All organizations are content creators whether they acknowledge it or not. From sales decks to product descriptions, content is a necessary element of almost any business.
But many companies continue to view content as a marketing expense rather than an asset. We need to flip this thinking on its head. Whether you do a little bit of content or are already highly committed to content creation, your business will benefit from doing content well.
“Many companies continue to view content as a marketing expense rather than an asset. We need to flip this thinking on its head.”
There are many commercial reasons for your organization to invest in content. Here are ten of them:
Brand Awareness: Targeted, relevant content will drive traffic to your website and raise awareness of your brand. Name recognition and the credibility that good content brings to your organization will strengthen your brand. How people think of your business is a key driver when it comes to actually making purchases. Not working to raise the profile of your company in a positive way is bad for business.
Subscriber Acquisition: Good content creates subscribers. By converting your visitors into subscribers, you are building a wider audience. Your wider audience represents the future of your business. Most studies show that subscribers to an organization are generally predisposed to spend more with that company over time. Just ask Jeff Bezos about Prime.
Audience Development: Content helps you build an audience but you need content to sustain that growth. You can't send out email newsletters devoid of content. You can't run an industry event without a content-driven program. You need to keep producing for your audience, and that requires content.
Sales Enablement: Businesses produce sales collateral to drive the acquisition process. The best sales and marketing content draws on your organization's wider content program. Invest in content beyond the sales process, and you will be fueling the sales team with content and collateral that turbocharges its acquisition efforts. Content allows you to show and tell.
Customer Acquisition Costs: Effective content throughout all stages of the buyer's journey can bring down the cost of acquiring a new client. Good content can be used time and again, and often repays your initial investment many times over.
Customer Loyalty: Once a client is secured, the hard work starts over. Content is a great way to show your customer that you go above and beyond. No-one forces you to do content well. You do it because you care.
Differentiation: Content is the perfect vehicle for expressing your difference, the unique proposition that positions you in the marketplace. To do content well, you need to be confident about your identity as a company and what you are seeking to achieve. Your core value proposition is what gives you the confidence to go out there and be a publisher in your field.
Customer Service Costs: A commitment to content will not only keep your client informed and educated about your product and services but help manage customer service costs. People actively want self-serve information. They want to figure things out for themselves wherever possible in order to enjoy the product or service quickly and fully. Meet their need through content.
New Revenue Streams:Get masterful at your content, and consider syndicating or licensing it to create additional revenue for your business. Good content sells. Seek sponsorships or cobranding opportunities. Think like a publisher.
Long-Term Asset: Content is an asset to your business. The more consistent you are in your commitment to your content programs, the more valuable your content investment will grow over time.
Embrace content as a business, and work to best integrate it into your internal structures and culture. Content brings clients and companies together, and content done well will set your organization apart.
“Once a client is secured, the hard work starts over. Content is a great way to show your customer that you go above and beyond.”
