Consumers are exposed to hundreds, possibly thousands, of ads every single day. While that sounds crazy, just take a second to consider what “technically” could be considered a form of advertising. From the commercials you hear on your morning commute, to the ads that pop up on your sidebar as you scroll through Facebook, to the numerous fliers, postcards, and ad books that show up in your mail every day, you are constantly being bombarded with messages to “BUY!”.
Traditional marketing methods are notoriously intrusive. They are all about reaching out and grabbing the attention of potential buyers, and give little thought to the experience on the consumer’s side of things. Implementing a more modern marketing approach within your company means thinking more about the consumer and their wants and needs. And what the modern consumer typically wants is information.
Content marketing can be incredibly effective, and often leads to more success than these traditional methods. The idea behind content marketing is that consumers are going to be online searching for information before making a decision. Rather than getting in their face and showing them advertisements that they are likely to tune out, you should be there to offer them the information that they are seeking through informative blog posts, helpful eBooks, interesting videos, and so on.
By putting an effort into creating unique, quality content that answers questions that your target buyer has, you are positioning yourself as a valued resource rather than an intrusive salesman. Consumers will discover your content on their own and move through the sales funnel on their own accord. While not everyone who finds your content will be ready to make a purchase, they may bookmark a blog article for a future look, or share the information with a friend. The more they see content from your company that they find value in, the more they will view you as a trustworthy source of info.
This can lead to a healthy relationship that may quickly (or eventually) lead to a sale. In all that you do, promote your various online platforms so that consumers connect with you in multiple ways. Link to your social media sites, website, blog, etc. whenever possible. The more that your potential buyers interact with you, the more they will begin to view your business as one they know and trust. This will also allow you to remain top of mind for when they are ready to make a buying decision.
Content marketing puts the perception of power in the consumer’s hands. Now, they are actively seeking information that they want, rather than constantly deflecting marketing message after marketing message. Potential clients who learn of your company through these modern methods are much more likely to be a satisfied, happy, returning customer. Happy customers often lead to more purchases, referrals, and a stellar online reputation. All of these reasons and more are exactly why content marketing is the best option for your business.
To read more, download our free eBook "How Inbound Marketing Drives Real Results". It gives you a much more in-depth look at how inbound and content marketing can successfully grow your business.
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