Your website is an essential marketing tool to promote your consulting or executive coaching firm. Most of your prospects will go there to check you out before they consider contacting you. So, you have to provide plenty of information to show that your firm is the right one they should contact.
That’s why you need plenty of content for them to read. But unfortunately, many consulting and coaching firms don’t have much content on their websites. Many have just an about page, a services page, and a contact page. Some only have a blog.
To attract high-quality clients, you need to provide them with as much content as possible so they feel confident in choosing you.
Here are the top 6 content marketing tools you should have on your website.
1. Publish A Blog to Attract More Qualified Web Traffic
The most significant benefit of having a blog is that it can attract more qualified website traffic, which can lead to an increase in new clients. According to research from HubSpot, 42% of companies have acquired new customers through their blogs.
Every blog post gives you a chance to talk about topics that your firm provides. Blogging allows you to use long-tail keywords to bring targeted website traffic. For example, when you create content that answers a question, you can use longer-tail keywords to target those questions to users looking for answers, which will drive them to your site. They may not only read your blog article but also check out your website to see what your firm offers.
A blog can also educate prospective clients about what you can do for them. Your blog can be an educational resource that solves a need or answers questions that prospects may have. Blogging also helps you learn what your clients are looking for. When you engage with your readers by allowing comments or feedback, you can learn about their problems and show how your firm can help solve them.
A blog can also position you as an authority in your industry. Your prospects are searching online for help and answers that will solve their most significant needs. By consistently blogging, your target audience will find you when they search for you online, and if your information is educational, they will probably return for more.
2. Nurture Your Leads with a Newsletter
One of the best ways to generate more leads and nurture them is to have an email newsletter. A newsletter will help you build trust with your audience. It can also provide immediate feedback on what’s working and what needs improvement.
Unfortunately, many consulting and coaching firms don’t use this basic form of email marketing.
An email newsletter is the best way to educate and inform your target audience. You can use your newsletter to provide educational content, industry news, and opinion pieces, share new ideas, and deliver information about your services.
According to the Content Marketing Institute, 81% of B2B marketers say email newsletters are the most used form of content marketing. Additionally, 40% say that email newsletters are the most critical source to the success of their content marketing plan.
A newsletter is a great way to build your audience because you’re offering prospects something of value before getting anything in return. If you keep adding more value upfront, the payoff will come later when those prospects are ready to pay for your services.
Unlike other promotions, newsletters are not hard-sell pieces. Instead, they’ll keep your firm top of mind while building trusting relationships with your customers over time by providing them with relevant content.
A newsletter can help nurture those leads until they’re ready to buy. In addition, an informative newsletter gives loyal clients more reasons to continue choosing your firm over your competitors.
3. Generate Website Traffic and Build Brand Awareness with Case Studies
One of the best marketing assets consulting and coaching firms can have on their website is case studies. Case Studies offer potential customers a compelling reason to hire your firm. They paint a picture of what kind of results prospects will get when working with your firm. Case studies tell stories about how your company helped a client solve a significant problem they were having. Well-crafted case studies give prospects confidence that your firm is the best choice for their needs.
Why You Need Case Studies
There are many benefits to having case studies. For example, in the 2022 Content Marketing Institute annual report, 39% of marketers say case studies have produced the best results from their marketing in the past year.
One reason why case studies are so effective is that they provide real-world examples of your firm working with clients and the kind of results that are possible when working with your firm.
While many consulting and coaching firms leverage testimonials on their website, a testimonial only provides part of the story. Case studies offer great detail on how a company helped solve its problem. In addition, case studies help buyers connect with the challenges they’re currently facing, along with the solutions and results your firm provides.
Case studies show how your firm can meet your customer’s needs and move them toward achieving their goals. Like most B2B companies, your sales process may take months or even years. That’s why case studies are such a valuable marketing tool, and they can be used in the middle or bottom of your sales funnel.
4. Promote Thought Leadership Ideas by Publishing White Papers
The main goal of every consulting and coaching firm is to attract prospects and convert them into loyal clients. White papers not only help attract high-quality prospects but also capture leads.
White Papers inform, educate, and recommend a solution for a given problem.
Consider these facts:
- 60% of B2B buyers read white papers during the buying process, according to the 2020 Content Preferences study.
- Buyers are more willing to share personal information to download a white paper than any other content. Third, 48% of buyers are eager to fill out forms to access a white paper.
- White papers are one of the top three effective content formats when engaging prospects. The other two are case studies and videos.
- Finally, white papers are the second best content type for moving prospects down the sales funnel. Blog posts are number one.
White papers can help you attract new potential clients and persuade them to consider your services.
When choosing a topic for your white paper, choose wisely. For example, pick an issue in your industry that hasn’t been discussed in a white paper. You could also pick a topic you can explain better than your competitors.
A white paper is usually 7-12 pages long and should be written unbiasedly and authoritatively.
White papers should also build a persuasive case for the solution using facts, cases, evidence, etc.
5. Build Credibility by Publishing E-Books
Another long-form content consultants and coaches should have on their websites is e-books. Now, you might be thinking, aren’t white papers e-books? The answer to that question is that they are similar but have some differences.
A white paper is a long, in-depth article that explains a new or better solution to a problem, need, or goal. An e-book usually provides “how-to” information and is often lighter in depth and tone than a white paper.
E-books also tend to be more visual than white papers. In an e-book, you can use visual elements like charts, graphs, infographics, and pictures.
E-books allow you to cover a topic comprehensively. It’s the perfect opportunity to demonstrate your expertise while giving your target audience the necessary information.
You should also require prospects to provide their contact information to access your e-books. Again, high-quality prospects will feel it’s worth it because you provide more in-depth information on a topic than you would put in a blog post.
6. Boost Your Conversion Rates by Using Videos
One of the best ways to build awareness and generate leads is to use videos on your website.
If you don’t believe me, consider these facts from a recent study from HubSpot:
- 86% of businesses use video to market their products and services.
- 92% of marketers say video is an important part of their marketing strategy
- 87% report that video gives them a positive ROI.
- 86% say video is effective in generating leads.
- 81% say video has a positive impact on sales.
- 94% of marketers say videos have helped increase their prospects understanding of their product or service.
- 54% of viewers want to see more videos from companies they follow.
- 96% of viewers report watching explainer videos to learn more about products and services.
As you can see, video marketing is becoming very popular in B2B marketing.
Having videos on your website is excellent for search engine optimization, helps increase conversions, builds trust, and increases engagement.
Video can also boost the conversion and engagement rates of other content. For example, a video can entice web visitors to see what else you offer. In addition, it may influence them to read other content on your site or look at other pages.
Next Steps
Need help getting your next content marketing project off the ground? I can help. To get in touch with me, email me at ksmiley@ksmileycopywriter.com.
This article was first published on my LinkedIn profile here.
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