At the recent Content2Convert Conference in NYC, Aldath Albee of Marketing Interactions presented a 10 step content marketing program. I wish to thank my good friend Arthur Germain of The Communication Strategy Group for taking copious notes.
This list of ten things is a quick guideline to a good content marketing program and I’m using to gain CEO support with a current client of Find New Customers - a software firm in Stamford, CT. It’s elegant in its simplicity. Thanks Ardath. I also added comments on each step from me, the President of Find New Customers.
Hope you find it helpful.
- Gain C-level Buy-in
Getting support for this program is ongoing and important - Pick a Priority
Whom will we target? I recommend we start small and focus where we have the best chance of success. - Assess Your Database
Spend some time going over your database to ensure the information is correct. Marketing is about sending the right content to the right person at the right time. This depends on accurate data. - Build Buyer Insight (personas)
Interview customer to learn key insights. Use the 5 Rings of Insight at www.buyerpersona.com (I had the pleasure of interview Adele Revella of The Buyer Persona Institute for Mad Marketing TV.) Don’t assume you know what they think. (This is a common mistake - thinking you know what buyers actually think.) - Revisit Your Childhood (ask questions, wonder)
Keep it simple and ask lots of questions. What are their issues? What questions might they have? Kids ask lots of questions. - Design Your Content Flow
Look at the customer buying process and decide how your content should map to this. - Conduct a Content Flow Audit
Content needs to move buyers through a buying process. Lay out the process and find the gaps. - Assess Capabilities & Resources
The content audit reveals gaps. Some content is old and tired. Some is poorly designed. Some is missing. We need to re-purpose, reuse and create. What can be done in-house and what should be outsourced? (Check out the nice folks at Avitage.) - Create an Editorial Calendar
Publishing should be an ongoing function. Create a calendar to ensure we publish on regular basis. - Set Appropriate Expectations
Make sure you have enough time to deliver results. If the sales cycle is 9 months, don’t do a 3 month program. It takes time to get everything going. Make sure you set the right expectations.
Please note that our new marketing show, Marketing Made Simple TV, launches in a couple of weeks. In addition, we invite you to check out Find New Customers new SCORE Demand Generation program.
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