Content. What is it? How do you find it? These are some questions that come up when the word “content” is used. The answer is easy. Content is everywhere from your existing website copy and marketing materials (brochures, signage, etc.) to the experts and thought leaders in your building. The trick is to build your content from what you already have, instead of spinning wheels trying to create what doesn’t exist.
During the SMPS Heartland Regional Conference held in Columbus, Ohio, we attended a session titled, “The Content Conundrum.” The message was delivered by John Davis and Joe Cushing of Cushing – a printing company based in Chicago. They provided some best practices they have found work in their business as a B2C company, and many of these practices translate to the B2B market. The groundwork for their information sharing was laid out as a case study they conducted on their own efforts; what was successful and what applies to our industry. Take a look at some of these findings below:
- Website enhancements: Start by providing fresh content on a consistent basis through website enhancements. Whether it is adding a fresh page with content or updating current information, they were able to harbor great results in terms of leads by providing solid content for site visitors.
- Client spotlights in electronic communications: We all have great clients and partners in the industry, so why not spotlight their work and how they operate. An example is to highlight a recent project your client may have worked on, include a picture and a great caption and you have interesting content to share with your audience. This will, in turn, gain exposure for both parties and build a stronger relationship with your client base.
- Testimonials on your website pages: Cushing tracked this success and showed that by adding a few more customer testimonials over the course of three months, they had a 39 percent increase in responses to their contact us form and approximately 12 percent more calls.
- In-house expertise: Take a look at your staff members and what makes them shine as a professional. Whether you have a team member with a real knack for educating clients on the latest BIM trends or you have an employee with a new industry certification, you can build a lot of content from here. One example is to spotlight your employee’s expertise on your website, social media, or electronic communications. Or, you can create content by announcing new hires or promotions. There are several ways to show your thought leadership and keep people informed about your company’s growth and knowledge level.
As you can see, content is everywhere – on your existing webpages, with your clients and your employees. Pull from this existing stockpile of information and the ideas will start to flow. What content challenges do you see in your business? Want help building content for your social media efforts, website or marketing materials? Contact us today to learn how we can help!
Kimberly Kayler