PR 20/20 Blog

Ebook Copywriting, Design and Distribution Tips

By Tracy DiMarino | Posted Dec 8, 2011 | 2 Comment(s) | Filed in: Content Marketing
Ebooks are powerful lead generating and nurturing tools, useful for connecting with target audiences and establishing expertise.

Less technical than whitepapers and more in-depth than blog posts, ebooks are ideal for companies looking to expand upon a topic in an easily digestible and reader-friendly way. Below are some copywriting, design and distribution tips to get you started.

Effective Ebook Copywriting

Identify a topic that your company is well versed in, that’s also relevant and interesting to your target market. Make sure your ebook has a strong focus and doesn’t get too broad. Consider items such as:
- Who are you writing for?
- What do you want them to learn?
- What stage are they in the buying cycle?
- What problems are you trying to help them solve?
- Will the ebook be used for lead generation or nurturing?
Similar to other content projects, ebook copywriting should meet the seven essential elements of effective copywriting: strategic, brand centric, buyer-persona focused, optimized for search engines, technically sound, creative and results driven.

Keep in mind that helpful advice, resources and information should take center stage. Save product or service information for the end of the ebook on an About Us or call-to-action page.

Ebook Design and Layout

No matter how expertly written your ebook is, if it is not formatted properly, people may not take the time to read it. Below are some design tips to keep in mind.

Horizontal Layout

A horizontal layout is ideal for ebooks, as it helps differentiate from a more technical whitepaper, and makes the content easier to follow and scan. In addition, horizontal layouts conveniently fit within a computer screen, making them super easy to read without having to print.

White Space

When it comes to ebooks, white space is your friend. Less content per page is easier on the eyes. It also helps break the text up into smaller, more manageable chunks that are ideal for today’s short attention spans. According to David Meerman Scott (@dmscott) in So You Want to Write an eBook: 30 Tips for Success, ebooks with a word count of 3-6K should range 20-30 pages in length.

Imagery

Relevant imagery throughout your ebook enhances the design and better engages the reader. When selecting your images, be sure to cite them appropriately (if necessary), and be careful with stock photography, as it can be overused and unnatural.

When dealing with stock photography, Paul Boag (@boagworld) suggests the use of illustrations, stylized elements, dramatic photos, typography and figurative interpretations in Stop Using Stock Photography Cliches. There’s also the option to snap your own photos for use.

For image size, we recommend 300 dpi or higher for the best-quality resolution.

Colors and Font

You don’t want colors and fonts that make your ebook hard to look at, or that don’t appeal to your target readers. That being said, make sure your selections also match your brand personality. For instance, you probably wouldn’t want big, loopy typography if you want to portray a polished and professional brand, but this could work for brands that are innovative and cutting edge.

Cover

It’s not just hardcover books that are judged by their covers. Be sure your cover is eye-catching and intriguing, as it’s typically the first thing people see. Craft a catchy headline and subhead, and take time to select your imagery.

Distribution Strategies

Just as important as copywriting and design—if not more so—is your distribution strategy. When considering ways to promote your ebook, think about how you can use your website, search, social media, PR, other content assets, advertising and sales integration to your advantage. For specific distribution considerations, read How to Create a Content Distribution Strategy.

Share Your Tips

Share your best practices and tips below in the comments section.

Image Credit: Nebraska Library Commission

Tracy DiMarino is a consultant at PR 20/20, a Cleveland-based inbound marketing agency and PR firm. Follow Tracy on Twitter @TracyDiMarino.

Stay updated: Subscribe to the PR 20/20 blog, check us out on Facebook or follow the team on Twitter.
Put an End to Email Spam

By Tracy DiMarino | Posted Dec 1, 2011 | 0 Comment(s) | Filed in: Content Marketing
We’ve all received them—unsolicited emails from companies we don’t know or care about, usually without an opt-out option. It’s one of my pet peeves, and likely that of your prospects and customers as well.

While email marketing programs are a cost-effective and measurable way to drive website traffic and sales, build thought leadership, and connect with leads and customers, the benefits quickly disappear when lists aren’t properly managed and communications fail to meet CAN-SPAM requirements.

To avoid having your emails trashed, below are some quick reminders to help you get the most value out of your campaigns, while being respectful of recipients.

