No matter what reason you have for blogging, your blog IS a selling tool. You are creating content that’s a selling tool for….something. The key is to make sure you are selling what your customers want to buy.
Most companies create blog content that directly promotes its products, because that’s what it wants to sell. But for the most part, the content we WANT to see is content that shows us how the product will fit into our lives, or solve a problem for us.
Case in point, earlier this year I started doing research looking for a new carryon. The one I had provided very basic functionality, and was starting to break down. Additionally, if I attended an event for more than 2 days, it was tough to pack everything I’d need in it, especially considering any materials/books/swag I might pick up during the trip that I’d like to bring back home.
So while I was technically looking for a new carryon, what I really wanted was a product that would make the travel experience easier for me. Then I found this post from Chris where he reviewed the Eagle Creek Tarmac 22 carryon. I bought it recently and I. Am. In. Love. The bag does exactly what I need it to do, it perfectly organizes all the clothes I’d need for any trip, and as a result, now makes it possible to pack clothing for at least 2-3 additional days over my previous carryon. For a recent business trip to Atlanta I packed a full wardrobe for 3 days plus a sports coat and jacket, and had room for at least 2 more days worth of clothing. And that’s without using the extender, which gives you 15% more room.
But notice that this content was created by an Eagle Creek customer (Chris), and the FOCUS of the content was on how the bag helped him as a busy traveler. That was a big selling point for me, because Chris does more traveling than I do, so I knew if it worked for him, that it would probably work for me. Chris wasn’t trying to sell the product literally, he was trying to sell us on why the product worked for him. And as such, he was sharing his experiences with us, in the hope that it might help us as well if we are considering a new carryon.
And it’s interesting that apparently Eagle Creek does NOT have a blog. So I had to get ‘sold’ on the Eagle Creek Tarmac 22 by Chris, not the company. Which approach do you think would do a better job of selling this product:
1 – Explaining the product itself, how it’s constructed, the materials used, and any guarantees it has.
2 – Explaining how this product will help a busy traveler better stay organized and save time and effort.
I lean toward #2, but there is some importance in #1. I think the problem is, most companies understand their product better than they do how their customers will USE their product.
IMO if you want to use your blog as an effective selling tool, sell me how the WHY and HOW I use your product, and create content around that. Look at the above picture, do I want you to sell me on why I should buy your basketball, or do I want you to sell you on how you can make me a better basketball player?
Your blog IS a selling tool. The key is to create content that promotes the product by being customer-centric, not product-centric.
You say something so true and obvious I am surprised there even is a need for posts like this. Some brands are solely focused on “selling selling selling” and they lose the perspective necessary to realize the best way to sell in first place. I hate being sold stuff, but if someone shows me *how* the same stuff can make my life better, heck, I am all over it. Well said.
Hey Gabriele! I really think it comes down to a change in mindset from companies. Showing customers how products can make their life better, more productive, etc IS selling. But most companies don’t view it as such. If they did, their promotional efforts would be much more effective 😉
Well said.
Don’t promote the product, promote why the product exists.
It’s advice that’s applicable to both bloggers looking to create real value for the businesses that they work with and for businesses who want to effectively communicate the value in their product.
Word, David. It’s definitely a two-way street!
Great Post Mack.
I think sometimes we get so saturated with how to go about social media, blogging, twitter, etc.. that we get overwhelmed. Then, it’s refreshing to find a post like this with one basic point – sell what the product does, how it fits into our lives, how it benefits us, not the product itself.
A simple, yet overlooked concept. When something simple can make you say yeah! Yeah! That’s genius.
Thanks Michael and as a few people pointed out on Twitter, the idea of selling how/why I use the product instead of the product works in ALL forms of marketing.
FWIW, Chris’ link to the bag was an affiliate link (he stated it himself) so in reality he was trying to sell it.
Ryan I hear you and thought about myself. But I don’t think he created that post and video specifically to sell the item. I think he created the video cause he thought it might be helpful to his readers, and figured as long as he was, he might as well slap the aff link and get a few bucks off the post. Maybe it’s arguing semantics, but yeah I get your point.
Ummmm, ya sure. It was a purely altruistic post to inform and educate his audience and just happened to have financial gain for him.
I didn’t say that, Ryan. I think he definitely wanted to make some money off the post, but I don’t think he created the post TO make money off it. If you think differently that’s fine.
First of all. I will need to check that carry-on out. 🙂 I think to add to your thoughts Mack, bloggers who have a product or service need to make sure they aren’t actually blogging about the product itself. I have noticed some blogs lately that try to appear that they aren’t writing about their specific products and services but shifting words without a price tag or ad special does not make it necessarily a true consumer centric post. What you are describing above to me is what a consumer will experience overall as a result of perhaps digging deeper into who a blogger/company is as a result of compelling content. At least that’s what I think you are describing. Good read for my Thursday evening sir.
