TELLING STORIES OF THE BUSINESS YOU SOLVE

Last Friday I attended a meeting with a client we have been working with for just over three months. This professional services business had grasped the importance of online and we have been helping them to build a creative business strategy and more effective web presence.

So far, this project has gone very well with an overall increase of almost 300% achieved but as with any great business, the senior managers here are ambitious and not easily impressed with analytical data – they’re impatient to see how these increases convert into customers and more traditional business KPIs.

At our meeting, they were asking reasonable questions based on the level of investment and time that has accrued. They are a successful and smart company that has bucked the trend of the last few years and have continued to grow both their customer base and business during recent trying economic circumstances.

A Special Business

This business pride themselves on going that extra mile in terms of both the service they provide and the relationship they build with their clients. They’ve managed to truly become partners and advisers to their customers. The challenge now is to start to effectively communicate this differentiator online:

While there are a number of areas we have been working on for this business, one big focus has been content. So far their content that has been created is excellent and has been very well received.

However, I think it’s fair to say that it probably doesn’t really highlight what makes this business and its people special. It’s a little too general and perhaps a little too safe.

They remain apprehensive about giving too much away for free. This is a normal concern to have when you are beginning with content marketing. However, a little leap of faith is now required.

Tell the stories of the problems you solve

This business is brilliant at helping their customers to solve problems and they do it every day. My advice: start to tell the stories of the customer problems they help solve through their content. This approach will work because:

--They will no longer have to come up with or brainstorm ideas for their content.

--This content will highlight what makes them truly special.

--Others who have these same problems will start to find this content.

--This type of content, while perhaps less popular, is more effective when it comes to converting to enquiries and customers.

Measure

Measuring the impact of your creative business strategy requires a little work. Prospects can contact you through various channels, at different times, and may or may not mention your creativity as a factor in them doing so. Prospects often experience a number of touch points along the way, and these can be both traditional and online.

--A simple device is to create a form that asks new prospects where they heard about you.

--This can be as easy as a series of check boxes.

And refine

This is an ambitious business that is taking the web seriously. They have achieved impressive early momentum and are now asking all the right questions to allow them to further refine their web and content strategy.

I was impressed and we’re delighted to be their partners on this journey.

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