Question: In my business sales are done face to face, people aren’t using content and social media to create demand, does my business need content marketing or social media?
Even though I’m in the business of working with companies to develop content and social media strategies, I am actually the first one to raise their hand and say “You don’t need Social Media” if you don’t need it.
Now, I may be a bit bias when I say most businesses in some way, shape or form can benefit from content marketing and social media, but moreover I think I am just one to share the trends, data and successes in the market and at this point all of those things point strongly to validate the need for some type of content and social for businesses of all shapes and sizes.
For the businesses that are local, high touch and seem to only be able to sell face to face, I believe there is still a strong case for content marketing, but it is perhaps a little bit different than a lead generation campaign.
For companies that are trying to nurture and grow their business in a high touch channel content is a tremendous way to augment face to face and build credibility with customers and prospects.
An example I like to give of this is as follows:
Perhaps you get a lead from a current client. The client makes an introduction and says “Joe here is really a great guy and I think there are some good working opportunities for the both of you.”
Now the first thing most people will do after the introduction is made is what? For most people it follows with a google search, visit to LinkedIn and perhaps a scan of any online content found on the person. For most this is a great way to see what the new contact may be able to do to help your business or maybe what you could do to help theirs.
During this preliminary research if you found some thought leading articles from this persons company or better yet from the person themselves, wouldn’t that go a long way in building credibility? Now you have a recommendation from a trusted person whom you share the relationship and you have shown your thought leadership before you ever officially meet.
More than anything this example shows that beyond just promoting your business and selling, content can play an important role in showing your thought leadership and ideas. Given that so many people turn to the internet to start their research isn’t this just one more great reason to have a story online?
How is your business using content to better tell its story?
Do you have a question for “The Mailbag?” Click Here to submit your question and have it featured in an upcoming Mailbag.
Daniel Newman is the co-founder of V3*Broadsuite and is an experienced C-level executive, serving as a strategy consultant for small and mid-sized businesses. He’s also an insight/analyst partner to four Fortune 50 enterprises and previously served as the co-founder and CEO of EC3, a hosted IT and communications services provider. Prior to that, he served as the CEO of United Visual, Inc. in Chicago Illinois.
He is a widely published writer who contributes weekly to Forbes, Entrepreneur, Huffington Post and industry publications such as Commercial Integrator, Sound & Communication and Corporate Tech Decisions. He’s also author of three best-selling business books including The New Rules of Customer Engagement, The Millennial CEO, and just recently Evolve: Marketing (^as we know it) is Doomed.
Daniel has established a reputation as a leading thinker in topics such as Social, Big Data, Cloud and Mobile. He has been named to many top influencer lists in all of these areas, including recognition by the Huffington Post as one of the 100 business and leadership accounts to follow on Twitter. He is also an adjunct professor of management at North Central College.
