I have been hitting #CRE pretty hard lately and have taken some serious shots at #CRE media, brokers, startups, old people, young people, their egos and practices, the process of, the general state of, and so on and so on. And there has been some pushback, with that there have also been those that are happy that I “call out” #CRE for all of its pains and ills. I have understood since day one the way to win or influence an audience is to entertain, inform, and educate. It’s easy to see why that works, it’s generally what we all want. How hard is it really to come up with a Top 10 listicle post and push it out once a month? You see them all the time, Top 10 Ways To Improve, Top 10 Mind Blowing, Top 10 People, Top 10 Most, Top 10 Greatest. And for some even doing that is too much time and effort. If you’re feeling discouraged from posting because of the lack of engagement your posts get , check out Socialgreg and get ready to shine.
Then there are some and, not that many who actually do have the talent and skill to push something educational, informative, and relevant out to today’s #CRE world, and I applaud those people that can. It’s seen to be the more eloquent and or professional way to influence an audience. That ability to turn a phrase and use words beyond the norm, the understated academic slant that makes you sit back and wonder just how much smarter they are than you. The well-read, the media savvy, the opinion makers of our business, or any business for that matter.
To many others, the ability to create content is not anything they even think of. Marketing to them is still ballpoint pens with logos, a crisp business card in special embossed gold, and a mouse pad to emphasize the techy edge of their company. Content or the process of putting words and thoughts out to the world is not remotely worth their time. It’s all about sales, sales, sales! Or at the very least pushing that task if it’s even considered off to someone else. I can understand that, it’s not in everyone’s skill set.
For some, if not all of the #CRE media /content you are consuming has a form of journalistic standard, and by that I mean there are certain basics that you see everywhere. Again the Top 10 or Top 5 things you should or could or better do type articles. Then there are the ego articles that are basically a pitch by a representative of a CEO whose job it is to get PR for that person. They have everything outlined and ready to go with a specified point of emphasis that only that CEO has figured out. The product articles are easy to spot, as they detail the features of the product with quotes from someone in the company stating that they “listened” to a customer and that’s why they just had to release this 8.80 version.
And then there are what I consider THE WORST KIND. The ever thought out, Googled to death formatted articles. I get pitched these all the time and believe it or not have been asked to create them. It’s as if there is no reason to think a human has even attempted to write anything with a brain at all. I’m sure most of us think it might be going that way regardless. Let me show you an example.
First the title: It’s all about keywords and SEO. There is no other reason. That’s why those Top 10, Top 5 headlines do so well.
The next is the sentence structure and length. I have been told that you should have no more than 25 words per sentence. Why? Brevity and attention is the master of all.
The length of a paragraph should only have three sentences or less in it. Again brevity and attention.
To further enhance the article there must be at least one image for every 300 words. Why? Visuals sell.
The body of the article must have a clear introduction, flow, and a conclusion. Sticking to the formula and the basic formatting structure.
Include if possible as many sources and quotes as possible. The more credibility from others the more credibility.
The optimal word count is between 600-650 words. We all only have so much time and attention span!
Make sure there are as many links as possible and that those links open in a separate window, as to not direct readers away from the original article. SEO and then again SEO
Do not forget the use of Header Tags and Lead Management Opt-in forms. You must catch and capture!
To further simplify in steps:
Step 1. Headline: Grab Attention.
Step 2. Opening: Key Insight.
Step 3. Content: Key Insight.
Step 4. Content: Big Promise.
Step 5. Content: Connect Emotionally.
Step 6. Content: The Quote.
Step 7. Content: The Bigger Promise.
Step 8. Content: How To
Step 9. Content: Close or Call To Action.
That’s all it takes. 600-650 words within the nine steps above and you are the king/queen of all #CRE content. Do that once a week for a year and…what should happen? Well, by all accounts it should be $$$ and then more $$$ just flying in from that pipeline of captured leads. Does that actually happen for #CRE? No, no it does not and I will tell you why.
Because that formula does not work. You are not selling a mommy MLM program or a How To Get More clicks and leads PDF. You are selling a physical asset. To state it in basic terms it’s your opinion and point of view about those physical assets that matter. I think we have all come to that conclusion years and years ago.
What are you missing? Context. That’s what you are missing. The setting with which your content is set and the type of content you are creating. It’s in the wrong place! How is that possible? Easy, you are targeting your, as in your boring ass #CRE content for customers. At them, on your site. Not where they actually are. Let me explain.
If I were a hot up and coming broker who understood tech and was targeting emerging and growing tech companies to help them lease space who would be my first line of connection? VC’s, they know when these companies are growing and moving. Ok, that was the easy answer, back to my original point. Where would I direct my content? Simple, triathlons, yes exactly. Triathalons. Why? Every CEO, Co-founder, C-level person in almost every startup I have even been in contact with is outdoorsy as hell. They run, they bike, they swim, they climb., they get their ass outside as often as possible.
So, I would start a website with just Triathalon/outdoorsy type content. All it would do is educate, entertain, and inform those targeted people about all things outdoors. Oh, occasionally I would post something business related that just might let them know what I did for a living or better yet what my opinion or point of view about my business was. I might just make sure whatever content about the Triathlon/outdoorsy world they received came from me for FREE! Maybe I would “sponsor” or befriend an expert in that field and help them create content to that target audience. Possibly helping both parties and further enhancing each other’s position in the business world.
It’s just that easy!
There Are 9 Simple Steps To Great #CRE Content Marketing. What are You Missing?
Just all your potential customers!
You can do it the standard and templated way or…
You can do it The Duke Way.
The Duke Provides!
+1 Don’t be ahead of the curve…create it!