Be honest. What do you do when you receive an advertisement flier in the mail? If you’re like me, you put it in the recycling pile right away without reading it. Do you ever wonder if your potential customers are doing that to your material? Hate to tell you this, but most likely they are. While traditional marketing efforts have their place, content marketing is proving to be the key player in today’s business world.
What is content marketing?
Consumer behavior has changed, thanks in part to our on-the-go lifestyles and mobile devices. Buyers want reputable, relevant and electronically shareable information – not a sales pitch – that provides real insight into a product or service before they purchase it. Not only do they want information about the product itself, they want additional resources that give them more bang for their buck.
Want to sell your customer auto insurance? Post a graphic like the one at right or an article from a reputable source on your Facebook page, or a host a webinar on your website or blog that talks about driving safety and accident statistics. Sound like a lot of work? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered with our content packages (see Content Library below).
Content marketing is a creative way of providing useful, educational information that relates to your industry or product without pushing a sale. The purpose is to get your customers actively involved in a conversation with you, and talking about you. Simply stated, it’s about creating valuable information that leads to positive consumer behavior and loyalty to your business.
Why does content marketing work?
If consumers view you as approachable, conversational and a go-to resource with expert knowledge and insight, they are more likely to trust you and, therefore, spend their hard-earned money with you. Even better, they’re more likely to tell everyone they know about you and your company, and share your information electronically and through word of mouth.How do you know what they want to hear?
- Ask your current customers! Why not post a blog or Facebook post asking them what they want to hear?
- Consider the time of year: what weather-related risks are important to communicate? Spring = tornado and hail safety, for example.
- Do your research; check out other companies and agents and see what they’re doing to reach their customers.
- Put yourself in your clients’ shoes. What do YOU want to hear about from your agent, your favorite store, your favorite restaurant?
Content Library
We create a variety of content that can be easily shared with your customers through email, on social sites like Facebook and Twitter, and even on your own web page and blog. Some of the items available to you in our AgentSite content library include:
- Infographics - visual representations on a variety of topics that quickly engage and educate your customers.
- Small “sticker” graphics – smaller form of an infographic.
- Educational videos and pre-written text that you can repost on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and more.
Visit the AgentSite Social Agent Content Library (log in to AgentSite, and under Popular Links on the left side of the home page, choose Social Agent) to view the content packages and materials available to you. Additional instructions also are included on the Social Agent page to help you understand how to use social media sites for your business.
Content marketing is now one of the top ways to reach your customers so it’s important to get started today.
What are your questions about content marketing? What content have you shared with clients? Let us know by posting a comment below.
By Lauri Tucker, State Auto Communication Strategist
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