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Is Content Marketing Over-hyped?
Content Marketing, Revenue GrowthThis week, I was invited to speak at a Content Marketing Webinar with BrightTalk (https://www.brighttalk.com/webcast/21775 ) – Other than learning to turn off the mute button when speaking (gulp!) it was a good discussion. In preparing for the meeting, I was asked to consider best practices and thought I would offer a few from my perspective here.
Is Content Marketing over-hyped?
My answer is yes- but I think it is still critical to an effective online presence. By embracing some solid practices, content marketing is an effective and a critical component of a marketing strategy, sales strategy and revenue architecture.
Today businesses need to attract and engage audiences with content – the trick is to make sure you focus on relevance! There is a proliferation of content as businesses are scrambling for search visibility and placement and it is easy to get caught in the noise. This article may be hard to find through search unless I pack it with the right key words that are relevant to the searching audience. For broad topics like this, I recognize that the article may get a little lost among the noise – but at least I am engaged in the conversation and offering a perspective, perhaps maintaining a level of credibility. If a potential client is considering Revenue Architects, they will at least see that we are engaged in these important revenue architecture topics.
I advise my clients to really think long-tail and relevance if the content goal is visibility and awareness through search marketing. With so much content on the web, what can you add to the conversation? For Revenue Architects, we will start to write more about how integrated sales and marketing is applied in different industries we work with – these articles will increase relevance for our target segments.
What were these best practices we were talking about? Here are a few from our perspective:
1) Relevance – as just discussed, try to ADD to the conversation by bringing in new relevant content to your audience. Repeating and repurposing what is already out there is not “digital native” and also not helping differentiate.
2) Integrated Programs: Think about the mix. More digital video combined with blog posts, white papers and briefs. Webinars and video together? Connected into a trackable program with tools like Marketo or Eloqua and applying personalization.
3) Audience Aligned – obvious but we often forget. Are we writing for the CIO? CTO? CEO? VP of Sales?
4) Pipeline Aligned: What content works to generate interest? Educate? Facilitate decisions? Modular content will help your audience get just what they need and not be forced to navigate through your entire story.
5) Top-down: Use persuasive communications to drive your message forward.
6) Peanut Butter: Make your content sticky and spreadable: These are Amy Hunt’s words. Make your content sticky “I want to check this out” and spreadable “I want to share this with Jim”
7) More Free: We all think we have premium content and that we deserve your personal information in order to share our great insight. Increasingly your content will need to be more distinctive and value-add before you should expect to get people to register for it – or hand over extensive demographic information. Permission marketing suggests a value exchange – make sure you have one. Premium content should be valuable enough to collect profiling information from your audience – and the more relevant the questions are to the content, the better.
These are a few thoughts on content marketing, there are many more. What do you think? Good luck and good selling…
How to Avoid Digital Video Stage Fright!
Content Marketing, Revenue GrowthAs we develop digital videos for clients as part of integrated marketing campaigns, we often see nervous executives that are concerned that their Hollywood training may be inadequate and they might both embarrass themselves and the company with a poor acting performance on the corporate video.
Our message: Relax….
Today audiences are looking for authentic messages from companies and when the CEO speaks to us on video, we feel a greater connection to the company. The face of the company becomes more human. So rather than rely entirely on “Madison Avenue” advertisements, your strategy should include digital videos and conversations about your company, your brands and your offerings.
We need to walk the talk. I just won a Flip Video Camera at the MIT Sloan CIO Symposium (and I never win anything), so this must be a sign! Videos will come for Revenue Architects….soon. In the meantime, I am focusing on our clients and their vision to embrace digital video as part of a broader Revenue Architecture and integrated marketing campaign.
So, how do we ensure the executives are comfortable in front of the camera?
The answer is to forget the camera, trust the Creative Director…!
Some things to consider:
If you have an experienced creative director, relax, you are in good hands.
I will pretend to sell if you pretend to buy
Revenue Growth, Sales Excellence“I will pretend to sell if you pretend to buy” This is one of my favorite quotes from Sherwin Uretsky, one of our Revenue Architects advisors and one of the top revenue architects that I know!
