secrets of successful content marketing

SECRETS OF SUCCESSFUL CONTENT MARKETING

P. 1 Business Email Marketing | Tw: @Pinpointe | www.facebook.com/pinpointe | (800) 557-6584

Robert W. Bly Center for Technical Communication www.bly.com (973) 263-0562 [email protected] Twitter: @robertbly

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Content:

Apples help prevent cancer.

Copy:

A delicious fruit you can find in your refrigerator that can help prevent cancer.


14 Things…


The 3 Rs of content optimization

•!Reorganize – take existing content and restructure it in a way that is more useful to your prospects

•!Rewrite – companies often find it useful to rewrite to content when it is either dated or has been exhausted due to a high level of previous consumption

•!Retire – every piece of content has a shelf life. You cannot use the same content indefinitely

Source: Marketing white paper “Creating Content that Sells”


Bad content example:

Copywriting Tip

Most of your customers don't really give a crap about you, your products or services, or your goals and dreams.

What they care about is how you can help THEM. They are too busy trying to figure out how to overcome their challenges!

How to avoid it:

The key to writing great content is to either (a) present a new idea (very difficult) or (b) communicate an old idea!in a fresh, new, and compelling way (challenging but easier). If you do neither, then you are wasting the reader’s time by stating the old in a stale way. So why even bother? Answer: You shouldn’t.


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Custora came up with its figures by analyzing data from 72 million customers shopping on 86 different retailer sites.


E-Mail


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Marketer

Bait Piece (free content offer)

Prospect


Promotion

Bait Piece Offers

Fulfillment

Follow-Up

Close

Prospect Requests Bait Piece

Purchase?

NO

Bait Piece Bait Piece YES

NO


LGM + BPO = 2 x RRR


!!Selection Guide

!!How-to

!!Survey

!!Case Study

!!Methodology

!!Implementation Guide

!!Controversy

!!Consumer Awareness Guide

!!Application

!!ROI/Benefit


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*Sources: Maddox, Kate, “Study looks at value of online content,” BtoB, p.3; Huff, Dianna, “How to Syndicate Your White Papers,” MarketingSherpa; Knowledge Storm/MarketingSherpa Study


Purpose/Audience Description Senior Management high-level overview Executive Briefing

Instructions Manual How to specify or choose a product

Consumer Awareness Guide; Buyer’s Guide; Selection Guide

Information, tips, technical data Special Report Quick tips Tip Sheet Technical or research data Monograph Printed multi-page saddle-stitched document, 4x9-inch page size Booklet

Printed multi-page document, folded Pamphlet


Type of Title Example

List “The Top 7 Security Problems of 802.11 Wireless Networks”

Active Verb (“ing”) “Managing Large UNIX Data Centers”

Why “Why Six Sigma Doesn’t Work”

Colon “Defending the Remote Office: Which VPN Technology is Best?”

How to “How to Prevent Machine Parts from Failing Prematurely”


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A SIMPLE GUIDE TO RUNNING

A PROFIT-BUILDING

BUSINESS GIFT PROGRAM.


The Special Report Technique: Step 1


The Special Report

Technique: Step 2


Sales Cycle

Lead-generation Fulfillment

RFP

Close


1.! ________________________________________

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3.! ________________________________________

4.! ________________________________________

5.! ________________________________________

6.! ________________________________________

7.! ________________________________________

8.! ________________________________________

9.! ________________________________________

10.! ________________________________________

“10 Tips for …_____ _______________.”


Q: A:

Q: A:

Q: A:

Q: A:

Q: A:

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Q: A:


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Bob Bly Copywriter, Internet strategist Phone: (973) 263-0562 Subscribe to Bob’s “Direct Response Letter”: www.bly.com/reports

Pinpointe (222K;$%;,$%1"K+,/J*"1M)1&'1"-(

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