“ obviously , with the internet and social media , that ’ s totally changed . the consumer has so much more power today than he ever had before , and he can go anywhere at any time for any information .”
budget , time , capacity and other resources must align in order for any decision or investment to be made . If your brand can become top of mind , you ’ ll be the first solution or partner that your audience thinks of when it finally is time to make a decision — and that ’ s incredibly powerful .
P : In the book , Top of Mind , Hall explains that consumer needs have shifted . How does this change affect the marketing landscape today ? O : In the past , marketers basically drove the entire conversation with audiences and potential customers . Obviously , with the internet and social media , that ’ s totally changed . The consumer has so much more power today than he ever had before , and he can go anywhere at any time for any information . That ’ s changed a lot of the marketing landscape today , and it ’ s put a lot of pressure on brands to create high-quality content that engages those consumers when they ’ re looking for answers to their questions and solutions to meet their needs .
P : Remaining “ top of mind ” goes beyond constantly posting on social media . How does content marketing help create a more influential and established brand ? O : One of the elements we touch on in the book is remaining top of mind in the right way . So , you could be top of mind with your audience by constantly posting on social — but will you come to mind in the right way , as a brand that provides actual value ? Not necessarily . That ’ s what makes content marketing so important . When you commit to the investment of time and money to actually do content marketing right , you end up with engaging , high-quality content that answers people ’ s questions , entertains them , offers value , and positions you as a trusted expert in your space .
P : Why do you think people can be overwhelmed by content marketing , and how can they overcome it ? O : Content marketing is made up of a lot of moving parts . From bylined content in online publications to educational blog posts to interactive downloads to ongoing email engagement and social media to the comprehensive documented strategy that guides it all , content is a lot to manage . I get that feeling of it seeming overwhelming and chaotic . My advice is to dedicate a team to it . Whether that ’ s a team you build in-house or an agency that you outsource to , you need a team to lay out your goals , determine metrics , and actually produce , distribute and analyze your content if you want to see impressive results .
P : How does content marketing establish relationships within an industry ? O : You can ’ t personally have face-to-face meetings with every person in your network or in your brand ’ s audience . It just isn ’ t possible . But thanks to content , you don ’ t have to forgo valuable relationships . By creating content that comes from you and distributing it to the right audiences at the right times , you can connect on an authentic , helpful level with people in your industry . And when you do that consistently enough and hit those touchpoints over time , you can build and strengthen relationships within your industry .
P : How can a reader use your book to establish himself as a leader in his chosen field ? O : Establishing yourself as a leader in your field requires a combination of a few things : your expertise , your authenticity and helpfulness , your relationships with others in your space , and your commitment to consistently carry out these practices . Sure , each of these things can be practiced on an individual level . But you can scale them to reach even bigger audiences through content . And that ’ s exactly what is shared in Top of Mind : how to build better relationships and scale them through content . That ’ s how you can position yourself as a leader ; we know because that ’ s how we ’ ve done it for our clients and seen countless others do it , too . n
September 2017 ■ PULSE 65