What does it mean?
So many people engaged in sales imagine that they can win business after gaining access to a particular client – or after a warm meeting with a prospective client. But too often, they fail to really listen to their gut . They fail to perform the basic qualification that they need to do: BANT – Budget, Authority, Needs and Timeline. Or SCOTSMAN: Solution; Competition; Originality; Time Scales; Size; Money; Authority; Need.
They are kidding themselves… meeting after meeting of friendly banter with the client….pretending to sell, and the client pretending to buy.
When you see it, stop it. Ask yourself the question – what is the compelling event? What is the implementation date? What happens if the client doesn’t buy? There likely won’t be an answer and you will see that there likely is not an opportunity after all!
How a Consultant Can Use Twitter: Coffee with Nat
Revenue Growth, Social MediaI enjoyed a Harvard Square coffee visit at Peet’s the other day with Nat Welch, a consultant at CFAR: Center for Applied Research. I checked in on Foursquare of course 🙂
Nat and I used to work together at Viant and it is always good to catch up. Nat is already an expert in collaboration and in particular in helping people impact change in organizations. Naturally the conversation led to marketing digitally and using social media. I was giving Nat a few of my headline perspectives on why he might want to use Twitter to establish an online presence. There is a lot written about this already and for many of you this is “101”, but here are some of the points that I shared that I think might provide a summary framework for management consultants and business professionals on how to think about using Twitter vs. other tools like Facebook and LinkedIn.
Summary takeaways – for those of you getting started:
NAPFA Presentation for Financial Advisors
Revenue GrowthSpeaking with NAPFA at the Bentley University Campus
John Stone and Kristen Luke (via Skype from San Diego!) spent the morning with a group of financial advisors as part of their monthly program.
We discussed the landscape of new marketing including the key elements and concepts that drive the adoption on digital marketing strategies. We also took a tour of the “tools of the trade” and discussed ways that advisors are using social media today. Finally we discussed the call to action – how to get started with social media and new marketing. Our new program: Digital Marketing for Financial Advisors is launching this Spring and offers advisors an opportunity for hands on workshops to build their web presence – social media, content development and website strategy.
Read more
Doing Good and Doing Well
Inbound Marketing, Revenue GrowthBig national brands and their local affiliates can accelerate their charity impact AND drive brand value by using a network approach like good2gether.
Companies want to accelerate the impact of their charitable programs. The terrible news from Haiti is re-focusing us on getting involved and “doing good”. While pursuing charitable programs for all the right reasons, leading brands and small businesses are also asking the question: “How can we continue to accelerate our charitable impact while better communicating our positive activities with our target audience?” Bad press from the economic downturn and financial meltdown has had a negative impact on many corporate brands – particularly in the financial services industry. These brands would benefit from both accelerating their charitable impact and showing the world the good they do for important causes.
As we look at this challenge, we can see the obvious alignment with new marketing and social media – but obvious strategies may not be quite enough. We can accelerate our activities and get people involved using Facebook and Twitter, however as more and more brands use social media, it is difficult to get heard through the noise. This is one reason that I am so excited about the potential of using a compelling new networked solution for charitable impact: good2gether.
The good2gether Do Good Channel is a powerful way for brands to extend reach and awareness while also connecting their network of partners, affiliates and customers with local nonprofits that mean a lot to them. The networked approach lifts all boats – the brand, the affiliate networks, and the local charities. The good2gether ecosystem uses social media and web services sharing to extend the velocity and impact of the charitable mission while providing the big brand a powerful messaging opportunity. Partners and affiliates can also “do good” in their local community while being associated with a national brand’s program and benefiting from the halo effect of charitable giving. The local charity benefits from local sponsorships and focus – while being a part of a much bigger global network.
How does this all work? Here is a basic approach:
We are working with a few brands to explore the potential impact of the good2gether platform, along with Good2gether’s Greg McHale. You can find out more from Greg at www.good2gether.com and Contact Revenue Architects to learn more.