A high return on investment is what makes a business a viable business. While only raking in the cash may not mean success to everyone, understanding the point of investment vs. profit is imperative to keep the business afloat, or viable. But how does a business obtain and maintain a high ROI?
Depending on the business, that could be a wide list of possibilities. From the aspect of digital marketing, however, nothing is more important to ROI than effectively and efficiently finding prospective clients and keeping them interested, engaged, and connected. And the key to that is value-driven content. We’ve always said content is king, and we are here to say it again. Value-driven content is the key to modern marketing campaigns, and to getting that high ROI from your marketing budget.
The Importance of Value-Driven Marketing
What exactly is “value-driven marketing”? It’s basically any form of marketing that offers something of value to your audience. Meshing with someone’s immediate need with helpful information, industry insight, a solution for a problem, or even entertainment can not only introduce a potential customer to your brand, but also create loyalty by giving to that customer without asking for anything in return. Depending on what the business is, the strategy can vary, but the end result for both the customer and business will always be the same: value to the customer = profit for the business.
Having a value-driven marketing plan will result not only in higher profits for the long-run, but in the meantime it will boost customer loyalty and referral opportunities, leading to a wider customer base. The more people reached and brought into the fold, the higher the potential for profit.
Types of Value-Driven Content
When it comes to types of value-driven content, we’re not just talking about the old-school ebooks and how-to guides. While they still offer a quality option, it can take a lot of work on the part of the business to put it together and keep it up to date. Rather, value-driven content can be as easy as answering a question or offering insight on a specific topic via a blog! Sharing a curated infographic or a list of resources for an often asked question can offer the customer a fast and simple solution to a need they have. Engaging videos or insightful webinars can also easily fill a need while also being entertaining.
One thing to remember is that quality and consistency are key – be sure to always use current best practices and never rely on what always used to work. The marketing landscape is ever changing, and your content should reflect the current standards and practices.
Creating Value-Driven Content
Creating value-driven content is not as difficult as you might suspect. Our first rule of thumb when creating content is to find out what exactly our customers need, or what their current pain is, and offer a solution. By answering a question or offering advice to a problem with quality content, your business will be considered an authority on that issue, and customers will understand that value you now can offer. Your business will be their first stop when in need the next time, and that brand loyalty will be based on the value of the content that introduced your business to them.
The content you create should be thought of as a way to connect and communicate with your audience, offering them a trusted place to turn to when they have a problem, and a way to broaden your customer base through thoughtful engagement.
Creating a Customer Value-Driven Strategy
Now that you understand what value-driven content is and how to create it, what is the strategy to promote it? Just like any marketing strategy, there are some steps to consider:
- Identify the target audience – utilize web analytics to know who you should be targeting and how to engage with them.
- Understand their needs – knowing the issues they face or the questions they have will help you decide what solutions you need to offer.
- Find a solution – answer their needs with a solution, or even options within the solution, and show them that you are a trusted authority on the topic.
- Engage with your audience – from interactions online, to customer service calls, and more, let your customers know you are listening to them and are there to help.
Another thing to remember is that this is a long-term strategy and results depend on how well you process the information you receive. Always listen to the customer feedback and heed the most important criticisms. Evolve your strategy so that it not only works for you, but also your customers.
If you need help creating value-driven content for your business, contact Blink;Tech today! As your tech partner, we are here to help you achieve success!