You know how valuable your products and services are. Your audience, however, still needs some convincing.
Content bridges that gap between unfamiliarity and loyalty, but only when it’s well-crafted. To develop convincing content, creators need to strategically align their format, audience, messaging, and execution.
Leveraging formats like customer-centric performance video ads can help you speak directly to specific prospect audiences, but they’re only part of the picture. Even with the most interested audience, you can’t expect to make money with a subpar pitch.
To rise above the noise on social media, follow these tips to strengthen your pitches:
1. Create a killer CTA.
Just as salespeople focus on the closing process, content creators depend on compelling calls to action to woo their prospects. Without a good CTA, your content may as well be a painting in a museum: interesting to view, but useless to your sales goals.
Design an effective CTA in your content by using active language like “Buy Now” or “Subscribe Today.” Leave no doubt about the next step your prospects should take. Take advantage of their FOMO with a time-sensitive component that encourages viewers to act quickly. People who like a product may need that last little push to make a purchase.
Don’t be afraid to talk pricing upfront, either. You may filter out a few leads, but you’ll dramatically improve the quality of leads clicking through. Anyone who engages with your CTA with full knowledge of how much your product costs is just a short step away from conversion.
2. Leverage social proof.
People love it when other people agree with them. Take advantage of social psychology by including social proof in your content.
Social proof takes many forms. In a video, you might include a client testimonial to show viewers the value your company provides. A social media post can provide proof through tons of likes or an active (and positive) comment section. To inspire the latter, engage with your fans using humor. Outside viewers will see the in-group activity and want to find the same acceptance.
User-generated content allows you to leverage social proof without the work of creating new content yourself. You can promote user-created posts on your own pages or encourage users to share their stories with a branded hashtag. When non-users see their friends engaging with your brand, they’ll begin to wonder what makes your business so special.
3. Focus on the customer.
So what if you built a product no one has ever seen before? Consumers don’t care about conversations that put your company in the spotlight. To create a compelling pitch, put the users at center stage and talk about how your brand empowers them to live their best lives.
Say your new CRM software is the most powerful, least expensive option on the market. Instead of talking about the big brains on your software engineers, get prospects excited about the tasks they can automate with your new tool. People ignore boasts about your billion-user capabilities, but they listen when you tell them how they can save time and grow their revenue.
Whether you operate in a B2C industry or a B2B market, the concept is the same. People may not remember the details of your pitch, but they will remember the sense of empowerment you provided. Put the needs of the buyer first, and the rest will fall into place.
4. Don’t stop at one.
Not even the best pieces of content inspire every reader to convert. When your pitch doesn’t create sparks, don’t give up. Nurture that relationship using a steady stream of related content to build interest in your company and solution.
If you convince a prospect to give up an email address, automate regular delivery of fresh content to keep your brand top of mind. Even if you don’t get direct contact information, you can still stoke the flames by using retargeting tools to advertise on social media and other websites. By watering a small seed of interest, you can grow a brand fandom that inspires others to connect with your company.
Consider the entire customer journey as you design your pitch. Would you rather secure one transaction now or a dozen transactions throughout the year? One doesn’t necessarily preclude the other — but if you fail to follow through on a good thing, you could miss out on a valuable relationship.
You only get one chance to make a good first impression. As you develop your content, keep your pitch and customer journey in mind. With a bit of planning, you can craft a pitch that resonates with your target audience and convinces viewers to dig deeper.
