How can you connect with your customers? This question is answered in the Content Marketing Playbook by Junta42. The playbook provides an astounding 42 options to connect with your customers through content marketing. Below we will share 6 of our favorite pieces of content from the playbook along with an explanation and what it does and does not work for. To see all 42 ways to connect with your customers, read the entire Content Marketing Playbook.
Case Study
A case study is a document, typically 1 – 2 pages long, that combines the first-person authority of the testimonial with the narrative structure of a story. Based on real-life events, it leverages reader empathy with the featured client to build credibility and trust.
Case studies work well for service companies and B2B companies that are venturing into new or unfamiliar markets/industries. Also, they are useful in overcoming customer/client skepticism.
Simple products or commodity products will not work well for a case study. If your clients won’t cooperate, case studies are also out of the question. If you are a new business without client successes, consider waiting to publish a case study further down the road.
For example check out our Inbound Marketing Case Study: Construction Marketing Association.
White Paper
White papers are topical reports, typically 8 – 12 pages long, on issues that require a lot of explanation. Also known as “conference papers,” “research reports,” or “technical briefs,” they are perfect for demonstrating thought leadership on issues vital to your buyers.
White papers are especially useful for complex products or services, B2B enterprises, and educating prospects on changing trends or new ideas.
On the other hand, white papers will not work well for commodities, impulse purchases, and retail B2C.
For examples check out all of our white papers on the Modern Marketing Partners Resource Page.
eNewsletter
A permission-and subscription-based means of regular communication with current and future customers, usually distributed monthly or weekly. Available electronically, via text-based or HTML pages, they can include complete articles, or brief descriptions with links to articles on your website.
eNewsletters should be used if your business has a lot of useful information to offer or if you need a tool for long sales cycles. eNewsletters also work well if your organization has a strong opt-in email list.
However, eNewsletters are not so great for companies who are dependent on brokered email lists for subscribers, or without resources to maintain a consistent publishing scheduling, or companies with a continuous product-driven message.
We invite you to sign up for our free marketing tips e-newsletter here.
Blog
Shorthand for “weblog,” the blog offers an easy way to present brief chunks of frequently refreshed Web content. Backed with easy-to-use technologies for syndication (e.g. RSS), comments and trackbacks, blogs are often the blazing centers of social media solar systems that can incorporate sophisticated SEO strategies and community-building campaigns.
Blogs are ideal for companies looking to build a community around their issue/topics, who are using the blog as a part of their social media strategy, and for companies who want to improve their search engine rankings.
If you are a company who cannot be open with information, you lack the time, talent, or expertise, or you are a company who does not like to experiment, blogs are not for you!
For example check out Modern Marketing University, the Modern Marketing Partners Blog.
Vlog
A vlog is a blog that shares embedded video and uses the narrative or transcript in the video as the content for the entire blog.
Microblogging
Basically, we’re talking about Twitter. At 140 characters, the limitations on content are severe. But the speed and reach of the microblog create an almost real-time context for conversing with your followers. Better yet, handy search tools make microblogs an excellent thermometer for checking hot issues and emerging concerns.
Twitter is great for directing attention to deeper content elsewhere, keeping up-to-date on hot issues, and positioning yourself/your company as a trusted content resources.
But, Twitter is not a good tool for sending in-depth message, making sales pitches, or reaching non-microbloggin audiences.
For example: Follow @ModMktgPartners on Twitter!
Check Out The Other Blogs In Our Content Marketing Series:
Content Marketing Definitions, Tips, and Strategies
Content Marketing – Survey Results
To see all 42 ways to connect with your customers read: Content Marketing Playbook
These are just 6 examples of content marketing delivery vehicles. There are so many more to choose from. Just make sure to choose vehicles that make sense for your business! How else do you connect with your customers? Make sure to share this post with those interested in content marketing using the social bookmarking tools below.
