Paradoxically, there has never been a better or worse time to boost your company’s marketing.
The problem is that while there are now more opportunities than ever for you to engage with your customers, those same opportunities also exist for all of your competitors.
So how can your business marketing grow and survive these days?
More importantly, can you do it right and is it worth it?
Google CEO Eric Schmidt tells us that in just two days we create as much data as we created from the dawn of man to 2003. It’s a staggering statistic.
Every minute, there are 4 million Facebook posts, 300 hours of YouTube videos, and nearly half a million Tweets. This is every minute of every day. So if you’re thinking of investing in content marketing, you may want to think about how your message will look in this ever-growing sea of information.
For a company to be successful, its core messages must not only be heard, but must also influence and be remembered. The great Roman orator Cicero knew this. Memory was the fourth of his Five Canons of Rhetoric.
You may have read somewhere that people remember 10% of what they read and 20% of what they see. Furthermore, Edelman’s market research found that there is a crisis of confidence these days. Even if people read and remember, there is no telling if they will believe or trust you.
For example, the stats you just read? They’re all over the internet, but they’re not true. All we really know from cognitive science is that most people forget most of what they read.
So what does a company have to do if they want to invest in content marketing?
With all the content out there, how can you be recognized without being mistrusted and forgotten?
Well, going back to Cicero, to be influential and remembered you need to be persuasive and consistent, with good style and good delivery.
You see, with all the content marketing out there, almost everyone knows the basics. In fact, most of the content marketing you’ll come across is pretty basic, bland, and generic.
When was the last time you thought something was memorable because it was just like everyone else?
You might hear some marketing guru tell you to get a “hook” or a “content slant” or some other jargon buzzword to convince you they have the solution.
Here’s a little secret… too many content marketers are only interested in clickbait. Too often, clicks are the only measure of success.
However, if you’re serious about your business, you’ll know you need to stand out from the crowd. You will know that you need to develop trusting and memorable relationships with your customers and consumers. Those relationships are what good marketing is all about.
So here are some tips.
Make sure you have high standards when considering content marketing. The baseline is not enough: do not aspire to be on the same level as your competitors.
Remember, your customers and clients are smart and they know the difference between the fluff and the cool stuff. Don’t bore them and certainly don’t cheat or patronize them, or you risk losing their trust.
Crucially, content marketing is not the end goal. The content should not just expose you, but should aim to build relationships, interest and stimulate people. This is how people will remember you. Make them want more and give them a reason to come back.