1. #B2BContentEvent
@ardath421
Starting from Scratch:
10 Steps to Launch
A Content Marketing Strategy
Ardath Albee, CEO
Marketing Interactions, Inc.
B B
Conference

2. #B2BContentEvent
@ardath421
Change

3. #B2BContentEvent
@ardath421
Progress
So1ware
w/
Pew
Research
Center
Stats

4. #B2BContentEvent
@ardath421
Progress
So1ware
w/
Pew
Research
Center
Stats

5. #B2BContentEvent
@ardath421
The
CMO
Reality
Marke&ng
departments
are
finding
themselves
under
increasing
pressure
to:
• jus&fy
their
spending,
• prove
the
effects
of
their
marke&ng
campaigns
• demonstrate
program
success…
or
risk
losing
their
budgets.”
–
Forbes
and
MarketShare
Partners

6. #B2BContentEvent
@ardath421
Step
1:
GAINING
C-­‐LEVEL
BUY-­‐IN

7. #B2BContentEvent
@ardath421
Meet
Bob
New
CMO
at
a
High
Tech
Company
that
used
to
be
the
market
leader
in
their
category.
Bob’s
mandate
from
the
CEO:
Turn
MarkeMng
into
a
Demand
GeneraMon
Engine
Why?
–
Company
objecMve
is
to
double
revenue
within
the
next
5
years.
Why
Content
MarkeMng?
–
The
only
way
Bob
can
see
to
get
that
big
of
a
result.
How?
–
Pilot
at
a
division
level.
The
division’s
markeMng
team
had
to
be
convinced.
ExecuMve
response:
Prove
it
works…FAST!

8. #B2BContentEvent
@ardath421
Meet
Diane
VP
MarkeMng
at
Global
Event
Company.
She
had
enough
buy-­‐in
to
conduct
a
content
markeMng
workshop
and
develop
strategy.
Now
the
CEO
wants
proof
the
investment
in
execuMng
the
strategy
will
payoff.
Mandate
from
ExecuMve
Team:
Prove
a
content
strategy
deserves
budget.
Diane’s
strategy:
Prepare
a
brief
and
presentaMon
that
showcases
research,
staMsMcs
and
examples
of
their
compeMMon’s
content
execuMon
and
growth
in
market
share.
Overlay
compeMtors’
results
to
her
company’s
KPIs
to
show
clear
impact
they’re
losing.
She’s
also
working
the
poliMcs
of
ge_ng
sales
on
her
side.

9. #B2BContentEvent
@ardath421
Meet
Simon
VP
of
Strategic
MarkeMng
at
a
Global
Services
Company.
His
company
had
always
been
the
obvious
choice.
Now
compeMMon
is
making
inroads
affecMng
market
share.
Mandate
from
ExecuMve
Team:
Expand
market
opportuniMes
and
build
awareness.
Simon
is
process
oriented.
He
needs
a
plan
–
a
framework
for
content
markeMng
to
make
sense.
He
is
not
a
“take
a
flyer”
kind
of
guy.
How
to
sell
content
markeMng
to
Simon?
Show
him
how
it
works
in
an
organized
way.
Provide
best
pracMces,
KPIs
and
forecast
what
content
markeMng
will
deliver.
Precision
and
simplicity
count
when
convincing
Simon.

10. #B2BContentEvent
@ardath421
Step
2:
PICK
A
PRIORITY

11. #B2BContentEvent
@ardath421
Pick
a
Project
• What
do
you
want
to
accomplish?
• Who
will
benefit?
• How
will
you
execute?
• What
can
you
measure?
• Over
what
length
of
Mme?

12. #B2BContentEvent
@ardath421
Step
3:
ASSESS
YOUR
DATABASE

13. #B2BContentEvent
@ardath421
What
do
you
have/know?
• How…
– Clean
is
it?
– Old
is
it?
– Warm
is
it?
– Can
we
segment
it?
– Many
prospects
can
we
reach?

