CONTENT COOKBOOK FOR IT DRIP CAMPAIGNSscheierassociates.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/...I hope you find this useful, and let me know how I can make this cookbook more useful by emailing

CONTENT COOKBOOK FOR IT DRIP CAMPAIGNS

Recipes for Cloud Services, DevOps, Security and More

CONTENT COOKBOOK FOR IT DRIP CAMPAIGNS

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Content Cookbook For It Drip Campaigns BOB SCHEIER ASSOCIATES

Welcome to the Kitchen - Page 3Recipe 1 - Cloud Services - Page 4

Recipe 2 - DevOps - Page 6Recipe 3 - Cloud Security - Page 8

Recipe 4 - Containers - Page 11Recipe 5 - Security Response - Page 14

Roll Your Own - Page 16What’s Next? - Page 20

Table of Contents

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Welcome to the Kitchen

IT buying cycles are longer and more complex than ever. Everyone from IT to operations to finance and marketing have their fingers in the pie.

You know you should tailor your content to each player at each step in the buying cycle. But who has time to come up with the content and design the copy flows?

Based on my experience crafting thousands of stories for the likes of eWeek and Computerworld, I’ve created drip marketing “recipes” for five hot IT areas:

• Cloud services• DevOps• Cloud-based security• Containers• Security response

Feel free to adapt these to your needs. If you work in an area I haven’t covered, use the template at the back to create your own content flow.

I hope you find this useful, and let me know how I can make this cookbook more useful by emailing [email protected] or calling 508-725-7258.

Bob Scheier

Content Cookbook For IT Drip Campaigns

RECIPES FOR CLOUD SERVICES, DEVOPS, SECURITY AND MORE

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Story 1:

To those in the awareness stage, clearly explain the pros and cons of the major cloud flavors (infrastructure, platform and software as a service) and suggest which are best for various types of customers. Briefly summarize the current state of cloud security and management to tease follow-up stories 2 and 3 below.

Serving Suggestion: Offer story 1 ungated (no registration required) to establish yourself as a trusted advisor. Promote via your Web site, email newsletters, content syndication, social media, etc. Call to action (CTA) is an invitation to gated stories 2 and 3 on, respectively, security and management.

Story 2:

To identify prospects most concerned about security, offer a checklist of which security features a cloud provider should offer, and challenge the reader if they can do as well in-house. Alternatively, create a checklist customers can use to assess how much security they need based on their size, industry, application types, etc.

Recipe 1:Cloud ServicesCa

ramel Cricket Crunch

1/2 c.

butter

1/2 c.

honey

1/4 c.

caramel

1 bag popcorn

1 c.

roasted chopped

crickets

http://scheierassociates.com/2013/11/guides-help-sell-cloud


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Serving Suggestion: Gate story 2 with a two to three field form (for example, name, email address, company name) to capture basic information without scaring off readers. Call to action is a link to story 4, a “how to buy” piece for those closer to a purchase.

Story 3:

To identify prospects most concerned about cloud management, create a 1,500-2,000 word update on the state of cloud management. What are the most critical requirements, which of those needs can vendors meet now, what’s coming in the future?

Serving Suggestion: As with story 2, gate with a two to three field form. Call to action is a link to story 4, the “how to buy” piece for those closer to a purchase.

Story 4:

For capture those in the consideration or purchase stages, go deep, longer (2,000 words) and very specific with a suggested request for proposal (RFP). Provide a template with suggested terms and conditions, specific requirements for recovering data in case of failure and questions about who within the provider is responsible for security and reporting on outages.

Serving Suggestion:

This most valuable content can be further gated with two to three more detailed questions, such as which security standards the reader must meet, the scope of servers/storage under management and their expected timetable for purchase. Call to action can be a request for a sales meeting or demo.

Each of these topics can easily be expanded into a blog post, white paper, video, Webinar, eBook or “Top Ten Questions to Ask” cheat sheet. And for those who stopped early in the content sequence, continue to marinate them in other useful content until they’re ready for further engagement.

http://scheierassociates.com/2014/05/content-drip-campaigns-answer-next-question


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Story 1:

For those at the “top of the funnel/awareness” stage: explain DevOps and how it combines development and operations to speed apps to market. Describe how a DevOps org chart differs from a conventional environment. Explain, based on customer experiences, to what extent DevOps is hype or real. Be realistic and honest about what types of organizations and business cases DevOps is best suited for.

Serving Suggestion:

Offer story 1 ungated (no registration required) to establish yourself as a trusted and knowledgeable advisor. Promote via your Web site, email newsletters, content syndication, social media, etc. The call to action is a link to story 2, also ungated, for prospects moving into the consideration phase.

