November 4, 2020

How story-driven content marketing gives you a powerful advantage

How story-driven content marketing gives you a powerful advantage.

As the world becomes more and more reliant on all things digital, the number of companies investing in digital marketing has increased. This reality means it’s imperative for businesses to find the right strategies that can help them stand out from the rest.

Fortunately, there is an abundance of approaches out there that can do just the job and more.

A great example is personalization. As mentioned in the post How to Use Personalized Marketing to Boost E-Commerce Sales, personalization can help bring brands closer to their clients through personalized pages, retargeted ads, personalized emails and the like.

While personalized marketing is beneficial on its own, you can still take things a step further by investing in story-driven content marketing.

What is story-driven content marketing?

Before discussing what story-driven content marketing is, let us first go back to the basics and define content marketing.

In its simplest sense, content marketing is a technique that focuses on creating and distributing valuable, relevant and consistent content in order to attract clients.

Of course, like any other marketing strategy, the end goal with content marketing is to drive profitable customer action.

On the other hand, story-driven content marketing goes beyond just putting relatable and informative content out there, on a regular basis.

Story-driven content marketing rests on the assumption that the story of your own business is of interest and matters to people.

Why is story-driven content marketing crucial?

We are now living in a world where data and information is seen as a new currency. It only makes sense for content to be seen as the main actors in a knowledge-based economy. This is the reason why content marketing is crucial for businesses, regardless of the industry.

However, Ayima Kickstart explains that one of the biggest hurdles for most small businesses is the lack of optimized content – or any content at all. Unfortunately, great content is crucial when it comes to successful organic campaigns; therefore, this is where most businesses fail.

But creating content isn’t enough – content needs to be engaging, targeted, and optimized. This is where story-driven content marketing can come in handy.

1. First, story-driven content marketing can make you unique

The products and services you offer may have unique features, but due to the market being so vast, there will always be a brand that will offer something similar.

So how do you set yourself apart?  By sharing your very own story. Stories can help you present your products in such a way that makes it relatable, memorable, interesting and unique.

2. Second, it adds a human element to your content

Aside from being particular about the content that pops into their feed, consumers are also learning how to value experiences more than they do the products they buy.
It is for this reason that it is vital for content to be infused with human elements, through stories.

Customers are more likely buy products that can improve their experiences or are introduced through stories that reflect the same struggles they encounter.

3. Third, it helps build greater connections

Communicating these days may be easier than ever before, but the reality is that finding a genuine connection is still hard, if not harder.

This is the reason why today’s consumers are very fond of campaigns that they can relate to. When consumers feel a connection with a product, their tendency is to become what is referred to as “repeat purchasers” and this is not the only thing that increases.

The likelihood of these consumers phoning a friend or two about your product or sharing it on their social media accounts also spikes.

4. Lastly, it doesn’t sound ‘salesy’

Gone are the days where consumers would tolerate in-your-face marketing strategies that blatantly showed what brands want from their audiences: their money.

By incorporating stories into your content marketing strategies, you will not only be able to avoid cringe worthy ‘sales’ talks, but also prove to your clients that you are more focused on sharing an experience.

Through this, you are emphasizing the power of choice that consumers have, thereby making them happier and more likely to buy from you.

How to apply story-driven content marketing into your own marketing efforts?

In order to reap the benefits of story-driven content marketing, there are certain things you have to consider.

Here are some of them:

Be audience-centered

Although story-driven content marketing values a brand’s story, they should never overshadow the stories of the audience and customer base. After all, the ones in control here are the customers, not the brand.

With so much content out there vying for their attention, they can easily use ad blockers or skip past blog posts. To ensure that clients do spend time reading your content, lead with their needs.

Focus on releasing content that can serve value to your audiences first. This approach may require loads of patience, but once you’ve established yourself as a reliable source, the payoff will come in dividends and improve your branding in more ways than one.

Focus on memory building

Stories have been in existence for a very, very long time, and it’s easy to see why. They are effective media that can carry life lessons and values.

At the same time, they are capable of evoking feelings and keeping us entertained. We may not remember everything about a story, but we do retain the important bits. To ensure that your content is able to do the same, focus on building memories.

Search Engine Journal explains that the only way this can be done is by creating strategic stories that will subtly highlight the messages you want to give to your audience. Your story doesn’t have to be Oscar-worthy. You just have to make your audience see the story and help them imagine themselves in it.

Conclusion

Similar to how you would arrive at any marketing technique, story-driven content marketing has to be backed up by research.

To enjoy the extensive benefits this approach offers, make sure to focus on your clients, be as relatable as you can, and always remember that your client’s stories and experiences are more important than your own.

