What They Need vs What They Think They Need

It's 2008 and Canadian Club is experiencing the 16th year of year-over-year sales declines. 

They feel their problem is that Canadian Club is thought of as "your dad's drink". And young people, in their social life, don't want to be associated with their father's way of doing things. 

So they turn to BBDO who gave them this campaign ... that embraced dads. 

The BBDO team explained:

“The main obstacle was that the client didn’t want to remind this audience that Canadian Club was their dad’s drink of choice, someone who obviously isn’t that cool. Our [creative brief] mandatories were to show a cocktail, the logo, and whatever we do don’t mention 'dad.' When we read that it sparked a thought, which was: Wait, my dad might not be 'cool' anymore, but when he was my age he was a stud.”

"Sometimes what a brand needs is the opposite of
what it thinks it needs."

Greg Reese

Content: Beyond Sales to Retention and Loyalty

 

“Content is king.” That proclamation has been bouncing around the marketing world for a while now. It typically refers to content’s primary role as a tool for generating leads, driving sales, and increasing revenue. But limiting the value of content to just these stages of the customer journey overlooks its immense potential for long-term brand growth. Content's job doesn't end at the point of sale, but rather extends far beyond, playing a crucial role in customer retention, brand loyalty, cross-selling, retargeting, and more.

Beyond the Sale: Customer Retention and Loyalty

The moment a customer makes a purchase is not the end of their journey—it's the beginning of a potentially long-lasting relationship with your brand. Content plays a pivotal role in nurturing this relationship, keeping customers engaged, informed, and satisfied long after the sale. By providing valuable, relevant content post-purchase, you can reinforce the customer's decision, address any concerns or questions they may have, and showcase additional ways your products and services can enhance their lives.

Building Brand Loyalty

the marketplace is an increasingly competitive battleground. Building brand loyalty is essential for sustainable growth. Content serves as a powerful tool for fostering loyalty by creating meaningful connections with your audience. Whether it's through entertaining storytelling, educational resources, or personalized communications, consistent and authentic content strengthens the bond between customers and your brand, making them more likely to choose you over competitors time and time again.

Cross-Selling and Upselling Opportunities

Content isn't just about attracting new customers—it's also about maximizing the value of your existing customer base. Through strategic content marketing, you can identify opportunities to cross-sell or upsell additional products or services to customers who have already made a purchase. By delivering targeted content that highlights complementary offerings or upgrades, you can increase customer lifetime value and drive incremental revenue without resorting to aggressive sales tactics.

Retargeting and Remarketing Campaigns

Not every visitor to your website will make a purchase on their first visit, but that doesn't mean they're lost forever. Content plays a crucial role in retargeting and remarketing campaigns, where personalized content can re-engage visitors who have shown interest in your products or services. By delivering relevant content across various channels—such as email and social media—you can stay top-of-mind with potential customers and guide them towards conversion over time.

The Value of Evergreen Content

One of the most significant advantages of content marketing is its longevity. Unlike traditional advertising, which can have a finite lifespan, well-crafted content can continue to provide value long after it's been published. Evergreen content—such as how-to guides, product tutorials, or industry insights—remains relevant and useful to audiences for months or even years, serving as a valuable asset for both customer acquisition and retention efforts.

To Sum Up

The value of content extends far beyond the initial sales transaction that turns a prospect into a customer. By recognizing the ongoing role of content in customer retention, brand loyalty, cross-selling, retargeting, and more, businesses can unlock new opportunities for growth and differentiation in today's competitive landscape. By investing in a holistic content strategy that spans the entire customer journey, brands can cultivate stronger relationships with their audience, drive repeat business, and ultimately achieve long-term success.

The Re-write

 "Too much peel."

 

The boss had just read my copy for a new client.

 

I looked at him blankly: "Huh?"

 

"I want the banana. I don't want the peel."

Scott, Why don't you show prices on your website?

Five reasons why I don’t show pricing on my copywriting site FastForwardResults.com:

1. Price is not the driving factor in the decision to access my services.
   
   
2. What a client has in mind when they approach me is typically not what they actually need or what they end up contracting for.
   
   
3. I don’t do the exact same thing for every client, so I need to scope the work for every engagement.
   
   
4. The work I do for clients is value-based, not task-based.
   
   
5. The value of my services varies based on each specific client and their needs.

In other words, before I can price my services, I need to understand the client's situation, what they to need address that situation, and what it is worth (for them and for me) to properly respond to that need.