Fast Track Your Content Marketing Plan

1. Fast-Track Your Content Marketing Plan

2. Most companies don’t have a content marketing plan. Most companies don’t succeed with content marketing. You can connect the dots.

3. Here’s a solid plan for creating a solid content marketing PLAN. ? Sounds like a good plan, doesn’t it

4. The idea is to document a strategy. The planning shall hereby commence.

5. Establish your main objective. 1 The objective of our content marketing plan is to . generate leads establish greater authority build community increase retention Select ONE as your main objective. Add secondary objectives if you plan to measure them. (Your objectives can differ from the examples listed.)

6. Define a metric for your objective. Lead = . an email opt-in. Authority = X Community = Y Retention = Z Adjust per your needs and analytics capabilities. Align each of your objectives to at least one metric.

7. Document how you’ll keep score. We will measure and record it with every objective, with metric tool . time interval For example: We will measure leads, with opt-ins, and record them with Campaign Monitor reports every week. Create a list of: • Top objectives • Reporting tactics • Intervals

8. The plan is beginning to take shape. Next up... target market personas.

9. Create personas. 2

10. Fill in the blanks. Create a fictional customer. but realistic > Name Job/role Most pressing needs Responsibilities Pains, pleasures Role in decision Influences Media *Add and subtract fields as needed. **B2B and B2C personas will differ. ***Create multiple personas as needed.

11. STORY? What’s your We’ll document this now.

12. Establish your unique value proposition Why do people do business with you? The answer is probably not the thing you sell. Delve into the who, what, when, where and why and uncover something magical... 3 An emotion.

13. Unique value proposition A fictitious example... SayHeyPayDay puts employers’ minds at ease knowing they don’t have to fuss with the tedious task of issuing paychecks. Document your value proposition now. Note the emotional appeals above.

14. Establish your 4 content marketing mission 1. Articulate your approach to the content and industry 2. Clearly define whom the content is for 3. State how the content will satisfy the needs of those that consume it (Mission statement definition by Joe Pulizzi of Content Marketing Institute)

15. Content marketing mission A fictitious example... SayHeyPayDay publishes a blog and information resources for employers of 5 - 5,000 people to teach them ways to create a happier and more productive workplace. Document your content marketing mission. Did you cover Joe’s 1, 2, & 3?

16. You nailed your story. Why you matter and why your content will too. Write it all down in your fast-evolving plan.

17. Examine your sales funnel. The top... At the top of your sales funnel a stranger discovers your company. You’ve achieved awareness.

18. Examine your sales funnel. The middle... In the middle of your sales funnel a prospect demonstrates interest. He or she is doing research. You are challenged to help them with evaluation.

19. Examine your sales funnel. The bottom... At the bottom of your sales funnel you are attempting to drive action. Your content should inspire a purchase.

20. Here’s an example. Content types at three levels.

21. Another example. Content types at three levels. Source: http://spinsucks.com/communication/plan-your-content/

22. Create a matrix. Content types at all three levels. 5 Awareness Evaluation Purchase Plug in content types. What do you have? What do you need? Make a buying cycle matrix to cover all the bases. Think big. It’s useful to create a matrix per each customer persona.

23. You defined potential customers. You decided why people do business with you. You stated your content’spurpose. You listed your content production needs. Now it’s time to satisfy them.

24. Consider your options. Popular content formats. • Blogs • Newsletters • Social media • Events (online and off) • Case studies • Videos • Podcasts • eBooks and white papers • Presentations • Infographics • Webinars • Research reports • Microsites • Apps

25. Create an 6 editorial calendar. Get a sample editorial calendar template, which you can download and customize to your team’s specific needs. Courtesy of Content Marketing Institute.

26. Now you should plan for distribution. You want to amplify your reach.

27. “Content is fire. Social media is gasoline.” ~ Jay Baer, Convince and Convert

28. Consider your resources (and of course, your audience) and make smart distribution choices. 7 •  Social media networks •  Advocacy programs •  Email •  Search •  Paid search •  Advertising •  Sponsored content (on blogs and social networks) •  Guest posts •  PR

29. Map your promotional strategies. ~ Examples ~ We’ll promote our blog via (Twitter, LinkedIn & Google+). We’ll promote our webinars via our (eNewsletter and PPC ads.) Again, adjust to your needs. Your plan is getting progressively powerful.

30. Measure what matters. 8 The objectives you’ve documented inform the metrics you’ll use. Make a short list of the most meaningful metrics that indicate your progress and create a simple dashboard for tracking them.

31. And that’s your content marketing PLAN. Accomplished marketers understand the content marketing plan is the foundation of a successful content marketing program.

32. 8 Steps to Fast-Track Your Content Marketing Plan 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Objective(s) Personas Unique value proposition Content marketing mission Content matrix Editorial calendar Content distribution Measurement Measurement

33. Additional content marketing planning resources. Just click. This presentation is based on a blog post, “The Content Marketing Plan that Quadruples Your Leads.” http://feldmancreative.com/2014/11/content-marketing-plan-quadruples-leads/

34. Fast-Track Your Plan With Feldman Creative Click anywhere to visit now.