One of the most common challenges we face when we work with new clients, whether they are in tech, automotive or general B2B, is this:
“We have all this content and we share it all the time with our audience, but never seem to get the reaction that we need to generate leads, get good conversations going and ultimately grow revenue.”
They think the problem is with the content, and it kind of is, but a huge part of the problem isn’t being addressed. Never assume that your target audience knows anything about you, and also never assume that they are in a position to buy.
All too often, the success of content strategies are based on outputs like sales, revenue, leads. But, what is the point in that if the businesses or people you are targeting with content don’t know what you offer, and aren’t in a position to buy?
The best approach here is to take a step back from your audience and start to work out where they are in your sales funnel. Chances are, many are at the top. Your job here is to grow profile and engage. Simply getting them to read an article about your solution equals success.
We call this AWARENESS.
And, when you ring fence the challenge and are realistic with the results, you’ll start to sleep much better at night.
Then there is the second stage of the funnel which is where your buyers know who you are but need to understand more about what you do and why you’re different. So, you tailor your content to this section to be more product and solution related. Why you? Where do you intend to take this customer or client and why?
We call this INTENT.
Then there is the last stage, which is where most businesses devising content strategies believe they are all the time anyway: The ready-to-buy stage. It’s not about conversion, it’s about asking how can you take this person or business from knowing you, liking you, understanding you, to buying from you. Content here moves to case study, cost, ROI and road-mapping.
We call this CONVERSION.
Being able to visualise where your audience is in the decision-making process is crucial, and content can fuel this journey from not knowing or understanding the benefits of your solution, all the way to agreeing to speak with a BD team about how it can be integrated into the business.
If you are interested in exploring how you can build a simple content strategy framework, then don’t hesitate to get in touch on 020 7287 9233 or by dropping us an email at info@goldsanddigital.com.