It Ain't What You Do...

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The title above is from an old jazz song recorded by Ella Fitzgerald and others in the late '30's. The next line of the song is "And that's what gets results!" I've sort of taken that advice when it comes to my do-it-yourself marketing plan. And I am getting results.

We all communicate with prospects and customers in one way or another. Today we're usually communicating in many different ways and across multiple channels simultaneously. The act of generating content and messages is the "what you do" part. And everyone does it, whether it's press releases, marketing brochures, webinars, or email blasts.

Most of the content we see is pretty much marketing-oriented. There is always a pitch, whether the piece is announcing new products or services or it identifies problems and then promptly solves them with whatever is being sold. The opinions and advice provided are usually pretty biased. And being marketing oriented, chances are the communication is structured as part of a campaign - something that has definite start and stop points. You'll see the pitch in various forms over the course of a few weeks or months and then it will stop.

To Change the Impact, Modify the Message
Print/Mail Consultants has gotten a lot more benefit from paying attention to "the way that you do it" part. For me, this means consistently producing and distributing content in multiple channels and concentrating on sharing information that I think my audience will find interesting or useful. Oh we still sell, but that is generally a subtle and secondary objective. I've decided that we'll have plenty of opportunities to sell our services once we have someone's attention. And my chances for success are a lot better because I'll have already established myself as a trusted source of information. I'm seen as a helpful resource, not a pitchman.

I probably do as much free work for document industry people as I do for paying clients. This can include things like answering quick questions, referring people to products and services, serving on boards and panels, connecting job seekers with hiring managers, writing, and speaking. But those efforts do pay off. For instance, during a single week in September I was referred to prospective clients three different times by people with whom I have proven my worth through phone conversations, emails, newsletters, and articles. And I know for a fact that a project I recently finished also came to me because of my reputation and my efforts to stay top of mind.

Unlike a marketing campaign, the results of our strategy to generate and publish informational content and find creative ways to keep in touch is impossible to measure. There is an ROI, but only from a high level. Sure, I've written pieces that prompted people to call or email me, but I don't think a single article or even a particular set of articles ever generated business for us directly. It is the overall effort of always trying to be helpful and doing that over and over again that creates most of our opportunities.

It Doesn't Take Much
This method isn't a secret. Nor is it particularly elaborate. Anyone can have a DIY marketing program like ours. I've seen many companies start similar programs. But most of them fizzle out after a few months. Those abandoned efforts are easy to spot. Just take a look at a company web site and see that it has been months since they last posted new informational content or distributed a newsletter. These are indications that someone had the right idea, but couldn't follow through.

It does take time, dedication, and a little creativity to maintain a successful content marketing program. An interest in writing and having a well-rounded knowledge of your industry can be advantages too. If you are lacking in any of those elements, it's going to be tough to sustain the effort long enough to start realizing the income-producing benefits. Of course you can have your marketing people continue to do the campaigns, but I am convinced that relevant and interesting information is more effective than marketing material in generating business opportunities.

Anyone can generate content but "it's the way that you do it" that gets results.