May I posit the idea that if you make sure that your product is king that the content will follow.
If the product isn't right our customers will certainly start to talk about it. And after all it's the content that the consumer produces, not that which we push out to the marketplace that holds most value.
We are all talking about digital marketing strategies, search marketing, content marketing, dynamic pricing. In my case I'm running around talking about automated marketing. But let's not forget the all important product. In it's greatest sense the product is closely linked with the customer experience. The two become intertwined in a way that is hard to decouple. Product surely is King!
Take two experiences in the last 24 hours. The first to one of a well known chain of restaurants. A reasonably pricey place, with a big brand and personality attached. The product should be brilliant - yes? Well maybe not. Personally I was happy with the food and the experience. My gripe was more to do with paying £3.50 for a drink that was 80% ice. But then I check out Tripadvisor, as I'm interested in what others think. I am not surprised to find first page comments of "not great,", "disappointing", "nothing special" "chaotic" all on the first page of reviews. Much of this was down to the product - lukewarm pasta, bits of shell in the risotto and my personal favourite "the rabbit had seen a few birthdays"! Now how much can your content marketing strategy compete with such compelling customer feedback?
Wind forward one day and I'm in We R Cakes, a beautiful little tea shop run by Sarah. she clearly cares enormously about her product.
When I ask her story Sarah tells me of times when she took her Gran out to tea and always thought that it should be so much better. So here she is now, making sure that people get the service and food that she thought her Nan deserved. To be honest, I think the Ritz would find it hard to compete with the quality of the white chocolate covered strawberries, traditional British scones, peanut butter and chocolate fancies, bakewell tarts and mini-cupcakes with violet decorations. And this was just the cake selection.
I take a look at Sarah's Facebook. Here I see almost unanimous 5 stars and the comments, oh the comments...
"" the sandwiches were super yummy, but the cakes....oh the cakes!!!!! super super amazing!!! will definitely be back!!"; "This has to be the best little tea room ever" and "I am in love with your cupcakes! The best I've ever had". In the first 30 reviews over half contain words connected with "love", closely followed by the "amazing", "beautiful" "great" "gorgeous" "beautiful".
Now there's a girl that knows the importance of product. And look how it translated into content. Content which she has not had to pay for, generated by her loyal and happy customers. And I think she might just have the hang of digital marketing - at least enough for me to find her on Google!
So go on, this week lift your head up and away from your content strategy for just long enough to take a little peak at your product.
Caroline is Marketing Director for