1. Unlocking the
content dungeon

2. B2B Marketing is changing.
Fundamentally.
9 out of 10 buyers say
when they’re ready to
buy – they’ll find you
Source: DemandGen Report

3. Today’s buyer journey
Changes
over time
Recognition
of needs
Evaluate
options
Select best
option
Problem
defined
Negotiate /
purchase
ImplementChanges
over time
Recognition
of needs
Problem
defined
Evaluate
options
Select best
option
Changes
over time
Recognition
of needs
Problem
defined
Early stage
awareness
Influence how
they define
their problem
and solution...
Activity
Press/online (PR)
Event attendance Word of mouth
(Advocacy)
Search & social
Analyst reports &
white papers
Sponsored
research
Web presence
Industry bodies &
associations
Awareness and
early need
identification
Campaign
microsites (pURLs)
Testimonials
Analyst reports
Targeted ads
Our own events &
webinars
Videos
White papers &
guides
Social media
listening &
participation
Case studies
Tailored product
proposition
Building compelling RFP
Demonstrate we have the most
compelling proposition
Case studies
ROI aides
Practical ‘how to’ guides
Recommendations and
references
Formal sales presentations
Close the sale
and maximise
the value of the
deal.
Moving
conversation
from cost to
value (e.g.
Through
expression of
tangible ROI)
Ensure seamless
customer
onboarding –
maximise time to
value
Welcome packs
‘Get the most
from’ guides
Customer portal
– and community
User group
events
Ourtask
Marketing-led Sales-led

4. Why should we care?
Source: Hubspot
“80% of new leads will
come from inbound
marketing by 2015”
B2Bmarketingdirections.
March 2012
“80% of new leads will
come from inbound
marketing by 2015”
B2Bmarketingdirections.
March 2012

5. The challenge
To be part of the conversation, you need to have
something to say…
•Relevant
•Interesting
•Useful
•Different
•Thought provoking
•Funny?
To be part of the conversation, you need to have
something to say…
•Relevant
•Interesting
•Useful
•Different
•Thought provoking
•Funny?

6. Solution: CONTENT!
Think Value Exchange
“Deliver consistent, ongoing
valuable information to
buyers, and they will
ultimately reward us with their
business and loyalty.”

7. But first, some problems
“We have no
content!”
“We have no
content!”
“All our content
is sh*t!”
“How do we get
our content out
there?”
“How do we get
our content out
there?”
“We don’t know
what content
works!”
“I have no budget
for content!”

8. But above all else….
Content strategy!
Content

9. Problem 1
“We have no
content!”
“We have no
content!”
In reality
•It’s likely you have more than you need, rather
than less
•You already employ many content authors, you
(and they) just didn’t know it
They just need:
• To be given the chance
• To get some direction
• To get some TIME

10. Solution
Make it easy for them
•Do an audit first: find out what you have
already, and then just repurpose
•Their time is precious – work round them
•Interview & ghost-write, rather than ask for
words
•Do the edit
•Pick low hanging fruit – helps get something
tangible fast, and proves the case
•Social collaboration tools – you can be the
content curator / master editor
Create the ‘Rules’
•What purpose does the
content serve
•Always focused on value
to the customer
•Interesting is a must,
controversial is a bonus
•Company name
mentioned less than 2
times…
•NO SELLING!

11. Solution
Promote them:
•Ensure you’ve got top level buy-in – and
‘publish’ this…!
•Ego-time: ‘author’, photo/biog, direct email,
ideally video…
•Often helps to have a third party (outside) – PR
agency / content specialist for example

12. Solution
Reward them:
•Everything from ‘thank you’ to direct link to
bonus (if you can affect this…)
•Measure content effectiveness – and name-
check strong performers
From the outset:
•Top level endorsement (and lead by example)
means that people don’t think they’re wasting
company time…

13. Problem 2
In reality
•It’s not necessarily bad in itself, just not fit for
purpose
•So you need to be clear what purpose you’re
trying to achieve
Which means:
• Audience 1st
.
• Mapped to buyer journey.
“All our
content is sh*t!”

14. Solution
Funnels and buyer journeys
•Who are is the audience?
•What do they (really)
care about?
•What is the absolute best way
you can help them out?
•Where are they (honestly)
in the funnel? A registration form
is not a purchase order!

15. Example: a bit of repurposing…

16. Example: a bit more repurposing…

17. Example: a corporate brochure?

18. Problem 3
Answer:
“How do we get
our content out
there?”

19. Distribution strategy: channels, KPIs, etc
Channel Objective Focus Desired outcome
Twitter
[Owned Media]
›Position company as thought-
leader
›Build audience engagement &
dialogue
›Show we are credible
›Keep us front-of-mind
›Share content we generate (blog /
YouTube)
›Share our news / promote events / case
studies
›Share valuable third-party content (wider
blogosphere / media)
›Increase in click throughs to blog /
YouTube / our website
›Increase in Mentions and Retweets
›Increase in followers
Blog
[Owned Media]
›Position company as thought-
leader
›Build audience engagement &
dialogue
›Help shape and guide buyer
strategies
›Provide analysis, opinion and guidance
on key issues, industry and new
developments
›Deliver a rich and engaging experience
wherever possible
›Increase in page views
›Increase in inbound & outbound links
›Increase in comments
›Increase in sharing of our content
›Increase in search performance on
keywords
Blogosphere
[Earned Media]
›Position company as thought-
leader
›Create and participate in
conversations online
›Show we are credible
›Listening online to identify where we
should be commenting or stimulating
discussion
›Increase in share of voice online
›Increased participation in online
discussions
LinkedIn
[Owned/Earned Media]
›Leverage professional networks
of our key execs to open up new
conversations
›Keep us front-of-mind
›Integrating blog and Twitter feeds
›Participating in the right online groups –
and stimulating discussion
›Increase in click throughs to blog / our
website
›Increased participation in online
discussions
YouTube [Owned
Media]
›Position company as thought-
leader
›Show we are credible
›Help shape and guide buyer
strategies
›Provide analysis, opinion on key issues,
industry and technology developments
›Share our story
›Share client case studies
›Increase in channel views
›Increase in channel subscribers
›Increase in comments

