You Need Both of These Skill Sets to Keep Your Audience Coming Back for More

When I’m not performing my typical duties as Rainmaker Digital’s Marketing Technologist, I’m cooking up a storm in my kitchen.

Amidst the rhythmic chopping of fresh produce, the clashing of pots and pans, and the roar of boiling water, I realized that my two roles have a lot in common.

They both require a balance of technique and artistry — a balance that is also an important factor when creating content, because when you strike it, you produce experiences that your audience craves.

First, master your technique

A chef needs to have a variety of knife skills and perfect every type of cut, from julienne to paysanne.

Have you ever seen a restaurant kitchen? There are so many different tools, and a chef’s success depends on his ability to correctly use each and every one of them — from the “big gunsâ€? like grills and ovens to often-overlooked accessories like peelers and skimmers.

Just like a chef, a content marketer has a variety of tools at his disposal that help him build an audience.

A fast, secure, mobile-friendly website is more than just a platform for publishing content. It’s a place you want your prospects to easily find and enjoy visiting, so building your site also requires a mastery of SEO and design.

Once your community starts growing, email marketing software allows you to nurture prospects. It’s a tool that connects you to the people you serve.

And if you host webinars, you need to have a handle on the tools that help you give seamless presentations to your attendees.

Next, craft your art

When I put on my (figurative) chef’s hat, I always strive to make my meals as creative as possible, especially with plate presentation. Crafting a perfect plate takes a fair amount of planning.

A good chef makes sure the plate isn’t too heavily weighted on one side or overcrowded in general. Instead, he uses as few elements as possible to complete a winning dish.

It could be viewed as effective content that gets to the point.

But focused content isn’t boring. The best meals have a delicious fusion of flavors.

Your content marketing strategy is an opportunity for you to meet prospects where they are and guide them where they want to go — all while using your creativity to get them to know, like, and trust you.

The result is a positive, lasting impression

Let’s think about balancing technique and artistry in terms of eating a meal.

Would you rather eat a delicious entrée that looks awful on a plate, a disgusting dish that looks exquisite, or one that is both presentable and tasty?

Of course, the presentable and tasty meal is the one that leaves a positive, lasting impression in your mind.

So when it comes to your content … if you only master technical tools but don’t have a creative toolbox, you’ll find yourself struggling to attract an audience. On the flip side, if all you bring to the table is your inventiveness, you might not have the right foundations set to turn those audience members into customers.

A complete content marketing package is both technical and artistic.