Making human connections on digital devices is what we do at WhatcomTalk.
We are seeing you serve our community in creative, inspiring, and tenatious ways. Thank you.
If turning personal contact into digital outreach is a new chore for you, we’ve been offering how-tos and infrastructure tips and tools.
If you’re finding yourself at a loss for words, this next part of the series is for you.
Copywriting and marketing veteran Amy Guerra shares tools from her many years of experience with some bite-sized tasks to try.
Please stay safe. –The WhatcomTalk Team
P.S. Learn how to reach Whatcom County with our help here.
Today’s Topic: Make Connections, Not “Content”
Do you remember when business communication stopped being simply called a “newsletter,” or a “product description?”
I’m pretty sure it was about the time we all learned we’d need at least 80% more communication materials to do business. Being in business now involves so much writing and publishing.
Thanks to all the (wonderful) new ways to connect virtually with customers, conversation subtly became a chore and communications became “content.”
Now you’re tasked with “generating content.”
That sounds like something that would come out of a pasta maker.
Unfortunately, most companies approach it as such:
- one part how great we are
- one part stuff coming down the pike
- five parts our brand name over and over
What comes out is as appealing as a limp noodle (I’m gluten-intolerant).
But wait, there’s good news. Content is simply you having a conversation with your customers. You love doing that.
You wouldn’t start a conversation that went:You: I’m wonderful
You: I have new stuff coming out
You: me, me, me, me, me . . . would you? Of course you wouldn’t.
So, stop making content—start making connections. I promise it will be more fun.
If you want to build amazing interactions with a digital audience, you need to establish things you have in common, become their advocate, solve their problems, hit their heartstrings—and really mean it. Just like you do when you talk to your customers in person.
In this email series I’m going to touch on some tools to use.
Your task for today:
Look at your current content, pretend you’re saying it in person, and ask yourself how it could have been a conversation?
Hint: start with your customer, not your product.
– Amy Guerra, MBA
Business Development, WhatcomTalk
We Can Help
Send press releases to submit@whatcomtalk.com, we will happily consider publishing.
Post for free on our Business Info Hub & Calendar tool to share your COVID-related updates on essential services.
Subscribe to our Trending Stories emails to read inspiring stories about your community.
Learn from our Marketing Insights page, or learn how to reach Whatcom county with our help here.
Reach out to our Business Development & Storytelling Pro, you may not have budget to advertise, but we want to hear how you’re doing and are happy to chat about your short- and long-term strategies.
