You likely know that creating ongoing content for your consulting business could be a huge benefit from brand awareness, to increased credibility, and even establishing yourself as a trusted source. While you know this is an important element of marketing your consulting business that doesn’t necessarily mean you know how to create this content or what makes it effective. This article will help you not only create effective content as a business consultant but will help you do so in the most time-efficient ways.
Let’s explore these 5 secrets to creating effective content for your consulting business!
1. Record Yourself While You Brainstorm Ideas for Content
A great way to get started is to just begin talking into a microphone about important topics in your niche or specific area of expertise. You know the industries and spaces you serve best, so if you record yourself speaking in a stream of consciousness, you’re likely to have some keen insights and kernels of wisdom that surface.
This recording can be turned into so many different types of content. It might provide the foundation for everything from blog posts to ads to video scripts, and more. Furthermore, this method of getting the ball rolling for content creation is going to base your topics on your own ideas, concepts that you’re already knowledgeable and passionate about. By focusing on things that you’ve already put thought into, you’ll be able to produce truly rich and valuable content.
2. Listen To (and Answer!) the Questions Your Audience is Asking
Another great way to generate effective topics for your content is by simply letting your current and potential clients guide you. Listening to the people that you are creating content for is always useful, but especially if you’re struggling to come up with ideas that will actually provide real value to them and aren’t sure where to begin. You can start by answering common questions that clients have about growing their business, increasing sales, and revenue for instance. Once you gain momentum, it’ll get easier to gather new subjects for your content.
Actively listening to your base is also important to help ensure that you’re creating the right kind of content. It’s great to write about the things that interest you because you likely have a lot to say. However, if your audience doesn’t care about those topics, then your content isn’t going to be effective at growing your consulting business.
This is one of the many reasons why it’s essential that you pay attention to the common queries and issues that people have regarding the specific niche or industry that you serve. This information tells you what to hone in on, what information people need, and if you supply the answers to their questions, they’ll trust you with their business.
In addition to tailoring your content to your target audience, you might also want to see what content competitors are producing. Ask yourself, are their articles and videos helpful and easy-to-understand? Are there gaps in the information they provide? If you can offer more useful information in a clear and concise way, then customers will come to you first.
3. Consistency is Key
Surprises are great on your birthday, but when it comes to content creation, it’s usually better to deliver what is expected. If you want to effectively use content marketing as a business consultant, you’ll need to become a bit predictable (but not boring!).
As an example, the content that you create should be released at regular intervals. If people subscribe to your YouTube channel or regularly visit your blog, you don’t want to leave them guessing as to when they should expect a new video or article. You want to regularly deliver content, so you can build a relationship with your audience and illustrate your reliability.
It’s also important that you routinely develop content so that you stay fresh in customers’ minds. Posting regularly will keep your brand at the forefront of your followers’ minds, so they remember you when it’s time to do business.
This is also a good habit to make because it gives you the opportunity to produce content that is in line with current trends and news, so your material stays relevant.
Consistency is also more than just the frequency that you post content. For instance, coming up with a formula for a specific type of media, like videos, can be helpful in garnering additional engagement as long as that formula has proven to work in the past. You’ll want to try several different styles, see what gets the greatest impressions and then build off of that formula.
Likewise, with something like blog posts, you should make sure the writing is always in a similar style and utilizes the same language and tone.
Your content should speak with the same voice, so that customers are more likely to trust what you’re saying. Consistent and predictable branding is a good thing because it helps build authority and develop your reputation.
4. Make Videos an Essential Part of Your Content Strategy
The written word is great, but there are a few reasons why you should ensure that the content you create includes videos.
- This medium is absolutely critical for brand awareness and cultivating authority.
- While creating a video might require more steps – you have to write a script, record it, edit it, and make sure to add graphics and music – it also gives you more freedom to make an impression.
- If you develop a formula that works for your videos, that will become recognizable to your viewers, and they’ll remember your brand.
- Videos allow you to approximate having a conversation with your viewer. The “face time” that you offer through this form of media goes a long way to building trust in your company.
- Videos are the most popular and engaging type of media across all social media platforms at this time. Simply put, they’re more effective than any other type of content at the moment. If you don’t make videos, then you’re missing out on a major opportunity to build recognition and a positive reputation for your brand.
- Videos have the power to be turned into all different types of content, so there is a large amount of “bang for your buck” with this type of media.
5. Don’t Be Afraid to Reuse and Recycle Content
Reposting old articles probably isn’t the best move for your content strategy, but that doesn’t mean that each post you make is one and done. Every video, podcast, or blog post can be a lot more than just one single entry. You can use the longer-form content you create to generate even more content. Some examples include:
- If you have a video that gives 10 helpful tips, you can dissect it and create a social media post around each insight.
- Alternatively, you can use the video as a jumping-off point, and expand on each piece of advice with a separate blog article.
- Or you can do a combination! Either way, that video just paved the way for numerous new pieces of content.
Not only is this a great strategy because it helps you get the most out of the work you have already done and makes the content creation process easier, but it’s also good because it can help you reach your base through different avenues.
Videos are hugely popular, but some people prefer podcasts. Alternatively, some don’t like to read blog articles, but they will pay attention to your Facebook or Instagram posts.
By recycling content, you can make sure that all of your bases are covered, and the useful information reaches your audience on whatever platform they prefer.
Are you ready to start creating effective content for your consulting business but just don’t have the time? We get it! That’s why we created our Instant Content Marketing Team model to give you all of the resources and talent you need to create ongoing content marketing that builds brand awareness, credibility and establishes you as a thought-leader in the business consulting space.
Get started and learn more right here!