Content is *ideas.* It's like the coffee in a coffee cup. Content marketing is the *sharing of ideas.* It's like handing a person a cup of coffee and saying, "Here, drink this." Conversation is the *exchange of ideas.* It's like two people agreeing to have coffee together and talk. But communication — communication is the sweet spot. It's the "sharing or exchanging of ideas with mutual understanding." It's like two people agreeing to have coffee together and talk and then enjoy that experience. (Outside of "conversate," which is a terrible word, it's also the only noun that can be made a verb: to communicate. It's action.) Communication, by definition, is successful. There's no such thing as a "good communicator" or "bad communicator." There are simply communicators. In a business organization, who are they? Every single person who interacts with or tries to influence a customer, from a distance or up close. That means marketers to sales executives to customer service to technical support to reception. All must master communication — communication is the bigger picture of content marketing. There are five components of good communication and 1 essential requirement. Plus, there's a simple formula — A-V-A — to spot check yourself on whether you're communicating. Arienne Holland, Director of Marketing and Customer Experience at Raven, explain this and more during this presentation at Authority Intensive 2014 by Copyblogger Media, on May 6, 2014.

1. by Arienne Holland
Make Sure That Your
Content Communicates

2. 2
Content
‣ Content (n): ideas
COFFEE
@RavenArienne #Authority2014 2

3. 3
Content marketing
‣ Content marketing (n): the sharing of ideas
YOU, DRINK THIS COFFEE
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4. ‣ Conversation (n): the exchange of ideas
LET’S DRINK COFFEE TOGETHER
Conversation
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5. LET’S DRINK COFFEE TOGETHER AND ENJOY IT
Communication
‣ Communicate (v): to share or exchange
ideas with mutual understanding
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6. @RavenArienne #Authority2014
– GEORGE BERNARD SHAW, ATTRIBUTED
“The single biggest problem
in communication is the illusion
that it has taken place.”
6

7. WHO COMMUNICATES MOST WITH CUSTOMERS?
7 Communicators
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8. WHO COMMUNICATES MOST WITH CUSTOMERS?
7 Communicators
1. Marketers: From a distance
2. Advertisers: From a distance
3. Public Relations:
From a distance
7@RavenArienne #Authority2014

9. WHO COMMUNICATES MOST WITH CUSTOMERS?
7 Communicators
1. Marketers: From a distance
2. Advertisers: From a distance
3. Public Relations:
From a distance
4. Sales Executives: Up close
5. Customer Service: Up close
6. Technical Support: Up close
7. Reception: Up close
7@RavenArienne #Authority2014

10. WHAT ARE COMMON CHARACTERISTICS OF COMMUNICATORS?
5 Qualities
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11. WHAT ARE COMMON CHARACTERISTICS OF COMMUNICATORS?
5 Qualities
1. Clear: Your customer must understand you.
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12. WHAT ARE COMMON CHARACTERISTICS OF COMMUNICATORS?
5 Qualities
1. Clear: Your customer must understand you.
2. Concise: Your customer must get complete information.
8@RavenArienne #Authority2014

13. WHAT ARE COMMON CHARACTERISTICS OF COMMUNICATORS?
5 Qualities
1. Clear: Your customer must understand you.
2. Concise: Your customer must get complete information.
3. Compelling: Your customer should be persuaded to take action.
8@RavenArienne #Authority2014

14. WHAT ARE COMMON CHARACTERISTICS OF COMMUNICATORS?
5 Qualities
1. Clear: Your customer must understand you.
2. Concise: Your customer must get complete information.
3. Compelling: Your customer should be persuaded to take action.
4. Honest: Transparency is not honesty.
8@RavenArienne #Authority2014

15. WHAT ARE COMMON CHARACTERISTICS OF COMMUNICATORS?
5 Qualities
1. Clear: Your customer must understand you.
2. Concise: Your customer must get complete information.
3. Compelling: Your customer should be persuaded to take action.
4. Honest: Transparency is not honesty.
5. Sincere: Authenticity is not sincerity.
8@RavenArienne #Authority2014

16. WHAT PERSONAL TRAIT IS ESSENTIAL FOR COMMUNICATORS?
1 Requirement
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17. @RavenArienne #Authority2014 10
Judgment
Discernment
Perception

18. HOW CAN YOU IMPROVE ALL COMMUNICATION?
AVA
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19. HOW CAN YOU IMPROVE ALL COMMUNICATION?
AVA
‣ Answer: Answer the customer’s question with truth.
No shortcuts. No meandering.
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20. HOW CAN YOU IMPROVE ALL COMMUNICATION?
AVA
‣ Answer: Answer the customer’s question with truth.
No shortcuts. No meandering.
‣ Value: Reinforce the customer’s value to you.
Reinforce your value to the customer.
11@RavenArienne #Authority2014

21. HOW CAN YOU IMPROVE ALL COMMUNICATION?
AVA
‣ Answer: Answer the customer’s question with truth.
No shortcuts. No meandering.
‣ Value: Reinforce the customer’s value to you.
Reinforce your value to the customer.
‣ Anticipate: Anticipate the customer’s next question or need.
Address it now.
11@RavenArienne #Authority2014

22. ARIENNE@RAVENTOOLS.COM#
@RAVENARIENNE
Arienne Holland