— Corrine Porter is a long-time business consultant and part-time writer. Armed with a passion for writing, her main interest is evaluating how new innovations in marketing and technology will impact society. On her free time, she enjoys reading and film photography.

• Posted 11.4.20 at 04:05 am by Roy Osing
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October 11, 2020

My 50+ audacious podcast shows will help you and your business soar

Check out these podcast shows—over 75 now!—where I break down my seventh book, Audacious Unheard-of Ways, and show you how to grow your business and your career.

***NEW! In this episode Chris Dubois and I break down the Moves I made and the Methods I used to incorporate the right business toolset to stand apart from the herd and get a BILLION DOLLARS IN SALES! Unbound

***NEW! “Business plans are traditionally too expensive, they take too much time, they’re too rigid, and they’re not properly implemented. Roy Osing advises on his Strategic Game Plan with a rule of three: focus on the three things that will produce 80% of your results.
Beware, though, of being diverted by what he calls the “Yummy incoming”, the distractions that will pull you away from your game plan.” — Chris Ashmore, for Business Essentials Daily. Don’t Be Distracted by YUMMY!

***NEW! “We All Live in Red Oceans” podcast on Business is Blumin!
Some people preach that you should look for a “Blue Ocean” where you have ZERO competition. That would be nirvana, but for most business leaders, we have to learn how to win in “Red Oceans” with hungry competitors and powerful customers.
Listen and learn how I not only survived in a Red Ocean, I grew a startup business to A BILLION IN SALES!

***NEW! “Osing’s mantra—be different or be dead—has been the backbone of his audacious journey, driving him to constantly innovate to create ripples of value for his customers.
Osing dissects the magic of differentiation through offering customer experiences that customers can’t resist while ensuring that you’re the only game in town offering it.
This discussion is peppered with personal encounters of working with small companies, outlining the significance of differentiation, and the power of prioritizing the customer experience above all else.
Osing also dives into the world of audacious Leadership by Serving Around and how this seemingly simple idea can pave the way to success in business.” The Power of Differentiation and Audacious Leadership

***NEW! In this Mindset for Growth Show, we unpack my crazy secrets to growing a startup TO A BILLION IN SALES. They’re not complicated but they work.
Pick one gem to try and see what happens! From a Startup to A BILLION IN SALES | Part Two

***NEW! “Ready for a jaw-dropping journey into the world of audacious entrepreneurship? I just had a mind-blowing chat on the Grownlearn Podcast with none other than Roy Osing, the genius who took a startup to a BILLION in annual sales!
We spilled the beans on “The Audacious Entrepreneur’s Guide: Roy Osing’s Journey to a Billion in Annual Sales.” From crafting bold brands to tackling those make-or-break business moments, Roy’s story is nothing short of extraordinary.”

From a Startup to A BILLION IN SALES | Part One.
What’s the motivation to BE DiFFERENT? Why go on this “painful” journey? Why put up with the backstabbing? Why be The ONLY One? The Mindset Growth Podcast.

In this episode, I discuss why most organizations are too myopic in their #sales #strategy, pushing monthly or quarterly goals rather than embracing a long-term strategy for effective sales. I share my ‘customer report card’ Move to refocus sales teams on nurturing the customer rather than foisting pushy sales techniques. Business Essentials Daily

In this Chasing Happiness episode, we strip the layers of a journey that transformed a startup into a billion-dollar powerhouse.
Roy Osing, a maverick in the business world, shares his unfiltered, raw insights on what it takes to scale the heights of entrepreneurial success. From laughable mistakes to strategic masterstrokes, get ready for a rollercoaster ride of emotions and lessons.” Turning Bold Ideas Into Billions

The Audacious Unheard-of Ways of Using Practical and Common Sense Strategies to Drive Success, The Disruptive Minds Podcast

“Special guest Roy Osing shares very thought-provoking and audacious ideas to help you differentiate yourself from your competition, so you can achieve your goals sooner rather than later and maybe even exceed what you thought possible. This is a must listen to interview.”, The Accountability Podcast

Audacious Leadership is all about breaking away from the normal way leaders practice their art. In this ‘Biz Gone Social’ show we explore the Moves I made to successfully grow a startup to A BILLION IN SALES! Biz Gone Social Podcast

“Roy discusses the importance of breaking out of the “sameness” that businesses have accepted as the norm and standing out to be the ONLY ONE doing……(fill in the blank). We discuss practical ways to make that happen and touch on some of the points from Roy’s many books.”, Customer First Podcast

