In the last few years what have we learned as content marketers? After all the articles, ebooks and YouTube videos have been published what did we learn—that we took action on and improved our businesses with?
Content that grows a business makes prospects crave more content.
Are you cranking-out engaging blog articles and hoping "they will come" only to have visitors come and leave?
I know why. I learned the hard way myself.
"Getting found" and "generating audience engagement" are just the beginning. Don't over-focus on this part. Yes, it is a lot of work and is critical to success. But getting a business lead challenges you to go further. Let's discover how to start producing content that makes customers crave more content from you.
Moving From 'Audience Engagement' to 'Customer Purchase'
Today's most successful content marketers know how to get customers to stop engaging and start responding. It begins with a mind-shift.
Readers don’t need us. They don't need engaging stories. They need confidence in themselves. More confidence creates trust in the business giving that confidence. Customers need content that helps them:
- Believe there is a better way
- Realize they just found it on your blog and
- ACT on it to get what they want (and deliver you a lead)
Where to start? In a word, problems.
Readers of your blog need:
- Short-cuts to creating material or spiritual wealth
- Better ways to find and avoid unseen risks
- Faster ways to develop a needed skill
- A way to determine “best fit” for their needs
Bottom line: If your content marketing DOES something for prospects it will create self-confidence. It creates confidence in buyers. Confidence is the key to earning trust and growing your business, faster.
The Fastest Route to Trust: Confidence
Want to earn trust? Move your readers’ needles. Give them an honest sense of “can-do” based on what you will DO for them—not something you tell them.
Giving customers confidence is the key to unlocking your business blogging success.
In my business, I've all but sold my product once a customer achieves results—based on what I helped them actually DO for themselves. The rest is downhill. You see, helping readers do something important to them—step-by-step—is an excuse for you to earn their name and email address.
The rest is “dripping” content to them using your auto-responder. In other words, deliering content that is structured to sharpen their saw, educate, enlighten, empower—instill confidence.
How to Increase Responses: The Easy Way
Nothing influences and motivates customers to respond more than moving their needle. But how do you create content that makes prospects crave more content? Let's use this article as an example. If you take my advice, apply it and get results a few things will happen. You might share this blog post with colleagues. You might help me increase awareness. But more importantly, you will be hungry for more helpful tips and short-cuts.
You’ll crave more from me.
When a writer clearly, concisely answers questions it always triggers more questions in readers’ minds. It causes prospects to become satisfied for the moment (“ah-HA, yes… I see now”). But it also allows them to start asking more questions in their minds … and wonder if the author has answers to THOSE questions too.
Effective content makes people hungry for more content.
Content that creates leads makes prospects think, “gosh, I wonder what else the author of this article knows that I need to know!” or “wow, I see the opportunity more clearly now; how can I get access to more of this kind of thinking?”
Start Here
Right now, make sure your blog invites prospects to respond in ways that bring a “taste of success” into their lives. Make sure you have a call-to-action, inviting customers to take a journey toward what it is they need or crave. That journey is driven by content that gives confidence.
Let go of familiar, comfortable habits. I did it and customers started asking me for the sale. Because I am moving their needles with my blog. You can too.
Start causing a little bit of success in potential customers’ lives with your blog. Do it well enough and you’ll see them craving more of those results—and craving more of your content. That’s because they’ll trust the person giving them that taste of early success—you.
Let us know how it goes for you!
