At least not at first. Two words marketers hate to hear are: Opt out. This occurs of course when someone decides that what he or she is reading no longer offers enough value to continue. Although inevitable that some will opt out, there are three things you can do to greatly decrease the number who do.
#1 Match Your Content to Your Audience: The more you can determine what your readers are most interested in reading about and write to that narrow knowledge vertical the better. This blog, for instance is about strategic market planning and strategic marketing case studies, tips and relevant information that help marketers make informed strategic decisions. The more you know about your readers the better you’ll be able to write to their needs.
#2 Optimize, Optimize, Optimize: Probably one of the most important things you can do is conduct a communications review of your online and downloadable information. At a minimum, once a year, go through everything and ask yourself “Does this information match up to what our company is currently offering? Does it bear the corporate branding our newest materials are using? These and other questions will guide you in your Spring Cleaning of what to keep or discard. Under all cases resist the temptation of including everything you can say about your brand. Frankly, the more you say can actually end up hindering your marketing effectiveness. Busy people don’t appreciate busy websites that are difficult to navigate and find what they are looking for. The expression of including everything, including the bathroom sink, is not going to help your cause.
#3 Be Responsive: As a bloggist and strategist I receive dozens of email solicitations and am always amazed how few follow-up with my reply email. Or worse, when I have found a company offering a service I was interested in and send the company an email requesting someone contact me, no one responds! In one recent case I even called the company after my email was left unanswered and customer service took my contact information. A month later I am still waiting for a response that I am certain will never happen. Amazing isn’t it? It’s a lot like a company that exhibits at a trade show and then doesn’t follow-up with those that stopped by their booth preferring to wait for prospects to contact them.
Anything worth building takes years, not minutes, so having a professional list of those that you have contacted or have contacted you is a necessity. Customers will learn to trust you and your company if you keep timely and up-to-date responsive call sheets and they will reward you with their repeating business. Something all companies need in any business environment.