Why content-based marketing is King

Rob Keating explains why you should be investing more into a content-based marketing strategy.

In today’s crowded and competitive marketing spaces, we as consumers are exposed to content that is delivered through more mediums than ever before. For example, an average person is exposed to around 4000 ads per day, meaning the amount of information we can consume on a daily basis is incremental and can be somewhat mind-boggling!

We are consuming more and more content, from every angle, even if we are not consciously doing so.

Now you may be thinking – yes, I know there is an enormous amount of content out there everywhere I look – but is a content-based marketing strategy right for my firm?

Simply put, your brand cannot afford to miss out on the exposure and potential new business to be gained by putting quality, thought-provoking content out in the market, using a content-first point of view.

Why should professional services companies create content?

Just like any other industry, those in professional services firms need quality content strategies in place to help attract and retain quality clientele. You and your firm want to be seen as authoritative industry leaders, experts in your field, and a step ahead of the competition. Demonstrating your knowledge and expertise in the industry and showcasing your abilities through effective content marketing is a key way for potential clients to learn more about you and ultimately look at you with those three golden traits everyone looks for – ‘know, like and trust’.

It may seem like a lot of hard work to put together regular content such as articles, blog posts, videos and social media posts – however, the potential rewards of doing so will ensure your efforts are well worthwhile.

Your content marketing strategy

You may have a content marketing strategy that could do with reviewing or updating, or perhaps you don’t really have one in place at all. If you sit in one of these two camps it certainly doesn’t mean its curtains for your marketing efforts. What it does mean, is that you have a great opportunity to build a quality content library and start regularly engaging with your target market. Implementing this activity on a regular basis keeps you current and top of mind with your potential clients, along with building better relationships with existing clients.

What should firms be doing?
Once you have decided on your main business goals and created a robust content marketing strategy, it’s time to get to work on content creation. Creating compelling content in the form of articles or blog posts is clearly popular, however, it needn’t be all written. Video is fast becoming the go-to content medium on many platforms. Videos need only be brief and to the point, with little required in terms of fancy graphics or effects.

Profiling team members in a ‘meet-the-team’ style video series is a popular idea. As is publishing case studies or the results of recent projects (confidentiality recognised of course), or recording short videos or podcasts of experts in your firm providing valuable thought leadership content. All this doesn’t need to be costly – many firms create their own quality audio/visual content in-house rather than paying expensive experts to do it for them.

Education is key
A content-based marketing strategy has many benefits, and should form one of the pillars of your overall marketing strategy to attract and retain quality clients.

If you want to utilise your content marketing strategy effectively, the content you produce should be predominantly informational and educational. Ensure it doesn’t come across as a sales pitch – thought-provoking and education-based pieces are best.

You are not trying to sell your services directly through this activity. You are the authority and the expert in your field, offering quality services that solve the needs of your clients, so sharing more about how you do that is highly beneficial to them.

It is a good idea to have a call-to-action as part of every piece, such as ‘read the next article for more’ or ‘watch this video for more info on x’, so the viewer may go on to read more about you, or gain more insights into your business. This, without sounding salesy, will help them to decide if you are a good fit for them.

The more helpful information or insightful content you can provide, without them having to dig for it, the more they will get to know you and want to do business with you.

It also means that by the time you do have that all-important first client meeting, they will already know a lot more about you, your firm and what you can do for them.

Stand out from the crowd

It is a given that you’ll want to attract leads and increase revenue, however what can you add into the mix to appear more personable and stand out from the rest?

Try and create content that not only resonates with your target audience, but is thought-provoking, interesting and maybe even a bit controversial. Some professional services firms do a great job of showcasing themselves as fresh, vibrant and moving with the times. By shaking off a stuffy or outdated image, your audience will get to know you as the kind of firm they want to engage with.

Also, think about what resource-based content you can give away for free. You don’t need to give away all your company secrets and resources gratis and have nothing to charge for, but creating helpful resources such as e-books or guides are a great way to go.

You might want to come up with a checklist, or answers to ten of the most popular questions that client wants answered. Resources such as these that can be downloaded and saved can be really great tools to help with client engagement and brand recognition.

In summary

Professional services firms are often seen to be industry leaders, and yours is no different. To be perceived as the best choice for a potential client, you need to be engaging with their audience on a regular basis and stay top of mind.

So, if you are wondering what you can do to improve your engagement and ultimately attract new business, think about implementing a content-based marketing strategy (or creating one if you don’t currently have one in place). Providing great content and engaging with your audience regularly might just provide you with that point of difference and competitive edge.

Rob Keating is a content creator and copywriter for The BD Ladder.