Most associations are great at creating content – publications, research reports, newsletters, webinars – but then what? Without a “north star,” associations often generate content without understanding who they’re talking to or the story they want to tell. This session teaches the basics of content marketing, how to turn existing content into an integrated strategy, and how to use it to attract and retain members, establish your association as a thought leader and industry influencer, and leverage that for revenue.

1. Show Me the Numbers!
How Content Marketing Attracts
Members, Revenue and Influence
Carla Johnson
Principal
@CarlaJohnson

2. CARLA JOHNSON
Principal
@CarlaJohnson

3. WHAT’S LACKING?

4. CONTENT MARKETING
Content marketing creates a valuable
experience through information that
engages a specific audience and prompts a
two-way conversation.
It involves developing and sharing content
that influences a prospect or customer in a
way that ultimately creates a profitable
experience.

5. TEACH don’t tell
HELP don’t sell
EDUCATE don’t present
Tell a STORY, don’t market
Talk about WHY you matter to them
Know WHO you’re talking to
A NEW OUTLOOK ON
MARKETING

6. Today
Story
Audience
Content Audit
Content Strategy / Execution
Measurement

8. Stories
Connect
People

9. Associations Sound
Like…
• 981 people died in alcohol-related crashes in 2000
• Out of 420 pedestrian fatalities, 38% of those tested
for alcohol had been drinking, and most of these
had BACs over 0.08
• Almost nine out of every 10 people killed in alcohol
related collisions (87.4%) were in or on the drinking
driver's vehicle (i.e. drivers/operators or passengers)
• Almost nine out of every 10 drivers killed in alcohol-
related collisions (87.5%) were male
• Over half (56%) of the drivers killed in single-vehicle
crashes tested positive for alcohol, compared to only
20% of those killed in multiple-vehicle crashes

10. 5000MESSAGES A DAY

12. WHAT MAKES
A GREAT STORY?

13. A Great Story Answers
WHY?

14. For sale.
Baby carriage.
Never used.

16. The more I can fill the
consumer’s emotional well
with brand stories, the
less I have to trade on it.
-Jonathan Mildenhall
Coca-Cola 2020 Project

19. UNDERSTAND YOUR
AUDIENCE

20. Composite of characteristics of a group of
people
Understand their perspective, fears, drivers
and content needs
Types of content:
o What drives them
o What information matters to them…and when
o How they access it
PERSONAS

21. Karen Olson, CMO / Exec VP / Sr VP
“I look for concepts and ideas from a range of resources
to help me establish a vision for my company that’s
unique, and then build a team that can execute
seamlessly.”
Frustrations/Pressures/Concerns:
Keeping abreast of the competition and proving
company’s expertise while ensuring it stands out in the
marketplace in ways different from competitors.
Needs/Drivers:
Personally - staying up to date, have ideas that stimulate
her to connect concepts into something new. Marketing
Team – Needs access to an organization that connects
entire team to create better engagement.
What we want her to think:
BMA delivers a ready connection to my
exec peers to share ideas and advise me.
Content Needs:
Thought leadership, management, corp
culture, prof / personal growth of teams
Content Types:
• Articles
• Books
• Blogs
• In-person Exec Events
• Research Reports

22. Mike Kennedy, VP / Sr. Director / Director
“I need education that applies to both me and my staff.
Brainstorming new ideas is important, because I need to
take them to my executive team, and also the team who
reports to me, and know what’s viable.
Frustrations/Pressures/Concerns:
Having enough resources to accomplish what’s
expected of group. Concerned with efficiencies and
technologies that actually work once implemented.
Needs/Drivers:
On-going, relevant education for both him and his team.
Needs both strategic insights and hands-on tactics in
order to have intelligent conversations with executives
and the team who reports to him.
What we want him to think:
BMA helps with my development and that
of my team. BMA connections prove
valuable.
Content Needs:
New ideas, best practices, tech trends
Content Types:
• Articles
• Blogs
• Mobile
• Events (in-person and virtual)
• Research Reports
• Social Media

