On Words and Business

How are you at asking questions?

To write content, sometimes you have to interview an expert.

Here are some hints about finding the right questions to ask:

1. Consider the purpose of the interview; that helps determine the level of question to ask. If you’re writing an article for beginners or people who have no background in the topic, it’s okay to ask very basic questions. If you’re writing for a more advanced audience, you should do some research and know the basics so you can ask more specific and detailed questions.
2. Research. Prepare for speaking to an expert by looking at articles written by this person, reviewing the company website, etc. Even for an interview focusing on the basics, you need to understand who you are talking to and what that person brings to the table.
3. Write out a list of questions. Start simple–what would you want to know about the topic if you were one of your readers. Once you get the basics down, then elaborate with more detailed questions.
4. Go with the flow and don’t be afraid to go off-script. You spent a lot of time preparing questions in advance, but interview subjects quite often say something intriguing or introduce a new and compelling topic that you never considered. If it’s appropriate given the content you are creating, follow them down that path and ask follow-up questions (that you’ll have to make up on the fly).
5. Ask a final, wrap-up question. 98% of the time, this is when you’ll get one of the best quotes of the entire interview. My final question is always a variation of this: Is there anything I didn’t ask you about (this topic) or that we haven’t already discussed that you want people to know?

Do you ever review your competitors’ marketing, as part of your strategy?

It’s a great way to:

• Discover what they think are market trends
• Learn about the industry
• Benchmark your marketing and that of other competitors

Keep current by subscribing to RSS feeds or newsletters or simply checking their website on a regular basis. But it’s also a good idea to do a thorough review of things like resource centers, PR coverage, and marketing campaigns at least biannually or at the same time you review your strategy.

Data can be fun. Really.

Here are some thoughts about using demographic data to help you create content for your marketing program.

Hints on how to mine the press for content.

More importantly, what keeps your audience up at night?

When thinking about the decision makers in your audience, think about the answers to the following questions. Knowing the answers will help you target your content marketing program.

• What are the issues that most trouble them?
• What types of products, services, or vendors are they working with now or evaluating for the future?
• What are key events or situations that impact their goals?
• What government or industry regulations affect their work?
• What do they need to do their jobs better?

The 3 basic stages before buying a product or service:

1. Do I have a problem?

The goal of content marketing at this point is to share materials that educate your customers about the issue or problem, including the consequences of ignoring it.

2. If I do have a problem, what solutions are out there to help me solve it?

This is when your content needs to provide details about the features and benefits of your product/service, so your customers can figure out what the differences are between offerings and why yours might be best.

3. Is this the right solution for me?

This is when your marketing materials should discuss things like the return on investment in your solution and any additional information (like service and support options) to help customers evaluate your product and compare against any competitors.