14. #B2BContentEvent
@ardath421
Step
4:
BUILD
BUYER
INSIGHT

15. #B2BContentEvent
@ardath421
Create
Personas
ObjecMves
OrientaMon
Obstacles
• What
are
top
• Change
agents?
• What
could
prioriMes?
• Risk
averse?
derail
the
deal?
• In
their
words
• Use
social
• Lack
of
related
to
what
media?
consensus?
your
product
• LongMme
career
• Lack
of
budget
enables.
or
stepping
or
business
stone?
case?
• Level
of
• Shi1ing
authority?
prioriMes?
Such
as…

16. #B2BContentEvent
@ardath421
Step
5:
REVISIT
YOUR
CHILDHOOD

17. #B2BContentEvent
@ardath421

18. #B2BContentEvent
Buyer
Q&A
@ardath421
• I
need
to
do
X
in
order
to
get
Y.
– What
are
the
different
ways
I
can
do
X?
– How
much
of
Y
do
I
need?
– How
are
our
compeMtors
solving
X?
– What
compeMMve
advantages
could
we
gain
if
we
solve
X?
– Who
else
will
be
impacted
in
the
company
if
we
solve
X?
– How
will
I
convince
them
that
Y
is
worth
the
effort
to
change
the
status
quo?

19. #B2BContentEvent
@ardath421
• QuesMon
• QuesMon
• QuesMon
Touch
• Answer
Touch
• Answer
Touch
• Answer
1
• CTA
2
• CTA
n
• CTA
Step
6:
DESIGN
YOUR
CONTENT
FLOW

20. #B2BContentEvent
@ardath421
Organize
Your
QuesMons

21. #B2BContentEvent
@ardath421
Web
Blog
Video
Sales
White
Webinars
Collateral
Papers
Slideshare
Infographics
ETC
Step
7:
CONDUCT
A
CONTENT
AUDIT

22. #B2BContentEvent
@ardath421
What
to
Learn
For
ApplicaFon
For
Use
• QuesMon
Answered
• As-­‐Is
• Buying
Stage
• Refresh
• Persona
• Repurpose
• Product/SoluMon
• ReMre
• MarkeMng
Program
• Age/Publish
Date
(Lead
Gen,
Nurturing)
• LocaMon
(URL)

23. #B2BContentEvent
@ardath421
Step
8:
CAPABILITIES
&
RESOURCES

24. #B2BContentEvent
@ardath421
Must
Be
Sustainable
Do
the
Math:
• Content
Development
3
Personas
X
12
Touches
– In-­‐house
=
36
Content
Assets
for
an
– Outsourced
annual
nurturing
program…
• ExecuMon
Plus
36
to
72
emails,
depending
on
your
program
structure
– MarkeMng
Team
Add
in
quarterly
webinars,
– IT
Queue
conferences,
white
papers,
website
updates,
blog
posts,
etc.
– External
Vendor

25. #B2BContentEvent
@ardath421
Step
9:
CREATE
AN
EDITORIAL
CALENDAR

26. #B2BContentEvent
@ardath421
Editorial
Calendar
Dates
Assigned
Persona
Topic
Buying
Type
ExecuFon
To:
Stage
5/1/12
Sally
P.
LOB
3
Ways
to
Early
ArMcle
Email
+
Landing
Manager
Get
X
Page
5/7/12
Tom
S.
Customer
Why
your
Early
Blog
Post
Email
+
Blog
Service
customers
Post
+
SoMe
want
X
5/20/12
Sally
P.
LOB
State
of
X
in
Early
Report
Email
+
Landing
Manager
Financial
Page,
Form
+
Services
PDF
An
Editorial
Calendar
is
Your
ExecuMon
Plan.
•
Chronological
Order
•
Include
every
markeMng
acMvity
to
get
an
overall
view
of
frequency,
markeMng
mix
and
Mmelines.

27. #B2BContentEvent
@ardath421
Sales
Momentum
Engagement
Step
10:
SET
APPROPRIATE
EXPECTATIONS

28. #B2BContentEvent
@ardath421
10
Steps
to
Develop
Your
Content
MarkeMng
Strategy
1. Gain
C-­‐Level
Buy-­‐in
2. Establish
PrioriMes
3. Assess
Your
Database
4. Build
Buyer
Insight
5. Revisit
Your
Childhood
(Buyer
Q&A)
6. Design
Your
Content
Flow
7. Audit
ExisMng
Content
8. Evaluate
CapabiliMes
&
Resources
9. Develop
an
Editorial
Calendar
10.
Set
ExpectaMons

29. #B2BContentEvent
Thank
You!
Ardath
Albee,
CEO
MarkeMng
InteracMons,
Inc.
hwp://www.markeMnginteracMons.com
ardath@markeMnginteracMons.com
@ardath421