Have you ever noticed how everyone makes content marketing seem so much easier than it actually is? Everyone today has a flawless success story to tell. But you and I both know they’re just that: stories. What most people don’t talk about is the trail of content mistakes and mixups that paved that path to success. So, rather than hide our marketing missteps, we should embrace them, because that’s where content wins really come from. And we’ll do just that with this humorous and light-hearted talk. After this session, you’ll be able to:

1. ROADMAP
FAILING YOUR WAY TO
CONTENT MARKETING SUCCESS
@annabananahrach @DigSumDetroit #DSDET

2. FAILURE
Do you remember your first big professional

4. Didn’t want to let
anyone down
08/01/2016
Tried to be
the hero
@annabananahrach @DigSumDetroit #DSDET

5. FAILURE LEADS TO SUCCESS

6. Content
marketing has
a fear of
failure
@annabananahrach @DigSumDetroit #DSDET
FAIL

8. 86%
Currently doing
content
marketing
21 %
Rate their efforts
as “highly
effective”
42%
Plan to increase
budgets over
the next 12
months

9. PSYCHOLOGICAL
STIGMA OF
FAILURE

10. What will people think?
Am I smart?
Maybe I’m not capable?

11. Did I guide them enough?
Was I not clear?
What is the CEO thinking?

12. Content Marketing Fail-Fast Framework

13. Ask “why?”

14. @halvorson
@melissarach

15. Why?
My favorite
non-four-letter
word
?@annabananahrach @DigSumDetroit #DSDET

16. Because we
need to show our
competitive
advantage...
@annabananahrach @DigSumDetroit #DSDET

17. WHY?

18. Because our
competitors are
outperforming
us…
@annabananahrach @DigSumDetroit #DSDET

19. WHY?

20. Because they
have better
brand
recognition, but
we can actually
walk the walk…
@annabananahrach @DigSumDetroit #DSDET

21. AHA!
@annabananahrach @DigSumDetroit #DSDET

22. TIP:
Watch your
tone of voice
when asking
“why?”
@annabananahrach @DigSumDetroit #DSDET

23. SOFTEN IT UP:
Can you tell me more
about why we’re
doing content
marketing?
@annabananahrach @DigSumDetroit #DSDET

24. SOFTEN IT UP:
Can you help me
understand the
miscommunication
that happened with
the client?
@annabananahrach @DigSumDetroit #DSDET

25. THINK CRITICALLY
Why did that happen?
How did that happen?
@annabananahrach @DigSumDetroit #DSDET

26. Content marketing survival technique:
THE 5 WHYS
#01
@annabananahrach @DigSumDetroit #DSDET

27. THE 5 WHYS
Simple
Quick
Pen + paper
?
@annabananahrach @DigSumDetroit #DSDET

28. ? WE NEED TO DO CONTENT MARKETING.
@annabananahrach @DigSumDetroit #DSDET

29. ? WE NEED TO DO CONTENT MARKETING.
1 Why?
@annabananahrach @DigSumDetroit #DSDET

30. ? WE NEED TO DO CONTENT MARKETING.
1 Why? Our competitors are outperforming us
@annabananahrach @DigSumDetroit #DSDET

31. ? WE NEED TO DO CONTENT MARKETING.
1
2
Why? Our competitors are outperforming us
Why?
@annabananahrach @DigSumDetroit #DSDET

32. ? WE NEED TO DO CONTENT MARKETING.
1
2
Why? Our competitors are outperforming us
Why? They have good marketing, but we walk the walk
@annabananahrach @DigSumDetroit #DSDET

33. ? WE NEED TO DO CONTENT MARKETING.
1
2
3
Why? Our competitors are outperforming us
Why? They have good marketing, but we walk the walk
Why?
@annabananahrach @DigSumDetroit #DSDET

34. ? WE NEED TO DO CONTENT MARKETING.
1
2
3
Why? Our competitors are outperforming us
Why? They have good marketing, but we walk the walk
Why? We actually have the latest & greatest technology
@annabananahrach @DigSumDetroit #DSDET

35. ? WE NEED TO DO CONTENT MARKETING.
1
2
3
4
Why? Our competitors are outperforming us
Why? They have good marketing, but we walk the walk
Why? We actually have the latest & greatest technology
Why?
@annabananahrach @DigSumDetroit #DSDET

