If there’s one thing we’ve learnt from our many years of experience in this business, it’s that different people have their own preferred methods of communication.
It’s easy to ignore the various methods of communication when you take into consideration the ever increasing popularity of digital communication channels – e-mail and social media, for example.
There will always be a small group of people who prefer other channels, and who are, for the most part, a lost cause to content marketing campaigns. While there clearly isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution to communication and marketing, there are approaches that can help you achieve success with all types of potential customer.
According to founder of Horizon Peak Consulting, Jessica Mehring, there are three distinct forms of communication style and there are ways content marketing can successfully engage with each one of them. Some businesses describe their dream customer as an “e-mailer” – the type of person who prefers information to be received in written form, allowing them to deal with it at his or her own pace.
The E-mailer
This type of customer can be won over by sticking to e-mail for one-on-one conversations relating to products and services. When it comes to adding people to your mailing list, simply asking is usually enough, however you can make things easier for yourself by igniting their interest with added benefits from subscribing – an e-book or an e-guide, for example. Once they have subscribed, though, it’s your job to make sure your content remains interesting to them. According to Mehring, the other two behavioural types – “the talker” and “the figure-outer” – are likely to require a bit more effort.
The Talker
The former, as you may have guessed, prefers verbal communication. What needs to be understood about this group is that verbal communication is absolutely necessary, as an e-mail just won’t grab their attention. You therefore have to make a call first and engage them in a conversation about your offer. At the end of the conversation, mention that you’ll also be sending an e-mail with notes. This will help them assess the information from the phone conversation later and at their leisure.
The Figure-outer
The figure-outer, on the other hand, is the type of client that will only deal with information themselves and at their own pace. When figure-outers need information, they become active and will seek out your business themselves – not the other way around. The best reply to such enquiries is a neatly-organised and well-formed information package on what they want and some simple directions on how to get it. As these customers are actively seeking information, the best way to communicate with them is via a company blog.Make sure your posts are well written and informative, and also presented in an easy-to-find manner.
If you struggle to engage these three types of customer then don’t fear – as stated, we have a lot of experience with content marketing and are well aware of the different expectations and preferences of customers.
Further reading
• Study Reveals Consumers Prefer Content Marketing From Experts
• UK a World Leader In Content Marketing But Challenges Still Remain