information. And the best way to do that is by creating meaningful content: materials that talk about the typical problems customers face and then solve them, or content like white papers and e-books that educate prospects about the workings of a particular product or service.

Content marketing is the process of creating and distributing materials that contain information useful to your prospects and customers. There is a tremendous amount of knowledge in each and every company—about your industry, market sector, products and services. Content marketing leverages that institutional knowledge and shares it with others.

It may seem counterintuitive to share your hard won knowledge with everyone. You don't have to give away trade secrets. But you must be willing to share solutions to problems, common or unexpected, your vision about the future of your industry or sector, and insights that you know your customers are seeking.

It's about your customers
You, your company, and whatever products or services you offer are not the story. While your processes and offerings are important, that isn't what engages customers. Customers want to know what's in it for them. This means you've got to understand your customers. What keeps them up at night? What are the worries and challenges? What are their goals?

It's about the content
White papers, case studies, customer newsletters, videos, podcasts—these are some ways you can share your knowledge with your prospects. You may want to explain a concept or a process. You may want to discuss market trends and your take on them. You may want to dissect a typical problem and solve it. You may want to position yourself as a thought leader by discussing cutting edge issues or challenges you see coming.

No matter what format you choose and how you choose to distribute it, the content you create should tell a compelling story. Start a conversation, or move one forward. Contribute to the pool of knowledge in your industry. Otherwise, thought leader or not, why would you customers and prospects be interested in reading what you write?

It's about the plan
Whatever content you choose to create and share with your customers, get it out there. This kind of marketing isn't a onetime thing. It's something your company needs to engage in for the long haul. You need a plan to understand what topics you want to discuss, when to discuss it, and anticipate how they will relate to other marketing and public relations activities.

If it sounds like a lot of work, it is. But if it shortens the sales cycle, drives more traffic to your web site, increases market share, or brings you higher quality customers, it's worth it.

-May 2010