36. ? WE NEED TO DO CONTENT MARKETING.
1
2
3
4
Why? Our competitors are outperforming us
Why? They have good marketing, but we walk the walk
Why? We actually have the latest & greatest technology
Why? Our culture is built on innovation
@annabananahrach @DigSumDetroit #DSDET

37. ? WE NEED TO DO CONTENT MARKETING.
1
2
3
4
5
Why? Our competitors are outperforming us
Why? They have good marketing, but we walk the walk
Why? We actually have the latest & greatest technology
Why? Our culture is built on innovation
Why?
@annabananahrach @DigSumDetroit #DSDET

38. ? WE NEED TO DO CONTENT MARKETING.
1
2
3
4
5
Why? Our competitors are outperforming us
Why? They have good marketing, but we walk the walk
Why? We actually have the latest & greatest technology
Why? Our culture is built on innovation
Why? We genuinely care about making the world better
@annabananahrach @DigSumDetroit #DSDET

39. Build a culture of failure

40. Content Marketing Timeline:
HOW WE SEE IT
Industrial
Revolution
InternetDinosaurs
Content Marketing
@annabananahrach @DigSumDetroit #DSDET

41. Content Marketing Timeline:
REALITY
1800s
Definitely some
content marketing
happening here
InternetDinosaurs
Mass Content Marketing
@annabananahrach @DigSumDetroit #DSDET

42. THE
FURROW
MAGAZINE
1895

43. JELL-O
COOKBOOK
1905

47. BLOG POSTS

48. BLOG POSTS
SOCIAL POSTS

49. BLOG POSTS
SOCIAL POSTS
CAMPAIGNS

50. BLOG POSTS
SOCIAL POSTS
CAMPAIGNS
BLOG POSTS
SOCIAL POSTS
CAMPAIGNS
BLOG POSTS
SOCIAL POSTS
CAMPAIGNS

51. BLOG POSTS
SOCIAL POSTS
CAMPAIGNS
BLOG POSTS
SOCIAL POSTS
CAMPAIGNS
BLOG POSTS
SOCIAL POSTS
CAMPAIGNS
BLOG POSTS
SOCIAL POSTS
CAMPAIGNS
BLOG POSTS
SOCIAL POSTS
CAMPAIGNS
BLOG POSTS
SOCIAL POSTS
CAMPAIGNS

52. BLOG POSTS
SOCIAL POSTS
CAMPAIGNS
BLOG POSTS
SOCIAL POSTS
CAMPAIGNS
BLOG POSTS
SOCIAL POSTS
CAMPAIGNS
BLOG POSTS
SOCIAL POSTS
CAMPAIGNS
BLOG POSTS
SOCIAL POSTS
CAMPAIGNS
BLOG POSTS
SOCIAL POSTS
CAMPAIGNS
BLOG POS
SOCIAL PO
CAMPAIG
BLOG POS
SOCIAL PO
CAMPAIG
BLOG POS
SOCIAL PO
CAMPAIG

53. T. S. Eliot
“Only those who will
risk going too far can
possibly find out how
far one can go.”
@annabananahrach @DigSumDetroit #DSDET

54. CREATE A
CULTURE OF
FAILURE
@annabananahrach @DigSumDetroit #DSDET

55. #01
Remove the fear of
failure
@annabananahrach @DigSumDetroit #DSDET

56. #02
Lead by example

57. #03
Aim for radical
transparency
@annabananahrach @DigSumDetroit #DSDET

58. Content marketing survival technique:
Code of Failure Conduct
#02
@annabananahrach @DigSumDetroit #DSDET

59. WHAT EXACTLY DOES A
CULTURE OF FAILURE
MEAN?
?
@annabananahrach @DigSumDetroit #DSDET

60. CULTURE OF FAILURE
@annabananahrach @DigSumDetroit #DSDET

61. CULTURE OF FAILURE
Trying new
things without
fear of failure
@annabananahrach @DigSumDetroit #DSDET

62. CULTURE OF FAILURE
Trying new
things without
fear of failure
Failing fast
and learning
from mistakes
@annabananahrach @DigSumDetroit #DSDET

63. CULTURE OF FAILURE
Trying new
things without
fear of failure
Big bold and
brave
Failing fast
and learning
from mistakes
@annabananahrach @DigSumDetroit #DSDET

