Podcast 13: How to Effectively Use Content Marketing to Grow Your Business with Marcus Sheridan

Marcus Sheridan is an entrepreneur that truly understands content marketing.

He was able to take his pool business from the brink of the financial abyss to strong profitability primarily through the use of online content marketing.

I absolutely love the story that Marcus has to share, and it was a pleasure to interview him for today’s episode of my podcast.

To get the full picture, you really need to listen to the podcast; plus you get a better grasp of the fun personality that Marcus has.  It was all I could do to keep myself from busting out laughing during a few parts…

Content Marketing Advice

However, here’s a brief synopsis:

Marcus started out as a partner in a small swimming pool business.  However, for a number of reasons, the company started to go downhill after a while.  At this point, Marcus knew he needed to do something differently and started learning about content marketing.  He decided to give it his FULL attention and produce lots of great content on their company website: Riverpoolsandspas.com .

It wasn’t overnight, but the website started generated more traffic and a lot more interest in their business.  By focusing on the questions customers ask for content (this is critical), he was able to rank well for lots of long tail keywords in Google.  This free traffic, began converting into paying customers.

Fast forward a couple of years and their pool business was thriving all because they started marketing their business with content online.

Now Marcus focuses the majority of his time teaching others how to use content and inbound marketing in their business.  His blog for this business is at: TheSalesLion.com . I highly recommend that you check out his site and download his free content marketing ebook.  Warning, its over 200 pages long!

Because of his experience with his own pool business and now his blog, Marcus consults other businesses on how to have an effective content and inbound marketing strategy.

Items Discussed in the Podcast

Here’s are some of the items we discussed in the podcast:

• The importance of writing about questions that real customers ask
• Dumb down your content marketing
• (Listen for this funny little nugget): “The secret sauce is really just Thousand Island Dressing!”
• An argument Marcus had with the Head of Social Media at Ford.
• The typical buyer had read 105 pages of content on their pool website before buying!
• The #1 Mistake of bloggers/businesses is poor page titles.  His advice here is EXCELLENT!
• Why you shouldn’t use “witty” blog titles if you have less than 1000 readers.
• How affiliate marketers can still do well with proper content marketing

Overall, I picked up some great advice that I can take and apply directly to my own blog right away.  Anyone with a blog or any type of business presence on the web should listen to this.

Fun fact: Marcus mentioned serving a 2 year mission for his church in Chile.  I also served a 2 year mission for the same church in Alberta, Canada! Crazy, eh?

This message of content marketing resonates well with me, because its essentially the way that I was able to quit my own job.  In addition, in my last podcast with my cousin Jon Haws, he explained how he is using almost these same tactics to give his landscaping business a big boost.

Content marketing works.

If you want to follow along with Marcus, here’s where you can find him:

• His blog: TheSalesLion.com
• Free Content Marketing ebook
• Mad Marketing Podcast on iTunes
• Follow Marcus on Twitter: @thesaleslion

Listen to the Podcast Interview Here

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