case studies | Content for Biz Inc.

Competitor Content Sparks New Ideas

Productive web surfing is a skill. Analyzing competitor content may give you the breakthrough you need to spark new ideas. In this sense, your competition becomes a kind of collaborator. Every site is unique, with its own priorities and pathways to connect with prospects and customers. Here are some ways to generate new and better content ideas by re-imagining, not copying, your competitors’ content.

What content is optimized and popular?

Search the name of the company online and observe what listings come up in the search engines? Is it just the name of the company or are pages included? Are there posts from a blog listed? Case studies, directory listings? Social media? Viewing these organic search results will show you their SEO level and what content is popular.

What’s on their menus?

Go through each of the main menu listings and any submenus. Look to see how much detail is provided and if the content reflects the title. While the About Us page is easily recognizable, other options might include “We’re Different” or “Work With Us”.

Do their headlines offer a benefit?

If so, take some of the words they use and make them more descriptive. For example, change XYZ Construction Equipment Manufacturer builds long lasting equipment to …builds safe, durable equipment that gets excavation jobs done.

Do they have a blog?

Review the “Most popular” posts. See how many comments and shares they got. Why do you think people responded? Put your own spin on a similar, focused topic.

Are there strong points of differentiation?

Understand how you are different. How does your company want a visitor to interact with you? Do you want to talk through a video with a call to action at the end? Offer downloadable content? What annoys you about your competitor’s site and how would you fix it? What tone is best for your company?

What’s not on the site?

This may be more important than what is there. What could you not find on their site that you know customers want? Discovering this is as simple as knowing what questions your customers ask most often, what tasks they want to perform on your site, and what results they are looking for.

Creative ideas flow not from avoidance but through debate and opposition. Such a setting can occur while looking at a competitor’s content.

4 Ways to Build Content Through Customer Interviews

Before conducting customer interviews know how you can build better content and basic interviewing techniques. Interviews are a great way to obtain information for creating personas, customer-centric content, case studies and testimonials. A recent research report from Marketing Sherpa shows that 41% of B2B companies are using interviews with customers to build personas (profiles of your buyer). The report identifies customer interviews as the most effective tactic for developing personas. These usually include demographics, environment and buyer behaviors.

1. Know the End Goal

When conducting customer interviews know what the end goal is before you begin. Are you creating customer-centric content for newsletters, blogs, case studies or websites? In each case, having the customer’s perspective is important. You can learn what customers value most and least from your company and what they want more of. The information can also be used to segment your audience by particular attributes. Adding customer testimonials and case studies builds your credibility. From interviews you can create interesting content rather than a cursory one-liner.

Who should conduct the interview? An employee with an existing relationship with the customer has built trust but is unlikely to get objective answers. A content writer skilled at building rapport quickly and asking targeted questions can be a good resource.

Where to conduct the interview? One-on-one in person interviews are great but when logistics and budgets make that impossible, the telephone or computer are good alternatives.

2. Be Prepared for the Interview

Ask yourself: What do I want to know? Target your questions to get the answers you need. What does your audience want to know? Content is created for consumption. It needs to be relevant. Ask questions your audience wants answered.

Who should you talk with to get the information you need? For example, don’t talk with a purchasing agent if you want to know how your product is being used in manufacturing. Find the person who is closest to the action.

Make an appointment ahead of time to talk with the customer. Be transparent about the reason why you want to talk. The interview needn’t be long. You can get the information you need in five minutes when the person is very busy. Most people like being interviewed if it doesn’t take too long.

3. Listen During the Interview

After asking a question, listen. Do not interrupt during a response. When customers know you are really listening to them, you will get better information. Listen for key phrases and metaphors used by the customer. Gauge levels of emotional involvement. You can tell when someone is excited or disappointed by the tone of voice they use. Make note of what is causing these reactions.

Get the back story. What is your position in the company? How long have you been doing it? What challenges were you facing before purchasing our product/working with our company?

Position the product or service. How does our product or service fit in your work process? What problem does it solve for you? (Look for action in the response.)

What kind of results have you found since using the product?

What do you like best about the product/service? Least?

Have you discovered other benefits from using the product? Or, working with our company?

Add a Thought. I like to end interviews with a question that allows the person to add their own thoughts. “Is there anything you would like to add?” Or, “Did I forget to ask something that is important to you?”

Always thank your customer for taking the time to talk with you. Allow them to review any information that is attributed to them before it is published.

4. Structure Information Gathered

When using customer interview information to create a persona, customer-centric content, case study or testimonial use a consistent format to record the information after each interview. This saves time and makes it available for future use. A content writer can put the pieces together creating valuable content that differentiates you from your competitors. These are some ways we build better content through customer interviews. Do you think customers enjoy being interviewed?

4 Content Strategies to Increase Sales Leads Online

Content encompasses all that conveys information from your web presence. To increase sales leads online break the big picture down to small but effective steps. In essence craft, share, and measure your content. Add live interaction to complement your content strategy. Doing so will increase sales leads.

1. Craft highly focused content that addresses your prospects’ pain points and offer a solution. Do not overwhelm with too much information. Take a look at how Glidden Paint offers simple solutions and adds an interactive element on their website.

