Give Your Customers Reasons
to Love You

Modern marketing seems focused on using all the latest technologies to connect with customers, whether it’s a QR code that links to a special online offer or a branded mobile game that goes viral.

Marketers can tap digital—and print—channels to blast out discounts and new product updates. But the magic happens when marketers share information that customers actually need and want. That’s the heart of content marketing: Giving your audience meaningful information without any strings attached.

Worried about giving free stuff away? Don’t be. You’re actually giving customers more reasons to stay loyal and engaged. Here are some ideas:

Make them feel connected. Give them “inside” information that makes them part of your tribe—whether they’re donors, buyers, clients, students. Think: sneak previews of upcoming events, peeks at products or services in development, special “members-only” opportunities.

Become a resource that keeps them coming back. Depending on your market, this kind of service-oriented content could be anything. If you’re selling a product, consider usage and maintenance information. If you’re recruiting students, think of a “to-do” list for a campus visit or care package ideas for parents. Calendars, white papers, recipes, user manuals, FAQs—all of this makes good free content.

Use different media to communicate. Marketers know that it now takes up to 7 “touches” before a customer decides to act. It’s smart and economical to repurpose your free content in a number of different ways: a long version for your e-newsletter, a short form for your blog, a blurb for Facebook. And remember that print marketing can tie it all together and serve as a jumping-off point for connecting with new prospects.