“This week I was lucky enough to interview a very cool and articulate guy named Roy Osing. One of the highlights of Roy’s illustrious career was driving a company to a BILLION in annual sales. Roy documented his journey in a book - not the ordinary how-to textbook type - but based on what he did differently to actually grow a business to a billion in annual sales.
Let’s fly all the way to Vancouver and explore Roy Osing’s ocean of thoughts through his book ‘Be Different or Be Dead’!”,  The First Customer Podcast

A Journey to A BILLION in Annual Sales. “Join me this week as I talk with Roy Osing, Author of “BE DiFFERENT or be dead,” about his journey to bring his company to $1 billion in annual sales. Roy and I talk about how he reached this milestone through learning on the run, “leadership by serving around” and building trust and consistency within his organization. Roy shares many tips that he has implemented throughout the years and encourages front line recognition and a strong culture to create a successful team.” The Positive Polarity Podcast

From a Startup to a Billion Dollar Sales. “In this episode, host Michael Brooks dives deep into the world of business success with Roy Osing, a renowned business advisor with a remarkable journey. Roy takes us through the audacious strategies he employed to take a small data company and grow it into a billion dollar industry behemoth. If you’re an entrepreneur, business owner, or aspiring leader looking for practical, real-world strategies to scale your business, this episode is a goldmine of insights you can’t afford to miss!”. The Scaling Edge Podcast

Growing Business at an Audacious Level, Your Spectacular Life
The Audacious Unheard-of Ways Roy Osing took a Startup to A BILLION IN SALES. “Roy provides tangible tips and frameworks for developing effective business strategies, leading teams, standing out from the competition and more. You’ll come away with new perspectives and motivation to take your business to the next level.” The Profit Answer Man Show
Famous Interview with Roy Osing. “ Roy is a stellar man with a grand vision and unique walk .. very cool cat….” Joe Dimino, Neon Jazz

Unleashing Audacity: Being DiFFERENT and Dominating the Market. “ This is an episode you won’t want to miss, packed with practical advice, proven strategies, and audacious ways to break away from the norm. Join us in the conversation and learn how to stand out in today’s competitive business landscape. So, tune in, get inspired, and learn how to be audaciously different.” Financial Freedom for Physicians
How a Guy Took A Startup To A Billion In Sales. “Dive into the remarkable journey of Roy Osing, a true powerhouse in the business world. Roy has seen it all and done it all.”, The Pete Primeau Show
Breaking Away From The Herd: Why it’s critical to break away from the herd, be different and the key elements of an audacious leader, The Audacious Living Podcast
How to be the ONLY ONE who does what you do, In Turn Podcast
How to Avoid Being Forgotten, Design your Legacy
Keys to a Great Sales Team, Business Essentials Daily
Standing out. Defining the Fox. Being The ONLY One, Remarkable People

Your Mistakes Could Win You Business, Business Essentials Daily
Differentiation. Why? Why now? Ian Selbie Sales Pro
Being Memorable with Dazzling Customer Service, Business Essentials Daily
What’s Wrong With Blue Ocean Strategy? Business Essentials Daily
How to Build a Remarkable Personal Brand, Author to Authority
How to Stand Out, Spark The Genius

You Can’t Sell People on Ideas Alone, You Must Deliver Results, Time to Shine Today
Building a Unique One-of-a-Kind Business Strategy, Business Essentials Daily
Executing Bold Moves to Unlock Billion-Dollar Growth, The UNLOCKED Show
A Journey to A BILLION IN SALES, From Embers to Excellence
Roy Osing Helps People Cut Through The Noise, Life’s Essential Ingredients

Don’t run with the herd! Business Essentials Daily
How Being Different is the Real Path to Success, Hurricane H
Small Business Mobes for Unbelievable Growth and Success, Time to Thrive Show
How to be Audaciously Different, The KAJ Masterclass LIVE Podcast
Why Compliance Sucks, , Coaching in Session

I’m a guy who took a startup to A BILLION IN SALES, The 12|30 Podcast
Win In A Competitive World With Strategic Differentiation, CPA Marketing Genius
Roy Osing, The Original “How To” Guy, Online for Authors
How to Outperform Your Competition and Achieve Astonishing Growth, Biz Help for You
How I Took a Startup to a Billion in Sales, SalesPop!

