content as a competitive differentiator
DESCRIPTION
Hear from author Ardath Albee on how contagious content drives conversations –the ultimate outcome marketers need to produce for sales.Live Date: February 4, 2010 12:00 PMTRANSCRIPT
Content As ACompetitive Differentiator
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Panelists
Andrew GaffneyContent DirectorDemand Creation Specialists
Ardath AlbeeCEOMarketing Interactions
Author of: eMarketing Strategies for the Complex Sale
Rethinking Marketing
• “Never before have companies had such powerful technologies for interacting directly with customers, collecting and mining information about them, and tailoring their offerings accordingly…And never before have customers expected to interact so deeply with companies, and each other, to shape the products and services they use.”
Jan./Feb. Issue of HBR has a feature titled: “Rethinking Marketing”
Defining Content Marketing
Budgeting For Content Marketing
• Avg. content marketing budgets are 33% of the total marketing budget (up from 29% in 2008)
• 6 of 10 marketers are increasing content marketing spending in 2010.
• Small companies spend more than 2x the amount on content marketing as larger companies.
Budgeting For Content Marketing
• Nearly 3/4 of survey participants are leveraging their content through social media channels such as Twitter and Facebook
Differentiation is a BIG Opportunity
“Only 14% of the ‘unique benefits’ promoted by companies drive enough preference to have a commercial impact.”
Corporate Executive Board
What’s the Difference?
Achieve Dramatic Cost Savings, Increase Operational Efficiency and Business Agility
Reduce Costs, Improve Service Delivery, Enable Business Innovation
Reduce IT Costs, Improve Performance, Do More with Less
What You Sell is NOT What They Buy
Buyers say they only find relevant content 42% of the time.
- IDG
Listening Fuels Relevance
• Priorities
• Phrasing
• Perspective
• Proximity
Sources for Listening
• Blogs
• Industry Portals
• Google Alerts
• Twitter Streams (#keyword)
– http://bit.ly/aZwqTO+
• Webinars
What Makes YOU Different?
• Unique
• Unexpected
• Understood
• Ubiquitous
Build Your Content Storyline
Listening + Your Difference
The Role of B2B Content is to…
provide pieces of the puzzle for solving a business problem in a way that promotes active response.
Online Dialogue – One-off is Over
Hmm. Should I click? Okay – I clicked… now what?
Dialogue: an exchange of information and ideas on a particular subject of interest.
Contagious Content as Differentiator
• Focused on top priority issues.• Answers questions to build momentum.• Builds confidence through expertise.• Serves as a guide to what’s next.
Peers and Colleagues
The people prospects turn to first.
Prospects and Salespeople
• Seamless Transitions
• Relevant Extensions
• Strategic Advantage
• Partner, not Peddler
Prospects With Buying Committees
• Share Your Ideas• Equate Impact to Priorities• Influence the Invisibles
Recognition & Credibility
• 100% increase in lead qualification
• 171% increase in sales-accepted leads
• 200% higher personal connection rate
• 30% shorter sales cycles
Pipeline Momentum
• Sales Opportunities increased from 16 to 76 per month.
• Added $4.9M to the sales pipeline in 8 mos.
Trusted Advisor
eMarketing Strategies for the Complex Sale
Content + Conversations = Pipeline Growth
Situation:
• Dormant Leads – had been qualified at one time.
• Untouched for 90 days or more.
• Began nurturing with email, content articles - including phone outreach with follow-up content.
Outcome:
• 3 month program
• 2,200 Decision Maker conversations based on business priorities.
• 119 sales-qualified leads accepted into pipeline.
5 Tips for Content as Competitive Advantage
• Listen to Your Markets
• Incorporate Your Secret Sauce
• Share Relevant Ideas
• Promote Conversations
• Keep it Coming
Questions
Andrew GaffneyEditorDemandGen [email protected]
Ardath Albee, CEOMarketing Interactions, Inc.
Thank you!
Ardath Albee, CEOMarketing Interactions, Inc.
Andrew GaffneyEditorDemandGen [email protected]