BLOG

Creating Compelling Content for Your Clients

For paper or printed newsletters

CONTENT 

Unfortunately, many companies center information around their own firms instead of sharing knowledge that your client really needs. Typical articles from a corporate newsletter include past projects or recent employee promotions. While these topics may be interesting, they offer no value to your clients. Only when you focus content on your client's business - not your own - will your newsletter become an effective marketing tool. Think about it this way -- make the content so compelling that your client wonders why you aren't charging for it.

How to figure out what to focus on

Listen to your clients. Everytime they complain about something, write it down -- keep a list of everyone's biggest issues and an article will emerge.

Submit an article to a trade publication and your top 25 clients at the same time. Include a handwritten note to say, I just submitted this to XXX Magazine, but I thought you might find value in it as well.

Prepare a minimum of six issues a year. Quarterly is nice, but if you can do an 8 page quarterly, a 4 page every other month will result in more business for you, and better recognition of the piece from your clients.

FORMAT 

Client-focused marketing materials have a longer shelf life either way, so your firm name stays visible to your clients and prospects for a longer time. But, when trying to decide between whether you should create an electronic newsletter or traditional paper sort, consider this:

Electronic Traditional Paper 
If your client is regularly in an office If your client is regularly on the road or away from the computer 
If your corporate voice is more casual
If your corporate voice is more formal 
If you have frequent briefs to share If you are providing more in-depth expert analysis 
Forwardable with a click of a button Typically stays around longer 
No incremental cost for more content Extra content costs more in paper 

Naturally, the best strategy is to do both, but you only have so much time for writing, formatting and publishing. Even if you outsource to an agency (Read: Covalent Logic), you'll still have to participate in the decision-making on article content and design issues. So, pick the one that you can be the most consistent on. Once you have a publishing plan, stick to it!   

Like it? Share it. (Go ahead, we don’t mind.)