The question the reader sent was: I am looking to launch a campaign in about 6-8 weeks and I have started an industry-related blog. The traction on the blog has been improving and I have started to generate leads through search engines.
My concern now is how do I inform my twitter and facebook base about the campaign from the blog? I understand I can just explicitly state it, but I feel that there should be a smoother transition from the blog content into what will effectively be a product launch, without looking like I am harassing blog readers about a product that I want them to spend their money on.
This reader is right on the ball in terms of using content marketing to generate leads and grow his social media base leading up to the campaign.
What is content marketing?
Content Marketing means creating and sharing valuable free content to attract and convert prospects into customers, and customers into repeat buyers. The type of content you share is closely related to what you sell; in other words, you’re educating people so that they know, like, and trust you enough to do business with you. (Source: CopyBlogger)
Some interesting stats
Blogs give websites 434% more indexed pages and 97% more indexed links. (Content+)
B2B companies with blogs generate 67% more leads per month on average than non-blogging firms. (Social Media B2B)
70% of consumers prefer getting to know a company via articles rather than ads. (Content +)
Technorati’s 2013 Digital Influence Report show that “consumers are turning to blogs when looking to make a purchase.” The report found that blogs are now the third most influential digital resource (31%) when making overall purchases, behind retail sites (56%) and brand sites (34%).
* Stats taken from here and here
Sound too good to be true?
That’s because creating awesome content on a consistent basis is really hard. You need to create content that is useful to your readers, solves their problems, and that they want to share with their friends. Most people can do this with at least one article if they try long enough and pay attention to their readers, but it’s a full-time challenge to do this on a regular basis.
Back to the Question
From my experience, whenever you begin with the product and try to “sell” a consumer or “get people to pledge” to your crowdfunding campaign, you’re starting off on the wrong foot. The reason I am mentioning this is the last sentence of his question “without looking like I am harassing blog readers about a product that I want them to spend their money on.”
The beauty of social media, blog comments, and receiving emails from readers as a result of finding your blog is that you can engage in a discussion with your future customers and really begin to understand their problems.
The sole purpose of a product is to solve a problem that a consumer has. When you create a product that genuinely makes someone’s life better, easier, or more enjoyable, they are no longer spending money and you are no longer SELLING to them. They are investing money in their own life and they are BUYING from you.
From a practical standpoint, I would first try to engage your readers in a discussion about the problem that your project or product will solve. Take a genuine interest in the readers that experience this problem. Seek to understand why the existing solutions do not solve their problem adequately. Only then, would I mention my own product or solution.
In addition, the more that you can involve them in the creation and eventual launch of the campaign, the better. This can include: taking pictures of the box your first prototype comes in, giving updates once a week to explain how excited you are for this project and how you are pouring all of your energy into it, or inviting readers to a special pre-launch facebook event or live meetup to give feedback for the campaign in exchange for a mention in the video or on the website.
I launched CrowdfundingPr after many discussions with crowdfunding campaign creators. It was only after these discussions that I could understand their problem (publish a press release on a tight budget) and then come back in a few weeks with a solution to their problem.
You know your readers or customers best! When in doubt, asking for feedback is a great way to introduce the idea of a product to your audience along with emphasizing your passion and excitement for the upcoming campaign.
