As a businessperson, you most likely get thrilled when it comes to meeting a new client. Getting to plan out the development and implementation of new content marketing strategies designed to increase their brand awareness, provide value to a certain audience, attract attention, boost sales, or generate traffic can be very gratifying.
But when it comes to content marketing, it’s typical for that thrill to become partially replaced by anxiety. As you already know, writing stellar, user-oriented, properly optimized content marketing is the key to success in search marketing. The demands can pile up if you’re not a born content marketer. Your questions might comprise of: “What does the client want from me?”
Here’s an idea: Why don’t you ask him?
I will let you in on a little secret: Interviewing your Clients is a huge way to develop compelling Content marketing. If you need information, your Clients are the best source. In this situation, It is important to find the easiest ways to create and retain a solid rapport with the ones who rely on your words to promote their business.
A sincere, punctual exchange of information can direct your content marketing creation in the right course and even proffer you the much-needed source of inspiration.
So what do your clients want to know from you and what are your content answers for them?
Sailing the Seas of Immense Ideas: Ask Your Client to Jump on Board
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Creating a Bond with your client is actually a real challenge. And the question is How do you go about it?
Usually, your curiosity should kick in at this point.
- What does your client actually do?
- How and why does he/she do it?
- What short-term and long-term goals is he/she pursuing?
After getting the solutions for the above questions, you can start to dig a little deeper. What concepts does your client have in mind for the content marketing you have to create?
10 Ways to Get Great Content Marketing Ideas from Your Client
Generating quality content marketing for someone other than you is not an easy task. Nevertheless, you can simplify the entire process by kindly asking your clients to answer the following questions. Channel your curious nature, use this definitive client-interviewing guide and probe into their minds.
1. What is your Vision / Goal?
Most entrepreneurs realize the journey from a startup is to sustain and accelerate growth in a demanding and relatively unpredictable manner.
On the other hand, this doesn’t stop them from dreaming big and setting goals. Talk to your client about his business-related ambitions.
Avoid the most annoying question that you’ve probably heard a million times while trying to get your first job: “Where do you see yourself five/ten years from now?” and hit the nail on the head.
What are your client’s goals and what are the key points of concern they are focused on?
Should the new content push an action, increase traffic, build authority in a certain industry, increase brand awareness, stimulate sales, or attract a new audience? Every single objective requires a unique approach.
2. Why Do You Actually Do What You Do?
Next, try to establish a deeper bond with your client on a more emotional level. What motivates them to get out of bed in the morning? Why do they produce and sell fabrics when he could do a million other things with his time and money?
According to Business 2 Community, you should find out the passion that fuels the daily actions of your client.
This will enable you to determine what type of values you should express through your content marketing and will also allow you to adjust your writing style based on the information and vibe your interlocutor is sending you.
3. Who Am I Writing For?
If you are just writing because you feel important, writing is a good productive strategy for creating content.
Your creative process should be driven by the needs, demands, and expectations of your target audience.
Get in contact with the salespeople and ask for relevant information related to the following aspects.
This information helps you create content that truly matters. You can ask your client to share any existing customer profiles or insights from previous campaigns.
4. Get the Customer’s Profile?
Are you trying to start a meaningful conversation with a company? Before putting pen to paper you should know your target customers.
According to Entrepreneur, a better understanding of your prospects’ demographics will allow you to conclude what type of content marketing strategy could yield the best outcome.
Start by asking your client to define their target customer. Who are they? What are their interests, challenges, and goals?
Are they young professionals, parents, or retirees? When you understand these aspects, it helps you tailor your content to meet their specific needs and preferences.
And also begin to examine the relationship between the product, the seller, and the beneficiary.
You can also encourage your clients to share any data they have from surveys or past campaigns. This information will guide your messaging, tone, and even the platforms you choose for distribution.
5. Acquire Product or Service Details
To create compelling content, it’s crucial to gather detailed information about the client’s products or services.
Ask your client to describe their offerings:
- What value is your customer’s product or service?
- What are its weak and strong points?
- What are the main attributes that enable it to surpass its counterparts?
- What are the key features and benefits?
When you understand these details, it allows you to highlight what makes their products unique and valuable to the target audience. Also, encourage your client to share any customer feedback or case studies that showcase real-world applications.
This insight will help you in crafting persuasive content and also ensure that you accurately represent the brand, ultimately driving engagement and conversions.
6. Identify Customer’s Challenges
To create relevant and impactful content, you need to understand your customers’ challenges and provide solutions to their problems
Start by asking your client what problems their target audience faces.
- What are the most common concerns/complaints that customers express after buying or testing your client’s product?
