In today's world, the word "media" is sort of a negative term. You hear people talking about how the "media" is doing this or that or has this agenda or that agenda. But today we are going to talk about media using it's actual definition - "the main means of mass communication" - and how your business should be it's own media company.
Using traditional means of mass communication like broadcast TV used to be one of the only ways to communicate your brand to potential customers and employees. Now with the power of the internet, you're able to communicate to your company's audiences in so many more ways. And yes, your company has an audience. Your company has fans. And your company has influence. One marketing goal every business that is building a brand should have is to use your influence to turn your audience into fans and turn those fans into advocates for your brand. One of the best ways to build fans and advocates for your brand is to provide informative, entertaining, and impactful content that your target audience is seeking for. Become a specific media company for your customer.
Providing Informational Content for your Customers
You've heard it before. Be the thought-leader in your industry. This means be the go-to source for your customers when they have questions about the problems you solve. This can be very specific information. The most important part is to not hold back. Provide valuable content to your customers. For example: if you are a golf store, then create videos, post blogs, or share social media content with your opinion on the latest and greatest gear. Don't be afraid to be honest about why you like a new piece of equipment over another. If you're a plastics company that specializes in manufacturing a specific material, provide value to your customers on why that material solves their problem. If you manufacturer and sell tools to construction companies, create helpful construction tip videos that teach your target customers how to complete certain projects. A lot of companies believe that they are giving away too much to competitors or even their customers when they don't keep content vague. But more often than not, when you hold back then your business is coming off as salesy or like you have something to hide. Be of value to your customers and audience.
Example:
Providing Entertaining Content for your Customers
A lot of brands succeed in building fans and advocates by providing entertaining content to their customers. Ever heard of Black Rifle Coffee? They know who their audience is and they know their products can be considered a commodity so to stand out from their competition they have built a brand around entertaining their target customers. For your brand, entertaining might mean creating funny or silly content. Or maybe you entertain by letting your team's personalities shine through your content. The goal with entertaining content is to provide information that is relevant to your business in a fun way for your customers to experience.
Example:
Providing Impactful Content for your Customers
Our final type of content that your business can provide includes impactful content. Impactful content is the kind that leaves an impression on your audience. It's the kind that they want to share. It might be inspiring, motivational, sad, happy, or all of the above. The best way to create impactful content is to tell real stories. Maybe your product or service was a small part of a greater customer story. Be the platform where your customer can share that story. Impactful content can be community driven or mission driven. The goal with impactful content is to connect and relate to your customers emotionally.
Example:
When you combine valuable content with entertaining and impactful content, you are able to create a brand that can gain a following. Take a look at brands like Purple Mattress or Energizer. Visit their YouTube Channels or their blogs on their websites. You'll see that they have created series that inform, entertain, and impact. To start being your own media company you can use your phone to record content, you can write blog posts, or you can hire a video or content marketing agency to help you develop your brand into a media machine.
If you want to learn more about creating content contact us today!
