Category : Content Marketing

M3 Publishing > Content Marketing
17Aug
Two professionals having a thoughtful conversation, representing how a shift in exhibition conversations led to £17,000 in new businessHow Did Better Conversations Turn into £17,000 of New Business?
By In Connections Events, Content Marketing, Marketing Strategy

How Did Better Conversations Turn into £17,000 of New Business?

David Lomas, CEO of M3 Media Group, explains how one exhibitor changed the way she spoke to visitors on her stand, and discovered the value of getting the next conversation into the diary.

David, you often say that exhibition success is about conversations. What do you mean?

Companies spend considerable amounts of money exhibiting, but sometimes very little time thinking about the conversations their people are going to have once somebody arrives on the stand.

I saw a great example of this with a lady working in compliance. She knew her subject extremely well, but like many technically knowledgeable people, the temptation was to start explaining what she did.

I suggested something different.

Instead of telling visitors about compliance, start by asking them a carefully crafted ‘thought leadership question’ that makes them think about a specific issue in their own business.

The objective wasn’t to sell anything there and then. It was to have an interesting conversation in order to justify a follow-up meeting.

What happened?

She followed the approach remarkably closely.

Rather than overwhelming visitors with technical information, she showed more interest in their businesses and their challenges. She asked questions, listened and identified where her expertise might be relevant.

Then, when there was genuine interest, she referred to some independent published content we had created around the particular subject. This provided her with a very natural next step:

“I’ve recently been interviewed about exactly this issue. Let me send you the article. It might give you food for thought.”

But here’s the important part.

She didn’t simply collect an email address and promise to send something. As part of my instruction, she put the follow-up meeting in the diary, there and then.

Three particularly good conversations on the stand resulted in three follow-up appointments being booked for the following morning.

And did those conversations produce business?

Absolutely. Those conversations ultimately contributed to around £17,000 of new business.

That’s why I use this example when talking to exhibitors. It wasn’t about having a clever sales pitch. It was about changing the purpose and focus of your conversation.

The published article provided added credibility and a catalyst to help the prospect on their journey to you. The real breakthrough was using a relevant question to start the conversation, then securing permission to continue it.

What should manufacturers take from this?

I’d ask any manufacturer preparing for an exhibition two questions:

What three questions are your people going to have ready on what I refer to as their ‘Mindshelf’ when a prospect approaches the stand?

And, critically…

How many worthwhile follow-up conversations will be in the diary before your team leaves the exhibition?

Because perhaps the most useful measure of exhibition success isn’t how many business cards you’ve collected. It’s how many good follow-up meetings there are in your diary.

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3Apr
arrows-1915356_1280When Can a Proven Thought Leadership Strategy Also Impact Your Customer Conversions?
By In Content Marketing

When Can a Proven Thought Leadership Strategy Also Impact Your Customer Conversions?

In the realm of customer conversions, a proven thought leadership strategy holds immense potential to elevate your approach and enhance credibility. David Lomas, CEO of M3 Media Group, advocates for leveraging thought leadership articles as tools to not only add credibility but also provide valuable insights into one’s character and expertise.

“The strategic introduction of a published thought leadership article into a conversation can set the stage for meaningful interactions with prospects,” David underscored. By referencing an interview in a reputable publication, business owners can establish themselves as authorities in their field, earning the trust and respect of potential clients.

“This approach goes beyond traditional sales tactics—it’s about building rapport and establishing a foundation of trust.” – David Lomas, CEO of M3 Media Group

By sharing valuable content that addresses the prospect’s challenges, business owners can position themselves as trusted advisors rather than mere salespeople.

The impact of a proven thought leadership strategy extends beyond individual interactions—it influences the entire customer conversion process. From initial engagement to final decision-making, thought leadership plays a pivotal role in shaping perceptions and driving conversions.

In conclusion, a well-executed thought leadership strategy has the power to transform customer conversions by infusing interactions with credibility, authenticity, and value. By harnessing the influence of thought leadership, businesses can cultivate lasting relationships with their audience and drive sustainable growth.

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25Oct
nick-morrison-FHnnjk1Yj7Y-unsplashUnlocking Sales Success: The Power of Thought Leadership in Engaging Prospects
By In Content Marketing, Marketing Strategy

Unlocking Sales Success: The Power of Thought Leadership in Engaging Prospects

In the fast-paced world of modern business, making a lasting impression and capturing the attention of potential clients is a challenge that every company faces. The traditional ‘sales pitch’ is losing its effectiveness, as prospects are becoming more discerning and selective about who they engage with. To succeed in this competitive landscape, businesses need to explore innovative ways to stand out, add value, and establish credibility from the very first interaction. 

How do I stand out more?

This is where the “Profile Booster Package” offered by M3 Media Publishing really comes into play, revolutionising the way businesses engage with their prospects. At the heart of this strategy is the creation of insightful and compelling thought leadership articles. M3 Media Publishing’s approach involves interviewing business clients to gain a deep understanding of the challenges and pain points their customers experience. These interviews lead to the creation of three thought leadership headlines, which become the focal points of the subsequent articles. 

