WHAT IS ORGANIC OUTREACH EXACTLY AND WHAT DOES IT DO?
A combination of mostly online methods—think email newsletters and blogging, social media posts, free content, videos and podcasts, online reviews, testimonials and more—allow you to reach your target audience and to touch base consistently with them. This builds a number of positive outcomes.
1. Provides Relevant Information for Your Target Audience (TA)
As people read your blog and email newsletters or watch your videos, they receive pertinent information that helps them with whatever they need. Accessing this information is a benefit to them—you’ve helped them solve their problems. In the process, you have exhibited the features you offer through your business or organization. These features provide the benefits your customer needs.
2. Makes You Visible to Your Clients
By searching for what they need online, your clients find your business and what it offers. Organic online outreach means your TA can find you. Once they travel through your website or see you on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook, and find your information educational, entertaining or persuasive, your customers are more likely to revisit and follow what your business is doing. This means they are engaging with your business story.
3. Supports Your Business Brand
The rapport you develop with your clients or customers is based on the feelings your business generates for them. A good brand is relatable. If people connect to your brand’s values on a personal level, they feel an emotional tie to your business and its story.
4. Builds Trust Between Your Business and Ideal Client
If your outreach is consistent in its message and timing of delivery on top of being of value to the receiver, trust is built between you and your ideal client. Trust keeps your clients coming back and builds long-term loyalty.
5. Establishes Your Business or Organization as an Authority
Putting the work into providing free material of value to your TA, establishes your business as an authority in your field. You illustrate you know what you’re talking about. This leads to people seeking your business out and wanting to engage your services or buy your product.
6. Draws People to Your Sales Funnel/Services/Products
Following your business on a social media platform may lead your ideal client to downloading a freebie from your website that is linked to your email client list. Once your target audience feels an emotional connection to your business, they are more likely to engage your organization’s services or purchase a product.
Building Organic Outreach First Rather than Paid Advertising
By developing your outreach organically versus paying for it initially, you develop systematic and authentic methods of conveying information to your TA. This develops consistency around the ethos, brand and story of your business.
Deciding which platforms to use and how to remain on brand wherever you appear in your outreach, also tightens your own perception of your business. As you become more aware of the ethos of your business, your messaging sharpens.
Once you establish organic outreach over time and understand where your target audience hangs out, sponsored posts are far more effective. The established structure pushes the paid message far and wide.
What to Choose
Choose a combination of organic outreach methods to build your marketing platform. Begin with a couple and understand those before introducing others.
Repurposing material for different platforms is completely acceptable. Your clients may be on Twitter, but not on Instagram. A long blog can be shortened for Facebook or be used for website content.
Organic Outreach Choices:
Social Media WHAT DOES IT DO? Social media posts allow you to engage and get feedback directly from your customers, and build your brand and industry status.
Your social media content can include images, videos, infographics, text, etc. The trick is to remain consistent (in message, look and frequency) in posting and to follow up with people who respond.
The Big Three
Facebook—the statistics are staggering. Facebook captures 59% of the world’s social media users and over 2.7 billion people use the platform.
Twitter—192 million people hang out here
Instagram—over a billion users
Blogging
Writing entertaining blogs with pertinent information reinforces your status as an industry leader.
Email Newsletters
Newsletters are a more intimate and chatty way of staying in touch with clients than blogging. They keep people current with real time events and offerings.
Evergreen Content
Relevant information in blogs or how-to guides can remain fresh and useful for an indefinite amount of time.
Case Studies of Past Clients
Developing case studies of past work can entice future clients.
Testimonials
Testimonials are invaluable. Most people read reviews to check out a company, product or service.
Online Reviews
Online reviews are the new word of mouth, i.e., Google My Business Listing.
Course Education and Free Content
Downloadable work books or free forms can entice people to join your email list.
Videos
Many people prefer to hear and see their information rather than read it.
Podcasts
Perfect for someone doing the dishes, making dinner or driving, podcasts can stand alone or be part of other platforms.
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The personality, purpose, relationship and experience customers perceive when they think about your services or product should remain consistent no matter what platform you connect on.
The opportunity to reach and interact directly with your target audience is a beautiful thing. Start small and build with online outreach; it’s worth the hard work.
Written by Kimberley Hyatt
Spring Creative Inc. is an award-winning agency specializing in marketing, design, and digital services. We empower brands to communicate effectively and confidently. Based in Nelson, BC, Canada. Reach out to learn more!
If you need help with your brand or would like to learn more about our services Book a Meeting today. Fern Sabo Founder/CEO | Spring Creative Inc.
