CONTENT MARKETING is the #1 priority in 2017 for businesses with an online presence. Top marketers plan to publish at least one new piece of content every day! But how can your company produce enough current and useful content to keep your clients informed and engaged? Keep in mind that in the education world, you are communicating with clients who are or have been teachers who know very well how to connect with an audience. It happens every day in the classroom! Teachers know that their students’ success depends on the relationships they have developed over time. Start by telling your story. Think about your audience – they are real people, and people like stories. Use your story to start building a relationship with your prospects. Identify with their problems and provide solutions. People who search for information on the internet want answers. Give them some tools to walk away with. You don’t have to sell, sell, sell. That comes later after you have built trust and your prospects are interested in learning more about what solutions you can provide. Build relationships with prospects and clients. You used stories to attract customers - but now what do you do with them? Once they find a few answers, they will want to know more! While you entertain, engage and educate them, you are building trust. At the same time, your audience is getting to know you better. That relationship is the first step towards guiding your prospects towards conversion. If you maintain a positive relationship, it won't be long before you are ready to close your sales, and even turn your customers into promoters of your brand. Be the expert in your field to show clients that they are making the most informed choices. Become an influencer by sharing knowledge to help people make the best choices. When you provide useful content to your readers, you are demonstrating that you know and understand your audience and their needs. People will appreciate the help and information you provide. That means you can sell yourself without using a sales pitch! A relevant call to action will guide your reader to take the next step. What do you want that action to be? Do you want them to contact you? Download an informational PDF? Sign up for your newsletter? Then just ask! Current trends in content marketing include using surveys to gather input from potential clients and to differentiate the content that you deliver, so think about including a brief survey in selected email messages you send out in response to inquiries.
Publish fresh content on a regular basis and measure your results. According to a recent report by the Content Marketing Institute, 91% of top performing companies are very committed to content marketing. Companies that lack that focus are not as successful. Just like in the classroom, consistency is a key component. Know your audience and provide them with useful content on a regular basis. Since you have already planted the seeds to build your relationships with prospects, keep giving them something worth returning for.
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