The golden rule of content marketing is simple, yet so many brands seem to forget it in the rush to convert a sale.
You must give value to your audiences before you can extract value.
Sure, “value” can come in the form of discounts, but if that’s the only value you offer, buyers will be quick to find a cheaper option elsewhere. Sales incentives alone don’t keep customers, but conversations do.
Your email content is the perfect opportunity to offer audiences valuable information that fix their problems, improve their wellbeing, or simply provide an entertaining distraction from the realities of life. Ultimately, people don’t buy a product, they buy an outcome. How can your content help them achieve the result they desire?
Here are some leading questions to help broaden your perspective on helpful content ideas. For this purpose, we’ll use the example of a premium skincare brand that uses email to promote monthly and quarterly sales. If these content ideas were sent in a monthly “Healthy Skin” newsletter, it would solidify the brand’s position as a high-quality product that is committed to helping customers achieve their skincare goals. This “helpful advice” approach is especially important in highly saturated industries where competition is fierce and customers can be fickle.
Question:What problem does product solve?
Answer: The lotion hydrates dry skin for a healthy, youthful glow.
Idea:Interview a dermatologist for credible tips and tricks to prevent aging. Include her testimonial for the product.
Question: What’s unique about the product?
Answer: It has a unique formulation of all-natural ingredients.
Idea:Write a series of “Buy This/Not That” ingredients to look for when reviewing skincare product labels.
Question:What’s the product’s origin story?
Answer:The product was formulated by a scientist with over 30 years creating skin and beauty products for well-known brands.
Idea:Include a “Founder’s Corner” module in the email that features his success stories with different products, positioning him as the top authority on quality skincare.
Question: What is a product-related pain point?
Answer: Accelerated aging from too much sun exposure.
Idea: Write a sun care article featuring unexpected tips to protect the skin; feature the SPF product in the article and conclude with an offer for the SPF product.
When you develop a mutually beneficial relationship with your customers using relevant, timely content, they’re more likely to pay more for your product and stay loyal for the long term. Try integrating these valuable emails into your promotional mix to better connect with buyers and show that you care.
Happy content creation,
Jackie at Muse.
P.S. If you need content strategy for your next email campaign, reach out to us at hello@museheadquarters.com.