Story 2:

Use the ever-popular checklist format for an “Is DevOps for me?” piece. Questions for readers to ask might include:

• “Have I missed a market opportunity in the last year because I couldn’t field a new app quickly enough?”

• “Is my A/B testing of new application features taking too long? How much would it be worth to speed that up?”

Recipe 2:DevOpsMi

crowave Brownie

1/4 c.

flour

1/4 c.

sugar

2 tbsp.

cocoa

1/4 c.

water

2 tbsp.

oil

1 to 2 drops vanilla

http://scheierassociates.com/2013/03/explaining-devops-content-marketing

http://scheierassociates.com/2013/11/eight-votes-telling-prospects-truth


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• “Do I have the stomach for the organizational and skill changes required to move to DevOps?”

• “Do I have executive backing to make these changes and to force my developers and operations folks to work more closely together?”

Serving Suggestion: Promote story 2 piece ungated to attract the widest audience. The call to action can ask the reader to register (with basic information such as name and email address) to read Story 3 with more detailed implementation guidelines.

Story 3:

Make this a detailed implementation guide that doesn’t shy away from the tough changes in process, technology and management needed to implement DevOps. Include sometimes-forgotten considerations such as security and how DevOps may affect databases. How much training, in what areas, and at what cost is required? Where do companies typically go wrong in their shift to DevOps and how can others avoid these mistakes?

Serving Suggestion: Gated with a short two to three field form (for example, name, email address, company name) to capture basic information without scaring off too many readers. The call to action can be an offer of a detailed assessment of the prospect’s DevOps readiness.

Each of these topics can easily be expanded into a blog post, white paper, video, Webinar, eBook or “Top Ten Questions to Ask” cheat sheet. And for those who stopped early in the content sequence, continue to marinate them in other useful content until they’re ready for further engagement.

http://scheierassociates.com/2014/03/selling-devops-dont-forget-security

http://scheierassociates.com/2014/06/next-devops-databases



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Customers like the agility, flexibility and lower prices offered by the cloud. But security fears keep them from moving more sensitive data and applications to off-premise data centers.

How to educate them about when the cloud is actually safe enough for prime time?

Story 1:

For those in the awareness/education stage, explain how they can assess which of their applications and data would be “safe enough” on various cloud platforms. Provide tips for evaluating if the cloud is more or less secure than their in-house environment. Describe the types of applications and data other customers are, and are not, trusting to the cloud, and the value (and limits of) cloud security certifications.

If you’re selling cloud-based security as a service, explain exactly what the service provider does, and what is still the customer’s responsibility. Describe its various flavors (identity management, remote monitoring) and what to look for in each.

Serving Suggestion:

Offer story 1 ungated, as easily accessible content for those “just looking.” The call to action refers them to Story 2, for those in the consideration stage.

Recipe #3:Cloud SecurityCa

ndied Bacon

6 or 7 bacon slices

1/4 c.

light brown

sugar

1/8 tsp.

ground

cinnamon


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Story 2:

Get specific about the security questions a customer should ask a cloud provider, based on their industry and its compliance requirements. Among the specifics are:

1. What processes, and technologies, should the provider use to alert me to security issues?

2. How quickly will I be notified, and what are the escalation paths if the problem isn’t solved quickly?

3. What types of encryption should the provider use for data in transit and at rest?

4. What are the different methods of isolating customer environments in the cloud, such as network traffic isolation vs. database traffic isolation? How does a customer determine which is best for them?

5. What security service level agreements (SLAs) should the customer expect from a cloud provider, or a security as a service provider?

Serving Suggestion:

Offer this ungated, or at most gated with only basic information such as name and email address. The call to action is a referral to story 3, for those in the evaluation/purchase stage.

Story 3:

Help the customer get down and dirty choosing specific features. Possible areas to cover include:

1. What security-related controls and reports should I insist on from my service provider?

2. How will the provider give my auditors the information they need to prove my compliance?

3. How do they assure my data and applications are isolated from those of other customers?


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4. Do they offer federated identity or access management that integrates my on-site security with the cloud?

5. How does each provider assure that only authorized users get access to the administrative accounts that are the “keys to the kingdom” for their cloud?

6. How quickly will the provider inform me of the existence of a security breach, their progress toward resolving it, and what if any of my data was compromised?

Serving Suggestion: The call to action here can be an invite for a more in-depth conversation about the customer’s needs.

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The use of “containers” (lightweight virtualization which runs only the components of the operating system needed to run an application) is a classic emerging market where customers are begging to be educated – and, in the process, let you shape the terms of the conversation.

