There are still too many chest-thumping pieces out there being labeled “content.” Which they aren’t.
Some will argue that all sales efforts are just varieties of content. They’re wrong. There is a clear distinction between sales copy and content (marketing).
Content’s purpose is to share one’s knowledge and insight freely with the audience you wish to attract to you. It’s done without salesmanship in it. It’s been done for decades by companies wanting to establish themselves as an expert resource in their field. It’s a way to establish “thought leadership,” and to gain “share of mind.”
Copy’s purpose, on the other hand, is to tell your audience about your solution. Great copy talks first about WHY the solution matters to the prospect, how it will affect their life. Weaker copy talks ABOUT the solution and makes the prospect figure out why it matters. Copy wants to make a point to its reader about its product.
Content allows people to find you. Its voice is a whisper.
Copy says “hey people, here I am.” Its voice is a shout (or at least not a whisper).
The Overall Marketing Plan’s job (among others) is to set up ALL the marketing goals and strategies. Content being one tool, and copy another.
Please understand, I’m not suggesting that content should not be required to lead to sales. It does fuel sales. It just does so in a soft way. Over time. Content creates engagement. And you can measure the success of your engagement efforts over time. “Timeline Allowed for Effectiveness” is another differentiator between copy and content.
Done right, you can convert content’s engagement into sales leads. But it must be done gently, and with the acceptance that the lead stays on the “content reception list” unless they accept your offer to move them into a “selling mode.”
And you bring them to a “selling mode” through a well-designed lead nurturing series. You try to move the person from receiving only pure content, to content with a bit of copy on the side, to perhaps a more forthright straight copy/selling effort.
Let the prospect tell you how they wish to be approached.
Eventually the sales opportunity will occur.