The choice of magazines for publication covers a broad spectrum, including Business, Property & Construction, HR, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Export, Marketing, Social Impact, and an Over 50’s lifestyle magazine, ensuring the right audience is reached. The impact of this approach is profound. By providing thought-provoking and solution-oriented content, businesses can not only demonstrate their expertise but also offer something of value to their prospects. Each article is meticulously crafted, with links to the client’s LinkedIn profile, website, and a corresponding case study, creating an internet funnel to measure response—an invaluable tool in modern marketing.

How can it grow my business?

The real magic, however, happens when these articles are strategically integrated into sales conversations. Instead of the traditional sales pitch, businesses can engage prospects by sharing their thought leadership content. This approach shifts the conversation from a ‘salesy’ interaction to a meaningful discussion about the challenges and solutions presented in the article. It provides a non-intrusive way to establish credibility and demonstrate value.
The result? Prospects are more receptive, as they appreciate the thought leadership offered by the business. They are more likely to exchange contact details and set up a subsequent consultative discussion. This approach not only increases the chances of conversion but also builds trust and fosters long-lasting client relationships.

In an era where authenticity, value, and credibility matter more than ever, M3 Media Publishing’s Profile Booster Package can be a game-changer for businesses seeking to elevate their sales success. It transforms initial discussions with prospects, making them more engaging, insightful, and effective, while removing the traditional sales pitch from the equation. By offering valuable content and expertise upfront, businesses not only stand out but also win the trust of potential clients—a winning strategy for today’s competitive market.

To find out more, please get in touch by emailing david@m3publishing.co.uk.

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29May
PR strategyCould Strategic PR Bring You Bragging Rights?
By In Content Marketing

Could Strategic PR Bring You Bragging Rights?

How much is the traditional view of British reticence true when it comes to businesses and entrepreneurs?

For SMEs, PR can be an essential tool in how they market themselves, but not everyone is comfortable with the idea of singing their own praises.

Also, this can have its pitfalls, if a business chooses the wrong channels for the tone of voice its PR is adopting.

For example, the business-is-personal aspects of LinkedIn can make it a minefield for companies seeking to spread the news about their achievements.

What, then, are the best ways for businesses to send out positive PR messages about themselves and what they have accomplished?

Where is the Value?

For PR to work there has to be substance behind it, and a buy-in for the channels you are using.

What will make someone want to publish your story, or a journalist to use your PR as the basis for a piece about you?

As with other aspects of marketing, the content needs to work for its intended audience.

Talking up your achievements can only work if, ultimately, there is something of value  there for the reader to take away

Also, what is the value of your PR to the publication, website, channel, or to the individual journalist?

They are looking for strong content to attract their audience, just as you are looking for ways to promote your brand.

Build Your Credibility

Credibility attracts and sells.

Media coverage is a means of promoting yourself as an expert and your brand as the answer to people’s needs.

Sharing your expertise boosts your profile but, more importantly, appeals to your audience

However, credibility is not easy to establish, especially through digital channels.

Nowadays, everyone appears to be an expert, from the lone blogger upwards.

You may feel you have bragging rights due to your achievements but this comes back to having something of substance to say: you must demonstrate your value.

Case studies can fulfil this need. Presented in the right way and they can combine documentary evidence with potent storytelling. Be sure to include figures to back up the facts.

Written testimonials make a powerful case for credibility, and video testimonials even more so. You can leverage these further by writing the testimonial for your clients, and asking them to take ownership of it on your behalf.

The Third Party Endorsement

If you are clever and strategic about your PR, you can have others talk about you, rather than doing the talking yourself.

Someone commenting about your brand, or highlighting your views through a credible, recognised third party channel, can add to your authority significantly

Smart PR is not about you doing the shouting, but someone else doing it on your behalf. You still retain your bragging rights, but you are exercising them in a strategic way to help market your brand.

To achieve your bragging rights, through our credible, third party channel, please contact us.

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2May
content marketing humans robotsContent: Are You Writing for Humans or Robots?
By In Content Marketing

Content: Are You Writing for Humans or Robots?

Do you consider this a strange question?  It is not really, if you understand how the internet works.

When writing content, it is vital that you communicate with ‘people’ rather than ‘search engines’.

Over the last decade or so, Google has steadily been improving the way they respond to and, in turn, value well-written, natural content

We have come a long way from heavily-keyworded content, that did not make any sense whatsoever. These articles were written, in many cases, to accommodate the requests of the search engines.

We can still spot content that has been written “for SEO purposes” but they are sometimes uninspiring.

Grammatically, they may be well written, and contain the relevant keywords and phrases that will attract the search engines. But from a customer’s perspective, they are as dull as dishwater.

Who cares? you may ask. Well as website owners, we all should…

How Valuable is Engaging Content?

Next to unique & relevant content, Google also measures your website’s ‘popularity’.

We recently spoke to a business that was paying an agency for over 20 articles each month, to be published on their website.

On the face of it, this is partly what the search engines wanted to see. But when we looked at how many of these articles were actually being viewed and shared, the results were very disappointing.

From a count of say 50 articles, only half a dozen of them had actually been shared on social media and none of them more than twice.

When you realise that one of Google’s methods of measuring the popularity or ‘value’ of a website is in the number of times others share their content, this is a content strategy that is having a negative influence on their rankings.

Again, the content was informatively written, and served its SEO purpose but, frankly, it was dull.

So, if you are going to get your content written by others, ensure that they aim it at humans and not just at the internet spiders.

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