Story 1:

For those in the awareness/education phase provide a concise, “why should I care?” explanation. Compare containers to virtualization, highlighting the benefits (greater reliability, lower overhead) and the costs and possible risks (the need for new skills, fast-changing marketplace, less mature vendors.)

Provide a high-level or summary overview of how easy or hard it is to implement containers on various operating systems, such as Microsoft vs. Linux. Show your expertise and thought leadership by “framing” the conversation. Are containers the next big thing? Hopelessly overrated? A raw technology that needs to settle down before committing to it? Provide unique insights based on your prospects’ size, vertical market, installed technology base, or tolerance for risk.

Serving Suggestion: Offer story 1 ungated (no registration form) and promote it aggressively through social media, paid adwords, and SEO. End with a link to story 2, aimed at those ready to look at specific container products and services.

Recipe #4:ContainersCh

oco-Avocado Truffles

1 small avocado

1 c.

semi-sweet choco

chips

1/2 tsp.

vanilla

Chocolate sprinkles


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Story 2:

For those in the consideration phase, drill further into the different flavors of containers. Compare, for example, vendors that provide an entire “platform” to those who sell “just the container, m’aam.” Discuss specific implementation scenarios (say, hybrid cloud, or a mix of Microsoft Azure and Rackspace clouds) and what it takes to deploy and manage containers from various vendors on each. Discuss in detail whether, when and why containers plus virtualization does or does not provide better security than virtualization alone.

Another possibility is a sample Request for Proposal (RFP) with “killer questions” to ask container vendors. How, for example, do they handle backup and restore? How do they isolate sensitive applications in a multi-tenant environment, where multiple customers share the same hardware, storage and networks? What are the “must-have’s” vs. “nice to haves” in management tools? What new skills will the customer need to handle containers?

Serving Suggestion: End with a gated tease to story 3, which is focused on those ready to buy.

Story 3:

For those in the evaluation/implementation phase, get very tactical and detailed. Tailor advice to the specific concerns of each customer type, such as complexity and cost (if they’re small) to security and compliance (if they’re a bank) to scalability and management (if they’re a cloud provider.)

Or drum up some lists based on your real-world experience:

• “Top seven mistakes our customers made with containers.”

• “Eight questions to ask about your current environment before choosing a container platform.”

• “Our five favorite open-source container management utilities.”

• “Five easy ways to enhance container security.”


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Consider rolling in case studies with specifics of your customers’ experience with containers.

Serving Suggestion: Call to action could be a request for a call with a salesperson to discuss their needs further.

As always, each of these topics can easily be expanded into a blog post, white paper, video, Webinar, eBook or “Top Ten Questions to Ask” cheat sheet. And for those who stopped early in the content sequence, continue to marinate them in other useful content until they’re ready for further engagement.


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The security market is moving beyond products such as antivirus (AV) software designed to prevent attacks to software and services that limit the damage after a breach.

What sequence of marketing content can help you to identify and rate prospects for security response?

Story 1:

Capture prospects early in the sales cycle by clearly explaining the limits of AV, the nature of the new threats it cannot stop and how security response, rather than prevention, can help limit the damage. Be honest about whether AV is really “dead” or is just not sufficient, in and of itself, to provide security. Should customers, for example, just get basic free AV for end points and focus their efforts on hardening the core and on security response? If they shift more security spending to the network, specifically where should they invest? And what is the ROI of security response versus prevention?

Serving Suggestion:

Offer story 1 free and promote it via emails and social networks. The call to action is a link to the more detailed stories 2 and 3 aimed at more specific market segments.

Recipe 5:Security ResponseBe

rry Grilled Cheese

1 c.

blackberries

1/2 c.

sugar

2 tbsp.

merlot

8 oz.

double cream brie

8 slices wheat bread

4 slices honey ham


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Story 2:

To find SMB prospects produce a checklist to help them determine whether this shift from prevention to response is as valid for them as for large companies. If basic AV is still necessary, what are the “must-have” features an SMB needs? And if SMBs should start thinking “response” rather than just prevention, what are the basic “response” steps they should take with their limited budgets and which are best done by an outside vendor?

Serving Suggestion: Gate story 2 with two to three basic contact/qualification questions, such as name, business email and top security challenge they are facing. The CTA is a link to story 3, pulling prospects further through the sales funnel to the product/vendor evaluation stage.

Story 3:

To capture prospects that are in the “consideration” stage, describe how to evaluate a security response service. Which services, such as centralized real-time monitoring or documentation and forensics that analyze attacks, are most valuable? Which response service limits the damage from each type of attack most effectively? What are the “gotchas” from choosing the wrong provider, and how can a customer avoid them?