The Contrarian Leader, The Introspective Manager
How to Use Books as a Strategic Tool to Standout, The Author Factor
How to Build Your ONLY Statement to Declare Your Uniqueness, Mind for Success
How to Build a Remarkable Personal Brand, Stuck in My Mind

Satisfy Cravings not Needs, Business Essentials Daily
Avoid the Price Trap, Business Essentials Daily
Breaking Through the Noise: Building a Winning Brand that Stands Out From Everybody Else, Curate Your Success
BE DiFFERENT or be dead, Deep Conversations with Dope Individuals

Hiring people Who Like People, Business Essentials Daily
Making Your First $1 Billion, Late Boomers
Debunking Leadership Myths, Business Essentials Daily
The Audacious Communications Skills I Learned as a Leader with Roy Osing, Publicly Speaking with Peter George
Breakaway from Boring! Be Different, Be Audacious, Straight Talk About Small Business Success
Avoid the CLAPTRAP and Move to the ONLY, Weekly Wins and Losses with James Heppner

Differentiating for Success, Success for Life
Creating an ONLY Statement to Differentiate Your Organization, Lubar Executive Education
How to Differentiate your Business and YOU, Terminal Value
Being an Audacious Leader is about Breaking away NOT Pivoting, Leading to Fulfillment
How’s That for Marketing, Leadership Powered by Common Sense

To Have a Successful Career, It’s Important to be YOU, Pursuit of Relentless
It’s Not Complicated. Look Here For the Roy’s Simple Stuff That Works, Business That Matters
Don’t be #1… be the ONLY ONE, Business Essentials Daily
Behind the Numbers is a Different Leader that ‘Lights Fires in People , Behind the Numbers
Be Audacious with Roy Osing, Straight Talk No Sugar Added

Be Audacious and Different, OR Be Dead, InnovaBuzz
Roy Osing’s Leadership Rules for being Audaciously Different, Zoe Routh on Leadership
How to Break Out, Be Different and Make an Audacious Impact, Evolution of Brand
Here’s What Sales Must Do To Succeed In 2022, The Confessions of a Sales Pro
Be Different or be dead Leadership, Tech Pro Unicorn

The ONLY way to Build a Great Business, Hive with Us
From a Startup to a BILLION, Science of CX
Audacity or Death, Fire in the Belly
If Your Sales isn’t Different, it’s dead (or soon will be), The Business of Sales
Going Boldly is about Being DiFFERENT, Russ the Big Guy
Audacious Leadership - Why it’s Absolutely Critical to your Organization’s Success, Lubar Executive Education

Why Innovation Needs You Need to be an Audacious Leader, Mind the Innovation
Roy’s Unheard-of Ways to Achieve A BILLION IN SALES, Aim to Win
How to be Different and Audacious, Leadership is Changing
An Audaciously Different Brand Story, BrandAPeel: Brand Storytelling in a Digital Age
To Live Your Best Life, Live Label Free (But BE DiFFERENT), Label Free Podcast

Cheers,
Roy

Order your copy of ‘Audacious’ NOW at:

Amazon
Google Books
Barnes and Noble
Indigo.chapters.ca
Books-A-Million
Indie Bookstore
Bookshop.org

• Posted 10.11.20 at 06:23 am by Roy Osing
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October 3, 2020

How personalized marketing can boost e-commerce sales to astonishing levels

How personalized marketing can boost e-commerce sales to astonishing levels.

If you are not using personalized marketing for your business or company, you are definitely losing out in sales and revenue.

Offering a great customer experience through eCommerce is not enough; you need to devise ways to drive in more traffic to your platform which will help you stand out among your competitors in today’s competitive and challenging consumer market.

One of the ways through which you can achieve both increased customer satisfaction and drive more traffic to your site is through personalized marketing.

What Is personalized marketing?

Personalized marketing or one-to-one marketing is a strategy through which businesses deliver individualized content to clients. The content is based on the client’s personal data, past searches, history of purchase, location and interests.

The content varies depending on the services or products that a business is offering. However, the most basic content includes discounts, tips, topical articles, and product or service offers.

Why is personalized marketing important?

Despite personalized marketing being a huge eCommerce sales boost, few companies are using it. Most companies tend to concentrate on building a secure eCommerce platform, forgetting that this alone cannot help them achieve their desired goals.

Personalized marketing has these specific benefits which go well beyond simply having an efficient eCommerce platform.

— First, it saves customers time. Under normal circumstances, whenever they visit an online site, they receive numerous ads, videos and articles, most of which are irrelevant. But personalized content only feeds them relevant value-adding content.

— Second, it increases the time a prospective customer spends on your site. If customers find useful information on your platform, they are likely to spend more time there and they are more likely to end up making a purchase. Furthermore, an increase in onsite time reduces bounce rates, which is beneficial to your SEO.

