Secrets to Successful Small Business Content Marketing and Relationship Building
Recently, I read a really great report put together by Matt Heinz - President of Heinz Marketing and his team about content strategy. I’ve never met Matt in person, but know of him and his great reputation in business. We know many of the same people and I’m sure when we do get together one day it will include beers and discussions about current events, pop culture and random observations as well as business.
Matt sent me a PM on twitter and said, “Hi Debbie, can I send you a copy of our content marketing best practices guide? Based on some of your recent tweets I thought you might be interested. Let me know.”
Here’s what I love about Matt’s approach:
He asked if I’d like to read his guide. Instead of sending it to me – he asked. That’s awesome business manners. He let me know he had something of value that I might benefit from having, and let me decide if I’d like to know more. Yes please!
Nothing spammy or weird – just awesome.
He indicated he had seen some of my recent tweets. SERIOUSLY! Matt Heinz was seeing MY tweets! How cool is that?!
We all want to know that our messages aren’t just going into the ether.
The guide covers SO much, including: the common content marketing mistakes, how to blog, gives tips for increasing comments on your blog, talks about the 3 types of content you need to be successful with social media, he shares an editorial calendar, how to create dynamic content, and how to leverage your content. It’s juicy! It’s useful. It’s flippin’ brilliant – seriously – great content. I’ll go on and say in the top 3 special reports/guides I’ve ever read!
I feel compelled to share my two favorite points under the common marketing mistakes. They are something I see happen ALL the time in small and micro business.
Not encouraging and participating in two-way communication. He says, “If you’re just a one-way communication channel, even with good content, your prospects will go elsewhere for interaction they crave.”
When you post anything from a blog post to a Facebook update or a tweet – schedule the time to go back and reply to the thoughtful people who have commented. (Just liking it doesn’t count.) You don’t have to sit on it like a goose hatching a golden egg – frankly it’s kinda creepy when people jump on your comments – shouldn’t they be working? ;-) It’s a good exercise in impulse control!
Not promoting, aggregating and curating great content from others. “It’s not all about you.” HALLEFLIPPINLUJAH!!! I’ve wanted to say it – but couldn’t figure out how to say it. So Matt said it, and now I’m going to expand.
Here’s the deal. If you look through all your social posts and they all originate from you, hit the pause button. In business you must find the balance on your path to thought leadership – it is just as much about being an aggregator of great content as it is creating your own. It's the reason I feature other entrepreneurs on this blog each Friday, why I welcome guest blog inquiries, and why you will ALWAYSsee me asking on social about what you've written or read that you love. I read it and if I love it and think my community would love it I share.
I’ll end where he starts, “Content is the new currency in marketing. It has the power to drive traffic, to build instant rapport, to simultaneously nurture an infinite number of qualified but not ready to buy prospects.”
The guide Matt sent me isn't yet available for download at his site - however there are OODLES of juicy guides I know you will benefit from reading.
