Why I Don’t Like Ads (And What to Do Instead)
This may sound ironic coming from a marketer and a person who makes videos,
I don’t like ads.
Who really does?
We’re in an era where they’re always interrupting us from the stuff we’re actually trying to do. Especially when I go to J.Crew and have to fight through a barrage of pop-ups to get the chinos I was already planning on buying.
I’m not saying that you shouldn’t create ads. There’s certainly a time and a place where your business needs to make an announcement to the world. It just shouldn’t be the only type of media that you’re creating for your marketing.
Creating an Offer Ecosystem
Creating an offer ecosystem is a fantastic way to let people know about you, build a relationship with them, and move them from cold leads to warm leads. Your ecosystem should be built with pieces of content that scale from free to low cost upwards and relate to your core offer.
The idea is relatively simple. Instead of shouting at someone, you create pieces of content that give them something of value in exchange for their valuable time. I often feel like there are constantly businesses holding out their hands and asking me for my money, in the way of ads, before I even have any idea if I actually want what they’re selling.
Benefits of an Offer Ecosystem
The pieces of content you create for your offer ecosystem should vary in length and type, customized for the platform where they’re intended to be viewed. This has two benefits:
The varied length allows people to choose the amount of time they’re willing to invest in getting to know you. If it’s something they value, they’re likely to see what else you have to offer. This is how someone goes from a cold lead to a warm lead, or from a warm lead to a hot lead.
By creating and/or customizing content for specific platforms, you allow your audience to find you on their preferred platform or when they’re in the mood to consume that type of content. I, for one, like to read on a nice evening or listen to a podcast when I’m doing a big house clean. Note: you don’t need to make totally new content for each platform. It’s relatively efficient to repurpose and modify content. I wrote another blog post about it here.
Creating Value
Make sure that whatever you make offers real value. Treat each piece of content as a standalone gift. To ensure that your offer creates value, use your best ideas. Think of it as an audition. If you’re auditioning with your second or third best stuff, there’s no reason for people to think that you have anything better to offer. There’s as much information these days as there are ads, maybe more. In today’s world, the real differentiators are about the application and how you make people feel.
Case Study
To see this concept in action, I’m using one of my favorite businesses: The Art of Documentary.
They’re an online film academy that’s grown in four years to over 6,000 die-hard paying community members. Their core product consists of in-depth training modules, community engagement, exclusive industry insights, and the ability to get feedback on your specific problems.
Offer 1: YouTube
Most people find out about AOD through one of the founding members’ YouTube channel, Mark Bone. He gives the best advice on YouTube for filmmakers, all for free! Most of his videos are between 10 and 15 minutes in length. This is a free mid-tier investment.
Offer 2: Social Media
They’ll also take some of Mark’s YouTube videos and cut them down into reels for social media. Quick, great value for time investment.
Offer 3: Pdf
They also have other offerings that require a low level of investment in PDF form: watch lists to develop your taste, tool kits, questionnaires, etc. They also do free webinars and Instagram Lives. Some of them go for hours on end, but there’s no pressure to stay on the whole time. You get a great taste of the program and the option to choose your time investment level.
Offer 4: Podcasts They also have a few podcasts. Many people are watching or just listening to podcasts on YouTube. If you like, you can upload the audio-only version onto another more traditional platform. This is a high level of time investment, but you get the chance to be introduced by AOD’s other founding member and instructor, Michael Del Monte. With this investment, you really get a deep dive into some of AOD’s philosophies and a good idea of what it would be like to work with them.
Offer 5: Product Sample
When you go to AOD’s website, you can actually get a great 20-minute lesson from one of their modules for free! This is a high level of investment, but you gain a much deeper level of information. And it’s an actual product sample.
Anyone can Create an offering Eco-System
There are many more free or low-cost offerings that you can create. Any industry can create free or low-cost offerings. If there’s a problem or a need that you meet and you meet it in a unique way, that’s the basis for creating an offer ecosystem.
Conclusion
By providing content that ranges from free to low-cost, tailored to different platforms and user preferences, you can engage your audience more effectively. The Art of Documentary serves as a prime example of this approach, using a mix of YouTube videos, social media content, PDFs, webinars, and podcasts to attract and nurture their community.
Remember, the key is to offer real value and treat each piece of content as a standalone gift. Use your best ideas and ensure your content reflects your brand’s philosophy and expertise. Any industry can create an offer ecosystem by addressing unique problems or needs.