We’ve been providing training and mentoring for women in business for over 20 years.
And our mission is to really empower the 30,000 women in our community to reach their potential in business.
Every year we survey our members in order to really understand what is going on in their business. We ask what their goals are how we can help them.
Consistently, there are four big issues that they tell me about, challenges that they are facing.
The first is getting new customers and new leads.
The second is that their marketing is missing the mark. It’s just not getting the results they want. It’s ineffective.
The third thing is that they are not realising the income they want. Cash flow is tight and they just don’t know how to get their finances under control.
Finally they struggle to balance their many responsibilities and to get things done.
If that’s you, you’re not alone.
Because each year my team and I work really hard to find, to interview to provide a platform for world-leading experts on these very topics to share their business knowledge with you.
And what I learned from these experts over last few yeas has revealed a few BIG concepts, strategies and ideas that I believe are going to be central to your success in 2017.
The big idea that I want to cover here today – the one that will help you generate leads and acquire new customers in 2017 is CONTENT MARKETING.
The game has changed. Your prospects have become more sophisticated and they are likely out there researching buying a product or service like yours RIGHT NOW.
But instead of calling your office and asking for a brochure like they used to, they are consulting search engines like Google and Youtube, reading blog posts, downloading ebooks, joining online communities, subscribing to podcasts, attending webinars and more to get the vital information that will influence their purchase decision…
…and much of the time they’re doing that without you!
The “old” way of pushing out a one-size fits all advertising message is just not going to serve you in 2017.
Your ideal prospects want information BEFORE they buy.
Now… How can YOU make sure YOU get found by your prospects who are looking for valuable content in eBooks, Guides, Checklists, Webinars, Free Video Trainings, Quizzes, Blogs, Podcasts?
Content Marketing is NOT new, but what HAS changed is that it’s now not just a “nice to have”, it’s ESSENTIAL for all businesses.
But you can’t do everything.
How do you know which content marketing strategies to focus on so you’re not spread too thin?
I had the great pleasure of interviewing one of the pioneers of Content Marketing – Joe Pulizzi about his book Epic Content Marketing.
Joe is the founder of the Content Marketing Institute, the leading education and training organisation for content marketing. He hosts the largest content marketing event in the world, Content Marketing World.
He’s THE guy when it comes to creating content that converts prospects to customers.
I first met Joe about 6 years ago when I was attending a conference in America. I loved his simple and clear message – because I was able to use what he said immediately.
So, when I’d heard he had released a book, I quickly asked him if he’d please let us interview him so that our community could benefit from his knowledge.
One thing Joe talks a lot about when teaching business owners about how to succeed in Content Marketing is to think about the content sources you rely on every day? What are the content sources that have become a part of your life?
- What is that you appreciate about them?
- How do they influence you to buy?
- What makes them so special?
Chances are that those sources embrace what Joe calls the 6 PRINCIPLES OF EPIC CONTENT MARKETING.
1. His first principle is FILL A NEED.
This means that your content should answer some unmet question or need that you customer has.
2. His second principle is BE CONSISTENT.
I have really found this to be true. Being a reliable source of information to your customers builds trust. If you have a monthly newsletter, then publish it monthly. Our newsletter is out every Tuesday, no matter what. Customers know to expect it. They can rely on us for that to happen.
3. The third principle is BE HUMAN.
What he means is sound like a real person. Let your personality shine through the way you write, the words on your website. This principle can be a little tough, but with some study and work you can develop a voice that is uniquely yours.
4. Joe suggests that you HAVE A POINT OF VIEW.
Don’t be afraid to stand for something, to be controversial or to take sides on things that matter to you.
5. AVOID SALES SPEAK.
A lot of us come undone on this one… we tend to focus on me me me and not on the customer. The more you talk about you, the less people will value your content. The more you talk about them, the MORE they will value you what you offer.
6. BE BEST OF BREED.
That means of whatever your specific niche you want to aim to publish or curate the VERY best that you can possibly find. You want to strive be a standout in your field.
There are a number of other trainings in the learning centre that also cover a range of great content marketing topics including….
NEWSLETTERS THAT PRODUCE RESULTS – this was a REALLY popular training.
Because a regular newsletter is a great way for any business to keep in touch with customers. A good newsletter positions your business as an authority and can provide value that creates loyalty and goodwill amongst clients and prospects.
There HAS NEVER been a better time to establish YOUR authority and build your profile through writing your own eBook.
eBOOKS are a GREAT way to generate sales leads and to market YOUR business. In the library you’ll find the HOW TO USE EBOOKS TO GENERATE LEADS AND MARKET YOUR BUSINESS — training.
PODCASTS are a NEW type of content marketing that is going to explode in 2015. PODCASTING is one of the most effective ways to get the attention of your customers and to share your expertise. Check out the HOW TO START A PODCAST training in the library.
There’s one more training I want to point you to. It’s called HOW TO CREATE GREAT WEBINARS and it’ll give you an insight into how webinars can be a great lead generator and business creator for you.
All of these trainings are priced at $59 each… or you can get access to the entire library of over 170 trainings valued at $10,030 as part of our special Summer School promotion for just one small payment of $147.
If 2016 was “crazy busy” and you feel like you just couldn’t get to a lot of the trainings you wanted to, this is your ideal chance to “catch up” during the downtime over the holiday period.
Learning is one of the most valuable things you can do for your business and I know it’s hard to find the time – that’s why we’ve put Summer School together.
You get full access for 30 days.
You have flexibility about when, where and how you dip into the content and you can watch or listen to it as many times as you like.
But we’re only keeping this offer open for a limited time. Summer School closes on 20 January.
I’ll see you in Summer School!
