Podcamp Toronto 2013: How to create a content marketing strategy

Create a killer content marketing strategy

PodCamp Toronto 2013

Shelley Pringle

Feb. 23, 2013

SHELLEY PRINGLE@shelleypringle

www.polarisprinc.com/blog

Linkedin.com/ShelleyPringle

shelley@polarisprinc.com

#PCTO13

The world is awash in content

1. Create buyer personas

2. Understand the sales cycle

3. Develop relevant content

HOW CAN YOU STAND OUT?

WHAT ARE BUYER PERSONAS?

“We help small businesses

collect outstanding accounts

and assist with small claims

court when customers don’t

pay.”

PIPER PARALEGAL SERVICES

INTRODUCING: FRANK, MARY & BILL

WHY ARE BUYER PERSONAS

IMPORTANT?

“When a customer doesn’t

pay, that’s money right

out of my pocket.”

SMALL BUSINESSES

“I want to help my clients

collect the money that’s

owing to them.”

BOOK KEEPERS

“You can’t run a profitable

business if customers

don’t pay on time or

don’t pay at all.”

ACCOUNTANTS

HOW ARE BUYER PERSONAS CREATED?

CONTACT TRAITS

COMPANY SIZE

MARKET OR

INDUSTRY

GEOGRAPHY

PRODUCT OR

SERVICE

DECISION MAKER

STATUS

Ask yourself these

questions:

What problems are they

trying to solve?

What kind of content do

they prefer?

Who else influences their

decision?

CREATE PERSONAS FROM THEMES

Where do you get this

information?

Your leads are at different

stages of the sales cycle

THE SALES FUNNEL

BRAND BUILDING

& EDUCATION

GENERATES

AWARENESS

TOFU

(Top of Funnel)

ATTRACTS

LEADS

MOFU

(Middle of

Funnel)

NURTURES

LEADS

SALES

CONVERTS

LEADS TO

CUSTOMERS

HOW PEOPLE BUY

The same message

will NOT work for every

every contact

Top of the Funnel

Questions they have:

How do I…?

What’s the best…?

Should I…?

How do I address this

problem?

Top of the Funnel

Content:

How to Guides

Best Practice Examples

Templates

Idea Posts

Instructional Videos

Top of the Funnel

Indicators they’re

ready to move on:

Sign up for a demo

Visit your pricing page

Download multiple offers

Request more info

Middle of the Funnel

Questions they have:

How can YOU help?

Do I need this?

What can I expect?

Am I making the right

choice?

What do I need to consider?

Middle of the Funnel

Content:

Case studies

Results & analysis

Decision tools

Demo/Trial

Middle of the Funnel

Indicators they’re

ready to move on:

Several discussions with

sales

Decision-makers

brought in

Final proposal

Bottom of the Funnel

They’re a customer!

Repeat purchase

Up sell

Support

Customer feedback

Evangelists

DEVELOP A CONTENT ROAD MAP

“We help small businesses

collect outstanding accounts

from their customers and

assist with small claims

court when customers don’t

pay.”

PIPER PARALEGAL SERVICES

RELEVANT CONTENT

DOWNLOAD OUR FREE TEMPLATE:

How to

Create Customer Personas

http://bit.ly/YIznx2