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BEST PRACTICES & STRATEGIES

It’s important to always remember that your target gate. However, in an ebb and flow conversation
audience doesn’t care about you. They care what you marketing context, this adherence to a certain protocol
can do for them. If you’ve done your research, you’ll be can pose limitations. Indeed, one problem with simply
familiar with their pain points and better prepared to offer sticking to a checklist is that a content marketing
answers that address their needs. Don’t be a “me-too” strategy will never evolve with the times or differentiate
marketer who dishes out the same information as itself in any way from what everyone else is doing.
everyone else. Instead, develop a unique angle with a
thought-provoking headline that sparks attention—even Successful marketers endeavor to open new horizons.
better if it disrupts conventional thinking. In addition, They take a step back and ask bigger questions about
know your topic inside out before communicating, and themselves and their companies’ ultimate goals, as well
make sure any other people handling your as what sort of new challenges their audience or
communications are experts in the field. You don’t want customers might face over time--how to aptly adjust
to risk sounding trite or inaccurate. when needed.

7. Stop talking Lund also suggests finding sources of inspiration.
“Explore some of the successful content marketing
Unlike a monologue, a conversation is a two-way plans that showed passion, ditched the tired old
endeavor. Knowing when to stop talking is as important language, zeroed in on what customers needed, and
as knowing what to say and when to say it. It’s the only started a real conversation with the market,” he urges.
way to truly get a sense of what your audience (or your “Then scrutinize your own strategy and see where it
potential customer) is thinking in reaction to what you’ve might be lacking, so that you can continually refine your
offered, and whether to stay the course in your strategy own checklist.”
or tweak it on-the-fly. Once you hear preliminary
reaction, you can respond to questions and concerns Kevin Lund’s new book reveals magnificently how
before moving ahead. Also bear in mind that what your companies can ‘make and maintain more meaningful,
audience isn’t saying can be just as impactful as what impactful and enduring connections within the
they do convey. marketplace, tell an authentic story, foster maximized
customer engagement, and breed brand loyalty.
Once your message is out, take a step back and “read (Source: https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-the-id-
the room.” That could mean monitoring online response 2795275) ◊
to your blog post or using various tools to learn which of
your resources are drawing attention. Are people By Merilee Kern, MBA
engaged? Are they adding to the conversation? What
should you do if the feedback is bad? Don’t consider a Branding, business and entrepreneurship success
negative response or lack of response necessarily a pundit, influential media voice, and lauded
failure. Instead, see it as an opportunity to adjust, make communications strategist. Marilee is the executive
changes, and perhaps find ways to better meet your editor and producer of "The Luxe List International
audience’s needs. News Syndicate,” and can be reached online
at www.TheLuxeList.com.
8. Ditch the checklist

Before every takeoff, airline crews verbally work through
an extensive checklist. There’s a detailed set of tasks to
cover before the plane can even push back from the

18 September 2018 - Marketing Analytics, Automation & Attribution