In the AEC industry, we execute impressive projects. It is natural to want to share our past successes with potential clients and use those accomplishments as the focal point in our marketing.

All of that is fine if that information helps the prospect make their final decision.

Remember our blog post about the Buyer’s Journey? There is a time and place for you to brag about your past accomplishments. However, you need to diversify your content with the end user in mind. Where are they in their buying journey, and what do they need to learn about your company to move them further along in the process?

There is a time and a place to introduce case studies, announcements and past projects, just be careful to introduce it when the timing is right.

SO WHAT?

Have you ever been in a presentation or meeting where you found yourself drifting away from the conversation at hand? Chances are, if the presenter made the content of their presentation more engaging, you would have paid attention.

That is the same way you need to think about content marketing. Just because you are not physically standing in front of your prospective buyer, does not mean you shouldn’t tailor your message to suit their needs.

For example, if your prospect is in the Awareness Stage, and collecting materials to begin the research process, then information about your company is not nearly as important as presenting them with educational resources geared towards answering their questions.

What is the best way to create content while still keeping the end in mind?

3 Steps to Write Content that Answers SO WHAT

Step 1: Understand Your Buyer Persona

Remember learning about your Buyer Persona? Did you take time to create a few personalities that illustrate your ideal customer? If you did, then this part will be easy for you. For every piece of content you create moving forward, refer back to your Buyer Persona. What is important to them? What verbiage causes them to respond? What part of the marketing story are they ready to hear?

Answering those questions honestly will help you create stronger content that relates to their needs, not yours.

Step 2: Use keywords that relate to your Prospect’s stage in the Buying Journey

In order to speak the right language, use keywords that relate to each part of the journey. Here are a few examples that can help you get started, but a simple Google search will provide you with a wealth of information on which words to use in each stage.

Awareness: Prevent, troubleshoot, research, discuss, need, issue, problem, solution, improvements, optimization, inefficiency, resolve, question, study.

Consideration: Answers, solution, vendor, provider, tools, service, trail period, demonstration, capabilities, return on investment, efficiency, innovation.

Decision: Compare, reviews, testimonials, pros vs. cons, test, decide, move forward, invest in your future, choice.

There are thousands of words you could choose, but these can serve as a benchmark to direct your marketing copy into a customer-focused tone, rather than a self-serving one.

Step 3: Stay true to your Value Proposition

When you spend time to understand the personality of your prospect, create marketing materials that align with their stage in the buyer’s journey, and keep your value proposition in mind, you will be one more step closer to killer content.

Even though you are keeping the customer in mind when creating all of your content, be sure to keep your Value Proposition in mind as well. What makes you unique? What do you do better than any other competitor? Why does that MATTER to your prospect?

If you can answer the SO WHAT question on every single statement you make in your marketing materials, you will have successfully created content that can convert into inbound marketing leads.

Take Action

What kinds of content do you already have in your wheelhouse that could attract buyers and different stages in their journey? If you were to craft a piece of content today, which stage of the Buying Journey would you focus upon and why? If you are ready to tailor your marketing content to appeal to buyers in ALL stages of their journey, then reach out to Smartegies for an in-depth conversation to discuss your situation.

Visit us online at smartegies.com or give us a call at (770) 807-0026.