Are you building customer loyalty with your blog? Does that sound like a big ask? I interviewed Christopher Brennan from Phorest Salon Software who is doing just that.
When Chris started working for Phorest Salon Software he was faking it. He didn’t know what shellac was and when he tried to share tips on manicures their customers, salon owners, mocked him.
He quickly learned that he wasn’t the expert in the services salons provided but he could use his marketing expertise to help them be successful.
Chris gives resources away for free, he doesn’t hide his freebies behind a lead gen form yet the blog still brings the company lots of leads. He calls it ‘by the way’ marketing.
Listen Below To Find Out How Chris Is Building Customer Loyalty On The Phorest Blog
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By The Way Marketing
[Tweet “”We have to provide something of value to the client, something useful.” – Chris Brennan, Phorest”]
Chris wants to show people how to do stuff. This is how he creates content that is vital to the reader. This gives the Phorest blog a purpose and turns it into a lead generation tool.
“I’m going to give you quality amazing content you can’t live without but ‘By the way’ we sell software too so give us a call.”
Although they give all their tips, images and marketing templates away for free the Phorest blog does have a lead generation form at the end of each post encouraging prospects to sign up for a free demo.
Chris asks a question or gives readers a task at the end of the post to see if they read to the end of the post. Sometimes he’ll ask people to message him on Facebook and they do.
Although the current lead gen system is working, Chris feels you have to keep changing it up. People will stop seeing something when they become familiar with it. Change your calls to action, adjust your email templates to keep attention and responses from your customers.
[Tweet “”Audiences will sniff it out if you feel you have an ulterior motive” – Chris Brennan, Phorest”]
Because the totally free content has worked so well Chris is looking at launching a new product. Premium content that will be sold to Salons on a usb key that salons will b able to purchase.
“Part of content marketing is inventing new ideas. You need to always be thinking of new ideas because readers will get bored if you stay still too long.”
Chis also runs the ‘Storybreakers’ podcast based on the same concept. I asked in Phorest might start podcasting soon and yes, it’s on the agenda. As Chris says, different audiences like different content. Some people will prefer video or audio content.
Biggest Blogging Challenges
I asked Chris what his biggest blogging challenge was. He sited past employment and working for people who didn’t understand what audiences want. Companies would change his work into sales posts. Luckily he’s found a good home at Phorest.
Tips
- Listen to your customers, find out what they want.
- Understand their problems and find out how you can help. Make life easier for them
- Connect with people on a personal level. Follow their Facebook pages, comment and react to their stuff. Acknowledge their achievements
- Look at the language you use. For some the term ‘Webinar’ would be a turn off. Chris has rebranded his webinars as ‘Masterclasses’ from the ‘Phorest Academy’.
- Make sure all your posts are good quality, if you don’t have time to create quality content wait until it’s ready.
- Be brave, try new things. You’ll get better.
This week’s blogging challenge is to:
Write a blog post, make a video or record a podcast that is 100% useful to your target market. Maybe you want to follow Chris’s example and give away some stuff for free, maybe you want to record a tutorial or perhaps you want to pass on some wisdom.
I’d love to see what you come up with so if you do create something leave me a link below or tweet me @spiderworking.
If you enjoy this podcast you can help me spread the word by giving me a review on iTunes or Stitcher. It’ll make me really happy and making me happy might make you happy too!
Dont’ forget my weekly Facebook Live show, every Friday on the spiderworking.com Facebook page at 4pm. I discuss marketing ideas and social media news.
Finally you’ll find me on snapchat talking about social media, small business stuff and having a bit of fun. I’m Spiderworking there too.
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