Serving Suggestion: Gate story 3 with two or three further progressive profiling questions, such as whether they have (or plan to create) a security response plan and their time frame for action. If they plan to act soon, the CTA could be a call to further discuss their needs. If they’re months away from action, offer them a subscription to your email newsletter of security response tips, tracking their readership to determine if and when they might be open to a call.

Remember that each of these topics can easily be expanded into a blog post, white paper, video, Webinar, eBook or “Top Ten Questions to Ask” cheat sheet. For those who stopped early in the content sequence, continue to marinate them in other useful content until they’re ready for further engagement.


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Roll Your Own

Maybe your product or service doesn’t fit the categories I’ve covered. Or maybe your prospects have very specific needs, or go through a unique or especially complex purchase process.

If so, here’s a template to help you create your own content recipe.

First, define who plays which roles in the buying process. What are their prime concerns (ROI, technical compatibility, functionality, etc.?)

Second, define (based on feedback from your sales force) the most significant steps in the typical buying process (e.g. awareness, consideration, evaluation, purchase.)

Third, for each of these steps, define the action you want a prospect to take after viewing your content (such as reading more details about your offering, sharing contact info, taking a sales call, etc.)

Fourth, for each step, document (again with feedback from your sales force) the questions prospects ask at each step that signal the greatest interest in your offering and their likelihood of eventually making a purchase.

Fifth, gather the raw material for your content (market research, customer stories, feedback from your sales force, insights from your executives, common questions from your support team).

The Pickleback Cocktail

1 1/2

oz.

whiskey

(bourbon, rye or Irish)

1 1/2

oz.

juice from a

jar of qualit

y pickles


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And sixth, map your flow by filling in this template. (Note you may need to change the “sample steps” to match different or more complex buying processes, to reach multiple stakeholders at different phases of the process, or prospects who bounce, say, from detailed evaluation back to consideration.)

Steps in PurchaseProcess

Questions Prospects Ask Answers

Format(text, video,

Webinar, etc.)

Gating/Calls To Action

Awareness

What are you selling?

How is it different or better?

How does it help me?

Who else uses this and how did it

work for them?

Ungated.

Invite customers to view next piece. Track their reading

or viewership and nurture via

emails and other outreach.

Consideration

Is this suitable for my size or type of

business?

How much does it cost, what is

the ROI?

What are some general purchase

criteria?

What is the total cost of ownership?

Possible minimal gating (such as

email, name)

Invite customers to view next piece, track viewership and nurture via

emails, other contacts.)

You Answer!


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Format(text, video,

Webinar, etc.)


Evaluation of specific

competing offers

Which specific features should I

look for?

How viable are the various

vendors?

How strong are their support

organizations?

What hidden costs (such as

licensing, support or required

infrastructure) should I look

out for?

Tighter gating (such as company name, size, time to

purchase)

Possibly ask for sales call or visit.

Ready to buy

How scalable and manageable are the competing

offers?

What terms and conditions should

I negotiate for?

What “gotchas” should I

watch for?

How do I find a service provider/

consultant to help me?

Where can I find references?

No gating (assuming you’ve already captured

contact info)

Definitely ask for sales call/site visit.


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Format(text, video,

Webinar, etc.)


Ongoing support/

sale of upgrades orassociated

products and services

Which software modules or hard-ware are nearing the end of their support lives?

What new capabilities are

available from my vendor, why do I

need them?

Why can’t I stick with what I have

now?

Track readership of content – lack

of readership may signal

dissatisfaction/intent to cancel or replace and

prompt remedial action.

High readership can trigger further

nurturing with content or direct

follow up.

Need help fleshing out this template? Got a product or service for which you’d like to see a sample content sequence? Drop me a line or call at 508-725-7258 for a complimentary brainstorm.

mailto:[email protected]

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This cookbook only scratches the surface of the content recipes that can help you get, and keep, the attention of today’s IT buyers. Its aim is to get you started, deliver some quick results and give you a feel for what targeted content can achieve.

Your next step is to monitor who read, viewed, watched, downloaded and/or listened to which of your content. This can be done using any of a number of marketing automation platforms. With that information, you can score prospects based on their likelihood to buy, develop new content to answer their questions or overcome their objections, and steer your expensive sales force to only those prospects that are most receptive to a call.

Such content marketing requires ongoing investment, but can yield rich rewards. Hopefully, this cookbook has given you a quick and easy introduction to its power.

Again, let me know what I can do to make this cookbook more useful, or if I can help you create and prepare your own content recipes. I’m reachable at [email protected] or 508 725-7258.

What’s Next?

Documents

CONTENT COOKBOOK FOR IT DRIP CAMPAIGNSscheierassociates.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/...I hope you find this useful, and let me know how I can make this cookbook more useful by emailing