Easy as PIEE Content

A framework for creating content that makes your customers like you more

Picture this: you’re sat at home, drinking a coffee, and you’ve just decided to start a business.

You know what you’re going to sell, you know how it’s going to help people, and you know that those people need it.

So you start promoting it.

You post on social media about your new business. You go to networking events and tell everyone how amazing your business is. When you connect with people online, you immediately send them a message asking them to buy what you’re selling.

A few customers make a purchase.

Things are going well.

But you need more customers.

So, you keep pushing for sales.

More social media posts. More networking events. More promotional messages.

Sell, sell, sell.

And then people stop listening.

Your social posts get one or two likes. Referrals at networking events dry up. No one is replying to your messages.

New customers just aren’t arriving.

What’s gone wrong?

Let’s take a step back.

Here’s what went wrong…

When people start a business, most of them jump right into creating and selling their product or service. Even when businesses work with marketers, those marketers tend to focus on one thing: promotion.

That’s a mistake.

Nowadays, more than ever, we’ve all got more demands for our time, energy and attention. We’re more selective about what we engage with, and so brands have to work harder to build trust and genuine connections.

Which means that if you’re only focused on sales and self-promotion, you just won’t cut through the noise.

Instead, the way we build brands and the way we market them - through content, mainly - has to add value.

Content should make your customers like you. Content should be a way to:

  • share meaningful knowledge

  • provide new perspectives

  • inspire people to think differently

Since Bon Creative was founded in 2022, we’ve discovered that most businesses don’t think in this way. Whether it’s through choice, lack of understanding or desperation for sales, people just want to create content that primarily aims to sell. To promote.

But we can do better. And there’s simple framework to make sure we do.

Introducing, PIEE.

What is PIEE?

PIEE is a framework for creating value-driven content that builds your brand, wins audience trust and leads to more loyal customers over time.

It’s based on a pretty simple belief that all content primarily aims to do one of four things: Promote; Inspire; Educate; and Entertain.

That means every brand’s PIEE will look different. Some brands might have big Promotional and Entertaining slices, but small Inspirational and Educational slices. Some might find that their PIEE isn’t even sliced at all - it’s just a whole Promotional pie.

But, over time, as you create and share content that promotes, or inspires, or educates, or entertains, you’ll make an impact. What we all hope is that the impact you make is positive - for you, for your business, and for people and the planet.

That’s PIEE.

Split evenly, it looks like this:

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Why PIEE matters

PIEE matters for one reason - it helps brands create engaging, memorable content that keeps audiences coming back for more.

It’s a framework you can use to make sure you're not overwhelming your audience with promotional content, but instead offering a mix that keeps them interested, informed, and connected to your brand.

And PIEE is adjustable. It’s something that can be replicated multiple times within a business. Got a few different brand personalities? Multiple audiences? You can create a PIEE for each.

However many PIEEs you’re creating, take time to get the balance right and you’ll build a loyal base of customers who return time and again not just for the quality your business provides, but also for the value your content adds to their lives.

Let’s look at each slice of PIEE.

P for Promotional

Let’s start with P - promotional content.

This covers any content where your primary aim is to showcase what you offer - be it a product, a service or an idea.

It includes content such as:

  • direct promotion of products or services (including new features)

  • case studies

  • testimonials

You might also share promotional content that addresses any objections or concerns people have to what you sell, as a way to convince them otherwise.

The sustainable footwear company, Allbirds, addresses potential concerns about durability and comfort in a promotional but engaging way.

For most brands, promotional content is the biggest slice of their PIEE. It should be one of the smallest.

Why? People don’t like being sold to.

Instead, people want authentic content. Something that inspires, educates or entertains them. It’s why the other slices of PIEE are so important.

I for Inspirational

Next is I - inspirational content.

Inspirational content is motivating, encouraging or uplifting. It’s emotion-driven stories that resonate with your target audience, asking them to think bigger or see a new perspective. It’s content that covers:

  • stories of customer transformation

  • your brand’s big-picture purpose

  • shared values in action

Let’s take Patagonia as an example. It’s a brand that doesn’t just showcase its products; it highlights stories of environmental activism, sustainability, and community.

Focusing on its mission to protect the planet, Patagonia inspires customers to be part of a movement rather than simply a transaction.

Inspirational content makes your brand more than a business - it positions you as a leader, a motivator, and a relatable source of value for your audience.

When people feel connected to what you stand for, they’re more likely to remember you, trust you, and ultimately, choose you.

E for Educational

Next up is the first E – educational content.

Educational content is useful knowledge, insights, and skills your audience can actually use.