Adhere to CAN-SPAM

CAN-SPAM protects the consumer from unwanted and deceptive business communications, and failing to follow it can result in hefty legal fines. Below are the main requirements for CAN-SPAM compliance.
- Use accurate and non-deceptive heading information (i.e. “to” and “from” fields) and subject lines.
- Provide your mailing address and opt-out capabilities within the email.
- Honor opt-outs.
- If using a list in which recipients did not opt-in or double opt-in, you must also clearly disclose that your message is an ad.
Note: You’re liable for the above even if a third-party sends the emails on your behalf.

Keep in mind that the law affects all commercial messages—even when they aren’t sent in bulk. In fact, inspired by a Daniel Burstein (@DanielBurstein) tweet, PR 20/20 now includes opt-outs in all pitches to reporters and bloggers.

Don’t Rely on Third-Party Lists

While it is enticing to use third-party lists to quickly expand your company’s reach, doing so can put your entire email-marketing program and brand at risk. This is because these individuals never opted in to receive communications from you, and are much more likely to send your email to the spam folder.

According to MailChimp, “If you send emails to a list, and you get an unusual amount of SPAM complaints (more than 1 out of 1,000), ISPs will begin blocking future emails from your company.” This could negatively affect the delivery of all emails your organization sends.

For this reason, it’s against the majority of providers’ terms of use to upload and send to third-party lists. Check out the policies from MailChimp, Constant Contact and iContact as examples.

Develop Your Own Opt-In Lists

The most successful campaigns will be those based on your own opt-in lists of recipients, who have requested communications from your company. Below are some tips for building this database.
- Add enticing calls to action and lead forms on your website. In addition to traditional contact pages, consider placing content pieces such as eBooks or whitepapers behind forms, if lead generation is a primary objective.
- Set up automated lead-nurturing campaigns to tie directly to site lead forms, with content tailored to recipients’ interests. This is especially helpful when trying to move leads through the buying process.
- Collect business cards at tradeshows, conferences and events of those people who would like to get more information from your organization.
- Consider paid advertising programs, such as Google AdWords, which direct visitors to landing page on your site.
- Start an e-newsletter by placing a sign-up form on your website.
Note: Ensure that people understand they are opting to receive later information from you. Clearly disclose how their contact information will be used, including the types and frequency of communications.

Remember that management of the list is just as important as initial development. Therefore, be sure to consistently remove opt-outs and cold leads that you have not interacted with in more than 12 months. For more email marketing best practices, see E-newsletter Programs: Tips and Best Practices.

How Are You Fighting Spam?

What steps do you take to ensure that your emails are targeted and relevant to recipients? Share your experiences in the comments below.

Image Credit: adamfarnsworth
How Marketing Can Support the Sales Process

By Tracy DiMarino & Jessica Donlon | Posted Nov 8, 2011 | 0 Comment(s) | Filed in: Marketing
The goal of most marketing activities is to drive leads, which will convert to new customers and grow the business. To do this effectively, however, a deep integration between marketing and sales is needed, and it starts with shared information and processes. Below are three steps to ensure that marketing best supports the sales process.

1) Get Everybody on the Same Page

“Even though sales may not be involved in the execution of the program, sales should be involved in a number of ways: sharing their point-of-view, sharing thoughts for messaging, and sharing what they are hearing in the marketplace.” — David Kirkpatrick (@davidkonline), B2B How-To: 5 Lead Nurturing Tactics to Get from Lead Gen to Sales-Qualified

If you haven’t already, identify clear responsibilities, processes and goals to sync your marketing and sales efforts. To accomplish this, we recommend holding a meeting with key players from both marketing and sales to discuss:
- What does your existing lead database look like? What customer relationship management (CRM) system is used, and how is lead information updated within it?
- What baseline data can be used to effectively forecast marketing and sales goals?
- What is the standard or average length of buying process from first interest to close?
- What current processes are in place to follow up with new leads? What material does the sales team already share with its new and existing leads, and what schedule (if any) does that process follow?
- How do customers find your company, or do you find them?
- What drives initial conversations? What problems are buyers facing?
- What are common questions and roadblocks that your buyers face at different stages of the sales cycle?
- What language do prospects use to describe their challenges and possible solutions?
- How qualified are existing and target leads?
- At what point does a lead get turned over from marketing to sales? Will there be any overlap?
- Once a lead becomes a customer, how can we stay in touch with them to turn the customer into a brand ambassador?
Use the insight gained from these discussions to align lead-outreach efforts, determine messaging, establish common tracking and reporting systems, and identify areas for improvement in the marketing-sales handoff. By working together, you’ll be better equipped to move interested, qualified leads through the sales funnel.

