According to the 2019 Salesforce State of Marketing Report, the most significant change in marketing has been customer expectations. “80% of customers now say the experience a company provides is as important as its products and services,” writes Jon Suarez Davis.
For most, the Internet is key to this experience. In fact, more than 6 out of 10 customers in the US say their “go-to channel for simple inquiries is a digital self-serve tool”, such as a website or app, according to the American Express 2017 Customer Service Barometer. And 69% of connected adults in the US “shop more with retailers that offer consistent customer service both online and offline,” according to Forresters 2018 Customer Service Trends Report.
It follows that customer service should be at the heart of your finance content strategy. How can you present your content in the most helpful, welcoming manner possible? By putting your customers’ goals, needs, pain points and questions before anything else, that’s how.
It follows that customer service should be at the heart of your finance content strategy.
AMP: “Here to help you achieve your goals” (Australia)
Leonardo da Vinci said, “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication”. And the content strategy of AMP, a bank based in Sydney, Australia, understands this perfectly. Like you, your customers are busy. When a burning question comes up, all they want is an answer that’s clear, accessible and reliable.
AMP’s website leads with its customers’ aims. The home page greets users with a friendly message, “We’re here to help you achieve your goals.” Three options follow – “I want to simplify my finances”, “I want to be debt free” and “I want to retire right” – each of which links to helpful content that cross-sells AMP products. Rather than having to navigate through irrelevant information, customers get exactly what they’re looking for, straight away.
U Account: Help Hub (UK)
U Account, a digital-only bank based in Sheffield, UK, serves content via its dedicated Help Hub. This online resource is packed with tips and advice – from ‘5 New Year’s resolutions you need to know’ to ‘How to stay safe on social media in 2019’.
Like AMP’s website, the hub invites users to information in line with their needs, via a drop down menu that delivers content in four handy categories: ‘Do more with your money’, ‘Staying safe online’, ‘Struggling financially’ and ‘Using your U account’. But, for customers who’d prefer a meandering journey, there’s the option of beginning at the home page, which presents content in chronological order.
Edward Jones: preparing for your future (US)
Edward Jones is a privately-owned investment company with more than seven million customers headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri. In keeping with the company’s purpose – helping people to prepare financially for the future – the content strategy is a tightly-curated collection, sorted according to goals, including ‘Paying for education’, ‘Prepare for the unexpected’ and ‘Planning your estate’.
Articles answer specific questions with detailed, organised information. For example, a blog post titled, ‘How much will college cost?’ features a useful graph that compares the costs of community college, public universities and private universities today, in 10 years and in 18 years.
Reshaping your finance content strategy to meet customers’ goals begins with thorough research, clear thinking and clever ideas. Are you ready to begin? Get in touch.
