Blog | Lead Generation Content & Social Media Marketing

As needs-based consumers, we generally go through some routine stages prior to purchase.

We begin with the identification of a ‘need’: from something as simple as being invited to a BYO party (“I need to buy drinks to take with me”) to more complex purchases for your business (“I need to market my business better”).

We call this “the buyer’s journey” and simply put it’s the active research process a buyer goes through trying to solve a problem they have, leading up to a purchase. It is a model that helps businesses keep the buyer’s behaviour, information, needs and pain points central to any activity in sales and marketing divisions.

You’ve heard it before, “You should blog,” “You really need to blog,” “Don’t you have a blog?!”

You’re not sure what the purpose of blogging is, but on your commute you’re motivated to write that 600-word story – about how no one stood up for a disabled passenger and the impact of the aloof, disengaged culture we have become.

Your story’s great; well written, delivers an inspired message - to anyone who finds it. But which of your prospective buyers is typing into Google, “What’s the impact of the aloof and disengaged on society?" Not many, I bet. 

And which part of your service or product offering serves as a solution this problem?

So what’s going on? Your prospects aren’t finding your blogs through search, and while you can still post links to your blog on forums and social media, if the topic isn’t meeting the needs ('pain points') of your prospective buyer, they’re unlikely to click through on it. “Ain’t nobody got time for that!” 

You're not blogging for business and if part of your strategy is to increase the number of visitors to your site or increase your lead conversion rate, you’re probably going to be disappointed by the results of this kind of blogging and simply give it up.

But don't do that yet! Here are my tips to writing relevant blog posts that will bring you the stats you're after:

The thread, “The fact that I’ve been on your website for more than 25 seconds DOES NOT MEAN that I want your free e-book in exchange for my name and my email address,” sparked an interesting question:

“Were pop-up ads on your website something that still generated leads, or did they serve to simply turn your prospects off?”

“Everyone is doing them,” “…annoying,” “…rarely sign up,” “…on too fast.”

Does a one-stop, collect-all style content marketing solution work for every type of buyer at every stage of their purchase journey? Or are you missing information about pop-up advertising that might be more relevant to your buyers?

First, some pop-up ad facts:

Buyer personas are the foundation to all marketing activities. 

Let’s say you have a great product: you design and sell fashion contact lenses with rock band logos on them. You know it’s the next big thing and you start to market your product. You’ve decided on a few marketing initiatives and are reaching a lot of people: CEOs, managers, sales staff, accountants, tradies, local neighbours, members of networking groups, mums, dads, grandparents…

But no one’s buying in. You’re not getting any new sales. Why? They don’t need it; they don’t want it; they can’t use it; they aren’t interested.

It’s not because your product isn’t great; it is! Just not for the people you're reaching.

I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase about selling ice to Eskimos.