What Should You Talk About?

Every industry has its problems and solutions, its tips, and its news… Theoretically, you could discuss hundreds of topics. But which topics will really get the attention of your target customers and will help increase your sales? Here are four steps that will help you decide on the best topics and the most appropriate means for transmitting your information.

1. Identify your target audiences

Based on your strengths and weaknesses, and on your industry’s opportunities and difficulties, identify your target audiences by determining:
• the kind of industry (manufacturing, services, pharmaceutical products, etc.);
• the size of company they work for (small, medium-sized, large);
• their positions (buyers, V.P. Finance, President, etc.)
Note that your Content Marketing may drive cross-selling with existing customers, may accelerate your sales cycle with interested customers, and/or get the attention of prospective customers with whom you do not yet have a relationship.

2. Know their needs

To meet the needs of targeted customers, you must get to know everything about them. To do so, consult your sales team; familiarize yourself with existing documentation (analysts’ reports, journals or magazines, newsletters, etc.); query some of your customers; conduct surveys; keep track of e-mails and comments (blogs) you receive electronically; read and participate in blogs, forums, and social networks. The results will surprise you.

3. Choose the most appropriate topics

To be relevant and interesting, your Information Centre must have no more than six or seven categories. The Internet enables you to give specific information to specific audiences—take advantage of it! For each category, identify many topics that could be explanations, solutions, case studies, tips, forecasts, opinions, etc…

Keep in mind that the objective is to give your target audiences information that will make their work easier and that may even make their lives easier. In this spirit, it is possible that the topics you choose may not even be about your products and services. With such a strategy, you will strengthen your ties with your existing customers and gain the trust of interested and potential customers. Note that the latter will especially appreciate case studies that relate to their industries, as illustrated in the chart below.-

4. Select the transmission method

Each topic can be presented in a variety of forms:
• text (newsletters, feature stories, memos, e-books, etc.);
• podcasts (exposés/presentations, interviews, discussions, debates); or,
• rich content (podcasts with photos, interactive Web presentations, videos).-

The answers to the following questions will tell you which method is right for you:
• Does the topic warrant in-depth analysis and delivery to a wide audience?
• Is the topic well documented?
• Do you want to showcase one or more people (employees, partners, suppliers, customers, or industry experts)?
• Would visual elements (photos and videos) make your content more compelling?
• What reaction do you hope to elicit from the targeted audiences (reflection, comments, e-mails, requests for information, calls, visits to your Web site, testing)?
• What are your human, material, and financial resources?-

Note that a recorded interview (audio only), combined with a few photos, is a very effective way to gather and disseminate information. The same information can also be transcribed or summarized in print to promote Internet search marketing and PR.-

	Simon Hénault   B.Comm, MBA - Corporate Journalist - LinkedIn Profile
	I help businesses in the production and delivery of content allowing them to be found on the Web, be perceived as experts, strengthen their clients relations and increase their revenues.             Â

 

 

 

 

 

 

Publié dans : ARTICLES, MARKETING PAR CONTENU / CONTENT MARKETING
Tags : Content Marketing, Marketing par contenu