You pour your heart and soul into developing campaigns and creating content that you believe will truly resonate with your audience. Yet, despite the best efforts of you and your team, the downloads and engagement fall flat. Sound familiar? Let’s be honest, we’ve all been there. It’s frustrating. Actually, it’s beyond frustrating. For you. For your team. For your consultants. And of course, for your bosses that you worked so hard to influence and ensure you secured the investment you needed to launch the campaign.
Understanding the Disconnect
So, why is it, that despite all your best efforts and knowing you have addressed an issue that is so pertinent with your target market, hasn’t it got cut through?
Content overload? One scroll through your inbox or feed on LinkedIn will highlight your biggest challenge, your buyers are bombarded with content and communications. There is so much noise out there. One HR Director that I was speaking to recently said she gets around 30 requests every month from vendors to connect/asking for a call, and typically 30/50 emails a week from people requesting meetings with her and to buy her a coffee!
Your promotional plan? Creating great content, and great assets, is only half the battle. If you’re not promoting them effectively, and effectively is the key word, it won’t reach your buyers.
Failure to engage: Many marketers (and their consultants) overlook the importance of dialogue. If your content doesn’t invite discussion, debate, and interaction, it will likely fall flat.
Longevity? Have you placed a ceiling on your promotional activity (typically because you have to get the next campaign out the door), are you ensuring all those assets you have produced are working as hard as they possibly can be? It’s so important to build organic longevity in your activity. Evergreen assets are incredibly powerful.
Making your campaigns land
So, how can you make your campaigns land?
I’m going to be completely honest with you, there isn’t an absolute silver bullet. However, there are certain things you can do to maximise your chances of grabbing that attention.
Build detailed buyer personas: Take your time to develop detailed profiles of your ideal clients. And I really do mean detailed profiles. What are their challenges and goals? What kinds of media channels would they use? What are the times of day they are most likely going to consume and engage with the type of content you’re promoting? Remember, the commute to work is always great, but is being on a busy train the right time if you’re promoting a video for example? A recommendation here, rather than ‘assume’, gather insights directly from your current clients. Interview or survey them. At a previous consulting firm that I worked for; we would survey our clients annually on their marketing preferences. I’d also meet a selection of clients in-person. It was invaluable.
Segment and use a variety of content channels in your campaign: Not everyone in your database will respond to the same content. Tailor your messaging and types of content based on the segment of your audience you’re targeting. Here’s a quick history lesson from school. Do you remember when we all had that fantastic teacher who just knew how to bring their subject to life? Videos, listening to people talk about the topic at hand, reading about it and then creating something we could all join in with. They just instinctively knew that we all consume information in different ways. And we are not all built the same way. That’s the best analogy we’ve got for how you approach campaigns in the world of professional services. You must flood the senses and make sure that people can listen, watch, read, interact, and engage equally. So, take time to segment that audience and build your assets accordingly.
Make your copy personal: It sounds obvious but use headlines and subject lines that speak directly to your audience’s pain points or desires.
Encourage interaction: Don’t just broadcast, ask open-ended questions in your social media posts or invite readers/listeners to share their experiences. This not only boosts engagement but can provide valuable insights for future content. Participate in discussions and be responsive to comments.
Analyse and adjust: Regularly monitor the performance of your campaign. Don’t wait months. Continually analyse and adjust. Which pieces are getting the most views and engagement?
And of course, be open to feedback: Don’t shy away from asking your audience and consultants/partners for feedback on your campaigns. Use this input to refine your approach.
Developing and executing campaigns that resonate with your audience in professional services is a journey, and not a straightforward one. But, by genuinely understanding your audience, developing relevant content, and fostering engagement, you’ll be better placed to get the impact your efforts truly deserve.