Picture this. You go on a date. They’re fabulous. They tell you everything you want to hear, and do everything you want them to do – before you even have to ask them. Everything is going perfectly. And then the next day…no call. Next month, the same. Three months later, they send an email to check in on you.
Excuse me? I am not responding to that. Not after you dropped me like a hot potato. Where were you two months ago when I had a question about temp-to-hire benefits standards?
Content marketing is a lot like this. You, as marketers, are the date. It is your job to show up with flowers, pull out chairs, and introduce yourself to the parents. Or, in more relatable terms, provide information, offer solutions, and present valuable content and resources.
Taking a break from marketing may seem like a necessity. Sometimes site stats are low, click-through rates are down, and that last social media post – two likes. Why would you bother to continue? Why persistently put in effort for invisible results?
Well, it’s because consistency is king. Your job is to become a resource to your clients and customers. You need to be there with questions answered, before the question is ever asked. When you create this sort of relationship with clients and customers, you become a “go-to” resource, and are known as an authority on whatever it is they’re looking to do – a priceless symbiotic relationship. And the results may seem invisible at times, but having customers return to you because they know you are an expert, is cash in hand – not invisible at all.
The biggest problem with taking a break in your marketing is the slump you create for yourself. Over time, we see a consistent climb in engagement from customers who are communicated with regularly. Stop your program, and not only do you have to climb back up to where you left off, but you lose all the interested people you could’ve captured in the meantime. Not only are you damaging your relationship with clients, you’re damaging your own potential to reach new audiences.
So don’t stop romancing your customers. Don’t pump the brakes or take some time apart. Your clients need you, even if they don’t always show it, and their needs will not stop if you stop your marketing… they’ll just go to someone else.
In the world of marketing, there is no excuse for not calling.