Beyond Sales Pitches: Making Community-Focused Content That Drives Business 💁🏼‍♀️

Read Time: 4 Minutes.

In a world where promotional content dominates the feed, should we be shifting to a community-focused approach? In my opinion, yes.

This week, I’m breaking down the importance of community content and how it can be more beneficial than constantly promoting your products or services 💁🏼‍♀️

By understanding the value of community-focused content, you’ll be able to harness the true power of video to build relationships, establish your expertise, and start generating enquiries that come straight to you, without actively selling.

So, let’s dive in!

Before We Begin 👀

Creating professional videos is tough, especially when you don’t know where to begin. So, I’ll be hosting a one-time-only video training workshop in London on the 17th of August 2023.

There are only six spaces left, so to secure your space head on over to my events page and be the first person to use the one-time-use discount code, ‘GLITCHED10’. Once it’s been used, it’s gone.

I’ll see you at the workshop!🙂

I’ll set the scene for you.

You’re flicking through your feed, and all you see left, right, and centre are promotional videos selling products, and adverts selling services. You’re questioning why you’re even on these platforms, and you’re considering deleting all of your social media platforms just to get some peace.

This happens more often than you’d imagine.

On the flip side, whilst promotional content serves as a powerful tool to advertise your products or services and generate leads, you may find yourself falling into the trap of focusing too much on selling and often alienating your audience because of your sales-hungry approach.

After all, do you really want your consumers to think about deleting social media because of your always-on promotional marketing? That wouldn’t be good for your bottom line…

The important thing is that you’re aware and that you’re looking to change your approach to something more successful and worthwhile. Here’s what I would be doing instead of promotional marketing ⚡️

Why Focus On Community?

When we prioritise community over pure promotion, we tap into a wealth of opportunities, and by creating content that resonates with our audience's needs, interests, and pain points, we establish a meaningful connection.

This connection serves as the foundation for long-lasting relationships that go beyond a singular transaction, and by nurturing these relationships, we increase customer loyalty and foster a sense of belonging, turning our customers into true advocates for our brand as well as regular, recurring customers that keep coming back for more.

Now that sounds like a plan, right? Well, if only it was that easy.

Building Community The Right Way.

With full transparency, a great community takes several years, if not a lifetime to build, and shouldn’t be seen as an overnight tick-box exercise. If that’s what you’re after, you’re reading the wrong newsletter!

Video, at least from my experience, has been one of the best ways to develop a predictably-scalable community over the course of many months, as long as you stay consistent with it.

Being genuine, providing insights, sharing tips, and inviting your audience to actively participate through comments, discussions, and collaborations, are all incredibly powerful ways to slowly build a tight-knit community. This interaction cultivates a support that not only advocates for your brand but also attracts new customers through word-of-mouth referrals.

If it were me building your strategy for community growth, I’d focus on establishing trust over everything else.

That’s because people trust individuals and companies they perceive as authentic and genuinely interested in their well-being. The beauty of community-focused content is that it allows you to showcase your expertise, address customer concerns, and provide valuable insights without focusing solely on sales pitches.

When you prioritise adding value to your community's lives, they develop a sense of trust in your brand, knowing that your intentions go beyond making a profit and getting a quick sell in the door and that you’re invested in them for the long run.

Here are a few quick takeaways to start implementing right away:

• #1: Start sharing advice and educational material that helps your customers make a more informed purchase decision.

• #2: Be fully transparent about the reality of your product or service, as results can often take more time to achieve than customers anticipate.

• #3: Encourage participation and collaboration from your audience, as this will help to strengthen their engagement and improve your likability.

• #4: Don’t focus on sales, focus on people. Building trust will always generate more sales than a quick promotional advert, at least from my own experience.

• #5: Don’t stop your promotional content, it’s still vital to closing new business. However, strike a balance and lean into a much more authentic content strategy with a touch of promotion within it.

The Truth About Sales.

Ironically, by focusing less on promoting your products or services directly, you’ll often generate more inbound business.

It’s funny how business works…

Community-focused content engages and attracts a wider audience, that way, when people find value in your content, they’ll be more likely to explore what you have to offer.

By creating a positive and enriching community experience, you naturally increase interest in your brand, drive organic traffic, and expand your customer base. Plus, satisfied community members are more likely to refer your brand to others, leading to valuable word-of-mouth marketing.

Look, I’m not saying to stop selling. There’s a time and a place for it.

But by nurturing strong relationships, building trust, and showcasing your expertise, you not only generate more inbound business but also foster a sense of belonging and collaboration within your community.

From my experience, there’s no price you can pay for such support and this can lead to bigger opportunities than just a quick sale. From speaking gigs, podcast invites, and the rest - building a community through your content is, in my opinion, worth every moment you invest in it.

In short: Shift to community-focused content. It builds trust, loyalty, and really works for generating new business. Engage, add value, and prioritise relationships over promotions.

Oh, and don’t forget…

Secure your space on my video workshop.

It’ll be the best investment you’ve made this year!

Until then, I’ll see you in next week’s newsletter!