Content Marketing:Best Practices Checklist for Researching and Creating Meaningful Content

What is Content Marketing?The creation and distribution of information that has

perceived value to a target audience.

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Why Engage in Content Marketing?• To increase awareness of your brand• To communicate a point of view on a topic in order to

demonstrate a brand’s expertise in an industry or category• To reinforce a brand’s existing position in the marketplace• To demonstrate thought leadership• To position a brand positively in the minds of prospects and

customers• To help accelerate a buyer along the buy cycle by

demonstrating superior knowledge, answering questions, and shifting their mentality from “sales guy” to trusted advisor

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Whitepapers

Books / E-Books

PowerPoint Presentations

Infographics

Case Studies

Research Reports

Videos

Customer Testimonials

ABC Company

Some Examples of Content4

Some Ways to Distribute / Market Content5

Websites and Blogs

Social Media

Newsletters / Emails

Industry Publications

Conferences and Tradeshows

B2B Syndicated Networks

Webinars / Podcasts

Your Content

The Problem6

Good content is not about YOU. It’s about THEM.

How Do You Deliver Maximum Relevance?

Start by following these 6 steps which will help you gather meaningful insights/intelligence.

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Step #1

Identify (and profile) your ideal customer.

Company size?Vertical

Industries?

Employee size?# of Locations?

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Step #2Examine their decision making process tounderstand who will play a role and why.

IT?

Finance?

HR?

Compliance?

Legal?

Operations?

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Step #3

Understand the problem(s) your target is facing.

Technology challenges? Increasing costs? Workforce productivity?

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Step #4Spend time with your front-line sales staff. Listen. Ask

questions. Understand the objections they hear every day. Ask them to describe the profile of their IDEAL prospect.

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Step #5

Gain insights into their buy cycle. Where are the barriers?

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The problemEvaluate Solutions

Negotiate purchase

Take Delivery

Training & Support

• How many people does it affect?• Are we / Will

we lose customers?• Are we at risk?• Can it lead to

bigger problems?

• What have others done to solve this problem?• What are

industry best practices?• What kind of

ROI can I expect?

• Can we get a trial?• Can we talk to

current users?• Can we

repurpose something we already own?

• Is there a guarantee?• Can I add

users later?• What if it’s

more than I need?• What if I

change my mind?

• How long will it take to install?• What do I

need to do to prepare?• How many

people will this purchase impact?

• Who will train us?• How do we

get support?• Who will help

us with integration issues?

$$$$$

Information Gathering

Step #6Determine what outside issues may have additional influence.

(Will vary from industry to industry.)

Compliance

Safety

Regulations

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Now Prepare Your Content9 Tips to Ensure Success

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Tip #1

Based on the intelligence gathered, brainstorm ideas for content that would be most meaningful and relevant to your target.

“The sales force said they’ve had dozens of conversations about that one problem.

That spells opportunity.”

“News reports show a growing

trend in one industry sector.

Let’s see if that has implications in other sectors.”

“There are new regulatory mandates

that can help us frame the issue.”

“The room was packed for Bob’s presentation at the conference last

month. We can expand on that topic.”

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Tip #2

Be transparent.

Include a point of view from a respected industry outsider –

even if they disagree with you!

Adds credibility Adds value Turns it from promotional into insightful

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Tip #3

Stop over-branding everything.

More telling. Less selling.

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Tip #4Information is always more credible when it comes from

someone without a sales agenda, so look to credible 3rd parties for help distributing your content.

v.s.

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Tip #5

Gate content on your website where appropriate.

Getting to Know You

Digging Deeper

Making a Final Decision

Blogs, videos, infographics, webinars, podcasts, case studies.

ROI calculators, analysts reports, RFP templates, buying guides, tools.

Pricing info., product demos, 3rd party reviews.

Type of Content Gated?Buy Cycle Stage

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Tip #6

Evaluate and score your leads – only send those thatscored near the top to sales.

JOB TITLE

COMPANY SIZE

INDUSTRY TYPE

FEELING A PAIN

DOWNLOADED GATED

CONTENT

20 20 20 30 6

FINAL LEAD SCORE

96

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Tip #7

Incorporate and automate a lead nurturing strategy to help leads continue to build knowledge while you build credibility.

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Content Tone Content ExamplesContent PurposeLead Quality

Low

Medium

High

Disruptive

Educational

Validating

Focuses on the pain

Enables the reader to self-qualify

Displays a deep understanding / expertise on category issues

Blog on trends, industry articles, conference topic

Best practices, “How-to” articles / videos

Case studies, industry whitepapers, proprietary research

Tip #8

Test and measure.

ABC• Most popular content based on # of downloads

Prospect

• Which content is attracting our best prospects as defined by our target profile?

Conversion

• How many leads turned into opportunities?• How many opportunities turned into sales?• What is a buyer worth to our organization now and in the future?

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And Always Remember This:23

Too many requirements for

download

Blatantly promotional and self-serving

Non-substantive and uninformed

50%

25%

What characteristics do you most dislike in B2B content?

SOURCE: Define What’s Valued Online, CMO Council

Overly promotional content and complex registration processes are big turnoffs.

50%43%

34%

Need Help with Content Marketing?

Contact:Denise WilliamsDirector of Strategic ServicesGoodman Marketing PartnersP: 877.586.6466E: dwilliams@goodmanmarketing.comW: www.goodmanmarketing.com

Whether you’re new to content marketing or you’ve already taken the plunge but need to refresh your program, tap into our experience and expertise. Ask us for case studies and other examples of how we’ve helped organizations do it “right.”

As a full-service, multi-channel, brand response marketing company with deep expertise in B2B content marketing, our “what-would-we-do-if-it-were-our-money?” attitude and the results we achieve for our clients, speaks for itself.

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