1. “Content” is King. Content marketing is a marketing technique of creating and distributing relevant and engaging information to attract, acquire and engage a clearly defined audience with the objective of driving a profitable customer transaction.” That’s the long version.
2. The short version is, “all of the ways we communicate online…Website, Blurbs, Email, Newsletters, and Social."
3. 60% of consumers feel more positive about a company after reading their custom content.
4. 70% of consumers prefer to know a company via their articles rather than their advertisements.
5. Google reads your content and based on its findings ranks you higher on its search engine.
6. Your content doesn’t have to mimic William Shakespeare; a paragraph coupled with a picture is enough to get results.
7. You should distribute and communicate information whenever:
a. You have a special event and after the event as well.
b. Launch a coupon special offer (accompanies the lead information article and comes at the middle or end of the information.
c. Volunteer or contribute something to the community.
d. Launch a new “product.”
e. There are many other industry specific or local content ideas that will work as well.
8. Now that you have all that "content", what are you going to do with it? We’re going to address only One Method in this blog. There are at least 5 other ways that we will address in future blogs.
9. Emails. 145 billion emails are sent every day. And email is required for all online activities. Bottom line: email works.
10. Emails let you market to existing customers which is 8X more effective than trying to acquire new ones.
11. 88% of people used an email coupon or discount in the past year.
12. Email still rules direct marketing. When you absolutely need it to be read,(by people who have given you permission to send them information and not by someone whose email you just “happened” to get!) email is the most effective method. It blends the best of direct marketing with the speed and power of online marketing. One click and your message is sent to everyone on your list.
13. When sending an email, the key points are:
a. The subject line The should convince viewers to read the message.
b. Your logo is prominently displayed so everyone who reads it knows it is from your company.
c. A specific call to action (CTA) that asks the person to do something, even if it is to like you on Facebook or follow you on Twitter or add you to their Google+ circles or print out the coupon.
d. Beautiful imagery placed at the top of the email. Left, right or center or taking the whole page, it doesn’t matter. Just be sure to have a “professional” image. Please no cartoons, unless you own Disneyland!
Datasource: On-Line Report, Localvox, April 2014, DMA
Datasource: On-Line Report, Localvox, April 2014, DMA
