Spotted Wombat

Ebooks. You've heard about them, seen them and probably downloaded them.

So, what's so great about an ebook?

You can quickly, visually and inexpensively establish thought-leadership with an ebook that provides relevant information on the toughest challenges your customers face.
By answering your customer’s questions before they think to ask – by understanding problems and the issues your customers’ face from their perspective (not your own) – you build trust. Trust = engagement; engagement = business.

A free ebook sets you up as an expert leader in your field, as well as being a wonderful incentive to entice your prospects to engage with you.
If you are providing useful, relevant information to your customers, they will automatically think of you when they need particular services. By providing information, I don’t mean telling them how wonderful you are, or how fabulous your new premises are. I mean relevant information that solves a customers problem, answers a question or makes their life easier for them.

Ebooks are easy to pass along from one prospect to another, giving you potentially infinite reach.
A free ebook, with valuable information is always welcome. Yes, your competitors may download your ebook and use it for their own game. Bully for them. It has YOUR branding and YOUR business will be the one to benefit. Would you trust someone who nicked someone else’s ebook?

Finally, obey the golden rule and provide relevant and useful information, true to the concept of content marketing. Resist from broadcasting how fabulous you are – rather focus on helping your customer.

Forrester research discovered that 90 % of purchasing decisions begin online (2007). This means that before you realise that a client exists - they know a lot about your business. The TOC principle (Trust, Opportunity, Content) is an ideal way for all business owners to attract sales and build credibility in their industry.

The TOC Principle

Trust

Content marketing builds a high level of trust and encourages sales for only a small financial outlay. However, your content must be useful and provide relevant information. Buyers know the difference between information and a sales pitch. The key is to give your customers content that will help, inform and encourage them to trust you as THE expert in your industry. More on how to build trust here.

Opportunity

You can seize this opportunity and educate potential buyers about your industry, by providing valuable and relevant content. If you provide answers to your prospective clients' questions before they ask, you immediately portray expertise in your field.

Content

Content marketing such as blogs, newsletters, email marketing messages, articles, ebooks and compelling web content will go a long way in ensuring that you are seen as the master of your trade. See if a blog is right for you here.
 
Why not give content marketing a go? It's much cheaper than traditional marketing campaigns and, in our opinion, far more powerful.

Spotted Wombat is a Brisbane copywriting and web design studio specialising in copywriting services for websites, blogs, brochures, newsletters, advertorials, articles and social networking sites.

Brandkarma is a feedback website, which, according to founder Craig Davis, was launched to "help everyone make better brand choices and influence brand behaviour for good". 

Most websites will have glowing customer testomionials. Why? Because no company is going to publish any negative feedback about themselves... Read more >>

A whopping 78% of 26,000 people surveyed* said that amongst all advertising, customer recommendations were the most credible in making purchasing decisions. The bottom line is that customers need to trust businesses and businesses need customers to trust them. Read more >>

Let's get back to basics. You need customers. Wouldn't it be nice to get to know them a little, too? Content marketing allows you to form relationships where you are seen as a TRUSTED expert in your industry. Read more >>