• Content can refer to a wide range of information and media created and shared to convey a message, engage an audience, or provide value.
• Once you clearly understand your target audience and what type of content might impact each stage of their buying journey, you are well-positioned to deliver helpful information that speaks directly to them.
• By regularly measuring and adjusting your content strategy, you can ensure that you deliver the right content to the right audience in the right format and at the right time.

By Karen Kimerer

Introduction

In today's fast-paced digital world, a strong online presence is the key to success for businesses of all sizes. With an ever-growing number of competitors vying for attention and market share, establishing a content strategy that supports your online activity and sets you apart is more important than ever. Simply posting generic information to cast a wider net will not captivate and engage your best audience. Your content strategy must be tailored to your buyers' specific needs and preferences. With a great content strategy, print service providers (PSPs) can carve out a unique identity, establish a competitive edge, and reinforce brand value by delivering information that speaks to their buyers’ unique problems.

What does it mean to deploy a content strategy? Most PSPs are familiar with the concept of personalized print, which is defined as "delivering the right message to the right person at the right time." Using content as a strategy is no different; it’s a plan for creating or curating content that delivers the right message, with context for the right person, at the right time in the buyer's journey. In a nutshell, it's a road map that enables your firm to strategically intersect with a buyer when they have a need or problem that you can address.

Content Comes in Many Forms

Before we jump into why a content strategy delivers results, it’s important to define what content is…or isn’t. Content can refer to a wide range of information and media created and shared to convey a message, engage an audience, or provide value. Some common examples of content include:

• Written articles or blog posts: Informative, educational, or entertaining written pieces covering various topics of interest.
• Social media posts: Content created specifically for social media platforms (e.g., text, images, videos, or a combination) to engage and interact with followers.
• Videos: Audiovisual content that can be informational, instructional, promotional, or entertaining, delivered through YouTube or other video sharing platforms.
• Infographics: Visual representations of information, data, or concepts that are designed to present complex ideas in a clear and visually appealing manner.
• Podcasts: Audio recordings on specific topics or conversations that are available for streaming or downloading, often in an episodic format.
• E-books and whitepapers: Long-form written content that provides in-depth information, insights, or findings on a particular subject.
• Images and graphics: Photographs, illustrations, charts, diagrams, or any other visual elements that enhance the presentation or understanding of a message.
• Webinars and online courses: Live or pre-recorded educational sessions or training materials delivered via the internet, often accompanied by supporting resources.
• Email newsletters: Regularly distributed emails containing updates, news, or exclusive content to subscribers.

Given the range of available content options, even the best intentions to inform and educate your audience can quickly get lost and fail to benefit your prospective buyer. A content strategy is a powerful tool that helps build relationships while setting you apart from your competitors. When you deliver resources that speak directly to the needs of your intended audience, you can establish yourself as a trusted industry leader while fostering loyalty at the same time.

Strategies for Success

Define Your Audience

The first step in creating a content strategy is to define your target audience. Here are a few questions to start with:

• Who are the people you want to reach with your content?
• What are their pain points or opportunities you can address?
• What is behind their search intent?
• What makes you unique from your competitors?
• What type of content do your customers and prospects like to consume?
• Where do they hang out?

You can find answers to these questions by perusing online discussions in forums like Reddit, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook groups. Don’t overlook the topics covered by the speakers in our industry, and naturally, take time to capture the voice of your best customers. Once you clearly understand your target audience and what type of content might impact each stage of their buying journey, you are well-positioned to deliver helpful information that speaks directly to them. In turn, you can build a loyal following of customers who trust and respect your brand.

Develop Your Plan

With your target audience and their goals in mind, it's time to develop your content plan. This includes deciding what type of content you will create, how often you’ll publish it, and where you’ll distribute it. The consistency, quality, and frequency of the content all play a key role in engagement.

While ChatGPT and other artificial intelligence (AI) writing tools are tempting resources to turn to when it comes to creating more content, the success of a content marketing strategy comes down to addressing the specific needs and goals of your audience. Improving the quality of what you publish means doing your research and paying attention to the keywords your buyers are using to identify possible solutions. Make it a goal to create and distribute unique content that provides practical (not theoretical) advice.

Share Your Content

Once your content is ready for publication, it's time to determine where you’ll share it. With the goal of attracting the buyers that need your products and services, you ultimately want to grab their attention and drive readers to your website. If you're not a marketer at heart, this next idea may seem a bit intimidating… but establishing a presence on social media is a must. You can’t simply hope that your potential customers will easily find your website. You need to become comfortable with social media channels like LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, Twitter, and even Facebook Groups.

Much like your website, social media provides an opportunity to track metrics like traffic, engagement, and lead conversion. Based on this data, you can adjust your content strategy to improve its impact and achieve your goals. For instance, if your blog posts aren't getting many views, consider changing your topics or writing style. If your social media posts aren't getting much engagement, experiment with different formats or platforms.

The Bottom Line

By regularly measuring and adjusting your content strategy, you can ensure that you deliver the right content to the right audience in the right format and at the right time. This will help you stay ahead of your competitors and maintain a strong online presence that attracts and retains customers.

Today’s PSPs must deliver value and provide helpful insight. A good place to start is by asking your team what a potential customer must know, understand, and do before they select your business as their solution provider. The questions might seem overly simplified, but the answers won’t be! The knowledge from this exercise will quickly shape the framework of a content strategy that can lead to profitable growth.

As part of the Business Development Strategies Consulting Service at Keypoint Intelligence, Karen Kimerer has experienced the many challenges of expanding current market opportunities and securing new business. She has developed a systematic approach to these opportunities, addressing the unique requirements of becoming a leader in our changing industry.