Content Ideas Made Easy: Why it’s Good to Talk

By Sarah McInerney
| November 1st 2015

Sarah McInerney

Head of Content

Sarah has almost three decades of experience in crafting compelling, engaging content specifically designed to boost sales and enhance brand loyalty. She’s also an expert in developing unique tone of voice that helps brands connect with their audiences. Her marketing and client service background has given Sarah a natural understanding of how to write content that makes readers take action. Whether it’s signing up to a mailing list, making an enquiry or donation or clicking the buy button, Sarah knows precisely how to convert with words. Pen down, Sarah is a proud member of the Essex Wildlife Trust and spends most of her free time enjoying inspiring walks through her local woodland and nature reserves, admiring everything that flaps, flutters and flowers.

We all know the importance of delivering relevant, interesting content on a regular basis. However, in theory it can be a challenge coming up with content ideas that match these criteria.

If your job is to produce content for your company’s blog, website, or social platforms, then you’ll know only too well how tough it can be to keep a constant flow of fresh ideas going.

Your brief is to deliver content that your audience can relate to. Your aim is to inspire, to inform and to engage. And how better to do this than to talk about the very things your audience is actually expressing an interest in?

It’s good to talk, and even better to share. Within your organisation there are people who you need to get talking and sharing with on a regular basis. These people are your company’s customer service and sales personnel.

Within your organisation there are people who you need to get talking and sharing with on a regular basis.

Chat to Customer Service

Customer service is the ideal source for content ideas that will marry up directly with what your audience wants and needs to know. Think about it: on a daily basis they are liaising with customers; getting to know the issues they face; understanding their needs; learning what they’re interested in. Imagine the content you could draw from all this intelligence: advice pieces; frequently asked questions; how-to guides; insider tips. All of it geared towards what you know your audience is interested in, because you know it’s precisely what they are talking to customer service about.

Customer service is the ideal source for content ideas that will marry up directly with what your audience wants and needs to know.

Converse with Sales

And then there’s the sales department. How interesting the stories of how they came up with a solution to meet a customer’s specific need. How they overcame obstacles to deliver on time and within budget. How they designed a product or service around a specific requirement. Such stories make excellent case studies: an interesting read for a potential customer. Not to mention doubling up as sales tools.

Sales stories make excellent case studies: an interesting read for a potential customer.

Let the Conversation Begin!

As the appointed content creator in your organisation, keeping an open line of communication with customer service and sales is going to prove highly advantageous. Think of ways to make channelling ideas a breeze. You could set up a shared ideas document, an internal blog or an internal company wiki. It’s also a great way to make everyone feel valued: after all, internal marketing is just as important as external marketing!