Connection, then Content, then Marketing
Dear Lovely Business Owner,
Re: Connection then Content, then Marketing..
Over the last two days, I’ve been following the Tweeting Goddess, who hosted the Social Media Summit in Ireland, which I followed on Twitter, there was so….(http://www.socialmediasummit.ie)
much amazing content, by so many wonderful people like Mari Smith, Daniel Knowlton, and of course Samantha Kelly herself.
One of the speakers, say: Content, then Marketing,’ which inspired this post as I believe that it’s Connection, then Content, then Marketing.
One of the speakers, stood out for me a chap Gavin Glynn who shared his story about how he had started up a charity, after his son died, to help other kids in Ireland who are experiencing cancer. It was such a heartfelt story and presentation. I am sure he touched the heard of everyone who heard him and who watched a mini-clip like me on Twitter.
Story-telling is, of course, a wonderful way to create an emotional connection through your content as it by-passes the brain and reaching into our hearts. You can support him here: http://www.thegavinglynnfoundation.ie
Amazing, utterly amazing. He was absolutely connected to his own heart and spoke from it, so connected to others,
so no wonder he won over so many hearts at the Social Media Summit.
No wonder. Many, spoke from their heads, and they are not alone… as …
Just yesterday what Ann Handley said, apparent as she reported at the..Content Marketing Conference, that
34% of B2B say their content strategy is effective.” was what a Content Benchmark Study revealed,
which to me means that they
are communicating too much from their heads..
and there is little room in our heads..
and I would suggest that
the figure is not much different with B2C…
So what is the solution, Carrie?
To me, the solution is to create connection first with your content as I truly believe:
“content without connection is like tea without cake .”
Why Carrie? Well, because buying is emotional, and first of all you need to be emotionally in tune with your Business and your content.
If you are not feeling good about it, people will pick up on this.
You know when you go to a coffee shop, one of my favourite past times, I am not going to lie…
And you just sense that all they want to do is take your money and get on with whatever it was before you came along and rudely interrupted their flow? I am sure you do.
Contrast this to, going to a shop where right from their first glance you feel like you are welcome,
you feel that you matter to them, and it’s more than just what you have in your purse or wallet. That.
That is the feeling that you are looking for when you create any kind of content.
To some of you this might sound dramatic, unnecessary or even counter-intuitive. I know that.
For example few people I follow, are particularly good at creating content that connects,
I see Sarah Arrow, is great at sharing stories, and her sense of humour that her followers adore, which for someone like me, has taken a while to cotton onto, as she is rather quick-witted :).. I am not… still am getting faster 🙂
I love how she shares her stories about her ‘little and middle chicks,’ her daughters, who are just incredible athletes and business girls themselves…
She is particularly good at supporting her community, and sharing her lessons and being empathetic when it all goes a bit ‘Pete Tong,’ or wrong. She encourages us all to fail fast and come back stronger. She is a prolific Content Marketer, has 50 different blogs, and is an Award-winning Marketer. She works with her hubby Kevin, who is an encourager and empathetic chap and very successful too. Here’s my absolute favourite blog from them, written by Kevin; ‘ how to work with the love of your life and still stay married:”
-https://www.sarkemedia.com/stay-married/ It made me cry, as it’s utterly beautiful,
it’s utterly honest and it gives an insight into why they work so well together, and why they are both so successful. No wonder their content connects quite honestly 🙂
Seriously though Carrie why connection?
Here’s one reason…
Building ’emotional connections’ could be the most important thing you do this year.” Michele McGoven
http://www.customerexperienceinsight.com
Okay Carrie, how on earth can I do this?
- Giggle.
- Be fully present.
- Be human, you are not a robot..
- Be vulnerable.
- Deeply Listen.
- Show you care.
- Empathise.
- Share stories.
Get more details here with this blog post: ‘how to humanise your content; http://ow.ly/TBcF30aPsh6
And here: Ten Steps to create emotional connection in your content: http://ow.ly/YWME30aPsmO
So, connect, then content, then Marketing…
If you want to save yourself oodles of time, and lots of Blonde Moments.. grab my course here http://ow.ly/AibH30aPstl
which will help you to create an emotional connection with yourself and in your content… you’re missing out of 68% of your Business… if you don’t.
Love Carrie x
P.S. Of you like this post, please do share it.
Thanks for sharing our “staying married” post Carrie, and your lovely words <3.
What tips do you have for the connection first aspect?
Aw my pleasure, it’s my absolute favourite post about you both 🙂 Apart from the ones you share about your lovely daughters, those are moving, entertaining and inspiring 🙂 For me ideally ensure that you love what you are saying and just share like you do, already you are amazing already at time: ) There’s always another level right? 🙂 Still I love your stories, and when you share about how you have got through situations too, I really do 🙂 And your humour, even if it might take me a while to get it 🙂 .. Okay.. sometimes days still….
I agree Carrie that we need to connect with people first before they engage with our content. Do you suggest this being offline, or is there a way to connect through words and pictures which will grab someone’s attention? Is it the headlines? (I always struggle with getting those right!).
Thank you for the mention missy and for your support always
My absolutely pleasure Sam, I love what you do and how you do it, and your Social Media conference was so inspirational 🙂
Thanks for the mention 🙂
My pleasure Dan 🙂