Is Your Content Animal, Vegetable or Mineral?

Some companies value their content as much as the products they sell. As a service content can explain the benefits of big data or sell soda. It works as a trade: You give me your contact information and I will let you download my content. But like a chameleon content takes on different textures and tones. At Content For Biz we provide content writing services for B2B companies. Part of our mission is to help clients think differently about content. So, rather than describe content as a commodity using the product, service, trade triad, let’s use animal, vegetable or mineral to classify it. Know what your content is before content writing begins.

Mineral Content

This is foundation content. It is the closest thing to being “written in stone” at least for the time being. It is inert, nonreactive, yet identifying. Mineral content can be a statement of fact, approach or philosophy. A mission statement, a description of your blog’s purpose, even a white paper can be considered mineral content because it is mined with a beginning and end. Each year companies should establish 3 high-impact ideas to create their content around. These are the gems – the sparkle that makes you different, effective and efficient.

Vegetable Content

This is outgrowth content. It is created to grow an audience, nurture leads, and offer a harvest of how-to’s or what ifs. Like a garden it is cyclical, changing by the season. Vegetable content may consist of blog posts, email marketing campaigns, press releases and website copywriting. This kind of content supports the marketing effort throughout the sales cycle. It is picked and easily digested by the customer. Vegetable content can make its consumer smarter, more aware and decisive.

Animal Content

This is active content. It is instinctive, perceptive and needs to be fed often. Social media is its arena, but also events, newsletters, apps or webinars. The creator of animal content knows which way the wind is blowing. A strong business sense is required to move in the right direction, on the right path. Animal content appears as a peer, not a pest. A friendly approach creates a climate where conditions favor both buyer and seller.

The identifying, outgrowth and instinctual nature of content makes it more like a river chiseling its way through a canyon than a faucet filling a glass of water. If you want to think differently about the content you publish, give us a call.

B2B Content Doesn’t Have to Be About You

I just finished writing an article on “How to Get More Bang out of Your Internet Marketing Bucks,” for Construction Equipment Distribution magazine. It was a fun article to write because it gave me an opportunity to connect with some of my favorite marketers. John Jantsch, best-selling author and marketer whose blog and book, Duct Tape Marketing, is a favorite among small business owners, was one of my top picks.

When I found out Jantsch marketed a contractor association earlier in his career, I was pleasantly surprised. He already had a very good sense of the construction industry.

What content would John Jantsch recommend to a construction equipment dealer?

So I asked him, ‘If you were a construction equipment distributor, what would you do for content? I really liked his response:

“I would recommend holding a roundtable of five or six big contractors in their industry,” said Jantsch. “The dealer could facilitate a discussion about industry trends, which would be recorded and put online.”

It reminded me that the best content doesn’t have to be about your products and services. It’s about providing the customer something of value.“There are different ways to view content,” said Jantsch. “A dealer can produce content that will be far more useful than the traditional specs on the loader bucket.”

One of the most successful advertising salespeople I know was famous for attaching a hand-written note to each issue of the publications that he mailed to advertisers and prospects every month. He would mention different articles in the issue, or maybe just their ad, that he thought they would be interested in. You would not believe how this small personal gesture resonated with clients. People would meet him at trade shows and they would say, “You’re the guy who sends me the notes!”

Sharing valuable content, whether we create it, or curate it, adds value to a relationship. Chances are you already share content. Can you leverage this same idea for your business–using social networks and a blog?

Content Trouble – What’s Your Approach?

Content trouble can delay projects, reduce traffic, and miss the message when not properly managed. Content troubles often appear in the following areas:

Content creation – generate original ideas, write, edit, curate, add keywords

Content quality – find good sources of information, good writer, variety, high interest, meet business objectives

Content management – schedule, publish, integrate, re-purpose

Content priority – projects may involve a team of professionals: manager, web developer, graphic artist, photographer, and videographer who need to see the big picture and how/when their expertise fits.

