Content Marketing should make your Customers Take a Step Closer to your Brand Using Dynamic Touches

Brand touch - finger reaching out to keyboardGood content marketing should make your ideal customers want to take a step closer to your brand. Your website, blog posts, social media activity, and ads should all act like a magnet, attracting prospective customers to take that one more step closer to your business. People are bombarded with information, so it can take time for them to decide to buy from you. Just seeing your branding and online activity helps build awareness of your business. By using what I call “dynamic touches” you can bring them even closer.

(Note: This post was inspired a weekly chat help by BufferApp.com (@Buffer) on Twitter. The specific chat was November 12, 2014 with guest Atomic Reach @Atomic_Reach. See the recap (below) of that interactive Twitter chat via Storify, created by @NMillerBooks*.

Your online activities should draw in potential clients and inspire them to take some action – take a step closer to your brand:

  • Follow (Twitter), friend or like (Facebook), connect (LinkedIn) and/or Circle (Google+) your business

  • Bookmark a post, or mark a social post as a favorite; read a second blog post or view another page on your website sign up for your newsletter and/or blog feed

  • Retweet (Twitter), like and or share (Facebook & LinkedIn) or pin a post (Pinterest)

  • Comment on a blog post or reply to a social media post

  • Download a white paper or view a video (or comment on a video)

  • Ask for help via phone, email or social site

  • Give a testimonial or share their interest in/love of your product via WOM (Word-of-Mouth) or a social site

  • Click an ad to see your offering

  • Click a link or…

  • Even make a call, email an inquiry, sign up for a webinar or buy something

Each of these possible actions a client or customer makes brings them a step closer to your business.

The Seven to Thirteen Brand Touches Rule of Thumb

There is a rule of thumb in marketing and PR, that it can take from one (for an impulse-buy) up to three, five or seven (some say 13) “touches” or contacts with your brand or business before someone buys; it depends. Social media and blogging make those passive views and basic brand touches more likely, and can lead to what I am calling a “dynamic brand touch” – one where an interaction occurs. These dynamic interactions can be an opportunity for your brand to build trust and connection with potential and existing customers…which should bring them yet another step closer to your brand.** And if the interactions are quality – not just an add, the ratio should be higher. Especially if you can take that next step and interact back with them. That’s something you couldn’t do with an old-style ad.

Brand Touches can Lead to Client and Customer Conversions

What’s a conversion? That’s marketing-speak for a purchase or an interaction with your business. Different people define it in different ways. Of course, the ultimate “conversion” is when  you convert a prospect into a buying customer, or an existing customer or client into a repeat buyer of your product or service. But before they buy, you need to lay a foundation or create a pathway that makes it easy for them to like and begin to trust your brand.

Online Marketing Diagram Showing Blogs Websites Social Media And Email Lists

How do you Lay the Groundwork for Converting a Brand touch into a Customer?

  • Content Marketing = knowing your audience’s needs, interests, pain points  and what gives them joy & then serving them content on your site & where they hang out online (and off)

  • Content marketing is website, blog, social media writing that attracts your ideal clients like a magnet & earns trust

  • Engagement happens when you serve up quality content that entices your audience to interact; take a step closer 2 your brand

  • Quality, targeted content builds trust and entices your prospects/customers to take a step closer to your brand & interact

  • Engagement back with your audience creates a fertile environment upon which a relationship can grow. Content are the seeds, interactions the sun and rain.

  • Be careful of making assumptions – my customers aren’t on XYZ site – do your research

  • Survey existing customers, call them ask for their input, what do they want to hear? where do they spend time or “hang out” online; also, know their demographics too.

  • Metrics depend on goals for specific content. Ultimately sales, but it can take many brand “touches” before a sale is made

  • Calls to action – Targeted, interesting, clear visuals increase engagement on most sites if not used too often

  • Non-yes/no questions, something that provokes thought, “Share your tips on how you solve this problem” are better

  • CTA’s (more marketing speak – Click Through Actions) that Build community – like @Buffer is doing in their weekly #bufferchat

  • Obviously Quality wins over quantity, but consistency…being there when your customers are is also important – it is all about Balance

So when planning your social media and blogging activity – Get to know your audience or customers. Plan for items that will help people take a step closer to your brand. If you think more about what’s in it for them, than what’s in it for you…what’s in it for you might just follow.

*Here is a recap of this Twitter chat event about creating engaging content – https://storify.com/BufferNicole/bufferchat-11-12-14-atomic-reach-creating-engagin)

**FYI – this article tried to find the root and validity of the rule of 7 – 7 times exposure needed to an ad before most people buy – lots of circumstantial evidence, but no solid evidence. http://successfulsoftware.net/2010/06/03/do-customers-need-to-see-an-advertisement-seven-times/ Just in case you wanted to know.

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