Creating Content for Supply Chain & Logistics
Supply chain and logistics, particularly shipping, are often viewed as archaic industries that haven’t moved a lot in the past few decades but their global significance is anything but dull.
Some of the biggest stories in technological advancements are about refining the ways products and services are delivered to consumers – the quicker the better. But the dynamism and innovation happening at the core of the industry is not always reflected in the comms of some of the country’s biggest logistics brands.
Audience
Similar to the comms strategy for any B2B company, the first thing to focus on is your audience, what can you create for them that is genuinely helpful and useful?
Depending on the size of your outfit your audience can be diverse, there are probably a few really heavy hitters and the rest of your books will be made up by SMEs. In the case of the former, ABM (account-based marketing) is probably your best suit but in the case of the latter, there’s a lot you can do to draw a new and eclectic clientele.
Strategy
Start with an annual plan and plot in dates you know smaller businesses will already have in their diaries. SMEs are far more likely to need your help so reward their ignorance by publishing how-to guides, top tip lists and ‘what to look out for’ content.
A perfect example would be a ‘How to Prepare for Chinese New Year’ post. This year the event falls on the 28th of January but if you work in logistics, you know the date is different every year, you also know how much of an impact the national holiday can have on any supply chain -this may not have occurred to, for example, a tech start-up in the UK and unbeknown to them, that shipment of memory boards for their newest client will be sitting in a container at Tianjin for the next week.
Creating preparatory content on events like Chinese New Year, Golden Week in October, the Christmas rush and even supply chain advice for a post-Brexit UK market can lead the way to your company’s voice becoming a trustworthy authority in your field.
Client’s Industries
Creating your annual content plan around the industries your clients are in is a shrewd approach as it means you are paying particular attention to specific sectors.
Really take the time to champion your clients and their industries, make your customers the face of your business, show them how you go the extra mile to help them navigate through the red tape and bureaucracy that too often enshrouds supply chain.
Timeliness
Use your social media platforms to create timely content for your audience. Using Twitter for example, to weigh-in on events that are relevant to your industry and may have an effect on your clients, in real-time is a powerful communications strategy.
Creating a live dialogue with your clients in times when they are unsure or are concerned for their own business gives them peace of mind as well as engraining trust, leading to return or retainer business.
Becoming a beacon of insight during uncertainty such as the recent collapse of Hanjin Shipping means clients are more likely to come to you for advice when a breaking news story hits in the future.