Why do We Produce Content with Value ?

It seems silly to ask this question but it is so important to outline that your content must deliver value to the reader,or they may not visit you again or find someone else who provides the information they are looking for. It is like meeting someone for the first time on   the street  on  your blog and just finding out that all that is there  to them is a lot of marketing gobbledygook and b.s. . Great first impression, eh?

You have to entertain and entice the reader to read in the first place so why would you just try to promote all the time.  Tell your story to get the reader into your ideas so they can see what you do, how you do it and why it is important for them . Storytelling makes it easier because that is how we are conditioned to learn from our early years. “Classic story lines are what the movies and books are about” says Ann Handley, in her new book Content Rules,

And the reason the reader is at your site is they were looking for something related to your topic and may have been directed their by a topsearch engine ranking or another person commenting on their blog about what you do.

Whenever I first talk to a client about their marketing I go through a questionaire with them  which basically asks them the W5 of  their  business. Who,What,Where,Why and When . Most people like to talk about what they do and a good number will talk about why they do it, but I always ask them the reason why they do it and what excites them and gives them job satisfaction. It gives me part of their story and give it to mein their voice.

Ask the Questions Your Customers Ask

When you are generating content for your blog or business site, it is not all about you. It is all about what your customers are asking  about or searching for.  To provide the best content that educates ,you should think of the top 25 questions you have been asked about your business in the last year and rank the questions by the number of times they are asked.  Not a new idea. There are your first 25 posts or articles.

One of the most successful swimming pool companies in Virginia River Pools, led by The Sales Lion, Marcus Sheridan, does just that and it delivers a continous flow of buyers and leads to that business. Why because they have prequalified the buyer with a level of knowledge, likeabilty and trust.  This site is an excellent business site to model yours after. Another  super model is Hubspot which constantly provides a flood of free content and numerous whitepapers to download free of charge, Their  paid product is good but their “freemium” or high value content is outstanding.

This post is meant to encourage you to “think like a customer” and get out of your comfort zone  Develop a habit of content making and it will become second nature, after all it is your business and your customers or patients are talking to you.

Next Steps for Your Content

Go have a read of this blogpost by Marcus Sheridan. Succinct and Clear. Sheridan also works for Hubspot as a contributor.

Think of your Top 25 Questions your customers asks, and answer them , maybe with a short story blogpost.

Rinse and repeat my friends and you will be on the way to more leads, more notoriety , and satisfaction.

Drop me a comment and tell me about your success.