More and more people are online than ever before, and more and more time is being spent checking out websites, social media, and various forms of online content. Because this is happening, it’s important to look at what businesses need to know right now about thought leadership and content marketing.
Susan Rose is a visibility coach. She helps women entrepreneurs over the age of 50 increase their impact and income in 90 days or less by helping them connect with their audience in a way that increases engagement and builds loyalty. She helps women increase their visibility and become recognized experts, so they can have a greater impact and income by strategically positioning themselves as leaders.
What do businesses need to be doing to stay visible to their clients and prospects at this point?
You want to be creating content and using your social media to drive people to you and your business.
People have more and more time to research you and your business. And they’re doing their research and spending this time deciding if your business is actually the kind of business that they want to buy from or work with.
It’s not just enough to post to your social media. And, while engagement is good – it’s also not enough. It’s about demonstrating your expertise through thought leadership types of materials. These materials might be white papers, longer articles, e-books, or things like these. These materials show your leadership – no matter what business you’re in – and will drive people to you and your business.
You might provide some education or training for people who are interested in your business. For example, do a webinar or online workshop to answer questions or address problems that people are grappling with. This shows people that you understand what they’re going through and can share answers and solutions with them.
It’s really about all the content that is beyond the social media posts.
Now may be the time to take a deep look at what you’re sharing on your social media and ask yourself, “Does it really show that I’m an expert in my business? Am I really offering people the materials they need to make an informed decision to work with me?”
How do you make yourself/your business stand out online when there is so much out there for people to choose from?
It’s probably been said by every marketing person on the planet but know who your target audience is. Understand who this person is. Understand who they want to buy from. Understand everything you possibly can about them. And then “talk” to that one singular person directly and in everything that you do.
When you do this, it will resonate with the people you want to do business with. You will be making an emotional bond and an emotional connection with them. You will understand the challenges they are facing. You will understand their journey and how they’re going to evaluate if they want to work with you or do business with you.
You don’t want to spend your time trying to talk to everybody.
We all know that social media and the internet is flooded with free and/or cheap resources. But do they provide any value? Probably not. If you can understand what your target audience is truly searching for, you can attract them to your business and offer them the solutions they need.
What role does emotion play when it comes to marketing?
At one point in time, when it came to business and emotions – you did not mix the two.
But that mindset has shifted. Emotional does not equal unprofessional. After all, we’re human beings seeking a human connection. We respond to emotion. We respond to beauty. We respond to feelings.
If you want people to respond to you, you have to connect with them on an emotional level.
Of course, this is not where you share all the negative things that you may be experiencing or get overly personal. But it is about being honest and authentic. For example, it can be about sharing your excitement about a new service you’re launching, why you feel connected to this service, and why you think it will be important to your target audience.
Women are often taught to tamp down that emotional side of themselves, but it can be beneficial in business for creating a connection.
If you’re wondering if it’s right to share some emotion with your target audience in hopes of creating a connection, start by telling your story. Start journaling, writing it down, or recording it. You don’t have to share it if you don’t want to – but start talking about it. This allows you to filter through it and decide what is appropriate and what might be too much.
It’s about building that relationship with your target audience before you even talk with them or work with them.
How are you creating a connection with your audience? Are you using emotions and authenticity to do it? Or have you avoided this out of fear that it’s not the right thing to do in business?
3 Action Steps
- Create content beyond social media posts that drives people to your business. The content needs to show them that you are the expert that can solve their issue.
- Figure out exactly who your target audience is so that you can “speak” directly to them online.
- Share emotion in your marketing that is authentic and creates a connection with clients and potential clients.
Connect with Susan Rose at http://susanrose.net/warm-welcome to receive her “Warm Welcome Email Templates.”
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