Marketing certainly has changed through the years! From carrier pigeon to pony express to letters, land lines, mobile phones, and social media, the tools, and the ways in which clients prefer to do business, has evolved. These transformations have allowed small business owners to go toe-to-toe with the Goliath of their industry.
Inbound marketing, in particular, levels the playing field and allows potential clients to connect with you in a way that better suits them. In fact, according to the Content Marketing Institute, 70% of your prospects would rather learn about your business through an article or a blog than an ad.
In July of 2014, Harvard Business Review reported that Nine out of ten organizations are now marketing with content – that is, going beyond the traditional sales pitches and instead enhancing brands by publishing (or passing along) relevant information, ideas, and entertainment that customers will value.
It was 2009 when I first heard about content marketing and its ability to attract clients. In Get Content Get Customers: Turn Prospects into Buyers with Content Marketing, Joe Pulizzi and Newt Barrett shared this revolutionary approach to lead generation. It was right-for-the-times!
Your small business blog is at the center of the content marketing revolution.
Think Outside the Blog
With all the exciting marketing adaptions, there is still one thing that hasn’t changed – the time small business entrepreneurs have for marketing.
The best way to beat the buzzer before your marketing time runs out is to repurpose your blog content. Here are a few of our favorite ideas to stretch time and grow your business:
#1 Show off your expertise
You’re smart, right? What’s sad is most people don’t know how brilliant you are because they have yet to meet you. One of the best ways to display your chops is by sharing your know-how and expertise through your blog.
#2 Republish content on other blogs or websites
Many industry-related sites, where potential clients hang out, are on the lookout for solid, well-written, informative content for their readers. Contact them about syndicating your blog or publishing an article for their newsletter.
#3 Educate new and current clients
Undoubtedly, your business is a treasure-trove of good information. Why not use blog articles to inform new and current clients how to obtain the best value from your services.
Everett Andrew Marketing does a bang-up job of creating blog content that reminds clients they made the right choice when Everett Andrew Marketing was engaged for their online ad campaigns.
#4 Share on social media
Social media is here to stay, despite the naysayers. Fans of social media are continually snacking on information. Why not use content from your blog to satisfy their appetite?
#5 Turn blog posts into e-books
Whether used as a revenue generator or a lead generator, according to the largest distributor of e-books, Smashwords “we’re still in the early stages of the e-book self-publishing revolution.”
#6 Create checklists, infographics, online charts, slideshare, etc.
Tied into the idea of cerebral snacking, blog articles can easily be turned into checklists, infographics, or other platforms for easier and faster consumption.
#7 Convert blog content into video
Consumers have spoken and they want more video. In fact, “brand video is becoming a preferred way to learn about products and services,” according to Parade Media Group.
#8 Fashion several blogs into a newsletter
Email newsletters remain a preferred way for some clients to acquire information. Rather than create an entirely new piece of content for your newsletter, save time and pull several blogs together around a theme for your next newsletter.
#9 Transform blog content into a webinar, seminar, or workshop
Don’t let content just sit on your blog. Turn your nuggets of wisdom into a webinar or workshop that generates leads or revenue – or both!
#10 Add your latest blog to your email signature
Why not share your expertise with each email sent? See how Wisestamp syndicates your latest blog article in every email you send. Now that’s what I call “using time wisely.”
Marketing has changed. Marketing tools have changed. Clients and prospects have changed. Have you?
What other ways have you repurposed blog content to grow your small business?
