Crafting Content and Connections: An Interview with Beau Bawab

Welcome to Marketer Interview, where we dive deep into the minds of top marketing professionals.

Today, we are pleased to introduce Beau Bawab, a seasoned Marketing Director and the creative force behind Beau B Content.

With a passion for content marketing, email marketing, and lead magnets, Beau is here to share his insights on crafting compelling stories, building authentic connections, and driving tangible results in the digital landscape.

Let’s explore the journey, strategies, and tools that have made Beau Bawab a leading figure in the marketing world.

Can you share your journey into the marketing field and how you discovered your passion for content marketing?

I got super lucky when I found my passion for content marketing.

My entry into content marketing was in College, where I was helping a local gym in my town create content for their social media profile. This was after a lengthy discussion of whether or not a billboard would be a worthwhile investment. With that one conversation, I found my love for content marketing.

I then went on to freelance writing. I helped write articles for a series of dental health clinics, a video game review blog, and a gym software company.

But through helping these businesses, I gained a passion for helping others develop content to elevate their business. Content marketing is one of the best ways to tell the story of your business, give it your personal touch, and drive value to your brand for years.

What motivated you to establish Beau B Content, and what core values drive your marketing approach?

Interestingly enough. Beau B Content actually started out as a newsletter first, the Beau B Content Corner. I was tired of seeing small business owners get burnt out by shady marketing agencies. So, I wanted to give them the tools and advice to take control of their marketing efforts.

However, I was motivated to start Beau B Content as an agency by a really good friend of mine who owns a Trivia and Entertainment Company, Trivia With Budds. We were just chatting about his business on the ride home from a concert, talking about marketing strategies, business moves, and what tools are best. But during that conversation, he told me that “this was super valuable information.” I also offered to help him with his Google Analytics, and from that moment on, I knew this was something I needed to make real. So Beau B Content was formed.

Through that conversation, I learned that I love helping small businesses discover new ways to market their business and educate them so that they can take the reins if they ever need to.

This is how I promote my business and others when I take them on as a client. Education comes first, and sales second. The more value you provide to leads and clients, the better your relationship will be.

In content marketing, what types of content have you found most effective in engaging and connecting with an audience?

I have found that blogs are a great way to engage your audience in a low-friction way. Articles can be a great way to motivate, educate, and inspire your audience. They come to your website looking for a solution to a problem. Being able to give them that solution is such a powerful way to engage with your audience on a 24/7 basis.

Email marketing remains a powerful tool in the digital landscape. Could you shed some light on your approach to crafting compelling email campaigns that deliver results?

Email marketing is where you can let your personality shine through. My approach is telling a story or anecdote that ties into the content you are trying to promote.

Additionally, providing education as well. The story makes you relatable. The education establishes your authority. Those, in conjunction with each other, will make people like and care about you and your business, so when it is time for a call to action or asking for a sale. They know they are buying from a person and not a nameless entity.

Lead magnets are essential for building email lists. What strategies do you employ to create irresistible lead magnets that captivate and convert visitors into subscribers?

Every business is built on solving a problem for a consumer. All lead magnets reflect that. Marriage counselors heal broken relationships. Mechanics repair cars. You get the picture.

Your lead magnet should solve a problem. It can highlight if a professional needs to tackle their issue or if they can DIY the solution. They might attempt to solve the problem themselves, but they likely won’t be able to, which is precisely when they will come to you asking for advice.

My favorite lead magnets include quizzes, guides, checklists, eBooks, and worksheets. Even if you can’t think of lead magnets for your business I am positive that there is one out there. Start with a simple FAQ Guide if you’re having trouble.

Can you share a specific success story or campaign you’re particularly proud of, and what key lessons did you learn from it?

One of my proudest achievements was creating an out-of-the-box lead magnet for the trivia company I mentioned.

They wanted to refresh their website with a new look and add more engaging content. A random team name generator would add much value to the audience. It solved a problem for many people struggling to come up with a creative team name.

I initially thought of finding a white-label provider and paying to use theirs. I wasn’t able to find one. So, I ended up learning how to code one myself. It took hours, but I was happy with the result.

Sure, I could have told him that “we can’t do it” and moved on. But I didn’t want to go that route. My biggest takeaway is that you’d be surprised how much you can accomplish when you don’t give up and think outside the box, which will set you apart from the competition.

In the ever-evolving world of marketing, staying updated is crucial. What resources, such as blogs, books, or industry publications, do you recommend for marketers who want to stay ahead of the curve?

I am a massive fan of JuiceHQ, which has many helpful marketing resources and a newsletter. Additionally, I am an avid reader of Social Media Today for all your social media needs. I also am a huge fan of Tommy Clark of Tclarkmedia and Kevin Graham, both active posters on Twitter/X.

Marketing tools and software are pivotal in today’s marketing landscape. What are your favorite tools and software to enhance your marketing efforts?

Without GetResponse for email marketing, landing pages, and funnel building, I would be nowhere. I house all of my lead magnets on there as well.

For making my lead magnet quizzes, I use Involve-me, a really intuitive lead magnet generator. I mainly recommend this topic because of all the CRM integrations it has.

I also use Vista Social to schedule and promote my social media content. Vista Social also has a neat feature for social listening and reputation management.

Building authentic connections with the audience is a critical theme in your mission. Could you elaborate on how businesses can achieve this authenticity in their marketing efforts?

One thing I notice is that businesses confuse authenticity with relatability. Relating to your customers can damage your authenticity if it feels forced. Stay true to your brand, show that you care about your customers, and don’t paint yourself as something you aren’t or don’t plan to be.

As a marketer, how do you approach measuring the effectiveness of your content and email campaigns? What key performance indicators (KPIs) do you focus on?

I measure engagement time and bounce rate as KPIs for my content. The more engaged your traffic is, the more likely they will move on to the next step in the journey. I measure this with Google Analytics for my blog content. Video and Podcast content: I use the platform’s built-in analytics.

The KPIs I focus on for emails are click-through-through rate (CTR) and Reply Rate. I use CTR because it shows how well the content of the email is performing. It shows me if that content resonated with that audience and if the call to action was something to use again.

Reply Rate is essential for seeing how often your audience engages with your emails. A low reply rate can mean people don’t feel your content is authentic. They may even feel like they are in an automated sequence. Now, I don’t mean tracking people saying, “Take me off your list”. But tracking the people who say, “Wow, thanks, this was helpful.” These people either already love you or WILL love you soon.

What’s on the horizon for Beau B Content, and what’s your vision for the future of content marketing? Are there any exciting projects or strategies you’d like to share with our audience?

I’ve had my nose to the grindstone for a while. Between working with new clients, developing their content, and managing my content, I am excited about all the new projects and opportunities.

My vision for the future of content marketing is to help more business owners shape their content into a valuable and revenue-generating income stream. I also started recording my podcast, which has been fun but challenging for an introvert like myself.