This is part 3 of 3 of a series.
Previously, I described how building a website for your business is just like building a house (click here to read part one). Then I blogged about the finishing touches you need to make sure you and your guests are safe and taken care of on your site (click here to read part two).
Now let’s talk about those guests and how we get them over to your house for that housewarming…and all the other parties you plan to throw!
You want clients and potential clients to come to your website so you can market to them. So this is what you need to remember:
? Hosting People = ? Marketing to People
Does marketing feel weird or icky to you? I have a trick to help shift your mindset on this one.
Think of when you invite people to your home. Most of all, you want people to have a nice time right? You want everyone to feel welcome, no matter if they’re new neighbors or old friends. You want them to feel like it was a great use of their time to visit you.
That’s all marketing is. When people visit your website, you want them to feel welcome and also enriched for having visited you.
Having a party is a great way to invite acquaintances (qualified leads) to get to know you. The people who attend (hot prospects) are interested in becoming friends (converting into paying clients).
Great friends and paying clients are both beautiful things. So stop waiting, and let’s get everything finalized so we can get the (marketing) party started.
Get Out the Balloons, it’s Time to Party (With Content Marketing)!
There are many ways to market your business, but we’re only concerned with Content Marketing right now (explanation to follow). It is the single most effective strategy to grow your online visibility.
According to Content Marketing Institute, content marketing generates over three times as many leads as outbound marketing and costs 62% less.
I don’t know about you, but I like those numbers a lot!
Remember, we want to invite people into our home, provide them a great experience, keep them coming back, and create an everlasting relationship with them as a true friend/client. The way to do that? Content marketing.
There’s a Blog Post Party at My Website, and Everyone’s Invited!
How is content marketing like a party? Wonder no more.
? House Party = ? Content
It’s worth acknowledging that house parties and website content come in different forms. Parties can be as simple as a get-together or BBQ, and as formal as a lavish dinner with multiple courses (yum yum).
I’m using the ? emoji for the party planning terms, and the ?emoji for online marketing terms.
Content marketing comes in the form of:
- Blog posts
- Vlog posts
- Podcasts
- Webinars
- Live videocasts
Now that we’ve cleared that up, let’s focus more on blog posts as the cornerstone of your content marketing strategy (just so long as you keep in mind that vlogs and podcasts count too!).
? Party Invitations = ? Social Posts
How do you get guests to come over for a party? Why, you invite them of course! Whether you call them, email them, or send out invitations, you have to tell people you’re having a party…or nobody will show up.
The way to get people to your website is to invite them via posts on multiple platforms (social media, email marketing, etc.). People “live” on Facebook, Instagram, and in their email inboxes. So, go there and find them!
Just like in real life, you’ll have to issue multiple reminders (but not too many otherwise you’ll annoy people) via a couple of social posts.
Important note: some types of content require an RSVP (pre-registration for a webinar) or even a fee (paid content or membership-only access). Plan accordingly.
? Theme = ? Topic/Category
Parties often have themes – Halloween parties are a great example. People hear “Halloween party” and know to wear a costume and expect some spooky decor. For a Kentucky Derby party, your women friends will probably sport some serious hats.
A theme for your blog posts sets people’s expectations. That really helps people relax when they’re on your website. If you blog about marketing, but then shift to blogging about your passion for quilting – that will be jarring for your regular visitors.
So, think about the overarching topic of expertise you’ll be offering your audience. When your guests know what to expect, they’re more likely to return to your parties.
? Invitees = ? Qualified Leads
? Attendees = ? Hot Prospects Ready to Convert!
Remember how I said, “There’s a Blog Post Party at My Website, and Everyone’s Invited!” ? The truth is, you want to be strategic about who you invite to your content marketing party. Otherwise, you’ll end up with the content marketing equivalent of Animal House.
Yikes!
Instead, be thoughtful and intentional about who you invite to your website. When those qualified leads visit (and stay on) your website, you know they’re hot prospects who are interested in doing business with you in some fashion.
Being selective about who you invite is not about keeping people out. It’s about being able to guarantee a good time for your guests because the party is tailored to appeal to them.
? Vibe at the Party = ? Tone and Voice of your Post Brand
What’s the vibe at your parties? Is it more of an intellectual vibe, where people read their poems and snap their fingers? Or is it more of a party-down-and-dance kind of vibe?
No matter what your marketing vibe is, you want the party to be aligned with your brand. Are you sassy? Or bold, or funny? Look at your homepage. Do your blog posts match the tone and voice of your homepage – and all of your digital marketing? What about your pieces of marketing that are not web-based? The more consistent you are, the more comfortable your guests will feel.
There’s wiggle room of course, but don’t deviate too far from your brand. You’ll make your guests uncomfortable.
? Memorable Party = ? Valuable Post
Memorable parties have fabulous food, riveting conversations, and the ambiance to match.
Memorable blog posts have valuable content, anecdotes, details, and statistics if necessary.
In the ? Theme = ? Topic/Category analogy, I talked about Halloween parties and Kentucky Derby parties.
Let’s say you throw a huge Great Gatsby party, a few important and interesting shindigs, a really popular Hawaiian luau party, a few more shindigs, and then a show-stopping Beyoncé Queen Bey party. (Hey, you are a lot of fun!)
If after you’ve thrown all those parties, and people are still talking about the Gatsby party? Now that’s a memorable party. So, throw another one. Not the exact same party, but one with a similar theme so it feels new, like a Roaring 20’s flapper party. That way your guests will want to attend even if they came to the first one.
This remix and recycle approach also works for blog posts! Take one of your most valuable posts, tweak it, and then use it to reach different audiences you want to attract.
A memorable party or post creates a lasting impression that keeps guests coming back (and, we hope, eventually turns them into clients). Just be sure to spread them out so your guests don’t get sick of the same topic over and over. Create a cadence so your guests know what to expect.
? Party Favor = ? Content Deliverable
A lot of parties (not all, but a lot of them) have party favors for their guests. Some favors are surely tossed later and some are treasured. The really cool ones are talked about well after the party is over.
And yet, everyone loves getting a gift – big or small. So think about ways you can deliver a PDF of even more valuable content as a token of appreciation and value to your website visitors.
Keep in Touch with Your Guests After the Party
Finally, the way to get guests to become repeat guests is to stay in touch with them after they read your blog post. When people know their presence is wanted, they’re more likely to come back.
? Guest Book = ? Mailing List Subscription
Encouraging your guests to sign your guest book gives them an opportunity to declare they were there…and show their interest in hearing from you again about future parties. The more people sign your guest book, the more you’ll know your parties are a success.
On your website, this means you have a list of warm leads you should follow up with. Many times, the guest book may be the only way to get that party favor! ?
? Thank You Note = ? Follow-up Touchpoint
Thanking your guests can take many forms: a handwritten card, a pre-printed postcard, or a simple phone call. Similarly, following up with someone who reads your blog post can take different forms.
If they signed your guest book, you can send them your email nurture sequence to move them from qualified leads into hot prospects. You could also send a survey to encourage feedback on the party. Or it could be a remarketing campaign via Facebook or Google. Any way you slice it, it’s one more touchpoint to keep you top of mind.
? Schedule of Events = ? Content Calendar
To keep guests coming back, we want to set up a schedule they can rely on. Mixing up the themes and intentions of the events adds variety and shows that you aren’t a one-trick pony of a host. Your content calendar helps you to plan out the posts and topics you can create based on your extensive expertise in your field.
Important note: be mindful of the seasons and holidays. For example, are your ideal clients reading blog posts on Christmas Day? Maybe, maybe not. Also, keep pop-cultural events in mind. For example, the Golden Globes, Grammys, and Oscars happen from January through March. Can you tie your blog posts to glamorous red carpet looks, or to the actors, songs, or movies being honored?
If You Need Help Throwing a Content Marketing Party on Your Website, We Can Help
The Marketing Queen team has extensive experience in helping our clients set themselves up for marketing party success. (I mean, you could tell by our name, right?)
We’re experts in helping our clients:
- Developing and executing an overarching content strategy
- Conceptualizing, writing, and publishing regular blog posts
- Teaching you how to do any or all of the above
- Doing any or all of the above for you
We’d love to be your party planners! So check out all of our marketing services right here.