2) Align Content Marketing with the Buying Cycle

Based on industry research and discussions with your sales team, marketing can create content for common stages that answers frequent questions along the buying cycle.

As Ardath Albee (@ardath421) explains in Less is the New More, “If you truly know what questions your prospects need answered to take the next steps in their buying process, your efforts can be minimized by creating the content that delivers the right information at the right time.”

For example, thought-leadership pieces on industry trends are often successful for creating awareness and bringing users into the sales funnel, while case studies or solution-specific content are better for leads toward the middle/bottom of the funnel. With the right content, you can guide prospects from initial touchpoint to close by giving them the exact information they need at each stage of the process.

Content distribution can be handled by marketing, sales or a combination thereof, depending on what makes the most sense for your organization and what marketing/sales software you have access to. Just be sure that both parties are aware of their responsibilities, and the actions of the other department to ensure a seamless, consistent experience for your leads.

3) Develop a Process for Shared Data and Reporting

Another key way that marketing can arm its sales team is by providing lead intelligence gathered during the qualification stage. This includes everything from contact and demographic information, to areas of interest and level of engagement. Insight can be captured and tracked using marketing software and/or CRM systems.

Lead behaviors like form completions, content downloads, event attendance, viewed web pages and more can help the sales team get a clearer picture of each prospect’s individual interests and challenges. As a result, sales is better able to tailor their conversations and prioritize follow up, spending time on the most qualified leads for more closes.

That being said, it’s important to establish a process for sales to give marketing feedback as well. With insight into sales data—such as conversions, customer lifetime value, revenue generated and more—marketing can refine its strategies to continually deliver the most qualified leads.

Your Sync-up Strategies?

What steps have your marketing and sales teams taken to sync activities and drive leads through the buying process? Share your strategies below.

Related Posts

For more information, check out these related PR 20/20 posts:
- Lead Logic: The Basics Behind A Lead Nurturing Strategy
- 9 Steps to Gain Leads and Loyalty with Content Marketing
Authors:
- Tracy DiMarino is a consultant at PR 20/20, a Cleveland-based inbound marketing agency and PR firm. Follow Tracy on Twitter @TracyDiMarino.
- Jessica Donlon is also a consultant at PR 20/20. Connect with Jessica on Twitter @JessicaDonlon.
Stay updated: Subscribe to the PR 20/20 blog, check us out on Facebook or follow the team on Twitter.
How to Create a Content Distribution Strategy

By Tracy DiMarino | Posted Nov 3, 2011 | 4 Comment(s) | Filed in: Content Marketing
Your content is written for results—strategic, brand-centric, buyer-persona focused, optimized for search engines, technically sound and creative. But, what comes next? After a piece is published, how do you get it into the hands of your target audiences?

Successful distribution requires an integrated strategy that looks at all aspects of your marketing and sales programs, from your website to sales pitches. With a holistic view, you are better able to identify opportunities to drive exposure and readership, and in turn leads and loyalty.

Website and Search

Before active content promotion, it’s critical to make sure back-end hosting and website integration is set up properly, and optimized for conversions, visibility and analysis.
- Where will the content be housed on your website? For example, it could be placed within a resource section, your blog, related product pages or a combination thereof. Consider where visitors will logically look for it and places it can serve as a supporting resource.
- What keywords do your target audiences use when searching for related information? Integrate these phrases into your content and their accompanying landing pages to help them get found online.
- How will you track performance? Install analytics to track online metrics such as page views, social shares, bounce rates, leads, downloads and inbound links. Use intelligence gathered for future resource planning and to make campaign updates based on performance.
- Should you use a lead form? Downloads go up 20-50% when visitors aren’t asked to provide personal information, according to David Meerman Scott (@dmscott) in New B2B Lead Generation Calculus. Lead forms may also reduce shareability. However, if your main goal is to generate contact information, then a form may be a good idea.
- How should the form be set up? If using a lead form, you’ll want to consider what form fields to include, the confirmation page, and how you’ll follow up with leads captured.
Social Media

