82% of marketers are using content marketing to drive sales, offering the highest ROI and the most profitable customers. Not sure how to get started with a marketing strategy? Looking for ways to offer more effective content? Learn how in this presentation.

1. Content is King
@RainMakingMkt @RaniMonson

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

3. Hypocrite Oath
@RainMakingMkt @RaniMonson

4. @RainMakingMkt @RaniMonson

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

6. 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.
@RainMakingMkt @RaniMonson

7. Content Marketing
Format Channels to Share
• Written • White papers
• Audio • ebooks
• Visual • Infographics
• Case studies
• Video
• how-to guides
• Q&A’s
• Photos
• Email newsletter
• Social media
• Testimonials
@RainMakingMkt @RaniMonson

8. Why Content Marketing Matters
Content Marketing means creating and
sharing valuable free content to attract
and convert prospects into customers,
and customers into repeat buyers
@RainMakingMkt @RaniMonson

9. 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
@RainMakingMkt @RaniMonson

10. Why Marketers Love Content Marketing
THE GOOD NEWS
@RainMakingMkt @RaniMonson

11. Marketers Are Using Content
• 87% of US B2B
marketers used
content marketing
in 2012
• An increase of 5%
@RainMakingMkt @RaniMonson

12. 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!
@RainMakingMkt @RaniMonson

13. Content Vaults to No. 1 Marketing
Priority for 2013
@RainMakingMkt @RaniMonson

14. Content is the Most Effective
@RainMakingMkt @RaniMonson

15. Why Marketers Hate Content Marketing
THE BAD NEWS
@RainMakingMkt @RaniMonson

16. Creating Original Content Is Hard
• 69% of marketers say it’s their biggest
challenge
@RainMakingMkt @RaniMonson

17. DON’T CRY – OR LEAVE
WE’LL WORK THROUGH THIS
@RainMakingMkt @RaniMonson

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

19. @RainMakingMkt @RaniMonson

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

21. Small Businesses Say Content is Key
@RainMakingMkt @RaniMonson

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

23. The Process: Content Strategy |
Execution
1. Identify audience
2. Determine frequency
3. Create an editorial
calendar
4. Identify | create
content
5. Share
6. Measure
7. Adjust
8. Repeat!
@RainMakingMkt @RaniMonson

24. Think About Your Target Audience
• Current | Potential
Customers
• What keeps them up at
night?
• Can you provide insight?
• To-Do:
– Identify content areas of
interest
@RainMakingMkt @RaniMonson

25. @RainMakingMkt @RaniMonson

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

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

28. @RainMakingMkt @RaniMonson

29. Create an Editorial Calendar
• It doesn’t have to be fancy
• Make it something you will use
• To Do
– Pick calendar format
@RainMakingMkt @RaniMonson

30. 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
@RainMakingMkt @RaniMonson

31. Identify | Create Content
@RainMakingMkt @RaniMonson

32. 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
@RainMakingMkt @RaniMonson @RaniMonson

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

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

35. Truth is Stranger Than Fiction
Did you know
today is
“ Big Wind Day”
& “Russian
Cosmonaut Day”
@RainMakingMkt @RaniMonson

36. HOW YA FEELIN’?
@RainMakingMkt @RaniMonson @RaniMonson

37. 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
@RainMakingMkt @RaniMonson

38. Measure Your Content
• What works
• To do:
– Plan what day each week / month you will look at
metrics
@RainMakingMkt @RaniMonson

39. Review the Editorial Calendar
• Review the Editorial Calendar
• What’s changed?
• New things to add?
• What’s working / not working
• To do:
– Determine what day each week / month you will review
the calendar
@RainMakingMkt @RaniMonson

40. Recap of To-Dos
• Identify content areas of interest to target
audience
• Determine how frequently you can share
content
• Pick calendar format
• Create editorial calendar
• Share content
• Measure
• Review / Refine
• Repeat
@RainMakingMkt @RaniMonson

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