This document provides guidance on developing a content strategy. It recommends beginning with defining your brand using the 5 Ws and making it memorable by highlighting what makes you unique. The next step is to identify your target audiences and their interests/concerns so your content can help them. A content calendar should then be created to plan content around key topics, with both evergreen pieces and timely updates. Content can be original, curated from others, or repurposed. The goal is to engage in dialogue by sharing across your blog and social networks. An effective content strategy follows the formula of aligning your brand, audience needs, and relevant topics.

1. @RaniMonson@RainMakingMkt
How to Develop & Execute Your
Content Strategy

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Hypocrite Oath

3. @RaniMonson@RainMakingMkt
Let’s Make the Most of Our Time
slideshare.net/ranimonson/

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Your Content Strategy Formula
Your Brand
+
Customers’ Concerns /
Interests
+
Relevant Topics
=
Your Content Strategy

5. @RaniMonson@RainMakingMkt
Your Content Strategy Formula
Your Brand
+
Customers’ Concerns /
Interests
+
Relevant Topics
=
Your Content Strategy

6. @RaniMonson@RainMakingMkt
Seth Godin’s Definition of a Brand
A brand is the set of
expectations, memories, stori
es and relationships
that, taken together, account
for a consumer’s decision to
choose one product or service
over another.

7. @RaniMonson@RainMakingMkt
Your Brand
• Brand is the single
largest asset of any
organization
• Your job is to protect
the brand by
communicating clearly
& consistently what the
brand stands for
– And what it doesn’t
represent

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Source: SocialMediaToday

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Your Branding
• A clear set of
short, concise messages
that communicate the
benefits of the brand
• Establishing an image
and communicating it
consistently is required
for any brand to
establish itself and to
build awareness
• This becomes the
platform for all
communication tactics
and marketing efforts

10. @RaniMonson@RainMakingMkt
Defining Your Brand
• Start with the 5 W’s
– Who
– What
– Where
– When
– Why
• Don’t forget “how”

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Be Memorable
• What is unique about
your brand?
• How are you different
from the competitor?
• Why are you the best
firm for the job?

12. @RaniMonson@RainMakingMkt
Stuck?
• Ask you customers
– Why did they hire you
– Consider a survey
• Look at companies /
brands you aspire to
emulate
• Review keywords
being searched for on
Google in your field
• Know the competition

13. @RaniMonson@RainMakingMkt
LET’S TALK ABOUT CONTENT
ALREADY

14. @RaniMonson@RainMakingMkt
What is Content, Exactly?
• Content = Information
• Information (aka content) can take many
forms and formats
– Text
– Photos
– Infographics
– Testimonials
– Audio
– Video
@RaniMonson

15. @RaniMonson@RainMakingMkt
Don’t Confuse Social Media With Content
• Businesses rush to jump on
social media
• Often don’t stop to think
– What they want to say
– Who they want to say it to
– aka a Content Strategy
• Key is to remember social
media is a vehicle - only
– It drives traffic to your content
– But your content isn’t Social
Media
@RaniMonson

16. @RaniMonson@RainMakingMkt
What Content Marketing Isn’t
• A hard sell
• A push of
your
product /
service /
offering
• Icky

17. @RaniMonson@RainMakingMkt
What’s Content Marketing Is:
Content marketing is any marketing format that
involves the creation and sharing of media
and publishing content in order to acquire
customers.

18. @RaniMonson@RainMakingMkt
Examples:
• White papers
• ebooks
• Infographics
• Case studies
• how-to guides
• Q&A’s
• Photos
• Testimonials
• Video
• Audio
Content Marketing means
creating and sharing valuable free
content to attract and convert
prospects into customers, and
customers into repeat buyers

19. @RaniMonson@RainMakingMkt
Why Content Marketing Works
• Demonstrates your
expertise
• Provide a sense of who
you are and how you
work – before they buy
• Create trust and loyalty
when you’re giving
something away for free
– People buy from someone
they trust
• Attract targeted prospects
aligned with your content

20. @RaniMonson@RainMakingMkt
Expectations of Content Marketing
1) Brand awareness -- 79%
2) Customer acquisition -- 74%
3) Lead generation -- 71%

21. @RaniMonson@RainMakingMkt
Importance of Content Increasing
• 91% of now use content
marketing
• 54% of plan to increase or
significantly increase content
marketing spend over next 12
months
• On average, 33% of the
marketing budget will be spent
on B2B content marketing
• And the amount being spent is
growing!
– Hello career change!

