STORY TELLINGWhat it Means for Your Marketing

How to Sell It

I’m James Carson

I run a Content Strategy consultancy.

I work with publishers, brands and agencies.

I offer services in Content Strategy & Planning / Relaunches / Social Media / SEO STRATEGY

@mrjamescarsonhttp://uk.linkedin.com/in/jacarson85www.carsoncontent.com

About Me…

Story Telling…

…is this a joke?

MARKETING

What Do These Films…

…Have in Common?

A young and often naïve individual…

Whose life seems on a defined path…

Encounters something unexpected…

Which forces his life into the unknown…

A mentor shows him the ways of this unknown

There are a series of new challenges…

They overcome a final ‘boss’ and win…

They are absolved and reborn…

Which forces his life into the unknown

Encounters something unexpected

A young and often naïve individual

A mentor shows him the ways of this unknown

There are a series of new challenges

The hero meets a final ‘boss’ and wins

He gains absolution or reward

Once upon a time there was ___. Every day, ___. One day ___. Because of that, ___. Because of that, ___. Until finally ___.

Pixar’s 21 Story Rules #4

That’s What These Films…

…Have in Common

These Narratives Transcend Time

And Nations

The Monomyth

Alright Shakespeare…WTF DOES THIS HAVE TO DO…

WITH MARKETING?!?

QUITE A LOT

I THINK

What Do These Books…

…Have in Common?

ADVERTISING IS

DEAD

IT’S THE COMING OF AGE OF

CONTENT MARKETING

THE HERO WITH A THOUSAND FACES

My name is not…

MAXIMUS

DECIMUS

MERIDIUS

I am not the Commander of the Armies to the North

MY STOCK PHOTO IS WHAT CAME UP ON GOOGLE IMAGES FOR “SALES REP”

AND MY COMPANY IS REALLY BORING

Is It?

260 EPISODES

20 SEASONS

130 HOURS

SELLING MARKETING SOFTWARE

JIM IS BORED

A 28 year old marketer living in Leeds, working for an e-commerce mattress supplier

Company of 30, works in a team of 3 and is the middle in line

Feels he spends too much time on reporting, not enough time on marketing

Lack of company understanding of data renders the reporting meaningless

He only has excel to produce reports, and has had no formal training

?

Persona Behaviour• Uses Twitter sparingly. • Often on Facebook during work hours. 3-5 hours

a week.• Occasionally reads blogs, but doesn’t subscribe

to any.

• Likes football and going out on weekends.• Unsure of work future and does not have big

aspirations.

HOW DO WE SOLVE A PROBLEM LIKE JIM’S?

We should set up a blog, and a Twitter, and

a Pinterest, and an Instagram!!!

HEY LOOK, NO ADS!

HE’S ON HERE A LOT

Advertise tutorials & alternativesSurvey his problemsOffer him rewards

Interrupt And Act As The Mentor

Explain Your SolutionGet Him

Subscribed

This solution would solve my problems, BUT I

don’t know if my bosses

would buy into it.

Challenges

It’s just another tool,

there’s no real reason for

anyone to look at it…

DELIVER INFORMATION:Getting management buy in for our solutionHow to get everyone using our solution

Overcome the bossHelp him build the case

I understand these much better than

boring reports!

I can get a snapshot of key metrics without asking anyone!

FROM…

TO…

What’s The ROI On That?

AWARENESS

CONSIDERATION

CONVERSION

LOYALTY

ADVOCACY

NOTHING NEW HERE

Action Reaction Nonfinancial Impact

FINANCIAL

IMPACT

The Investment Return Relationship

INVESTMENT

Don’t Sell Tactics Let’s do some

infographics!

CONSIDERATION

This Doesn’t Happen MuchI want an

iPad stylus…

Woohoo!

A Story About What I Did…I want an iPad

stylus but know nothing about

them There’s always too much choice online… I need

to talk to someone…

The Apple Store will sell them… Sorry we don’t sell

them, but Selfridges do…

Bricks and Mortar…

£30… they’ll be cheaper online

Hmmm…. Too much

choice

Okay… now I know what to get…

We Rarely Behave Like This

Search££

Conversion

I want somethin

g…

So I’d Rather Not Sell That Way…

Sell A VisionAWARENESS

CONSIDERATION

CONVERSION

LOYALTY

ADVOCACY

50% INCREASE IN BASIC SUBSCRIPTION CONVERSION

100% INCREASE IN ORGANIC WEBSITE TRAFFIC IN 3 MONTHS

CREATION OF MEASURED ADVOCACY PROGRAM (30 BRAND AMBASSADORS)

25% INCREASE IN ADVANCED SUBSCRIPTION CONVERSION

10% INCREASE IN AD SPEND TO DELIVER 15% PAID TRAFFIC INCREASE

And Strategy For The VisionAWARENESS

CONSIDERATION

CONVERSION

LOYALTY

ADVOCACY

FACEBOOK AND GOOGLE ADS SETUP AND MANAGEMENT

SALES CALLWHITE PAPERONLINE CHATARTICLES

WHITE PAPERUX IMPROVEMENTSUPPORT THE SALES PROCESS

REWARDS FOR RENEWAL

COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT

The Monomyth

THIS DOG IS THOUSANDS OF YEARS OLD

HE JUST HAS SOME NEW TRICKS

THANK YOU

ASK ME ANYTHING (WELL, NOT ‘ANYTHING’)