Today's Mission: Crafting content that sells.
Creating content that sells is an important part of content marketing. Now that doesn't mean that your content should be salesy; never that. Instead, it should convey a strong message about the value of your products and services. And, it should work hard to point out the benefits to your patients.
Once you understand that it's okay to use your content to sell, (in fact, it's the point) you're golden. So how can you sell to your audience in an authentic way without seeming sales driven?
Here are a few simple tips:
· Know Your Audience
We've talked about this several times throughout the series; knowing your audience is key to communicating well. This is precisely the reason we spent time building buyer personas. Understanding who your audience is and what they need is vital to a strong content strategy.
Why?
Because knowing who you're crafting content for means creating content they'll engage with.
So use those buyer personas; pull them out every time you sit down to create. Whether it's a simple blog article, a sales page or an entire eBook, know who you're talking to. And write it like you're talking to them one-on-one.
· Understand Your Product or Service
No matter what product or service you're writing about, know the features & benefits. You should know how your patients benefit by using your services. You should be able to talk about the features of every product you're creating content about.
The more you know your topic, the more authentic your content will be. And the more authentic you are, the more trust you'll build with your readers.
· Talk About the Benefits
One of the first rules of selling is that people don't like being sold to. Which is why you don't want to just rattle off a tedious list of the features of any product or service. So while it's important to know the features of anything you're selling, that doesn't mean you should be pushing them in your content.
Instead, focus on the benefits so your patients understand what your product or service will do for them. How will it improve their health? Does it help counteract a particular side effect? Will it make it easier for them to do something?
Focus on how the your patients will benefit, rather than on the features of the product or service.
· Offer a New Perspective
Sometimes you may want to propose something that seems a little new. It doesn't need to be anything crazy, it might just be something that makes a person think.
It could be a new perspective on how to get a better sleep, or a new way to approach self care. It could be that self care in conjunction with medication is better than just relying on pills for good health.
If you're offering a product or tip that goes against the grain a little, don't be shy about it. Being a bit different sets you apart, and as long as you're offering sound advice, feel free to be yourself.
· Offer Proof
Proof is so important to creating content that sells; and there's lots of ways to offer it up. You can use charts, statistics or other evidence to show that a product works. And when it comes to your services, patient testimonials are great.
For example, is your delivery service the best in town? Get a couple of testimonials from patients talking about why. Before you know it, you'll have people clamoring to try your amazing service.
· Use Your Expertise
If you're in pharmacy, you've got enough expertise that your readers and patients know they can trust you. Be sure to use that expertise when you're offering products and services.
If you think a product is good for a particular condition, explain why. Offer your knowledge in detail so your audience knows why your solution is best. People love an expert, and you are one. So don't be afraid to let your expertise shine.
· Lay Out the Steps in Detail
We've talked about this a bit before when we got into calls-to-action, or CTAs. We worked on CTAs on Day 11, so take some time to review that if needed. No matter what you're creating, be sure that you've laid out the actionable steps in detail.
Want them to click a button and book a service now? Make it clear what they should do. Do they need to call into the pharmacy to get the service you're offering? Tell them that, and include the phone number.
By making things clear and eliminating any guesswork, you'll find your content converts to sales at a much higher rate.
Crafting content that sells doesn't have to seem salesy. By using your knowledge and developing trust, you'll make your audience want to buy from you.
Your mission for today is to go over your content marketing plan and be sure you're crafting your content to sell. Are you using one buyer persona for each piece?
Are you the best person on staff to talk about the product or service you're selling? Is your copy benefits-driven and are you using your expertise? How can you add proof to your piece?
And of course, have you laid out your CTA in a clear and easy-to-follow way?
Remember, you're just getting started here; you don't need to hit a homerun with each piece. Learning to craft great content takes time. So take a few minutes to think over your scheduled content and see if there are any improvements that you can make.
Don't overthink it, and we'll see you back here for Day 29! We're almost at the finish line, and you're doing great!