Content and community go hand in hand. Give your content legs by sharing it with your network of followers on social media. Consider:
- What networks will get the most value out of your content and what is the best way to reach them? Example tactics include social status updates, pitching influencers, and linking to content in blog comments and answers on Q&A sites.
- What incentive does somebody have to share your content? Depending on your goals, it might make sense to use rewards or contests to drive readership.
Public Relations

Reach new audiences with your content by integrating it with your PR strategy, and pitching it to media, bloggers and industry influencers.
- Which reporters and publications frequently discuss the subject matter? Consider reaching out to them with a targeted pitch and link to your content.
- Does your content align with media editorial calendars? Sync your internal editorial calendar with that of your target publications to maximize opportunities.
- Is there an opportunity to pitch guest articles based on the content topic? If so, be sure to provide a link to your resource using optimized anchor text, within your submission.
- Does the content align with any upcoming conferences or events? Find ways to integrate it into your speaking presentation, booth or other event materials.
See How to Use Content to Propel Public Relations for more on content and PR.

Content Marketing

Sometimes there are opportunities to cross-promote your content within other assets. Look for synergies between the multiple pieces of content you create and capitalize on them.
- Have you published similar content before? Think of ways to tie content pieces together to support one another. Can you add a related resources section? Is it appropriate to update the call to action within one piece to promote the other?
- How does this content fit within current campaigns? Can you use it within your lead-nurturing programs, e-newsletter, monthly magazine, annual report, etc.?
Advertising

Depending on your budget and the aggressiveness of your promotional strategy, you may also want to consider paid advertising to drive readers.
- Are there associations, websites, publications, etc. in which it would make sense to promote your content? Take advantage of their partnership and available advertising opportunities.
- Should you launch a Google AdWords campaign? If so, think about landing pages, keywords, budgets, monitoring and reporting.
Sales Integration

Content can help move leads through the buying process. Take the time to educate your sales team on what content is available and how it can help them meet their goals.
- Does your sales team know the value of the content? Share with them who the content is intended for and how it can help those individuals move along the buying process.
- Do they have easy access to content? Make sure sales knows what content is available, and where to find it on internal servers and on your site to share with prospects.
- Is content in the proper format? If your sales team frequently does onsite meetings, you may want to convert online materials into print. Alternately, if on the go, an iPad friendly design may be ideal.
How Do You Promote Your Content?

What items do you consider when developing your content distribution strategy? What tactics have you found successful? Share your thoughts below.

Tracy DiMarino is a consultant at PR 20/20, a Cleveland-based inbound marketing agency and PR firm. Follow Tracy on Twitter @TracyDiMarino.

Stay updated: Subscribe to the PR 20/20 blog, check us out on Facebook or follow the team on Twitter.
Lessons from Content Marketing World 2011

By Tracy DiMarino | Posted Sep 16, 2011 | 3 Comment(s) | Filed in: Content Marketing
The inaugural Content Marketing World event was held in Cleveland last week, gathering more than 600 marketers just blocks from our downtown office.

From the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame opening reception to Kevin Smith’s (@ThatKevinSmith) closing keynote, it was an all-around rocking event. Special thanks to Joe Pulizzi (@juntajoe) for a job well done!

Key Content Marketing Takeaways

Below are key content marketing takeaways from the PR 20/20 team members in attendance:

Paul Roetzer: In his comedy show, Kevin Smith said, "You can't fail at self expression.” I think this is a great message for people to take chances with their content. Stop worrying about what other people think, or whether they approve of what you do.

Christina Capadona Schmitz: Design and presentation of your content matters. It doesn’t have to be the most crazy and expensive design work, but it does need to be professional, clean and creative. Another key message was that real-time marketing must be combined with a plan, and vice versa. You’ll achieve the most success when the two are coupled.

Laurel Miltner: Ardath Albee (@ardath421) discussed the importance of developing content that improves the buyer experience. After bringing people in, marketers need to 1) deliver on promises by making sure that content addresses the issues it is optimized around, and 2) use content to answer key questions that prospects tend to have at different points in the decision-making process. This is particularly crucial in complex industries with longer sales cycles.

Christy Barksdale: As explained by Rob Pasquinucci (@pasquinucr1), content marketing that leverages internal audiences is just as important as that which reaches external audiences. Using tactics such as sharing customer stories and interviews with company executives helps to build brand consistency and develop brand advocates.

Laura Pinter: “You are what you publish," as said by David Meerman Scott (@dmscott). If you publish intelligent, thought-provoking pieces, chances are that's how people will view you. Don’t be the person that pushes out random nonsense, just to publish something.

