Why Content Drives Social

I hope this next story opens your eyes to the true potential of your social marketing. After you devour this, let’s make sure that you never look back.

Two different caterers in Boston each start a three-month social marketing blitz to attract more business. Their margins on landing new clients are very strong, so they are each willing to put in the effort.

Caterer #1 starts writing two blog posts a week about her business, her prices, and why she’s got the lowest costs around. She puts the same type of content on YouTube by setting up a simple camera and talking about her prowess in the kitchen, why everyone who’s ever hired her loves her, and why she’s so determined to make your next occasion one you will never forget.

On Twitter, she tweets her newest dishes and the prices.

On Pinterest she does the same. Same too on Tumblr and Delicious.

Boy, oh boy. What Caterer #1 does not realize is that she is trying to interrupt people and get them to listen to her pitch.

Guess what, Caterer #1? No one cares. No one has the time for that interruption. We don’t know you. We don’t trust you. Good luck with your pitch, but leave us out of it!

Caterer #2 knows that if she kills it with content, she will attract potential clients to her.

That is a crucial difference.

So Caterer #2 creates blog posts about how anyone can create gluten-free tortellini, prepare lemonade sorbet, and roast a pig outside.

On YouTube, she does live demonstrations of recipes and shows people how to carve duck. She walks everyone through the way Baked Alaska rises. She takes the time to give of herself to show people seven different alternatives to salt and sugar.

Then she blogs about those YouTube videos. She heads to groups on Facebook and LinkedIn that are about “cooking,” and she posts links to her relevant content.

Then she tweets about it.

Are you feeling it? Would you be more receptive to these no-sell or soft-sell messages from Caterer #2?

What Caterer #2 realizes is that given the time to really think it through, the best way that she will stand out from every other caterer in Boston is to give of herself until it hurts because if she does that…it will come back to her in multiples.

Take an extra week or an extra month before you release your content.

Take your ideas to a white board and look at them every night and invite people to tell you what they think. Is this content share-worthy or not?

Are you giving out amazing content that gets people jazzed about what you do? And by the way, no matter what you sell, you can make it sexy…or someone can show you how.

Stop trying to sell and start trying to make people crazy excited. Why on earth do you think Pinterest is the fastest-growing website in the world? Because people are sharing things they love.

Starting tomorrow morning, the creating of great content is a “must do” and not a “should do.” It’s not necessarily expensive to make…it just takes some real thought.

Content drives everything about social…and that is pure opportunity for you. Are you taking advantage?

photo credit: stefanomaggi via photopin cc