Hey Jonathan! I think a lot of the content creation process comes down to understanding who your customers are and what they are looking for. Such as, with that bag it lets me easily organize my clothes so I can pack more which leads I will probably never need a bigger bag (that would have to be checked) and it also means it will give me enough room bring home more swag/stuff from trips. With my previous bag, I often had to leave some stuff at the event/conference because I didn’t have enough room in my bag to bring it home.
So if Eagle Creek was going to launch a blog (and someone please let me know if they have one that I missed) it should be based around traveling, packing, organizing, etc, and not so much about the actual luggage. I do think there should be some content about the product itself because it is great quality and has a ‘no matter what’ damage policy. But the most important thing is who would be buying it, probably frequent travelers that want to pack for lengthy trips and still use a carryon. So packing and traveling tips would be a great way to sell this bag.
BTW the bag is a bit pricey, it was $213 when I got it off Amazon a few weeks ago.
Hi, Mack. I would love to share the premise of your post with so many companies I have seen using their social network presences as broadcast sales tools instead of listening and finding consumers with an issue — your need for a better carryon is a great example — and then sharing with those consumers how their product can help. It’s a new approach to the sales funnel — call it the customer journey — where orgs build relationships around a broader issue then their brand or their products.
What’s interesting to me is I think Eagle Creek actually has a better chance of selling bags when Chris blogs about it than if the company did. Not to say EC couldn’t create a blog and execute it well. But Chris already has an existing community that trusts him. Good stuff — important point that seems simple but many brands need to hear.
Justin thanks for the comment, great thoughts. I especially agree with you on Chris being able to better sell the bags than Eagle Creek could. I think this is a case where Chris would resonate as an influencer, but also as a satisfied customer of Eagle Creek. IMO that is the best of both worlds, if companies can not target just influencers, but evangelists that are also influencers.
And I love the idea of the ‘customer journey’ and baking that into the sales funnel. Have you written a post about that? 🙂
Haven’t had a chance to write the post yet, but thanks for the nudge :). I need to.
To me, the sales funnel is all about interacting with the customer at the point of consideration/purchase. But building relationships with consumers throughout the customer journey makes brands have to think bigger than their products, ID when customers have that need (e.g. annoyed by travel) their product can impact.Too many brands don’t engage with the consumer that far out. But that’s new marketing, IMO. You?
Call me a cynic, but I think as companies start to unravel these ‘mysteries,’ we as consumers are going to have to start looking more carefully for the disclosure statements.
As it stands now, there’s a little affiliate money being thrown around, a few bloggers get some free stuff in the mail if they write about it, etc. But what happens as more companies figure out that bloggers might be writers for hire with a potentially large and trusting audience?
Some writers wouldn’t promote a product they didn’t believe in or use themselves, but many would. We see it all the time with celebrities promoting infomercial garbage. Money talks.
Just my tuppence. Great post, as always, Mack!
Michael I think that’s a very valuable point about disclosure. I think this is a very real issue moving forward as companies become more and more enamored with courting blogging ‘influencers’.
This is another reason why I think it’s more important to target evangelists. Because evangelists aren’t as concerned with compensation, they want ACCESS. Such as, I think many Apple evangelists would rather have a behind the scenes and exclusive look at what’s coming in Apple’s product development pipeline, than they had cash. They want to get the ‘inside scoop’ or limited access to the company they love. They’d rather have a sit-down with the CMO for 15 mins than a $15 gift certificate. Because their passion is rooted in the company and how they can better connect to it and the people working there, their culture, etc.
What do yall think?
Hey, Mack, I think you’re spot on. When a company seeks out the brand evangelists, they’re way better off. Bruce’s Yams is a great example. Amber (aka @missdestructo) was talking about them long before she was getting any free stuff or compensation.
Still, there will always be companies that don’t get it, and they will no doubt hire unscrupulous writers to hawk products. Plus ça change, right? 😉
Mack you hit the nail on the head. Content marketing is about bringing value to your existing and potential customers. And what’s more valuable than solving someone’s problem?
I recently reviewed a blog for a business that sells trophies and other awards and recognitions. The blog consisted of posts explaining the types of awards that you could buy, for example a post on a heart shaped crystal award with complete details on the construction and dimensions of the award. Who wants to read that? Probably just the manufacturer and seller of the award is my guess.
A better strategy is to provide posts that talk about how this business solved customer problems, for example by providing trophies for a golf tournament, or for the little league championship, or employee anniversary or other achievement awards. Talk about why your customers buy your products and services. In this way, you will attract those customers out there looking for businesses to solve their problems and give them a great reason to choose you.
Hi Melissa, thanks for stopping by! Your example is a great one because if the company followed your example, they would not only be creating customer-centric content, but they would also be educating the customer on potential ways that their products could benefit them!
And as you create that problem-solving content, it also does well with search queries, as you know 😉