— Last but not least, it increases your eCommerce sales. Valuable content brings about more customer satisfaction and enhances brand building. Satisfied customers are likely to come back for more purchases and also refer others to your site which, in turn further increases your sales.

How to create personalized content

Creating personalized content requires you to collect specific data regarding your clients. Such data include name, contact, email address, location, viewed products, purchases and wish lists. Ensure that you inform the clients that you are collecting their data and how you intend to use it. Additionally, make sure that you get a go-ahead from them.

How to use personalized marketing to boost sales?

Here’s a few suggestions on how to implement a personalized strategy in your business.

    ▪️ Banners for new clients — Your site’s first impression is crucial for any new user. Ensure that you have a welcoming shopping theme to attract more clients. A small welcome gesture such as a discount goes a long way in attracting new customers. A banner containing a welcome discount for new customers prompts them to register and purchase products from your site.

    ▪️ Personalize pages based on search history — Once a customer registers in your site, ensure that you track their search or browsing history. This search history offers a basis for the products you will display at their pages upon their next visit to your site. The personalized lised page display saves customers time since the platform already knows the products they want.

    ▪️ Retarget your clients and offer them personalized ads — Retargeting is made possible through pixel codes, which sets a cookie in your client’s browser. If a client visits your site and leaves without making a purchase, you can follow them to their next browsing sessions. Here, your ad pops up based on their browsing history and captures their attention. This retargeting technique helps turn potential clients into actual buyers.
 
    ▪️ Display recently viewed items — Showing recently viewed items reminds customers of their interests. You can create a wish list on your site, allowing customers to save their most preferred items. Based on the items in the wish list, you can send clients coupons or emails if any of those products have an offer.

    ▪️ Personalized emails — Emails are the most personal form of online contact. Sending personalized emails aims at informing customers when a product they had shown interest in has a discount. Ensure that you include the client’s name in the subject of the email to capture their attention.

Conclusion

To derive the most from your personalized marketing techniques, you need to keep up with digital marketing trends such as social media marketing and SEO.

Personalized marketing is a useful competitive tool in the world market today. If you are not sure about applying personalized marketing strategies, the tips mentioned above will significantly guide you. Implement them today to give your business a new twist, boost your eCommerce sales and remain different from your competitors.

— Monica Lee is a passionate writer and content creator. Her interests include outdoor activities, fitness, technology, entrepreneurship and everything in between. Say hi to Monica on Twitter @monical_lee.

• Posted 10.3.20 at 04:00 am by Roy Osing
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September 19, 2020

How amazing results can be achieved from email marketing by using video

How amazing results can be achieved from email marketing by using video.

Connecting with your customers where they are in compelling, memorable ways has always been at the heart of great marketing.

Moreover, finding thoughtful and engaging forms of messaging puts you one step ahead again.

Right now with budgets shrinking and significantly fewer opportunities to connect with your market face to face, you need to get savvy to make an impact. To do this, it’s essential to understand more about human behaviour and then connect the dots to hit the mark.

What marketing could work right now?

One thing we know without question is that people are spending seemingly exponential amounts of time watching video online: the projection for 2020 is 84 minutes per day.

While people are normally watching online video out of habit and preference, due to the pandemic it’s also their only truly safe gateway to the world outside their own four walls.

One interesting data point that’s emerged in line with this is an upswing in qualitative email engagement.

While we know that customers are now more likely to engage with a brand on digital first, it’s the shuttering of businesses and the shift to remote work, study and life that’s made a difference.

In line with the beginning of regional lockdowns, Forbes reported on Iterable research from March-April 2020 that recorded email open-rates and click-throughs jumping up by 21% and 14% respectively.

Furthermore, the data also recorded an 8.5% increase in purchases from emails for the same period.

So now truly is not only the best time to amp up your customer emails, it’s also essential that they have a highly engaging call to action. In this uncertain market and based on trends in customer preferences, that absolutely means video! The beauty of it is that it can be as simple or complex as you like.

To help you get started with sharing videos in your marketing emails — regardless of your game whether you’re a small business, start-up, or solopreneur — this infographic outlines everything you need to know.

As Bethany Stechanfeld accurately says, “Especially as the world is shifting towards remote, online video provides a human-to-human lifeline for marketers to engage customers, show value, and drive more business online.”

In their infographic below ‘Video In Email Marketing’, One Productions explains more about the no-brainer of inspiring, connecting, informing, and helping your customers with video.

— Tom Hopkins is the Managing Director of One Productions, a video production company based in Dublin, Ireland

• Posted 9.19.20 at 06:41 am by Roy Osing
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