64. CULTURE OF FAILURE
[company name/department name] will create a
culture of failure by [action] and [action].
Our failures will help us succeed with content,
because [reason why].
@annabananahrach @DigSumDetroit #DSDET

65. CULTURE OF FAILURE
Kids, Inc. will create a culture of failure by failing fast
and taking bold yet smart risks.
Our failures will help us succeed with content,
because we want to do new and better things.
@annabananahrach @DigSumDetroit #DSDET

66. Hire the right people

67. MY
BIGGEST
FAIL
NOT Hiring the
right people
@annabananahrach @DigSumDetroit #DSDET

68. APTITUDE
08/01/2016
ATTITUDE
@annabananahrach @DigSumDetroit #DSDET

69. APTITUDE
08/01/2016
@annabananahrach @DigSumDetroit #DSDET

70. Content
creator
Content
creator
Content
creator
A content creator
is a content creator
is a content creator
@annabananahrach @DigSumDetroit #DSDET

71. Traditional
copywriter
Journalist SEO
content
creator
A content creator
isn’t a content creator
isn’t a content creator
@annabananahrach @DigSumDetroit #DSDET

72. Social
media
content
marketer
Paid
media
content
marketers
Email
content
marketers
A content marketer
isn’t a content marketer
isn’t a content marketer
@annabananahrach @DigSumDetroit #DSDET

73. Social
media
content
marketer
Social
media
marketing
Make sure the marketer matches the marketing
@annabananahrach @DigSumDetroit #DSDET

74. 08/01/2016
ATTITUDE
@annabananahrach @DigSumDetroit #DSDET

75. STORY TIME My first big team!
@annabananahrach @DigSumDetroit #DSDET

76. Saw red
flags
@annabananahrach @DigSumDetroit #DSDET

77. Saw red
flags
Didn’t
move
teams
@annabananahrach @DigSumDetroit #DSDET

78. Saw red
flags
Didn’t
move
teams
No honest
conversation
@annabananahrach @DigSumDetroit #DSDET

79. Content marketing survival technique:
CORE CONENT CULTURE CHECKLIST
#03
@annabananahrach @DigSumDetroit #DSDET

80. HAVE I PROVIDED THE
FOLLOWING TO MY
CONTENT CREATORS
AND CONTENT
MARKETING TEAM?
?
@annabananahrach @DigSumDetroit #DSDET

81. ? HAVE I PROVIDED THE FOLLOWING?

82. ? HAVE I PROVIDED THE FOLLOWING?
q Clear content marketing vision and strategic frameworks?

83. ? HAVE I PROVIDED THE FOLLOWING?
q Clear content marketing vision and strategic frameworks?
q Time to collaborate and innovate?

84. ? HAVE I PROVIDED THE FOLLOWING?
q Clear content marketing vision and strategic frameworks?
q Time to collaborate and innovate?
q Feeling of being in the right position for their skillset?

85. ? HAVE I PROVIDED THE FOLLOWING?
q Clear content marketing vision and strategic frameworks?
q Time to collaborate and innovate?
q Feeling of being in the right position for their skillset?
q Freedom to take risks and try new things?

86. ? HAVE I PROVIDED THE FOLLOWING?
q Clear content marketing vision and strategic frameworks?
q Time to collaborate and innovate?
q Feeling of being in the right position for their skillset?
q Freedom to take risks and try new things?
q Ways to share ideas, feedback and concerns?

87. ? HAVE I PROVIDED THE FOLLOWING?
q Clear content marketing vision and strategic frameworks?
q Time to collaborate and innovate?
q Feeling of being in the right position for their skillset?
q Freedom to take risks and try new things?
q Ways to share ideas, feedback and concerns?
q Trusted environment in which they can fail fast and learn quickly?

88. ? HAVE I PROVIDED THE FOLLOWING?
q Clear content marketing vision and strategic frameworks?
q Time to collaborate and innovate?
q Feeling of being in the right position for their skillset?
q Freedom to take risks and try new things?
q Ways to share ideas, feedback and concerns?
q Trusted environment in which they can fail fast and learn quickly?
q Ongoing education and opportunities to grow?

89. Content Marketing Fail-Fast Framework:
RECAP

90. Hire the
right people32
Create a
Culture of
Failure
1 Ask “why?”
SUMMARY
@annabananahrach @DigSumDetroit #DSDET

91. When all else fails?

92. LAUGH
When all else fails?

93. THANK YOU!