Have you jumped on the content bandwagon yet?
If not, it’s time you began. If so, are you targeting your content to the right people at the right time?
People enter into the online world for primarily for three things. To escape the real world, to learn something, or to research.
Or all three!
So are you targeting your audience with what it is they want and giving them easy channels to find out more?
And are you allowing them access to you and your content across ALL media channels?
Creating content that is relevant to where they’re at and what they want (to know) in the buying lifecycle is crucial. It is vital that you tailor your content around these 3 Phases and then distribute to the right customer at the right time.
ESCAPE
The internet is a mine field of places where people can go to escape their daily lives and you need to use clever and entertaining content to capture the audience and entertain them. Show them your brand personality.
We consume so much daily content, you want to be able to not only stand out, but allow for this escape part to happen AND still bring brand awareness to you and you business.
So find what the consumer already enjoys and include your brand and business in the conversation. This is where relationships begin, something like the initial first impressions or the very start of a conversation in a bar.
They may not be ready to buy from you yet, but it is a great place to start to pique their interest and build rapport.
“People wanting to escape will lean on self discover and social channels. They are looking to escape their work, life, job, and take a short break. No barring on sales readiness.” – Mathew Sweezey
LEARN
Once someone is engaged you have about 10 seconds to provide value, so deliver content that will do just that.
During the ‘Learning Phase,’ target your prospects and clients with ‘escapist learning content,’ or entertaining content that also provides solutions to problems or answers to questions your community or target audience may have.
This is where you can provide them with a smaller amount of knowledge through your content, delivered in a quick and easily digestible way. You want the carry over from the Escape phase and show that you have great content and the information they seek – even if they don’t really know what that it is yet!
It should not only teach them something new or reaffirm what they may already know, but also guide them to other content that can further develop the trust in the relationship and gear them to start doing more research. If done correctly, they will come back to you as the authority in your chosen business field and begin to research more about you and what you have to offer.
“People wanting to learn are looking at ways to do their job better. This can also take place during an escape. May be an early sign of sales readiness if they move to research. ” – Mathew Sweezey
RESEARCH
The third tier is Research, when they want to know something and they actively go and seek it. In this phase people are more likely to be ready to buy, but they may need a little more convincing that you’re the right business to buy from. If you have caught them at either the escape or learning phases, you have more chance of them coming to you for the answers they seek, or buying from you without (much) objection.
If not, you may need to direct them through both the escape and learning phases or have a method of directing them through to more of your content so that there is no question in their mind that you are the business to buy from. Knowing your audience will prove invaluable at this stage, because you will be able to tailor content specifically to those with the answers to the BIG QUESTION they are seeking.
In either case, well written, clear content that provides immense value and trust – and can direct them to more resources – will further cement that you are the ideal business to buy from, and will make the transition from prospect to client that much smoother.
“People wanting to research will dedicate time to search, learn, and solve. They are looking for content to help them solve a problem. Shows sales readiness.” – Mathew Sweezey