Making your content stand out from the crowd

I recently heard about a busker who was attracting crowds of people by playing his guitar from inside a litter bin. The first word that came to mind was – ‘idiot’ – but then, the more I thought about it, I realised he was cleverer than people thought. He needed to stand out from the crowd, he found a way and a method to do this, and he got results. People and the press noticed him.
Making our content stand out on the already crowded world-wide web is a challenge for us all. But as a business the need make what you say noteworthy is even greater.
The thing to remember is – the simple formula for making your content special is to make sure that what you produce is good, relevant, honest and unique.
Here’s my recipe for getting content right the first time.
What do you want to say?
The first thing to do is ask yourself what it is that you want to say to your customers. As a business, you must have a point of view. One that is unique enough to make your customers want to buy from you over other people. So what is that point of view?
Make it good and worthy
One of the many traps we fall into is to jump on the bandwagon. Following the crowd is probably not the best way to stand out from the same crowd. So when you choose your message, make sure it’s specific and targeted. Content that isn’t relevant or useful to the customer isn’t of any value at all. Choose a unique selling point and use that to tailor your message to suit specific audiences. It won’t be long before you see the results.
Honesty is the best policy
Marketing spin and jargon that confuses the reader won’t do your image any favours and won’t get you any sales. Honesty is definitely the best policy when it comes to content. The more real it is, the more your customers will connect with your message. Draw from your experiences to talk to your customers, and don’t hold back if you get it wrong – it’s OK to say sorry.
How are you going to say it?
How you deliver your content also has bearing on how unique it is. The good news is you have wide a choice on websites like BT Tradespace when it comes to communicating. You could write a blog, sell using video, audio or pictures. Even joining a community or forums to spread your message is a way of presenting yourself. You may choose one or a combination of these to make your message work.
Whatever medium you choose; the key is to be creative.
Who are you talking to and where do you reach them?
So once you’ve got your content sorted – who do you present it to and where do you present it? Randomly displayed content may reach the most people but as a business, you’ve got to question whether you’re after one-time buyers or customers who last a lifetime. For example, making your content is available in the right places to the right people will go much further than just randomly sending leaflets.
Content may be king but when creating your content, consider your customer, be true to who you are, and chances are, you’ll get it right the first time.
A bit about Bian: Bian is BT Tradespace’s Managing Editor. She spends much of her time drowning in a sea of words or running behind her two kids who keep her on a strict leash!