Consumers today are savvier than ever before they buy from a company. Today, customers are looking for brands they can build a relationship with. Therefore, creating a content marketing strategy where you can build upon the know, like and trust factors within your email marketing campaigns is essential.
Many relationships now start on social media where they learn about you. But you do not want to keep the relationship on social media as you never know if and when it will be shut down. Therefore, you want to lure them over to email to carry on building that relationship.
In most cases, you will be luring your social media following onto your email list with a free piece of content that they find hard to refuse.
Allow your email contacts to get to know, like, and trust you, over time you’ll reap the rewards. Find yourself with more relationships that lead to a yes. Meaning for you repeat purchases, referrals, and long-time loyalty.
Content Marketing Funnel
Your content marketing funnel looks like this: Know > Like > Trust.
Content marketing funnels are to help your audience discover you through your amazing content and then lead them on a journey of discovery with you. They’ll first get to know about you, then like you, then trust you.
Therefore, to get customers through the content marketing funnel you need to consider what content you will deliver at each stage. Plus each piece of content you deliver at each stage has to be aimed at bringing the customers further into the funnel, whilst building on the know, like and trust factors.
Stage #1 Know
Your reader has found out about you from a free piece of content such as a YouTube video, social media post or a blog post and interested in getting to know you more.
Content you should deliver to your email readers at this stage to get them onto the like stage.
- Videos
- Blog Posts
- Resources & guides.
- How-to content and lists
- Podcasts
51% of B2B marketers prioritize creating visual assets as part of their content marketing strategy. B2C content creators are focusing more on creating engaging content. 43% of B2C marketers say pre-produced videos are the most successful type of content for marketing purposes.
Stage #2 Like
Content that should be created at this stage that you can give to your email subscribers is content that tells your readers more about you and your story. Brands are even doing this as they understand that it builds the whole brand experience.
Another aspect of this stage is giving more information (eBooks, demonstration videos and webinars), trials, case studies, and social proof.
Social proof can come in these 3 powerful ways
#1 Google reviews
Not only does Google reviews that have 4 or 5 stars build an incredible amount of trust with consumers, but they also help you with your local SEO efforts. Share these reviews on your emails to your consumers but also on your website at the end of posts and pages. Sharing this content shows that you already have happy customers and will be more willing to make a future purchase from you.
#2 Trustpilot
Trustpilot lets people share their experiences with a brand. Thus, improving transparency, build relationships further and enhance trust between businesses and consumers.
#3 Facebook Page Reviews
Today, when customers want to learn more about a product or business, their first thought is looking at the Facebook company page. Facebook company pages are important as previous customers can leave reviews of your products on there. Share your best reviews by email and share customers’ stories as and when possible.
Furthermore, you can still share previous customers’ stories and stories about the brand.
Storytelling is important for marketing as 62% of B2B marketers found storytelling effective. Characteristics of an effective story to increase sales are
- Contagious
- Easy to understand
- Emotive
- Believable
- Useful
- Inspiring
- Inclusive
Here are 10 companies that are using storytelling effectively in their marketing campaigns.
Company #1 Guinness
To continue its long-running “Made of more” campaign, which promotes inclusivity within rugby, Guinness highlights the incredible true story of Japanese women’s rugby team Liberty Fields RFC.
The film begins in 1989 Tokyo showing the gender expectations for women at the time – and then how the female players defied those social conventions to represent their country at the Women’s World Cup.
Company #2 Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is amazing at using stories in their marketing. Customers were able to point their phone’s camera at a can of Coke and see one of 12 stories come to life. The stories each feature a minor conflict, where animated characters engage in a lighthearted exchange before finding a positive outcome that revolves around sharing a Coke.
One story shows a couple of kids getting their beach ball deflated by a beach umbrella, while another shows a young couple at a movie getting scared and dropping their popcorn. Another features two rival football fans who join each other in a friendly game when a football flies out of the can of Coke.
Company #3 Barclaycard
Barclaycard used one story and then told it from two different peoples’ perspectives. Both videos communicate the message that Barclaycard offers savings on thousands of events, so neither the man or his partner have to miss out when it comes to entertainment.
As you can see that these are powerful stories that you can take inspiration from when writing your next email in building the like factor with consumers.
Stage #3 Trust
You have now finally got the customers at the end of the content marketing funnel. Now is the time to show your pricing, have a consultation, offer a coupon or give a quote for a piece of work. If you don’t get any instant sales at this stage, don’t despair.
Still send content via email to keep that consumer interested in you. Ideas for content you can send at this stage are guest posts and any press releases where you are being endorsed by a third party.
By mapping content to you help your audience understand who you are and what you stand for. You make it easy for them to trust you. Ultimately, people buy from people they trust.
