A complimentary content workshop for my readers — Kelford Labs Weekly

Can content actually get you clients?

Yes, but it must be the right content, delivered at the right time to the right audience.

So how do you determine that?

We do it by breaking content down into four categories, which we call Distances.

Remember: Marketing is the art and science of demonstrating value at a distance.

Which means we need to pay close attention to the particular distance across which we’re demonstrating that value and create and curate our content accordingly:

• When clients don’t even know who we are, but they have a need we can help them address, we consider them Far away from our business.
• When they’re aware of us, but haven’t yet chosen to work with us, they’re Close to us.
• When they’re in the sales process, negotiating a contract or kicking off a project, they’re right Here with us.
• Finally, once we’ve worked together, we’re Connected to each other.

Seen this way, there is no sales funnel, no top or bottom. There is no need or urge to “fill the funnel” or focus on “top of funnel activities.”

No, there are only prospects and clients and their particular Distance from us. And at each Distance, we are in control.

That’s the key here: When you see your content as operating at a distance, across time and space, it puts you back in the driver’s seat. It’s not about merely mass messaging as many people as possible and hoping some become clients by sheer dint of numbers.

It’s about selecting the prospects we want to reach and crafting messages that exert our own creativity and control over our process.

We call this process, and the tool we use implement it, the Marketing Rangefinder.

At each Distance, we ask you two questions:

Far:

• Where do your clients go (or where are they already) when they experience the first challenge (or opportunity) that makes them realize they need the type of value you offer?
• How can you meet them there with information about your overlapping values that makes it easy for them to get one step closer to your business?

Close:

• Where can you continue communicating to potential clients who are aware of you but haven’t chosen you yet?
• What insights can you provide in one of those channels that demonstrate the additional value you give your very best clients, because of the specific tradeoffs you’ve made?

Here:

• How do your clients assess the value they get from your work, and where do they most appreciate overdelivery on their expectations (or, alternatively, have no interest at all)?
• How can you demonstrate how curious you are about the experience of your best clients?

Connected:

• What are your mechanisms for tracking the progress of your clients and how much influence you’ve had on them?
• What content can you create that delivers even more focused value to your relationships of greatest influence?

Based on your answers to these questions, and the necessary follow-ups, we assemble your unique and effective Rangefinder. Think of it like a content brief, or template, that you can fill in to create unique and effective content for each Distance.

This is a tool we’ve used with our own clients over the past few years, and the results have been incredibly satisfying.

After following our process, one client said: “You turned content from ‘staring at a blank page’ to a ‘fill in the blanks’ exercise.”

Another client marvelled: “I can’t believe how fast content gets written now.”

But, most importantly, the comment we get the most is: “I finally know what to say.”

Look, the problem with creating marketing content is that it feels like it’s outside your control: You’re beholden to algorithms, audiences, and the pressure of following your peers and falling into FOMO.

But with the Marketing Rangefinder, you’re in control. You choose where to focus, and the Rangefinder shows you the way to always knowing what to say.

Because, at its heart, it’s an inquisitive and creative process, The Rangefinder will never give the same output to two different businesses. It’s about you and your value and your ideal clients. It’s not about what’s trending or about churning out AI slop.

Think about it this way:

There once was a time where you had a marketing challenge, but you didn’t know who I was or what Kelford Inc. was.

Then, you saw a piece of my content, perhaps on LinkedIn, or forwarded from a friend. And you took one step closer, and you signed up for this newsletter.

Now, I’d like to invite you to take one more step:

Later this year, we’re launching the Marketing Rangefinder as a workshop for communicators and their teams to learn what to say, at each Distance, to attract their ideal clients.

But, for now, I want to offer you a free “taster” session so we can get feedback before we formally launch.

If you’re a communicator (a consultant, advisor, or fellow marketer), just reply to this email (or reach out to labs@kelfordinc.com) and we’ll schedule your taster session, free of charge.

We’ll initially be limiting it to 5 companies, so please reply soon to secure your spot.

The Rangefinder works because it puts you in control of your content, not the funnel, and not FOMO.

I’d love to share it with you.

Reply to this email to tell me what you think, or ask any questions!

Kelford Inc. shows communicators the way to always knowing what to say.