content marketing strategy

There is fear around when it comes to sharing your ’secrets’. The stuff you do that gets results. The best stuff you have to offer.

I often hear from clients, “oh, there’s no way we can put that out there.”

My reply is always a challenge to this.

It comes down to time.

I’ve spent four years now creating content about my subject, Social Media. If someone took the time to watch my hundreds of videos on Facebook and YouTube, my daily LinkedIn posts and articles, and signed up for my weekly-ish email, they wouldn’t need to work with me because everything I know is in this content.

It’s all out there because I want potential clients to see the best from me.

The tips I’ve shared, the advice I’ve given and the stories I’ve told about experiences with clients is out there and it’s all free.

And the reason why it doesn’t cause me any problems is that my work is saving my clients that magic ingredient we all have not enough of – time.

The content is giving people a taste and I want this taste to be something they want more of.

I want them to get a practical tip, work on it themselves and get success from it. I’m then ‘top-of-mind’ as the person that helped them out and solved a problem for them.

And when they want more help, the chances of them coming to me are much, much greater.

They don’t have time to do it themselves and the work we do saves them lots of it. They also don’t have time to review everything that’s out there already from me.

When they see a post and it’s something really helpful and useful, rather than something I’ve just dialled in to make sure I’m showing up, it will be remembered.

And then when they need more, they’ll pick up the phone.

Here’s a list that could work well as a checklist when looking to hire someone to help with Social Media for your business.

There are a lot of people offering Social Media services because it’s a ‘hot’ sector right now.

Businesses that traditionally don’t play in this space – web and graphic designers, for example – are adding it to their list of things they can do to help you, but beware.

Some are amazing and have tremendous skills and experience, but there are a vast number who should be avoided at all costs.

Here’s the list:

Their own Social Media profiles are excellent examples.
They show up frequently creating helpful, informative content.
They are not ‘post and disappear’ merchants – they engage online and do it all the time.
They are on the main platforms – Facebook, Instagram, Twitter (yes, Twitter), LinkedIn and YouTube – and have live platforms with content posted in the last few days.
They do the work themselves rather than offshoring it to keep the costs down.
They have decent numbers of followers because they have been online and creating content for a long time.
They use a mix of content – writing, video, audio and images.
They have excellent testimonials and recommendations (Facebook, LinkedIn and Google especially)
They value their skills and charge appropriately. (If prices seem cheap, the services usually are, too.)
They don’t claim to know ‘everything’ on any specific subject.
They can help to identify ideal clients and position brands the right way.
They know the difference between a blog and a website.
They know how to listen online and spot key trends.
They understand how to interpret data and use it to improve results, especially on websites and working with written copy.
They have basic how-to knowledge as well as strategic ability.
They’re not afraid to make public predictions about where Social Media is going.

I’m sure there are more things but this is a good plcae to start.

Please use this list as a guide and add to it wherever you like. Also, let me know where you think I may be wrong and leave a comment. Thank you!

Ian Mountford

Laying the foundations for success.

Tag Archives: content marketing strategy