- How does your client respond to this feedback?
- What type of customer service policy does he embrace?
- Are they struggling with time management, budget constraints, or finding the right solutions?
When you know these pain points, it helps you craft content that addresses specific issues and offers valuable solutions. You can also encourage your client to share insights from customer interactions or feedback.
This information allows you to position their products or services as effective solutions, making your content not only informative but also highly engaging.
7. Are You Capable of Providing Access to Testimonials, Support Calls, and Service or Product Reviews?
Testimonials, support calls and product reviews are often neglected by content marketers who are persistently striving to connect one or more concepts with real life, personal identity, the client’s mind, or other unrelated concepts.
They rely on curation, self-interest, case studies, and their own storytelling skills and end up ignoring the most imperative sources that actually indicate how the end consumer feels.
Read all types of product reviews and testimonials either good or bad, listen to support calls or just profit from a quick chat with a member of the customer service team.
These tools offer you the strongest support in the battle with a mean case of writer’s block.
8. Who Are Your Main Competitors (And Why Should They Be Troubled About Your Existence In The Market?)
In a large number of industries, the competition is fierce. As a content marketer, you need to ask your clients who they see as their biggest rivals and what sets them apart.
By understanding the relationship between your client and his competitors and grasping the achievements and failures of his competitors, you could become well-known with the mechanism of the targeted market and find the most competent marketing strategies to get in touch with them.
Despite everything, one man’s failure is another man’s warning sign, and one man’s success is another man’s inspiration.
By asking your client to reveal his competitive advantage, you are actually giving him the confidence to define his unique selling proposition that you can mention in your copy. This insight not only informs your content strategy but also positions your client as a formidable player in the market.
9. How do you Picture Your Content to Look nor Sound Like?
Truth be told, it’s not always easy to get and stay on the same page with the people whose success depends on your copywriting skills.
Sure, you can churn out a never-ending list of blogs, press releases, onsite content marketing, and articles; but making them engaging and relevant in the eyes of potential buyers is a different ball game entirely.
How do you connect all these together? You could begin with an open discussion with your clients, which will enable you to identify the right layout and attitude for the creation of your content marketing.
- What are the content marketing goals that you wish to accomplish? (for instance: more followers, more likes and shares, improved conversion rates)
- What makes you Strong?
- Are there any specific formatting/posting rules that you would like your content marketing expert to follow?
- What are the areas and/or specific topics that should be regularly explored in your new content marketing pieces?
- Are there any concepts we should shun while crafting, publishing, and promoting your content marketing strategy?
- Do you have any extra multimedia needs? (for example, QR codes, slideshows and videos)
- What kind of target voice would be the best match for your brand, product, or service? (For instance, a youthful, fun voice would work best for a teen audience, while a professional voice would be more suitable for companies operating in the financial or tech sector).
10. Can You Use Five Descriptive Words to identify the standards You Want to Communicate About Your Company?
Towards the end of your interview, you should try this question because it’s a fun exercise.
According to Copyblogger, these five words will enable your client to crystallize and communicate the most famous corporate values his company embraces, making it easier for you to include these important aspects in your copy.
Try These Steps and Make It Happen!
Creating content marketing for a new client can be quite complex and energy-consuming.
Nonetheless, you should take note that the people who need your writing are quite often the ones who can feed your creativity while providing the expert insight you need to understand better the concepts you’re trying to highlight.
Collect and filter the info that your clients will kindly offer and make it happen! Before you know it, You have turned a successful client interview into a pool of new ideas.
11. How Do You Measure The Success of Content? What Metrics Are Important to You?
Another question you need to ask or have in mind is how your client measures content success as it is essential for aligning your strategy with their goals.
Ask them which metrics they prioritize. Are they focused on website traffic, engagement rates, or conversion rates?
When you know what success looks like, it will help you create targeted content that meets those objectives. You can also ask your client to share any tools or analytics they currently use to track performance. This insight allows you to adapt your content approach, ensuring it not only resonates with the audience but also drives measurable results.
Final thoughts
Asking the right questions is essential for effective content marketing. When you engage with your client on topics like their target audience, product details, and competitive landscape, you can gather valuable insights that shape your content strategy.
Also, you need to understand how decisions are made internally and how success is measured will ensure your efforts align with their goals. These discussions will help clarify your expectations and also foster a collaborative relationship that enhances the overall effectiveness of your content marketing initiatives.
If you want to learn how to create effective content marketing materials and strategies that drive results for your clients, you can register for our digital marketing course which covers every aspect of marketing.
So when you are armed with this knowledge, you can create compelling content that resonates with the audience and drives meaningful results for your client.
More resources
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