Me (Tracy DiMarino): I loved how Regina Brett (@ReginaBrett) advocated for using rich descriptions and details in your writing to make it more appealing to readers. When writing, tap into all the readers' senses—sight, smell, touch and hearing—to draw them into the story with words. For example, use "ragged Bible with Scotch tape to keep Corinthians from falling out" instead of "worn Bible."

Your Thoughts?

What were your favorite content marketing lessons? Post them in the comments section below.

Image Note: Paul moderating a panel at Content Marketing World 2011.

Tracy DiMarino is a consultant at PR 20/20, a Cleveland-based inbound marketing agency and PR firm. Follow Tracy on Twitter @TracyDiMarino.

Stay updated: Subscribe to the PR 20/20 blog, check us out on Facebook or follow the team on Twitter.
The Case for Content Marketing: Sources and Stats

By Tracy DiMarino | Posted Jun 2, 2011 | 3 Comment(s) | Filed in: Content Marketing
Inbound marketing is powered by content. In order to grow smarter and faster than the competition, organizations must maintain powerful and informative websites, and continually publish great content online.

But, why is content marketing so important, and what can it help you achieve? Read on for details on how content impacts your brand, website, search marketing, social media and public relations efforts.

Better Portray Your Brand & Connect with Buyer Personas

More than half of all Internet users read blogs as least monthly. In addition, 60% of business decision makers say that company content helps them make better product decisions.

More effectively reach, educate and influence your buyer personas by regularly publishing content that is relevant to their needs and interests. Content can be used to connect with target audiences on an emotional level — something often lacking in business communications — by addressing consumers’ pain points, thought processes, goals and preferences.

It also has the ability to establish your organization’s representatives as industry thought leaders and trusted resources. This increases the likelihood that prospects and customers will turn to them for solutions.

Improve Website Strength & Lead Conversions

According to a study of HubSpot customers, websites of companies that blog have 55% more visitors, 97% more inbound links and more than 400% more indexed pages than the websites of companies that do not — signaling the importance of content to your website’s strength.

In addition, B2C and B2B companies that blog generate more leads — 88 percent and 67 percent respectively — than their non-blogging counterparts. And, content has also been effective at helping move prospects through long sales cycles.

Also, in looking at the 2010 B2B Content Marketing Benchmarks, Budgets and Trends report, no single industry reported below 78 percent content marketing adoption. As a result, creating valuable, thought-provoking content on your site is becoming increasingly more important to stay competitive.

Get Found in Search Engines with Higher Rankings

More than 90 percent of purchasing decisions begin online (Forrester Research), and there are 34,000 searches conducted on Google every second. Of those searchers, 75 percent never scroll past the first page of results.

Take advantage of the benefits of content marketing — more visitors, inbound links, indexed pages and social network shares — to increase your chances of ranking for priority keywords and getting found by these searchers. The more optimized content you have on your site, the better likelihood you have for search engine success.

Stimulate Conversations in Social Networks

Social media is a great avenue to give your content legs. According to eMarketer, “Companies must create content compelling enough to get their followers chattering on Twitter or Facebook.” Without an integrated content and community strategy, content will not travel far beyond the place it is published on the web.

When people become engaged with your content online, not only can you collect inbound links, site visits and exposure, but you can also build lasting relationships with prospects and customers.

Enhance Public Relations Opportunities

Finally, content marketing can be a great asset in traditional public relations and media outreach, as it enables your organization to enhance its positioning as a thought leader and innovator, share its unique story, create connections, gain influence and build loyalty.

By including content in personalized pitches to reporters and bloggers, as well as in speaking submissions, you can better showcase your experience and expertise in particular subjects.

Content can also be used to create news. For an example of this concept in action, read this HubSpot case study on PR 20/20 client, Suitcase.com.

Your Thoughts?
- How have you made the case for content marketing at your organization?
- How has content helped you reach your business objectives?
- What benefits has it brought your business?
Tracy DiMarino is a consultant at PR 20/20, a Cleveland-based inbound marketing agency and PR firm. Follow Tracy on Twitter @TracyDiMarino.

Stay updated: Subscribe to the PR 20/20 blog, check us out on Facebook or follow the team on Twitter.
Build Your Brand with Content Curation

By Christy Barksdale | Posted May 5, 2011 | 0 Comment(s) | Filed in: Content Marketing
In a previous blog post, we provided an introduction to content curation – the act of continually finding, grouping, organizing and sharing the best and most relevant content on a specific issue online – and its role in marketing and the future of journalism.

