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Developing Valuable Content
Last month's article, Who Cares What You Say?, focused on why content matters, and why your content must be relevant. This month we are going to talk about creating valuable (relevant) content. I talk to people every week who say they struggle with creating content. For me, creating content is like adrenaline, nothing makes me happier than sitting around coming up with ideas for people. While this may not be your idea of fun, take heart. You, too, can create valuable content for your business.
Below are some helpful tips for developing valuable content. As you will notice, many of the tips have to do with preparation and not creation. As with most things in life, what happens behind the scenes is the most critical aspect. Spend time working on the why and the how, and the what will be much easier to produce.
IT'S NOT ABOUT YOU
Nothing else is as important as this idea. It's not really about you. It's about your target market- your clients and customers and prospects. Give your audience what they want and need. If you don't know what your customers want, ask them. Do whatever it takes to put yourself in their shoes and determine what is useful to them.
DO YOUR HOMEWORK
Doing your homework pays big dividends. This includes using surveys and doing research to learn more about what your target market wants and needs to hear or see from you, as mentioned above. It also includes looking at your competitors to see what they are saying to their customers and how they are saying it. This does not mean copy their approach or their content, it means include this knowledge in your own business intelligence so you can help differentiate yourself from your competitors.
CREATIVE VERSUS PRACTICAL
Is creativity required? Creativity is a helpful component in creating content, but not the only thing required. I would argue that not all content needs to be creative. If I need to know how to file a claim with my homeowners insurance, or when to get something to my CPA, I don't particularly care if the information is delivered in a creative way. Sometimes the efforts to be creative (like adding photos or design) can be distracting from the real matter at hand- receiving the information. The lesson to be learned here is you don't have to be a creative genius to create good content. Think outside the box a bit and get a little crazy in your idea stage, which leads us to the next phase...
BRAINSTORM
Hold actual brainstorming sessions, preferably with at least one other person. You can brainstorm by yourself, but it's not as much fun, nor as fruitful. Set aside time to focus on your specific marketing goal (ie your email newsletter) and come up with as many ideas as you can in a defined amount of time. Use an easel pad, a whiteboard, a computer, or whatever handy way lets you record every idea. The objective in a brainstorming session is to generate as many ideas as possible. No judgment is allowed in a brainstorming session, all ideas are valid. Schedule another time (at least one day later) to review, refine, condense, and prioritize ideas.
CREATE
When you have figured out what you want to say, follow these simple rules: Be concise, be clear, be accurate, and be authentic. And, don't ever forget you are writing what they need, not what you want.
TELL A STORY
When in doubt, consider telling a story. People generally relate well to storytelling because they like information to be in a logical order, have a purpose, and evoke emotion. Hence, a story fits the bill. Stories can also resonate with someone because they can imagine themselves in the same situation. Testimonials, case studies, how-to's, and lessons learned are all examples of ways to use stories to engage your audience and have them find value in your information.
USE YOUR VOICE
Speak (and write) in your voice, and your voice only. Be authentic. Don't try to sound like someone else, especially one of your competitors (this is another reason to study your competitors, as suggested above). Your voice includes your tone, your vocabulary, your style, and your personality. Voice is not restricted to an individual. Companies can, and should, have a voice. If your business is speaking from more than one voice you may have a problem with your credibility and believability.
GET FEEDBACK
Ask for feedback. This step is often left out, yet can provide useful information to you in determining what is valuable to your audience. Don't just assume your content was to blame if you get poor results- get feedback to discover the real reasons. This step is important and can save you time and money!
Armed with the right attitude and attention to the tips above, you should be well on your way to creating valuable content that your target market appreciates and acts upon.
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