23. Linda Anderson, Manager
“I understand my role and how I fit into the bigger
picture. I need resources that show best practices so I
understand what to focus on. I want to know what
others “like me” are doing.”
Frustrations/Pressures/Concerns:
Things are changing quickly, unsure what’s most
important. Doesn’t have a lot of time for education, and
has to justify memberships and conferences to show
how they relate to job responsibilities.
Needs/Drivers:
Finding a source for on-going, relevant education and
career development. Need to continually learn about
changing technologies and how to integrate them.
What we want her to think:
BMA helps me expand my skills and
advance my career. I can build a strong
network to tap when I have questions.
Content Needs:
Hands-on sales and marketing tactics
Content Types:
• Articles (online and print)
• Newsletters (online)
• Case Studies
• How-to Videos
• Webinars / Webcasts
• Social Media

24. Talk about what THEY want to
hear…
…not what YOU want to say.

25. CONDUCT A
CONTENT AUDIT

26. What content do you HAVE?
What content does your audiences WANT?
What are your GAPS?
PRIORITIZE new content
QUALITY MATTERS!! “Nothing” is better
than crap
CRITICAL
EVALUATION

27. PERSONA PRE-MEMBER MEMBER LAPSED MEMBER
Karen Olson Articles
Books
Blogs
In-Person Exec Events
Research Reports
Have
Need
Mike Kennedy Articles
Blogs
Mobile
Event (Virtual & In Person)
Research Reports
Social Media
Have
Need
Linda Anderson Articles (Online/Print)
Newsletters (Online)
Case Studies
How-to Videos
Webinars/Webcasts
Social Media
Have
Need

28. PERSONA PRE-MEMBER MEMBER LAPSED MEMBER
Karen Olson Articles – Building Corp
Culture
In-Person Exec Events –
Industry Trends
NEED -
Book – Professional /
Industry Insights
Blog – On-going –
How to develop
teams
NEED -
In-Person Exec
Events – Industry
Trends
Research Reports –
Technology Trends
NEED -
Mike Kennedy Blogs – On-going – Best
Practices
Research Reports – Tech
Implementation
Social Media
NEED -
Mobile – Efficiency
Apps
Virtual Events – How
to Integrate Tech
Social Media
NEED -
In-Person Events –
“Best Of” Industry
Trends
Social Media
NEED -
Linda Anderson Newsletters (Online) –
Business Writing
Social Media
NEED -
Webinars/Webcasts
– Social Media Basics
Social Media
NEED -
How-to Videos –
Content Marketing
Social Media
NEED -

29. CONTENT STRATEGY
AND EXECUTION

30. WHAT’s your business objective?
WHO are you talking to? (Personas)
WHEN in their decision-making process?
WHERE/HOW are they connecting with you?
WHAT do they want to know?
WHY do you matter to them? (Story)
CONTENT STRATEGY

31. 1 - Keynote
Presentation
2 – Context / Challenge
3 – Solution
4 – Case Study / Example
BLOG
VIDEO
5 – Speaker Pre-Event
6 – Attendees During
7 – Speaker Post-Event
NEWSLETTER
8 – Pre-Event - Context
9 – Post-Event – Solution
12 – Business Problem
13 – Marketing / Tech
Problem
RESEARCH PAPER
10 - INFOGRAPHIC
11 - WEBINAR

32. V E R Y W H E R E
U B L I S H
N C E
R E A T E
E
P
O
C

33. MEASUREMENT

34. 1. Tie to your association’s objectives
2. Know what’s important to measure
3. Measure what drives the behavior you want
4. Use metrics to make refinement
5. Be patient
MEASUREMENT
GUIDELINES

35. MEMBERSHIP
You have a STORY to tell (people
connect with people, not data)
You STAND OUT from the clutter
You capture their EMOTIONAL
attention
You JUSTIFY their investment

36. You have a STORY to tell
You have a POINT OF VIEW
You have PROOF POINTS of how
your perspective influences behavior
WHY you exist helps clarify WHAT
they do and HOW they do it
INFLUENCE

37. REVENUE
Investors know WHO you reach
You can show the VALUE of what you
deliver through an emotional (story)
format
You can PROVE how their investment
contributes to / elevates the association
• Custom Research
• Sponsored Events
• Content that Generates Revenue

38. Carla Johnson, Principal
Type A Communications
(720) 344-0987
carla@goTypeA.com
www.goTypeA.com
Type A Communications
@carlajohnson
Carla Johnson
Carla Johnson