In business, you know what differentiates you from the competition: a targeted service, a niche market, a responsive audience, excellent customer service, or a unique product offering. And those should be key components of your content marketing strategy.
Increasingly, businesses set themselves apart by their character or mission. The USA-made clothing movement, for example, has emerged in cities across the country. Many of these companies are popularized by their dedication to locally sourced and crafted goods. It’s clear their mission and product differentiates them from, say, big box clothing stores or brands.
But how do you differentiate your content marketing strategy? We took these tips from watching a few of our favorite brands and companies and paired them with The Found Gen’s best content practices.
1. Be authentic. This is pretty basic. Don’t try to represent your company as something it is not. If you offer pottery lessons and sell handmade pots, you don’t necessarily cater to the paint-a-pot movement, even if it seems easier to write about or focus on. Let your content showcase the attributes you most care about and that best define your business. If customer service is important, your website should be easy to use and simple. If you’re a designer, let your work shine in an elegant format.
2. Get creative. No matter which media you choose—and choose it wisely—be creative with the way you present information. True, traditional sales copy or pitches have merit. But creative presentation and formatting, as well as catchy copy or imagery, carry content marketing to the next level. Woo your audience with something they’re not expecting. Make them laugh. Pull them in with the unusual.
3. Tell a story. We’ve said it a million times and we’ll say it a million more: valuable relationships are built when people connect emotionally. They connect emotionally when they connect with a story—a HUMAN story. You’re not just selling the final product, pottery lesson or handmade mug. You’re selling the background and history of where the pots are made, who makes the pots and why these stories are meaningful.
Authenticity and creativity, when woven into a story, connects your brand, your business and your content with a real, live human audience. Let your company’s voice sound loud and clear above the noise of flashy articles and quick fixes, and your content marketing strategy will shine.