Seasoned bow hunters know just how hard it is to hit a target, let alone a bullseye. Any and everything can cause a miss. If you are shooting at an indoor archery range you are going to use big, fat arrows because there is no tail, head, or cross wind. However, if you are shooting an outside target, or hunting you are going to use thinner arrows with smaller veins/feathers to compensate for the winds and temperature. The bow feathers/fletching determine how fast the arrow moves through the air.
Greg Quarles, Executive Director of South Carolina Arrows for Heroes, retired sniper and archery paralympic competitor notes, “Archery is no different than shooting a rifle. The fundamentals are the same. Your mental approach, pre-shot routine, breathing and stance determine how you are going to shoot. It all comes down to the weight of the bow which determines the stiffness of the arrow shaft and weight of the tip.” Ask an archery hunter how many times she/he have missed the target and you will get a laugh. It takes a lot of practice and repetitive motion to master just like golf. It’s why practice, or range time is so important.
If branding your company, product, or service is off it causes all kinds of problems not to mention the ultimate impact it can have on your bottom-line. When your marketing story conflicts with reality it’s only a matter of time before customers, or clients discover the truth. This is why branding is so important. Content Marketing is one of the best ways to insure your branding is hit the target.
Content marketing is designed to tell your story in a long play and hit the bulls eye. It’s a marathon not a sprint, but the payoff is much more rewarding than a flash in the pan marketing effort. As Google faces enormous government challenges and investigations content marketing is one way to make sure your message is being told in a diverse portfolio that can absorb any changes that may be brewing for Google.
Content marketing tells your story in a deliberate, intentional, cogent effort. Using keywords, phrases and tags increase your company’s visibility.
What question are you answering with your product or service? The key is offering something of value for your target audience. What sets you apart from the competition? Identify it and tell that story in a variety of ways: blogs, thought leadership papers, social media posts, and much more. All of these avenues are routes to hit your target. You may not hit the bullseye in the first few attempts, but you will hit the target and gradually move toward the center of the target.
Content marketing helps you establish your brand as something unique and different while providing value to your customers, or clients. The idea is to stand out from the competition, but make sure you are able to deliver what you advertise! As marketing guru and best-selling author, Donald Miller puts it, “People remember brands that are useful to them.” So how is your brand, or service useful? Tell them!
Nothing engages people and builds trust like content that solves problems, or answers questions. If your product or service is useful it solves problems for potential clients/customers. How are you telling your story? Educate your potential customers/clients on what you do and what you provide. Then continue to provide content that explains the value you can add to their business, or life. Make sure your content whether a blog, FB post, or thought leadership paper provides informative, valuable and relative information.
The goal is to provide solution seeking content and results for potential clients, or customers. If you provide solutions you are half-way to the goal line and you are gonna hit the target. Continue to position, communicate and share your solutions as you attempt to hit the bullseye. Content marketing requires a patient investment and a long-term commitment, but in the long run you will hit the bullseye more than the competition.
Charles Carter, Partner
WebSpeak Media
102 Trade Street
Greer, SC 29651
