Fuel Net

Get answers to your most pressing marketing questions in fuelNet Monthly, your one-stop resource for effective communications strategies that result in secure, long-lasting customer relationships.. Learn more...

In a recent article, the New York Times described how the chief executive of Kraft generated a high response to a survey by attaching a $1 bill. The tactic is based on the principle of reciprocity: I do something for you, you do something for me. Direct marketers have used it for decades — and it continues to work today.

But are there other incentives for getting a positive response to your brand-building efforts? Offering genuinely valuable information is one of the best ways to strengthen bonds with existing customers and reach out to new ones. Here are five strategic ways to do it:

1. White papers. Instead of an overt, aggressive sales pitch, a white paper is a low-key marketing piece that educates and informs your target audience. Companies use them for a variety of purposes, such as explaining new regulations, demonstrating a better way to accomplish something, describing new applications, products, and services, and so on. The tone is engaging and journalistic, with no hype. White papers can contain useful tips and how-to information that benefits and educates your audience. No industry standard exists for their length.

2. Case studies. Does your company have a success story that you’d love to tell the world about? Then a case study is ideal. Simply put, it’s a story of a particular challenge or problem that a customer faced, how he or she went about trying to solve it, the product or service ultimately decided on (yours!), how the solution was applied, and the results. Far from being dry or technical, a good case study has all the elements of a lively, entertaining narrative. And unlike white papers, case studies clearly identify and promote your company and your solution.

3. Articles. Placing an article in trade, industry, or professional publications gives you several advantages, and it positions you as an expert. Readers are more likely to trust editorial content over sales material and view it as unbiased. Articles keep your name in front of your target audience, and it is not uncommon for prospects to clip and save them for future reference. Articles have a long shelf life, too. You can reprint them cheaply and send them to your mailing list to keep your relationship fresh, post them on your Web site, distribute them at conferences and trade shows, and use them as bait pieces. Be warned, though: your target audience is looking for information that will help them. Turn the article into a plug for your company and you’ll never see your name on the byline again.

4. Company publication. This strategy takes article writing to a whole new level. A regularly scheduled publication gives you an ongoing opportunity to keep in touch with your target audience. You’ll have greater freedom to report on news directly connected with your business. But again, don’t turn it into a puff sheet for your services. Customers still look for information that makes a difference to them. Publications can be printed and sent through the mail or delivered electronically. If you offer a digital version, get permission by asking prospects and customers to opt in. It’s also a great way to collect email addresses. Establish a regular production schedule and stick to it.

5. Webinars, podcasts, and audio conferences. Your company can easily draw on its in-house expertise for lively, informative presentations. Your target audience will enjoy the convenience and cost-saving of participating from their own offices. Depending on the marketing objective, you can either charge for these events or offer them for free. If the former, you build exclusivity for the event. And, of course, early-bird discounts act as another incentive. Next to providing relevant useful content, promoting these events is key. Coordinate a multistage campaign, for two reasons: First, it gives you a reason to connect with your audience multiple times. It also builds momentum and interest by increasing the urgency as the event draws near.