What problem are you trying to solve? It’s the key question in starting to build your business. Articulating that solution is one of the most important first steps in any content strategy.
But just because you present a solution does not mean that people are going to get it right away. It doesn’t matter whether or not the problem is obvious—or even if the solution is brilliant. If the customer is not aware that she actually has the problem you’re trying to solve, you’ll have tough time gaining traction.
This is a common problem for any small business that’s trying to innovate. After all, you’re offering a brand new solution. The problem is that the customer 1) is not yet expecting a solution, and 2) doesn’t trust you to solve it—yet.
The main purpose of content marketing, when you boil it down, is to answer these two issues. First, you have to articulate the solution and educate your customers on both the need and the solution. At the same time, you have to build trust with your audience.
A well-executed content marketing plan does just that. When you’ve gotten your customers involved early, you get to understand not only what their issue is, but how they talk about it. Articulating your solution in the customers’ own language is a much more powerful way to connect than to just throw me-first marketing-speak at them. It shows that you’ve taken the time to listen to them, to truly understand their problem, and that you have a genuine desire to help.
Think of how much more effective this approach is than what most people think of “marketing.” This episode gets into how to start differentiating yourself while building trust and establishing your authority with your audience.
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