It’s value-driven by nature, and it helps you build trust and credibility with your audience. It can include:

  • debunking common myths or misconceptions

  • sharing lessons learned from mistakes

  • offering practical tips and advice

B Lab (the non-profit behind the B Corp certification) is great at educational content. The team there know that becoming a B Corp is a long and time-consuming process, so they educate businesses about what certain parts mean and why they’re important.

Whether you're breaking down industry jargon, addressing a common misunderstanding, or showing your audience how to solve a problem, educational content positions you as a helpful authority customers can trust.

The result? They’re more likely to remember your brand and come back for more.

E for Entertaining

Finally, the second E - entertaining content.

Want to capture attention? Entertain.

Make your audience smile or laugh and they’ll enjoy interacting with your brand. This final E typically isn’t as serious as the other content aims, but it can have a huge impact - it keeps your business top of mind and shows off a personality that people can relate to.

Some examples of entertaining content:

  • cultural and season content that covers events, holidays and milestones

  • interactive content such as quizzes, challenges and Q&As

  • viral or trending content

Lean into the right trend at the right time and you’ll create memorable, shareable content. During summer 2024, the ‘Gen Z Writes Marketing Script’ trend took off. Small, local brands like Fyfield Manor B&B, Ayrshire Blinds and the Royal Armouries Museum followed the format, reaching millions.

PIEE and Bon Creative

This PIEE wasn’t baked in a day - it’s been in the oven for years.

Over that time, we’ve not only applied it to our own content strategy, but also used it with clients. It means we’ve seen firsthand how a well-balanced PIEE can transform a brand’s relationship with its audience; building trust, authority and a deeper understanding of what the brand offers.

If your company only creates content with the aim of making a sale, don’t be surprised when people stop caring.

But if you take the time to deeply understand your target audience - their needs, pain points, habits, influences - and create value-driven content specifically for them, you might just find yourself with a loyal following.

Discover your brand’s PIEE

(Best opened on desktop - it’s not fun on mobile)

FAQs

  • Look at all the content you’ve shared online over the last 60-90 day period. Then, list the primary aim of each piece of content. Create your own PIEE chart based on those numbers to visualise your current split.

    If you’re not happy with how many people are reading or engaging with your content, plan future content with a different split of PIEE aims. Review this again after a few months to track any improvement.

  • There’s no one slice fits all solution to PIEE. A ratio that works for one brand probably won’t work for another, and even your own brand’s ratio might change over time, depending on business goals.

    As a starting point, try a PIEE content split ratio of:

    • 20% Promotional

    • 30% Inspirational

    • 40% Educational

    • 10% Entertaining

    That way, you’ve got a balanced split that adds value to your audience while still keeping your products or services in the spotlight. Adjust the ratio as you learn more about what your audience engages with.

  • This is all down to what feels doable for you and your brand.

    The first step is to plan your content ahead of time, ideally for at least a month, sharing two or more times each week. While planning this content, follow the PIEE ratio you’ve chosen.

    The key with content is consistency – it’s better to keep a steady pace that you can sustain than to overdo it and burn out.

  • PIEE is about showing you what each piece of content primarily aims to achieve. But that doesn’t mean content can’t have a secondary aim, too.

    A case study might primarily be promotional but can also be educational if you break down the ‘how’ behind the results. A customer story could be both inspirational and entertaining, especially if there’s a memorable narrative.

    Just make sure that the primary purpose is clear and that the content’s aim doesn’t confuse your audience.

  • Engagement metrics are your friend here. Keep an eye on likes, comments, shares, and saves for each post type. If your audience is heavily engaging with your educational posts but less so with inspirational content, you’ve got a signal to lean more into education.

    Qualitative feedback is also valuable – pay attention to direct messages, comments, and conversations that offer insight into what resonates. Over time, you’ll see patterns that reveal your audience’s preferences.

  • PIEE is designed to be flexible, so it can work for most businesses and industries. Whether you’re a B2B company focused on professional services or a B2C brand in retail, PIEE helps you think beyond sales, adding value through varied types of content. The key is to adjust your approach to suit your specific audience and goals.

    If your industry is more conservative, for instance, your ‘Entertain’ content might be more light-hearted insights or behind-the-scenes peeks rather than trending memes.

  • Success with PIEE comes down to a mix of quantitative and qualitative measures.

    Quantitatively, track engagement rates, follower growth, website traffic, and any lead or sales conversions linked to your content.

    Qualitatively, look at whether your audience is responding positively, sharing your content, and reaching out directly.

    Over time, finding your ideal PIEE split should help you build a loyal and engaged audience. Just don’t forget to review your content goals quarterly and make tweaks to your strategy where needed.