This post corresponds to podcast Episode 4: Content Marketing with Joe Pulizzi, Founder of Junta42 which is included in our Core Program, and is accompanied by workbook and video tutorials that show you how to do this on your own.

In our last two posts we talked about market research and described the importance of getting actionable feedback. This time we’ll go a step further and figure out how to create a concrete message after you’ve done the proper research.

What’s your story? If I ask you to tell me about your company will you start talking about the products you make, the services you provide or the benefits that I would get from doing business with you?

Most business talk about their products and services.  They talk, and talk, and talk about features and benefits. Car commercials are great examples of this, especially when they announce all of the awards they’ve been winning.  We should care about that why, exactly? Most people care about their family’s safety, their budget and their environmental impact…not how many awards a certain company has won.

TIP: don’t be narcissistic. Messaging that’s about “Me, Me, ME” doesn’t work. When creating your company’s message, your conversation shouldn’t just be about you and your products.

Yes, that said conversation. A conversation is quite different from, and far more effective than a sales pitch. Conversations take into account the needs of your customer(s) and the ways in which you can become a trusted resource.

No matter what your business, you are a publisher. Before you start Tweeting, blogging or creating videos you need to create a message worth spreading! That’s why Junta 42’s FREE Content Marketing Playbook begins with the lead-in “STOP! Don’t go any further with social media until you think about your content strategy.”

Think of it as going to a party: have you ever been trapped by someone who can’t stop talking about himself? Did you ever want to face that person again? See my point?

To get really good at creating messages that matter you need to:

Match up your customers’ informational needs with your expertise (be relevant).

Find a niche that you can own and dominate.

Keep it up (be consistent).

Allow your compelling content to spread as much as possible, by making it readily available.

This isn’t rocket science, but there is definitely an art to it. If you need some help then you can outsource part or all of the process to an affiliate content marketing provider like Junta 42. Once you feel like you have your message straight, continue on and learn easy, cost-effective ways to design your Brand Identity.