Every content project manager hears the word “trouble” sometime in their career. Singer/songwriter Ray Lamontagne embraced “Trouble” as a title for one of his songs. His initial “trouble” lyric is quickly followed with “….worry, worry, worry…” then he gets saved. What saves the content project is often a combination of planning, talent, and interpersonal communications skills.

When trouble comes my way I tend to take the following approach.

Seek to understand. Were priorities set and understood by all? What went wrong and why? What other problems might this create?
Build some kind of rapport with the problem. This reduces worry and increases focus. Ask lots of questions of yourself and others.
Evaluate expectations for a solution. Like a doctor, do no harm.
Pursue the solution. I usually do this in phases to assess progress and make observations as we move away from trouble to solution.
Understand what’s needed, nurture, and deliver.
Be grateful for your ability to learn from the experience.

What’s your approach to resolving content troubles? Anything I forgot to add?

How to Create (not copy) Quality Content

Here’s a simple question: Why is it so hard to create quality content?

Often, little attention is paid to what is being published. We see the same thing over and over again. Anyone can copy. If you want to generate better online leads and engagement, create custom content that expands upon your experience with the customers you serve. Harness what professional writers and researchers know about quality content. Then reach for new heights of creative achievement that differentiate you in a crowded market place.

Content isn’t just for websites. It is a part of your brand. It should offer a pragmatic promise not pie in the sky. Content moves across all your communications channels, including blogs and social media. Suppliers, manufacturers, distributors and buyers may depend on it. Use your existing body of knowledge to find creative solutions. Replace caution with curiosity. Listen to learn. Unleash your story telling ability.

Creativity includes process and technical ability. Below are some recent posts from Content For Biz that explore the process on how to create (not copy) quality content.

How to Convert Customer Knowledge into Content

How to Find Credible Sources for Articles, Blog Posts and Whitepapers

Writers Need Answers Before Content Creation Begins

Tell an Authentic Story

Worst Sentences Fixed

Why Tone & Mood Matter in Custom Content

Q&A Becomes a Custom Content Star for Mack Trucks

Not everyone is creative. It is estimated that only 30% of the population falls into this category. In his book, A Whole New Mind, subtitled: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future, author Dan Pink suggests that ingenuity and creativity will be more valued in the future because these traits cannot be computerized, outsourced or easily reproduced at a lower price.

Your content kettle should be stirred regularly. Add some spice. Where do you look for creative inspiration?

Writers Need Answers Before Content Creation Begins

What happens before and after content creation may be just as important as the act itself. Content creation is a process. Below are questions a content writer needs answered at the beginning of that process. I will address what’s needed during and after content creation in upcoming posts.

Who is your audience?

Writers write for people. They want to know how familiar your audience is with your brand, product, or service. Share what you know about your customers’ preferences, interests, behaviors, and demographics. Knowing this, the writer can create content that best serves your audience’s needs and wants.

Content targeted to existing customers is different than that for prospects or first time visitors. The writer can help you decide if segmenting audiences is a good content strategy.

What are your business objectives?

If you want to expand revenues, sensitivity to the purchasing cycle is necessary. If your objective is to widen your reach to global markets or narrow it to a region, content can be customized to reflect that. Increasing brand awareness requires lots of relationship building through multiple channels including social networks.

What do you want your audience to do?

Think about it. Your answer determines content prominence, priority, and navigation. Each piece of content serves a purpose. Don’t confuse your intent (educate, influence) with audience action. The latter is measureable.

Who are your competitors? Or, what websites do you like?

Oftentimes companies avoid the question about competitors. I add the “Or” question for those squeamish or uncertain about competitors. Market research is important for content writers. Not so they can emulate your competition, but so to differentiate your company.

A favorite website can give a clue on what you like and the tone of voice you may be receptive to, if you haven’t already determined that.

Who will act as sources for information?

Finally, I ask for the names of subject matter experts within the company and whoever interacts most with customers. I also ask for the names of two or three satisfied customers who are willing to share their stories.

Not until I have the answers to these questions do I begin the tangible aspect of content creation. Do you need help getting the content creation process started?