As one of our key demand generation tactics of 2014, the term ‘Content Marketing’, and everything it entails, is hotter than ever. Companies are now making a concerted effort to hire specifically for the role of VP/Director/Mgr. of Content Marketing, something that definitely wasn’t happening 5-10 years ago. ‘Content is King’ and companies that aren’t jumping on the bandwagon will be left behind. With that being said, here are the three C’s:
- Concise – you have to have a content marketing strategy, and that strategy needs to be targeted and/or vertical specific. Your content has to speak to your target audience, how you’re a subject matter expert in THAT specific market, how you’re solutions have addressed/solved challenges in THAT specific market, etc. Simply put, your content needs to be good. If your content isn’t speaking to your target market, and potential buyers of your solutions within that market, your messaging will fall flat. Why take a broad-based content marketing approach, throw something up against the wall and hope it sticks? Have a compact, CONCISE strategy
- Consistent – marketing isn’t a sometimes thing, it’s an all the time thing. The same holds true for content marketing. In order to enhance your visibility as a thought leader, and to have a way of people finding you as opposed to the other way around, you need to consistently churn out content. However, don’t just churn it out for the sake of getting something out there. As mentioned above, you need to have a plan. In today’s world, when a company buys your product, more than 60% of the time they first got engaged with you through a piece of relevant content
- Creative – I believe a lot of people have the wrong impression of ‘content’ marketing. They hear ‘content’ and they automatically think literature – whitepapers, executive briefs, solution brochures, data sheets, blah, blah, blah. Content is this blog, your social media channels, videos (thought leadership, product, customer testimonials), webinars, etc. Solutions such as virtual events can act as one big consolidated content marketing effort. The point here is to leverage a bunch of different types of content marketing. Be CREATIVE, use a multi-pronged approach that allows you to touch your audience in different ways. Not everybody likes to be marketed to the same way. Be cognizant of that and adjust accordingly
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Jason Stegent is the Founder & President of Elastic Solutions. Email him @ jstegent@elasticroi.com