20. Content goes
Social
Source: CMI

21. Source: CMI

22. Find out where your audience is hanging
out online

23. Video sharing
75% of senior executives say they
watch work related videos on business-
related websites at least weekly
65% have visited a vendor’s website
after watching a video
Source: Forbes
Source: Google

24. Make it easy to share
Use industry standard platforms –
YouTube, Vimeo, Slideshare, Flickr
Always include sharing buttons online
and in PDFs
But make it interesting and compelling
enough that they want to share it!
Case example:
30,000 page views
200+ blogs

25. Time to go mobile?
Mobile web
searches
increased by 247%
1 in 4 employees
use personal
smartphones at
work
Source: ITPro

26. And another important channel...
Your sales force
90% of marketing
deliverables are
not used by sales
Only 7% of IT services
companies are seen by their
customers as ‘strategic
partners’
Only 7% of IT services
companies are seen by their
customers as ‘strategic
partners’
•Need to show industry
knowledge
•‘Think for me’, not just ‘do for
me’: guidance not plumbing
•Need an opinion, an angle, a
point of view, a vision of what’s
next....
Source: New Rules of Sales Enablement

27. K.I.S.S.
8 minutes: the average ‘dead time’ before
a meeting.
•And it’s when a sales person preps for
the meeting
8 minutes: the average ‘dead time’ before
a meeting.
•And it’s when a sales person preps for
the meeting
What is it we actually sell?What is it we actually sell?
Who’s it for?Who’s it for?
What to askWhat to ask
Who to bring to the next meetingWho to bring to the next meeting

28. Problem 4
Try it, test it, learn which channels
work for you...
“We don’t know
what content
works?”
Source: Hubspot

29. Turn measurement into revenue

30. Problem 5
Get some!
Cost per outbound lead analysis –
include the cost of sale
Basic funnel analysis – shows
inbound (content) is essential due
to finite outbound universe…
“I have no
budget for
content?”

31. Where to start?

32. 5 steps to successful content marketing
Get close to your SMEs, they are your raw materialGet close to your SMEs, they are your raw material
Be useful. Know what your audience needs, and give it to themBe useful. Know what your audience needs, and give it to them
Cut the sales pitch. Good content does this for you.Cut the sales pitch. Good content does this for you.
Be bold. Be controversial. Be interesting.Be bold. Be controversial. Be interesting.
50% of your effort should be distribution, 50% creation50% of your effort should be distribution, 50% creation

33. And start with one of these…
StrategyStrategy Audit and
plan
Audit and
plan
Programme
development ImplementImplement Measure &
iterate
Measure &
iterate
Objective
setting
Objective
setting
Proposal and
c-level endorse
Proposal and
c-level endorse
Brand +
marketing
alignment
Brand +
marketing
alignment
KPIsKPIs
Identify SMEsIdentify SMEs
Existing content
& channels
Existing content
& channels
Systems &
resources
Systems &
resources
Influencers +
customer input
Influencers +
customer input
Audience
destinations
Audience
destinations
Competitor
activity
Competitor
activity
Set up channelsSet up channels
Publishing
process
Publishing
process
Content ‘tiers’
against funnel &
buyer journey
Content ‘tiers’
against funnel &
buyer journey
SME ‘rules’SME ‘rules’
Publishing
calendar
Publishing
calendar
WritingWriting
DesigningDesigning
FilmingFilming
DashboardDashboard
RAG status on
content
RAG status on
content
IterationIteration
Reporting &
rewarding
Reporting &
rewarding
‘Socialing’‘Socialing’

34. Our very own content
marketing experiment

35. Vital Statistics for B2B Marketing
It started with a blog post...

36. Vital Statistics for B2B Marketing
The video...
YouTube: “B2B vital statistics”

37. Spreading the word
 YouTube branded channel
 Twitter
 Targeted approaches to key commentators and influencers
 LinkedIn – embedding the video into our profiles
 Facebook
 PR – free online news wires
 Blog comments

38. Beyond all expectations...
Targets:
 1,000 video views in 6 weeks
 30% increase in Twitter
followers
 20% increase in average site
visits
 20% increase in inbound links
 2 new business opportunities
Results (6 weeks later):
 6,500 video views
 42% increase in Twitter
followers
 30% increase in average site
visits
 87% increase in inbound links
 2 new business opportunities
Plus
Over 90 mentions on Twitter,
extensive media coverage and
improvements in natural search

39. Earnest online
Web:
www.earnest-agency.com
Twitter:
www.twitter.com/earnestagency
YouTube:
www.youtube.com/earnestagency
LinkedIn:
www.linkedin.com/companies/earnest

40. Thank you