Content Marketing has been around for a very long time – it just wasn’t always called ‘Content Marketing’.

It’s really just about attracting and retaining your clients by consistently creating and curating relevant and valuable content for them. The most effective marketing tools for coaches, consultants and trainers will always be asking for and generating referrals (the A in my ABC of Marketing) and business networking and speaking (the B in my ABC). Content (the C) is about backing up A and B, so that when potential clients look you up online, they find valuable content that boosts your reputation and encourages them to pick up the phone and call you.

Some people get confused about what content they should post, where and how often. Here’s a simple way of looking at it. Start at the bottom and work up, interacting with fewer people as you move up the triangle.

1 to 1 conversations. Building relationships. Needs to be immediate, a reaction and can’t be planned. Us, Us, Us.

Sharing other people’s comments and content. Some posts can be scheduled and others immediate. Them, them, them.

Published content. Broadcast often using articles, blogs and case studies. Can be planned ahead. Me, me, me.

The Four Elements of Success

To help you to figure out what to put into each layer of your triangle, consider these four elements of content marketing success:

Content Planning

Simplify the process of content generation by creating a content calendar. Audit what you already have, repurpose and repackage where necessary and plan ahead as to when to publish it. Align your content to events over the coming year, which are relevant to your clients.

Content Creating

Aligned to your calendar, plan your content generation and stick to a regular routine. Deliver the content your clients want – solve problems, answer questions, share thought leadership. Think about how to get your content noticed, consumed and shared, using attention grabbing headlines.

Content Promoting

Deliver content via different channels, including your website, social media, your email newsletter and guest blogging. Make sure that each piece is repackaged and optimised for the targeted platform – don’t just post the same stuff everywhere. Promoting content is a mixture of sharing your own and curating content published by others. Commit to a solid, consistent stream of content. Remember quality and consistency over quantity.

Content Reporting

One of the secrets of great marketing is to do more of what works and less of what doesn’t. This means that you must track and report on the effectiveness of your content. This will drive you to create better and more targeted content, which will bring potential clients to you, while also keeping your existing clients happy to recommend you.

So much has been written about content marketing over the years that it would be easy to become overwhelmed by what you should be doing. Keep it simple with a plan and a content triangle and you’ll find it much easier to create great content, curate and share top quality content and chat to the people you would like to turn into clients.

If you would like to chat about how you can fill in your content triangle, call me now on 07773 252 744 or click here to book a free 30 minute Zoom call with me.