WHAT ARTICLES WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE ? LET US KNOW : EDITOR @ GEMCELL . COM . AU your time – and with a bit of perseverance and consistency can make a huge amount of difference to your business .
SO , WHAT IS CONTENT MARKETING ? Going by the definition of ‘ The Content Marketing Institute ’, content marketing is : “ A strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable , relevant , and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly-defined audience – and , ultimately , to drive profitable customer action .” So , what does that mean in reality ? Simply put , it ’ s a way of connecting with customers and potential customers by creating interesting content about your field of expertise . It ’ s not salesy and it ’ s not pushy – but it ’ s genuinely interesting and insightful . It can create a demand for something but , most of all , it ’ s establishing your expertise .
You can do it on your website , through socials , even through printed flyers if you want . It can be written , visual , videos or audio . Ultimately it ’ s about providing people with something interesting to engage with .
And electricians are in a brilliant position to take advantage of content marketing . Why ? Because – unlike our fencing example earlier – people can ’ t take a DIY option when it comes to electrics .
The consequences of doing so could actually be a great ‘ stream ’ of content … What happens when you don ’ t use the pros ? What are the legalities of doing so ?
GET FOUND : EASILY Those questions that people have are , in fact , a great place to start : why ? Because potential customers search the internet for answers . And if you can provide them , you ’ ve passed stage one of snapping them up as a client .
A simple Q & A page on your website can boost your web traffic , and also provide content for your social media pages .
Write-ups , pictures and video reviews of new products .
Videos and pictures of jobs you ’ re doing – with the customer ’ s permission , of course !
GETTING IT OUT THERE Creating interesting content is one thing … getting it out in front of your prospective audience is another . Using a variety of channels is important – email newsletters and social media are two of the key ones – while people searching online is another .
Your website isn ’ t a method of getting it out there – your website is where the content can be housed , but very few people are going to come there on the off chance of finding something interesting . So , two key things to consider are : 1 . How are people going to get to your website ? 2 . What do you want them to do when they get there ? Ultimately , you want someone to take an action when on your website : either call you to book a job ( high value , but the odds are long ) or give you their email address
( medium value , shorter odds ). In order for you to convince people of giving you their email address , there ’ s got to be a value exchange . What will you give them ? A monthly newsletter ? Home style tips ? Discounts ? Whatever it is , it ’ s got to be of value – otherwise , where ’ s the temptation for them to interact ?
GET ON THE FRONT FOOT Content marketing is a valuable way to demonstrate your expertise , build a relationship with potential customers ( showing your face regularly creates the impression of a relationship through familiarity ), and creating desire and demand .
What ’ s going to influence someone calling on you for the first time ? Personal recommendation and being front of mind . By creating regular content you can stay front of mind for the people both making and receiving the recommendation .
It also serves to stimulate desire . Talking about new products , showing the outcome of a recent job ( be that huge floodlights on a local sports field or smart lighting in a residential setting ) can create demand . It can begin a train of thought for people who didn ’ t realise such technology existed , let alone needed it . Become the expert and showcase your knowledge . The sooner you begin , the sooner you ’ ll reap the rewards . n
HOW TO GET YOUR CONTENT MARKETING UP AND RUNNING
1
Identify three or four areas you ’ re going to create content on . For example , electrical safety , reno ideas and new products . Decide what format you ’ re
2 going to create – words will work well for some , images and videos better for others . Make a commitment to the
3 frequency : one piece of content per week is fine , just stick to it ! Commit it to paper . If you search
4 ‘ content calendar template ’ you ’ ll find some free resources to download and adapt to your business . Figure out how you ’ re going to
5 measure success . Content marketing is a long-term play – it ’ s not going to have people rushing to book you after three blog posts , but it has a compounding effect over time that few other marketing and sales tactics have . A good metric is audience growth . Make someone accountable for
6 it . It could be you ( although be warned , it ’ s easy to make excuses to yourself ) but if you have someone responsible for admin the management of this is a good addition to their role . Make content a priority in the
7 business . Profile different people in the business , showcase the brands you work with and get people in the mindset of looking for the story . Once you begin telling some tales , the stories will flow .
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