Content Marketing, Again

Content Marketing isn't new.

Creating useful content with the goal of selling product has a rich tradition.

What’s different in the digital age is

1. buyers are much more empowered to drive their information gathering. And,
2. marketers now have much more data on who the buyer is and her place in the sales cycle.

The key to success is content created around buyers’ priorities--useful for them to do their jobs!

If you are useful to buyers, you will get the chance to change minds and to drive action.

Remember: it’s not about you; it’s about the the buyer.

Start by mapping your prospects buying process--from exploring to deciding to buy to selecting vendors, negotiating, installing and support.

What information needs do they have at each stage--by persona?

Fill those needs with expert answers and useful tools.

But be strategic for yourself too. Make differentiated content by persona and by buying stage.

This way, when visitors download, you know about their role: are they the tech buyer, the bean counter, the business manager? Don't wrap it all in one piece of content. You won't know who's reading it, because it could be any of your target personas.

When a business manager downloads your ROI calculator, she’s likely moved down the funnel far enough to qualify. And if you build your content right, you’ll know when she is.

That’s it from 50,000 feet: create content that is useful for your prospects AND helps you know who they are and where they are in their buying decision.