Attention Businesses: It's Not About YOU

I see so many companies lately making the mistake of talking about themselves through all of their content. Their blogs, their social media posts, their email blasts, their website - it's all "me, Me, ME!" These are the services we offer, here's a story about us in the news, here's why we're better than other companies, look at this new ranking we received...

Let's stop for a minute.

Show of hands, please: How many people like going out to coffee or having dinner with someone who only talks about themselves? You can picture it. It's that friend who you still like but don't go out of your way to see that often that asked you to meet up and it's been awhile so you agree. And then after sitting there listening to them drone on about every aspect of their own life for the next hour with barely a chance to get a word in, you start tuning out and daydreaming and remembering - yes, this is why I don't see you on a regular basis.

Don't you want to spend time with people who ask about YOU? Who take a genuine interest in how YOU'RE doing, what's new, and what's on your mind??? Relationships are all about give and take. I want to hear how you're doing, but I also want you to ask how I'm doing and let's have a two-way dialogue.

If this is the way we want to be treated by other people, then why on earth aren't all businesses following suit? (I'd love to hear what you think, so please comment below with your ideas.) From my own perspective, I think it's because they treat marketing like traditional advertising. It's old school. I'm going to push out messaging about my company, our offerings, why we're so great and tell you all the reasons you should come do business with us.

I'm sorry, but those days are OVER. People are inundated with advertisements in every aspect of their lives: mobile devices, television, radio (yes, I'm still a little old school and listen to the radio), music streaming services, billboards, heck! even some gas stations have screens at the pumps now that play ads you can't avoid while you're stuck there filling up. Ads are EVERYWHERE! And people are getting really good at tuning them out.

That is why it is so incredibly important for brands to stand out from the crowd. To rise above the noise. To be a valuable asset to their potential customers. To provide value and solve problems and be a trusted resource. And that means you don't talk about yourself. You talk about your customers and potential customers. You speak their lingo, you help them overcome challenges, you make their lives easier.

And you do this through Content Marketing. This 4 minute video by the Content Marketing Institute gives a great overview of content marketing and how it differs from traditional advertising. In a clip at the end, Kirk Cheyfitz, Co-CEO & Chief Storyteller of Story Worldwide says,

"The content business is the only part of this business that I can see credibly leading the new practice of advertising, and I'm moderately upset because not enough of us are trying to do it."

So please, I beg you - every time you or your company want to post on social media, create a blog, or write up an email blast, PLEASE think long and hard about what's in it for the person receiving it. How are you adding value to their lives, helping them solve problems, educating them on a topic that's relevant to their industry or job function? THAT is a much different interaction, and one that will win you loyal customers in the long run.