2. Share your content. The Word of Mouth Marketing Association estimates that two thirds of economic activity is influenced by personal referrals and recommendations. An effective way to share content online is to add share buttons on each web page and each piece of self-contained content including blog posts, videos, newsletters and offer-type emails.

To get a sense of what kind of content people like to share visit the Allthingsnow site which shows the top Facebook Shares of the day as well as the most popular Facebook page sites.

Include a link to your content on twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn posts. Don’t forget Tumblr, Posterous and bookmarking sites such as Stumbleupon, Delicious and Reddit. The Google Reader share button is also useful. Adding a feed to your own sites’ most popular content is another way to share your information.

3. Study prospects online behavior. Who is on your site and what content are they engaging with? Follow up. Eloqua and Hubspot are two companies that offer marketing automation and web analytics solutions. Reach prospects by function and vertical using content aligned with their interest and business objective including white papers, case studies, and articles. Track which content is leading to conversions.

4. Give your prospects a choice for some kind of live experience. Even if it’s a telephone number to call. Viewers appreciate accessibility. Live chat software is being used successfully by Wells Fargo and Regence BlueCross/Blue Shield. Both reported higher customer satisfaction after adding a live chat option to their websites. Wells Fargo reported a double-digit increase in sales. Customers preferred using live chat over the telephone.

Each of these strategies can be used on websites and social media sites. Apply them regularly and your leads will increase.

Tell an Authentic Story

I spent some time in Williamsburg, Va., last week and we visited the nearby Jamestown settlement and Powhatan Indian village exhibit. There was something about Caucasians playing the part of the Indians that left me thinking about authenticity, or the lack of it.

Case studies can provide compelling content, but authenticity is key. Potential customers want to read real stories, and if your copy sounds like a sales pitch, they will quickly move on.

An authentic story begins with an interview that goes beyond the basics. Here are some of the methods and questions I have found helpful in capturing an authentic and compelling story from a business owner, customer or subject matter expert.

Before the Interview

Learn as much as you can about the business of the person you are interviewing. Check their profile on Linked-In, view the company website, make a personal visit to their business if possible. By doing this you will avoid the obvious questions, become familiar with the industry-specific language, and identify topics for discussion.

Begin with some small talk and set a friendly tone. Let them know you will provide them with an opportunity to review their comments. This serves to relax the person being interviewed. If someone is rushed, offer to call back when they are not distracted by pressing business problems.

During the Interview

A vivid description of the customer and their problem will engage readers who will identify with the story. Ask questions in a non-threatening way. Don’t just run through a predetermined list of questions (although it’s a good idea to prepare questions in advance). Show genuine interest and ask follow up questions. And if the person goes off on a tangent, be patient.

Ask about their responsibilities and their biggest work challenges. Ask how the product or service fits into the grand scheme of their job or product. Ask what life was like before they found a solution. If they are a business owner, ask how they got into the business. Uncover what the true pain points were. Get all the details that will create an authentic story.

If you are a marketer, you must take off your marketing hat and think like a journalist, asking the who, what, when, where and why questions. Ask them to compare how they do things now, vs. how they did things before. Ask how they came to find out about the solution. Ask what they were apprehensive about in choosing a supplier and how they were able to alleviate these doubts. Ask about the other options they considered and why they didn’t choose them. Ask what they would do differently, if they had to do it over again. Avoid presenting a completely one-sided view.

Ask how the solution met or exceed their expectations. Focus on customer service issues as well as benefits of the product. Ask about any critical timing or delivery issues. Ask if there were any unexpected benefits or rewards. Ask if any problems came up and how they were resolved. Find out if there was positive feedback from customers, sales or the management. Are there any quantitative measures of success? If so, find out what those numbers really mean to the business. Were they able to increase profits or reduce costs? Facts and figures are an essential component of a convincing case study.

After the Interview

When writing the case study, use quotes, facts and details gleaned from your interview to add authenticity and personality. Make your story easy to read and skim online through with good use of subheads and call-out quotes. Don’t forget to include your keywords and phrases.

I like like this case study from Trimble. The details and conversational language helps to make it both authentic and readable.

What are some other ways to add authenticity to your website content?

Spring Brings Content Change

The seasons can be a source of inspiration for content appearing on your website, blog or email newsletter.

When spring weather hits, contractors are in full-blown work mode. With increased competition for jobs, contractors are looking for new ways to reduce their operating costs. Here are just a few spring-centered content ideas for your contractor customers:

Tips on Fuel Savings

With the cost of diesel fuel running averaging nearly $4.00 per gallon nationwide, this is a clearly a source of pain for contractors. By publishing information on reducing fuel consumption, such as strategies for reducing idling times, preventative maintenance, operator training, and fuel efficient technologies, you are sure to add value to your relationship.

Illustrate savings through actual case studies and get feedback from other contractors on what strategies really work.

Wet Weather and Safety

Construction is one of the most dangerous careers and safety information is always a top interest among contractors. Your customers will appreciate coverage of timely topics related to seasonal conditions. Spring hazards include electrocution as well as slips and falls due to wet, slippery conditions. Design the content so that it can be easily be used in the field, with a place to list those who attended the safety talk. An English and Spanish version is also helpful.

What’s on your content calendar for spring?