Customer insight is imperative to develop relevant and engaging content. Features and benefits have very limited value to attract today’s internet savvy customers. Potential customers want to be educated before they enter the buying process with a company.

Does this mean the bottom line is that you need customers to be involved in talking to the media in order to get press? No! All you need is an understanding of what drives a customer’s buying decision and what keeps them happy as they use your product/service.

In order to provide the education new potential customers need to inform the buying decision, the team needs to identify what drives a customer’s decision. How can you do this? Ask yourself the following questions:

• What pain points, events and/or activities happening within the customer’s business that is prompting engagement with your company?
• What goals and objectives drive customers to hire you?
• What drives the decision to purchase your products/services?
• What is the goal that needs to be met to ensure customer satisfaction?
• What are the common characteristics of your most successful and satisfied customers?
• What are the common characteristics of the customers that are not happy or successful, and do you have an explanation for that?
• Why have potential customers chosen your competitor over you?

Once you have the answers to most or all of these questions, you can marry that information with your marketing strategy and PR pitches. Trust us, you’ll be much better off and the press will want to talk to you. This information, if shared properly, will establish you as a thought leader in your space and before you know it, the media will be coming to you as opposed to the other way around.