{"id":70006,"date":"2021-06-21T16:00:34","date_gmt":"2021-06-21T15:00:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.strattoncraig.com\/insight\/is-your-content-strategy-customer-obsessed-enough\/"},"modified":"2025-03-07T17:01:19","modified_gmt":"2025-03-07T17:01:19","slug":"is-your-content-strategy-customer-obsessed-enough","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.strattoncraig.com\/us\/insight\/is-your-content-strategy-customer-obsessed-enough\/","title":{"rendered":"Is your content strategy customer obsessed enough?"},"content":{"rendered":"

A customer-first approach is, at this point, something that should be a default of any effective marketing or sales strategy. Customer obsessed takes the idea of putting your customers at the heart of everything you do a step further. We can\u2019t take all the credit here – our inspo comes from \u2018Stressing customer obsession: a conversation with Sequoia Capital\u2019s Pieter Kemps\u2019<\/a>. But it got us thinking about the crucial role content<\/a> plays in this approach, which puts your customer on a pedestal, rather than just front of mind.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re looking to provide a seamless customer experience, carefully planned, exceptionally well-written content can be used to inform, inspire, trigger action and \u2026 well, we could be here all day. It\u2019s not just something B2C businesses should be thinking about either. Even if you\u2019re speaking to a corporate or professional audience, they\u2019re still people under those suits and ties. And everyone wants to be treated like they\u2019re a priority, don\u2019t they?<\/p>\n

A customer first vs customer obsessed content strategy<\/strong><\/h2>\n

At first glance, both approaches look pretty similar. But during the conversation, Kemps shared some insight into how organisations can go that step further.
\n\u201cSome think it\u2019s enough to have a chief customer officer or a chief innovation officer, while others opt for an innovation team. So you\u2019re saying innovation is the responsibility of this team, not my team, not me. But the reality is that the entire organisation is sales. The entire organisation is innovation. The entire organisation needs to work toward the customer.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

For example, a customer-first content strategy could mean that you\u2019ve identified your target audience and are creating content around topics that are relevant to them. Customer-obsessed means going a step further by analysing how people are engaging with your content. You could track key metrics, get a trusted outsider to regularly audit your content<\/a> and make sure agility is built into your strategy, so you can produce content that responds to news your audience is likely to care about.<\/p>\n

The benefits to your business<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Being customer obsessed doesn\u2019t just give your customers a better experience. It could also be a crucial part of driving better business outcomes. Removing the pound (or dollar, euro, yen) signs from your vision might seem counter-intuitive, but it could be the change of pace your company needs. Prioritising customers leads to easier acquisition, as you\u2019re showing them you care about more than just their money. It can also lead to higher retention, as the content you\u2019re producing is genuinely enjoyable for the right people, and cheaper advertising, as your audience shares content they find useful or interesting.<\/p>\n

What customer-obsessed comms look like<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Amazon calls its approach to championing customer experience \u2018walking backwards\u2019 \u2013 making a business case for new products by working out how they can add value to customers\u2019 lives. Here are just some of the ways you can become a little bit more obsessed with your customers (but not in a weird, GDPR-violating way).<\/p>\n

Pushing customer persona boundaries:<\/strong> It\u2019s not enough just to know what a day in your customers\u2019 life looks like. To make content that really stands out, you need to be obsessed with them. Find out what makes them smile, makes them cry, makes them spring into action and how your product\/service could make a real difference in their lives. This approach is especially important (and often neglected) in B2B; remember, there\u2019s always a human behind the job title you\u2019re targeting.<\/p>\n

Customer journey mapping: <\/strong>A study by Econsultancy found that just half of brands are actively engaged in customer journey mapping, with only a quarter of this group describing themselves as \u2018proficient\u2019. Yet of the companies that have applied it, 85% cite it as a key competitive advantage<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Consider the context: <\/strong>You have the chance to make your content even more engaging by considering its context. In some cases, it\u2019s obvious how your customer feels about what you\u2019re providing (hence why we don\u2019t see funeral directors confirming funeral plan purchases with \u2018yay, thanks for choosing to die with us\u2019). But most of the time, it\u2019s more nuanced. Sending a letter of acceptance about something like a mortgage or small business loan is exciting, but your customer will be receiving it at the start of a stressful, nerve-wracking and uncertain journey. Make sure you infuse the message of \u2018we\u2019re here to support you\u2019 into your congratulations to show you genuinely get it.<\/p>\n

Go beyond the buying: <\/strong>It\u2019s a bit like any good relationship. You need to continue to put the effort in even after you\u2019ve sealed the deal. Think about:<\/p>\n