Tag Archives: Advertising

Why Use Content Marketing?

Are you one of those people who prefers learning through videos instead of reading?

As an avid reader and professional writer, I don’t really relate, but I figure you deserve to learn about the benefits of small business content marketing too.

With that in mind, Part 1 of the new Austin Copywriter video series all about content marketing for small businesses is ready!

Check it out below, and be sure to let me know if you have any questions or feedback.

In case you’re not able to watch it, here’s the transcript:

Hi! I’m Austin Copywriter, Kristen Hicks. Look, I know as a small business, you have limited resources and really need to be careful where you invest your time and money. There are lots of options for advertising and marketing, so what makes content marketing worth considering?

Here’s the thing, people are sick of advertising that feels like advertising. Do you actually sit through commercials anymore if you have the option to fast forward?

Do you bother to look at the billboards, the ads on public buses, or the ones they even put in bar bathrooms these days? Probably not. I don’t

We all encounter too much advertising and have gotten really good at tuning it out.

The solution to that problem is content marketing.

Content marketing is based on a simple idea. Tell people what they want to hear, rather than what you want them to hear.

But how does that lead to sales? We’ll get to the how and why more in parts 2, 3, and 4 but it does!

Small businesses have long recognized the value of building a solid reputation on good products and personal customer service. Content marketing just helps bring those proven values into the Internet age.

Check back soon for Part 2 in to the Introduction to Content Marketing for Small Businesses series, where I’ll discuss just what content marketing is.

My Marketing Philosophy

Growing up in an age where advertisements are abundant and unavoidable in many mediums, over time I developed a discerning eye for the types of marketing messages and styles that are most effective. The Austin Copywriter marketing philosophy embraces a few simple but Austin Copywriter Marketing Philosophyimportant marketing tenets:

  • Accuracy is crucial – Sell what you have.  If what you’re selling isn’t something people want, it’s better to improve your product or services than to create unrealistic expectations in your marketing.  If people expect something awesome and get something mediocre or worse, you’ll destroy your brand.
  • Keep it simple – It can be tempting to embrace industry buzz words or impressive sounding copy that doesn’t actually say much, but you risk diluting your message and frustrating potential customers who don’t understand what you’re saying.
  • Listen to your current customers – The best way to know what will impress future customers is by paying attention to the feedback of those you already have.  Few things are more valuable to a small business than those customers that already love you.  Make sure you keep them happy and you can use their genuine praise to convince others.
  • Don’t bombard people – Have you ever signed up for an e-mail newsletter and regretted it almost immediately because of how much it filled up your inbox?  Everybody in every industry gets a lot of mail and e-mail about products that companies think they should be interested in, not to mention daily exposure to television advertisements, billboards, and the list goes on. One of the best ways to lose the goodwill of your potential customers is to be part of this problem. While it’s important to remind people of your business from time to time to stay front of mind,  make sure to keep from contacting your list too often and ensure everything you send is interesting or essential, or you’ll risk being seen as spam and losing their attention altogether.
  • Know your audience – If you’re wasting time and resources marketing to people or companies unlikely to ever be interested in your products or services, this will show in your results.  Make an effort to know what kind of people and businesses value what you’re selling and do your best to ensure that your message gets in front of them.