In every Content Marketing campaign, there are 3 components – the message, your service or product and the list or potential customers.
Newer or inexperienced marketers frequently get the importance of each of these wrong. In their minds, the most important is the message. After all, the message is responsible for making the sale.
That’s where they concentrate their efforts. A well-crafted email, article, blog post, white paper or case study is all that’s necessary to make a sale.
The Best Marketers Know Otherwise
If the message is being sent to people who don’t need the product or service or never will, they are never going to buy. They also know if the quality of the product or service is poor or inferior, the message may sell a few initially. However, sales will drop off quickly when people and companies find out the product or service is not worth it.
Studies reveal and experienced marketers know the most important is the list. The greater number of prospects you have on your list who actually need the product or service you offer, the more sales you are going to make.
At the start of any Content Marketing campaign, you have to make sure that the prospects on your list are those who really need the product or service you offer. Carefully review each person or company you put on your list and make sure they match the criteria of your best customer or the ideal customer you want. Yes, this is going to take time but it is time well spent.
The second most important thing is the product or service you offer. If your product or service is poor or inferior, the company you sell it to is going to know it. You will never make another sale to them. They will also let others know and your sales will dry up.
Your marketing people and copywriters who write your messages would have you believe the messages they craft are important. However, the message is the least important of the 3. If your product or service is good and it’s being offered to the right prospects, they will buy even if the message is poor.
Let Me Give You an Example . . .
. . . This is actually a story modified from the original made known by Gary Halbert, a great copywriter.
Picture this – An ocean beach one Saturday in July crowded with people. The temperature unexpectedly hits 95. (The people on the beach only thought it was going to be in the mid 80’s.) To top it off the humidity is high too.
All the sun bathers are sweltering.
Sweat is Just Pouring Out of Their Bodies
Most came unprepared for the high temperature. They brought water but not enough. As the temperature rose, they quickly started to drink it and all their water was gone quickly. Right now, they’re all very thirsty.
A guy shows up selling ice cold water. He only shouts once he has water for sale. Immediately there is a throng of people around him. Within 20 minutes he sells all the water he has.
If you look at this more closely, his prospects were the thirsty people. His offer is water. His message was he had water for sale.
Did the people ever check to see what type of water he had? Did they ever question the price?
How good was his message? He only shouted once he had water to sell. Not a great message at all. It didn’t have to be.
The most important thing was the prospects – really thirsty people in 95 degree weather. Second was the product. Ice cold water. The brand was insignificant. Least important was the message – Water for sale.
50/30/20 0r 60/30/10
Some marketing people say 50% of great marketing is getting the right prospects. 30% is the product or service. 20% is the message. Mary Ellen Tribby, a well-known marketer, says it is 60%-30%-10%.
What about you?
In your content marketing campaigns . . .
. . . Where Do You Need to Focus Your Efforts?
It is making sure you are targeting the right prospects.
After that, you need to focus on your product or service. Make sure the quality won’t be viewed as poor or inferior by the people you are trying to sell it too.
Last – make sure you have the right message. True – a poor message will bring in some sales. However, the better the message is the more sales you will make.
