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Build Your Brand Without Building An Ad
It probably doesn’t surprise you that consumers aren’t big fans of the ads most marketers and ad pros spend their time and money creating. There is, however, a form of brand communication the majority of consumers prefer.
In a brief blog post quoting research from the Custom Content Council, brafton.com reports that almost three-quarters of consumers prefer to receive information from companies in the form of
valuable content or articles
instead of ads. And over 75% of that group still hold that view knowing the company providing the information is trying to sell them something.
The reason, although undocumented in the article, would seem to be that consumers increasingly want to be better informed as they make their buying decisions. That holds true, and possibly even more so, for business and industrial buyers as well.
What is valuable content then? It’s information that helps the buyer understand considerations like:
the various options available to solve a particular challenge
advantages and disadvantages of different choices
sizing, selection and usage factors
reasonable expectations
dangers to avoid
And that’s just a few quick ideas. Adapt this to your industry and audience by thinking about the questions they seem to ask most often. Help them answer those questions and you’ll help yourself become a more valuable and respected resource.
In fact, in a second article from the same source, it’s indicated that 67% of
consumers find custom content valuable
and 61% say they are more likely to buy from brands or companies that provide that type of information.
So, am I telling you to stop developing ads? No! Ads are a valuable marketing tool with a specific purpose which I’ll address in a future article and blog post.
What I am saying is this: good information or content is desired by buyers of all types. And your usage of it as a business-building tool can be extremely powerful and influential in creating the positive brand perception necessary for prospects to prefer your brand over your competitors.
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