Marketing Advice: Content marketing that works

Jun 30, 2025 | Industry Advice

As visual and industry as sign making is, it lends itself to social media posts, and as Colin Sinclair McDermott explains, it is key to get your content online and into customers’ inboxes. In this column, The Online Printing Coach explains how content marketing can expand your business.

Colin Sinclair McDermott

Colin Sinclair McDermott

Content marketing is a buzzword that gets thrown about a lot; however, in my experience, many businesses in our industry still aren’t sure what it actually means (or if it’s even worth their time). Spoiler alert: It is. When done well, content marketing becomes one of your most powerful tools for attracting leads, winning more work, and turning casual browsers into long-term clients. And the best part, you don’t need to become a full-time content creator to make it work.

Let’s break it down.

What is content marketing?

Content marketing isn’t just posting attractive signage jobs you’ve completed on LinkedIn and hoping someone clicks ‘like’, it’s a long-term strategy built around creating and sharing valuable content that speaks to your ideal customers at every stage of their journey—from first discovering you to reordering signage for the third time this year.

It’s about being useful, not salesy; helpful, not too hypey. Think educational blogs, behind-the-scenes videos, real customer stories, and FAQs that solve actual problems. When you show up consistently with content that helps, you earn trust, and trust leads to sales.

Why it matters for signage companies

Today’s buyers are doing their homework before they even think about calling you. 70% of the buying decision is already made before they speak to a supplier. That means your content is doing the heavy lifting of selling—whether or not you’re aware of it.

A signage company that regularly shares tips on planning a successful retail refit or showcases how they helped a school roll out a full wayfinding system is going to stand out far more than the one just posting promo offers every other week. Content builds trust, trust builds authority, and authority wins business.

The five jobs your content should be doing

Every single piece of content you create—whether it’s a quick post, a blog, or a client case study – should be ticking at least one of these boxes:

  1. Educate – help your audience make better decisions.
  2. Engage – get them thinking or talking.
  3. Inspire – show what’s possible with your help.
  4. Convert – make it easy to take the next step.
  5. Retain – Keep existing clients coming back for more.

Not every piece will do all five—and that’s okay. The key is to be intentional.

What should be posted?

Content marketing. Push your products on social media

Creating content for social media

Start with what I call your big three content themes—repeatable topics that your ideal customers care about. For signage businesses, that might be:

Signage as a marketing tool – show how signs drive traffic, increase dwell time, or boost event ROI.

Customer wins – highlight successful projects with before-and-afters, quotes, or a short video walkthrough.

Workflow advice – educate buyers on artwork setup, materials, installation tips, or lead times.

You don’t need to post daily. A simple rhythm works: one solid blog or video each month, two to three social media posts per week, and a regular newsletter to keep your name in their inbox.

Tools, tips and staying sane

The secret to sticking with content marketing is systems. Start with one ‘pillar’ piece—like a case study or how-to blog—and repurpose it:

  • Pull out five social posts
  • Record a 60-second video
  • Turn it into an email
  • Create a quick PDF download

Use templates, content calendars, and batch your creation days. Tools like Canva, Notion, Buffer, or Loom are your new best mates.

If you remember one thing, let it be this: Content marketing is about helping, not selling. When you position yourself as an advisor—someone who adds value before asking for anything in return—you become more than just another signage supplier. You become a partner.

So, pick your big three themes, commit to one great piece of content this month, and get started. Keep it simple, keep it consistent, and watch what happens.

In a crowded marketplace, content isn’t noise—it’s your megaphone.

 

SHARE: