Use the 3% Rule to Spot Content Gaps Before They Cost You Revenue

Content gaps don't just slow growth—they cost deals. Here's how to find them before you miss out.

Do you know the 3% rule?

It’s a popular statistic that only 3% of your audience is ready to buy.

I’ve heard it a 100 times (even if I couldn’t find the source of this stat this morning) maybe you have too.

It’s been floating around for years and smarter people than I write about it.

The 3% rule makes sense.

You know the difference between “ready to buy” customers and not yet customers.

The “ready” ones are open to conversations.

The not ready ones might be beginning their search for a solution…

…or, they might not even realize they have a problem yet.

The 3% rule is a good big-picture view.

When I do content audits, I look for those case studies and sales decks.

Then dig into your overall content balance.

Do you have a good mix of:

• Case studies

• Thought leadership for awareness

• Nurturing content that attracts and keeps attention

Here’s how that can work in practice.

For one of my consulting clients, we publish regularly in Hospitality.net and other industry publications. Those articles share his POV about his industry and opens the door to sales conversations.

This content is designed for two types of readers:

• The “not yet searching for a solution” group

• The “how can we solve this problem?” group

The articles name the common business problems this audience has positioning my client as an expert in his field.

And after three years, we’re up to three major industry publications.

It works.

For context: This company has a twenty years’ old reputation and is well-known in their sector. That foundation makes this approach even more effective.

When mapping their content plan, I use industry trends and expert POV to choose the topics and angles.

The MDT framework is helpful for choosing those angles:

• A Muddled Message confuses the “not yet searching” group.

• A Drop-Off Zone loses the “not urgent yet” buyers.

• A Trust Gap means the 3% won’t choose you even when they should.

You can use this lens to stress-test your own content.

Curious which gap is costing you the most? Resource coming your way soon. Drop “gap” below and I’ll make sure you receive it.

Related posts:
4 Common Reasons Content Doesn’t Convert

How to Market Yourself so It Sounds Like You (And Not Lose Yourself)

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Photo credit: Maney Digital