Effective Content… Start With The Problem!
Why is social media filled with problems … And what can marketing and your content learn from that?
People are inclined to act when they have a problem … interact with problem after problem, and when they pile up, the digital algorithms will continue to push similar content to people with problems.
When things are going great … well, it's what they expect. Therefore, people don’t interact.
People (your audience) face problems throughout the day; a problem is not something terrible. A problem can be subscribing to software-that-allows-employees-to-figure-their-estimated-delivery-time-based-on-cargo-routes-weather conditions-traffic-on-the-day-using-ai-blockchain-process™️. It can also be opening a milk carton.
What I mean is don't think of problems negatively. Just think of it as something you need to overcome to move on and start doing something else. That's how your audience is looking at their problems.
So what does “Problem” mean for content marketing?
Start with the problem to get attention... then invite people to a solution. That is what your brand/company should do.
Now you’re wondering how should you talk about problems without being negative?
According to "Building a Story Brand" by Donald Miller, problems have different layers to them, each with its own cause and effect.
Type one - "External" problem, where everyone can actually see the problem. For example:
Go to the gym
Buying a car
Get more sales
When you talk about the "External" problem, you will get attention! This is the purpose of identifying one.
Type two - "Internal" problem, where it becomes personal! It's something only your customer can feel, and no one else can see! For example:
Feel healthier
Feel safe in the car
Feel overwhelmed when adopting tech into your store
When you talk about the "Internal" problem, you will get action. People will react to things (problems) they're feeling.
Type three - "Philosophical" problem, this will help your branding and positioning. For example:
Deserve to live life to its fullest and have the strength to do so
People deserve a car that will protect them
Every store should have the tools to grow
When you talk about the "philosophical" problem, you will get positioning. People will want to be part of something bigger.
By identifying all three and communicating them to your audience repeatedly, you will get attention, action, & position … and that, ladies and gents, is IMPACT!
When you get them right, create social media content and emails to address them and mention how your brand/company can solve these problems - let the people (your audience) remember that you're the best at solving their problem!
Need marketing help in identifying the problems you’re solving?
No worries, drop me an email, click “Solve Your Problem” below, and I’ll sit with you for 1 hour to identify them and help you simplify and clarify your marketing messages.