IABC Guest Article on Content Curation

Yesterday, the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) released the May 2011 issue of its enewsletter, CW Bulletin. The theme of the issue is content curation.

I am proud to have contributed an article on how businesses can use content curation to build their brands and establish authority in an era when anyone can be a publisher. Topics covered include:
- Using content curation to become the go-to hub of information for your industry.
- The difference between aggregation and curation.
- Distribution channels for content curation.
- How content curation fits into a larger content marketing strategy.
Visit the IABC website for the full article, and let us know your thoughts.

Additional feature articles in the issue include:
Thank you to the IABC team for including PR 20/20 in the May issue of CW Bulletin!

Christy Barksdale is content services manager and consultant for PR 20/20, a Cleveland-based inbound marketing agency and PR firm. She can be found on Twitter at @ChristyBarks.
How to Use Content to Propel Public Relations

By Tracy DiMarino | Posted Jan 27, 2011 | 2 Comment(s) | Filed in: Content Marketing, Public Relations
Content marketing enables your organization to enhance its positioning as a thought leader and innovator, share its unique story, create connections, gain influence and build loyalty. For these reasons, it can be a great asset in traditional public relations and media outreach. Below are four examples of how you can use content to drive PR campaigns.

Pitch it to Reporters and Bloggers

Include content in personalized pitches to reporters and bloggers. Use it as means to showcase thought leadership and experience in a particular subject.

At PR 20/20, we’ve found this approach to be particularly successful when pitching to trade publications. With smaller staffs, they often appreciate prepared content — such as case studies, whitepapers and eBooks — that can either be reprinted in their entirety or repurposed for stories.

One helpful tip to increase your chances of success is to sync your internal content editorial calendars with those of your target publications, many of which are published online. Plan ahead and write a blog post, eBook or other related content piece on an upcoming topic, and then use that information to fuel your pitch.

Pursue Guest Articles and Posts

Many publications and blogs welcome contributions from outside writers. Using your content for article submissions and guest blogging can help expand its reach to new audiences outside of your existing network.

However, before submitting anything, check if the publication or blog has posted writers’ guidelines. These will outline the publication’s preferences for formatting, style, submissions and more. For example, some publications prefer a topic proposal prior to the final manuscript.

If writers’ guidelines are available, make sure you comply with them. Otherwise, check out this post on guest blogging benefits and best practices for tips on pursuing opportunities.

Support Speaking Submissions

Securing speaking engagements is another area where content can help. When building your speaking strategy and submitting applications, use content to showcase your credibility and value.

Most speaking applications require a speaker bio and details about your expertise on the proposed topic. Beef your submission up with links to helpful, informative content you’ve written on the topic you want to present.

Create News

During times when your organization doesn’t have anything interesting or exciting going on, use content to create news. Send surveys, take polls, or review analytics data and other valuable information to create self-published research reports, eBooks or whitepapers. Often, you can create these assets by leveraging your customer list, blog subscribers, enewsletter recipients or customer data.

When you have interesting information compiled, approach target media contacts with it. News outlets love data, and timely research and insight into their industries. For an example of this concept in action, read this HubSpot case study on PR 20/20 client, Suitcase.com.

Your Thoughts?

How are you leveraging content to improve your PR campaigns?

Photo Credit: GiantsFanatic

Tracy DiMarino is an associate consultant at PR 20/20, a Cleveland-based inbound marketing agency and PR firm. Follow Tracy on Twitter @TracyDiMarino.

Stay updated: Subscribe to the PR 20/20 blog, check us out on Facebook or follow the team on Twitter.
Roetzer HUG Presentation, Resources Available Online

By Laurel Miltner | Posted Dec 28, 2010 | 0 Comment(s) | Filed in: Media Room
CLEVELAND — Dec. 29, 2010 — On Oct. 5, 2010, PR 20/20 founder and president, Paul Roetzer, spoke at the HubSpot User Group (HUG) Conference at the University of Massachusetts Boston’s Campus Center. His presentation, “Give Your Audience the Content They Crave – Persona Based Marketing,” discussed the importance of tailoring content and messaging to match the goals, concerns and preferences of target audiences. It was one of five sessions in the event's Small Business Track.

