Content Marketing: Be the Boss of Your Business’s Growth
Content Marketing: Be the Boss of Your Business’s Growth
“Getting an audience is hard. Sustaining an audience is hard. It demands a consistency of thought, of purpose, and of action over a long period of time.”
— Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen, famously known as “The Boss,” has been creating and performing for decades. His journey to success is a testament to consistency and perseverance. His first major success came in the mid-1970s, after more than a decade of effort, performing with different bands and as a solo artist. Springsteen’s career, which has spanned over 50 years, illustrates the importance of consistency of thought and purpose.
Consistency: The Key to Business Success
Business owners understand that consistency is critical to sustaining and growing their operations. Whether you’re running a restaurant, construction company, accounting firm, or a digital marketing agency, your success depends on consistent processes, procedures, and results.
When it comes to marketing, however, consistency often takes a backseat to more glamorous ideas like creating clever ads or catchy slogans. While these are important, the truth is that consistency in marketing—showing up regularly with valuable content—is the real key to long-term success.
Consider how major brands like Pepsi, Coca-Cola, Starbucks, and McDonald’s maintain their presence. These companies are ubiquitous—always top of mind because they consistently create and distribute content across multiple platforms. You may not have their marketing budget, but you can learn from their approach: stay consistent and engage with your audience regularly.
The Rule of 7: Marketing Like “The Boss”
Just like how Bruce Springsteen’s music has reached generations of listeners across decades and platforms, businesses can apply the "Rule of 7" in marketing. This rule suggests that a potential customer needs to see or hear your marketing message at least seven times before they take action and make a purchase.
Even if you don’t know where your potential customers are in their buying journey, providing consistent content that aligns with their interests will guide them toward becoming loyal customers. By regularly sharing content that is engaging, informative, or entertaining, you’ll build rapport and increase the likelihood of conversions.
What Is Content Marketing?
Content marketing is the creation and distribution of content designed to build relationships with your customers. Unlike direct advertising, which tells the consumer, “This is what we sell, you should buy it,” content marketing is indirect and more subtle.
Examples of direct advertising include:
Broadcast or radio commercials
Print advertisements
Email ad campaigns
Social media ads or pre-roll video ads
In contrast, indirect advertising through content marketing includes:
Blog posts or news articles
Social media engagement
Sponsorships and influencer marketing
Word-of-mouth referrals and online reviews
Content marketing focuses on social proof, allowing potential customers to learn about your business, see others using your products, and get educated or entertained in the process. This roundabout approach builds trust and interest in your business, leading to deeper engagement and, ultimately, sales.
How Content Marketing Drives Interactions Across Channels
In today’s world of unprecedented consumer choice, businesses must connect with their customers across various platforms and channels. Content marketing creates clusters of interactions that lead to a cumulative experience—no single interaction is more important than the overall journey.
From learning about a product to making a purchase, using the product, and resolving issues, the entire customer journey often happens digitally and in real time. This means your content must be accessible across all touchpoints, helping to guide your customers seamlessly through the process.
Why Content Marketing Is Central to Digital Strategy
As Scott Brinker from Search Engine Land says:
“Content marketing has become central to digital marketing strategy. Its objective is simple: create genuinely useful or entertaining content for many specific niches of your target audience—not to overly promote your business, but to build rapport and brand equity—and give it away for free.”
The goal of content marketing is to provide value to your audience, not through direct selling but by building brand equity and trust. By offering useful or entertaining content tailored to specific niches, you’ll establish a connection with your audience and position your brand as a trusted resource.
Conclusion: Be the Boss of Your Content Marketing
Just as Bruce Springsteen has consistently created and shared his music for decades, your business needs to consistently deliver valuable content to stay top of mind with your audience. Whether it’s blog posts, social media updates, or customer testimonials, content marketing allows you to build trust, nurture relationships, and guide your customers along their buying journey.
Consistency, strategic planning, and engaging content will set your business apart and help you grow, just like The Boss.
