Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Who is your audience?
What do they think?
What do they read?
What are their opinions?
What do you care?
The last couple of weeks we’ve been discussing the importance of ‘content’ and the valuable player it can be in our business success.
I know, you’ve been waiting for me to say that content doesn’t work any longer, and quit harping about it.
Not going to happen!
We’ve talked about, and I’ll continue to prove to you that content is and for the foreseeable future will remain King.
But writing and developing good content really sucks! Really!
It’s kind of like taking medicine as a kid.
You know it’s good for you…but you just hate the taste.
You’ve even tried paying someone else to do it for you…..boy did that turn out badly.
Let’s talk…
Remember when you used to have time to read books? You know, enjoy a good novel or nonfiction?
Well hopefully, your memory will remind you that you kept reading that book because it talked about things that were of interest to you, the material was sensitive to your particular place in life at that time, and the information was valuable and helpful.
Exactly what your content should be to your potential customers.
Remember last week’s video by the VP of Marketing for Macy’s department store?
Here is a multi-million dollar company, who just won the 2012 Direct Marketer of the Year award, AND has been a major retailer for over 150 yrs. They learned that they could build a better relationship with their customers by direct marketing to their specific interests.
They learned that better relationships created happier customers…
…and that happier customers spent more money in their stores!
Know your Audience
Take some time this week to REALLY think about those whom will be reading your content.
Do you really know them?
Let’s say your market is rock climbing gear. That’s a HUGE market because you’re dealing with a lot of specialized equipment, and readers within every level of experience.
Can you imagine how boring your content article on the basic styles, weave, and composition of ‘rope’, would be to veteran climber? And conversely, how completely lost a novice would be trying to understand your account of the advanced climbing skills used in a recent rock climbing adventure of Half Dome in Yosemite Natl. Park.
Was the article considered ‘content’?
Yes
Did you bore/lose a significant portion of your readers?
Yes
Content is important, but content without readers is worthless.
Readers will go where they feel the most comfortable. You have to find that comfort zone by knowing your audience.
In this example, here are a couple of options:
- One newsletter/content/vid/etc. for beginners and another for the more experienced climber. Twice as much work, but twice as much content, and both levels of readers are satisfied.
- Or maybe use the ‘more experienced’ content article as a questions and answers column; ‘Ask the Expert’. Now your beginners are getting some really good hands on information from experienced climbers….and the experienced climbers have an outlet to talk about their hobby/themselves/safety/etc. Just one source for content…valuable for your entire market. WIN – WIN.
Know your Audience
Your audience has very specific beliefs and views about the niche you all share.
Problem: Those beliefs are not all the same.
What if your niche was the fitness market and your content article this week was about the loud, discourteous, and general lack of manners exhibited by the ‘hard-core’ power lifters at local gyms.
Great content article…you even added a great pic of a sweaty guy screaming as he completes a dead lift!
You also just alienated all those power lifters (customers) that were reading your articles.
Every niche has delicate topics with many points of view. Think planet warming, melting icebergs, green ‘anything’. Don’t put yourself on either side. Have someone else write a ‘guest article’ advocating a specific viewpoint on the subject. If allows you to be an advocate for ALL opinions and not alienate half of your potential customers.
Try a point/counter point. Nothing gets more reader input than a good debate. That’s called customer interaction……return readers, potential customers. And all you did was coordinate and proofread someone else’s work before publishing on your blog, newsletter, etc.!
Know your Audience
Why do your readers come back to your website/blog/newsletter/etc.?
You offer them something they like, just like that book you were reading. Something that keeps them interested, informed, and entertained.
Content is a powerful (proven to be the most powerful) marketing tool for our businesses.
Study it…work at it…perfect your skills, and your business will prosper.
Offer your readers something of value for their time.
Is your content………just c-o-n-t-e-n-t…..or will it catch and keep the attention of your readers.
Would YOU be anxious to receive YOUR next content article?
Maybe lesser quantity and better quality?
Your business’s reputation is a direct reflection of the quality of your content.
It’s a powerful tool.
Use it wisely!!
Talk soon,
-Jonathan
Your comments are always welcome. Enjoy hearing from you.