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Managing Content to Enhance Client Value

Becky RasmussenAMR Management Services

@Becky_Rasmussen

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What We’ll Cover …

• What is content marketing?• What does it mean for associations?• Why is it so darn hard?• 6 signs of good content• 7 things you can do to instantly improve

your content• Your questions

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Another Buzzword?

Content marketing is a marketing technique of creating and distributing

relevant and valuable content to attract, acquire, and engage a clearly defined and

understood target audience - with the objective of driving profitable customer

action.

- Content Marketing Institute

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1931

“Celebrating Today’s Farmer”

Published today in English, Spanish &

Russian

The Origins of Content Marketing

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And Today …

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What’s Changed?

• Cost of entry• Content platforms• Availability• Speed• Globalization• Expectations• Amount of content• Attention span

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If you’re not Content Marketing, you’re not marketing.

• Increased traffic• Social sharing• Customer loyalty & retention• Brand advocacy• Lead generation• Shortened buying cycles• Consumer engagement & relationship building• Increased trust and authority• PR on your terms• Increased sales and revenues• Improved employee morale and engagement

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What does this mean for associations?

Your Goal:

To be THE World’s Leading Expert in Your Niche

EverywhereYour Members Are”

- Joe Pulizzi, Junta42/CMI

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Associations SHOULD be great content marketers …

=

We have a wealth of content

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If you took a content inventory, what would you find?

• 224 magazine issues• 117 newsletter issues• 29 conventions• 33 marketing conferences• 13 webinars• 17 videos• 1,000s of photos• 55 blog posts• 1,030 tweets• 300 Facebook posts

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Webinars

Magazines

Journals

VideosWhite papers

Print newsletters

Enewsletters

Podcasts

ConferencesArticles

Online Communities

Learning Centers

Websites

Mobile Apps

Listservs

Private social networks

Books

Ebookse-books

Blogs

Infographics

Research

Benchmarking

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Associations SHOULD be great content marketers …

We have established relationships

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Associations SHOULD be great content marketers …

We have a foundation of

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So what holds us back?

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• Our wealth of content• Established relationships• Foundation of trust

Challenges

But that’s not all …

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Challenges

Association Membership Model

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What does your association “sell”?

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ExpertKnowledge

Members

Information

Association

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Challenges

• Boards• Volunteers• Staff

Structure & Resources

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ASSOCIATION content should:

• Advance your mission

• Address member needs and pain points

• Position the association as a trusted resource

• Target a specific audience

• Provide a call to action

• Tell an engaging story

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Advance your missionTo protect and advocate for the farm-grown Christmas Tree industry

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Address Member Needs and Pain Points

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What can you do for your members that they can’t do for themselves?

How is the content you provide going to help them improve their business or

advance their career?

Address Member Needs and Pain Points

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Address Member Needs and Pain Points

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Find Out What Keeps Them Up at Night

Member/reader surveysCommunications audit/focus groupsEditorial committeesSocial mediaGoogle alertsWhere else are they hanging out?LISTEN!

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Refrigerator Journalism

What is your organization currently producing that

is so relevant and valuable that it earns a spot on your members’

“fridge”?

Your Story Here

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Position your association as a trusted resource

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Position your association as a trusted resource

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Position your association as a trusted resource

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Target a specific audience

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Target a specific audience

Bob

• Manages 3,600 acres of trees• Pacific Northwest• Sells to big box stores• Biggest concern is rising

freight costs• Gets news online

• Small Choose & Cut farm• Gulf Coast of Alabama• Offers tours, Santa, train

rides• Biggest concern is weather• Prefers print

Steve

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Target a specific audience

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It’s not just about members …

• Mainstream media• Industry media• Consumers/general public• Researchers• Policymakers• Students/youth• Potential members

Is your association the expert in their eyes?

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Provide a call to action

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Provide a call to action

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Provide a call to action

1ST CALLPurchase additional content, click to learn more, sign up, sign in, subscribe, connect, engage, vote, contact, share, talk, “like”, comment, visit website, etc.

2nd CALLJoin association, register for event, contribute/donate, volunteer

Are you aiming for a relationship or a transaction?

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Tell an engaging story

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Tell an engaging story

Google Chrome:

http://youtu.be/w1sT7QV8nfU

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Tell an engaging story

Better Way to Stay/Professional Innkeepers:

http://youtu.be/jFNilW0_YX0

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Tell an engaging story

U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance:

http://youtu.be/E6IJP91wnBk

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Tell an engaging story (or help your members tell theirs)

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7 Things You Can Do to Start Improving Your Content Today

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#1 - Find an internal champion(s)

• Thinks like a publisher/ journalist• Nose for the news• Passion for telling stories• Passion for new technology• Problem-solver• Multi-tasker• Customer-focused

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#2 –Conduct a content inventory

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#3 – Start Listening

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#4 – Set Goals for Your Content

Via Copyblogger …• To build trust and rapport• To attract new prospects• To explore prospect pain• To illustrate benefits• To overcome objections• To attract strategic partners• To deepen loyalty with existing customers• To develop new business ideas• To build your reputation with search engines

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#5 –Develop a Content Calendar

1 – 7 – 30 – 4 – 2 - 1

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#6 – Give your content new life

Reducing Antibiotic Residues

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#7 - And most importantly …

Focus on what works for your association and members.

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What are your association content

challenges?