22. @RaniMonson@RainMakingMkt
The Smaller the Company (Budget)…
• The more important
content marketing is
• Most cost-effective
with the highest ROI

23. @RaniMonson@RainMakingMkt
TELL ME HOW TO CREATE CONTENT
ALREADY…

24. @RaniMonson@RainMakingMkt
Your Content Strategy Formula
Your Brand
+
Customers’ Concerns /
Interests
+
Relevant Topics
=
Your Content Strategy

25. @RaniMonson@RainMakingMkt
Think About Your Target Audience(s)
• Current Customers
– Much cheaper /
easier to keep them
vs. finding new ones
• New Customers
• Are these the
“same” or
“different”?

26. @RaniMonson@RainMakingMkt
How Can You Help Them?
• Share info that will
make them sleep
better at night
• Help them do their
job better
• Impress their boss
• Sound super smart /
funny at a cocktail
party
• Your content is for
these people!!
• They are the
essence of your
content strategy

27. @RaniMonson@RainMakingMkt
Frequency
• To-Do:
– Identify how frequently
you can share content
– Be realistic

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Create a Content Calendar
• It doesn’t have to be fancy
• Make it something you will use

29. @RaniMonson@RainMakingMkt
Content Calendar
• Plan ahead to reinforce
your key messages
• Block out rolling 13
months of what you
know
• Holidays
• Seasons
• Industry events /
conferences
• Your vacation

30. @RaniMonson@RainMakingMkt
Drive Content Marketing Strategy from
Your Blog

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32. @RaniMonson@RainMakingMkt
Identify | Create Content

33. @RaniMonson@RainMakingMkt
Curate Content for Calendar
• It Doesn’t All Have to be Original
– Content you curate is created by someone
else
– And you give them credit for their work
• Don’t plagiarize, steal, etc.
– It’s bad content karma
• Sources:
– Industry websites / trade publications /
analysts
– Your business partners
– Guest bloggers
– Competitors
@RaniMonson

34. @RaniMonson@RainMakingMkt
Create Evergreen Content
What is it?
• It’s always relevant /
green
• Plan: Ready ahead of
time
• Have a list handy – plug
in as needed
Examples
• FAQs
• Case studies
• Lessons learned
• Recycle popular content
• Guest writers
• How-to guides
• Q&A
• Historical industry info
• Calendar of events

35. @RaniMonson@RainMakingMkt
Augment With Timely Content
Typically safe:
• Industry news
• Emerging trends
• Data / facts
• Research reports
Be careful with:
• Current events
• Politics
• Religion

36. @RaniMonson@RainMakingMkt

37. @RaniMonson@RainMakingMkt
Share Content
• Post to blog
• Repost / repurpose
your own content
– Share on LinkedIn /
social
• Start a dialogue
– Email newsletter
• To Do:
– Identify where to
share

38. @RaniMonson@RainMakingMkt
Additional Tips
• Read your content to
yourself – out loud
• Ask someone else to read it
• It’s digital!
– You can always fix it later |
Hit delete
• Schedule a deadline for
yourself
– Withhold things you like
until you do it
• Yes punish yourself
• If it just isn’t going to
happen…
– Consider paying someone
else to do it
– That way it will get done
@RaniMonson

39. @RaniMonson@RainMakingMkt
Truth Is Always Stranger Than Fiction

40. @RaniMonson@RainMakingMkt
Recap: Your Content Strategy Formula
Your Brand
+
Customers’ Concerns /
Interests
+
Relevant Topics
=
Your Content Strategy

41. @RaniMonson@RainMakingMkt
Rani Monson
Rani@RainMakingMarketing.com
http://www.slideshare.net/ranimonson