If you missed Paul's presentation, or want a refresher, you can now view it in its entirety via the video below [42:47].

For additional content from the HUG conference — including videos from other presenters and panelists, as well as downloadable slides and handouts for most sessions — see the following pages on the HubSpot Success site:
About PR 20/20

PR 20/20 is an inbound marketing agency and PR firm specializing in search marketing, social media, content marketing and public relations. Based in Cleveland, PR 20/20’s business model provides access to professional services and consultation, without the prohibitive hourly rates charged by traditional firms. For more information, visit http://www.PR2020.com.
9 Steps to Gain Leads and Loyalty with Content Marketing

By Paul Roetzer | Posted Oct 11, 2010 | 4 Comment(s) | Filed in: Content Marketing
Online matching sites have become wildly successful due to the ability to connect people based on their profiles. In dating, the more you know about someone and understand them, the better chance you have of making a real and lasting connection.

The same is true in business. As marketers, our job is to know our prospects and customers, and to match our knowledge and expertise with their needs for products, services and information.

We have to understand what makes our prospects and customers unique, what drives their passions, and where they find their inspiration.

We have to be able to connect with them in more personal and authentic ways by sharing information and resources that help them achieve their goals, and adapt our marketing efforts to reach them in ways that create long-lasting connections and relationships.

There will always be competition for their affection, so we have to stand out from the crowd in order to win their hearts and minds.

And that’s where content marketing comes in . . .

Deliver Value & Differentiate Your Business

Here are nine essential steps for every organization’s content marketing strategy:

1. Define and differentiate your brand.

What’s your story? What makes your organization different and remarkable? What value (i.e. expertise, resources, guidance, tools) can you bring to audiences?

Your core brand messages, vision and values should be reflected in everything you publish, so start by looking in the mirror.

2. Build your content creation team.

Your success depends on the strength of your content team. You need business-savvy writers, and ideally an editor to guide planning and production, and keep the team on track.

Producing great business content requires a unique blend of capabilities. Your team (whether internal or outsourced) must be able to deliver content that is: strategic, brand centric, buyer persona focused, optimized for search engines, technically sound, creative and results driven.

3. Profile your buyer personas.

To help personalize your target audiences and make them come alive, it’s beneficial to give them names, distinct traits and even photos. Then, when creating strategy, visualize these archetypical people (i.e. buyer personas) and direct your messaging to them.

4. Connect content to your goals (and theirs).

Know what you want your content to achieve, such as customer loyalty, lead generation and brand positioning. But more importantly, know what your prospects and customers want to achieve, and generate content that meets their goals. Help them:
- Gain knowledge.
- Build confidence in their buying decisions.
- Achieve peace of mind that they are choosing the right company, product or service.
- Increase efficiency and productivity.
- Differentiate themselves.
- Find their competitive advantage.
- Drive growth.
5. Choose your publishing tools.

Know your audiences and how they consume information, and then choose the tools that speak to them.

Blog posts, email newsletters and video seem to be the obvious choices for many organizations, but consider the potential of press releases, original reports, case studies, white papers, eBooks, content curation, webinars, streaming video, photos, social network status updates and podcasts.

6. Develop your editorial calendar.

Create quarterly editorial calendars that outline what content you plan to publish, topics, authors and deadlines. Also consider developing abstracts to ensure each content piece is on message, relevant to your buyer personas and connected to business goals.

7. Integrate your search, social & PR strategies.

Content must be fully integrated with all other marketing strategies — including search, social media and public relations — or else you’re wasting your resources. To achieve consistency across channels and ensure that all of your team’s efforts are working together, develop an Inbound Marketing GamePlan that will keep you on track.

8. Establish your budgets (time & money).

Consistently publishing quality content that produces business results requires a significant investment of resources (both time and money) and highly skilled professionals who are in tremendous demand, but short supply.

Marketing departments and agencies will be transformed in the coming years as budgets are increasingly shifted to content marketing. Whether you hire internal staff, or outsource to a content partner, don’t shortchange your investment in content.

9. Launch, measure & evolve.

Be agile with your content strategy. Constantly monitor key website metrics (i.e. visits, pageviews, downloads, conversions, inbound links), and shift budgets to the content that produces results.

Keys to Success
- Understand what makes audiences unique.
- Have a plan and build a strong content team.
- Be remarkable and memorable.
- Take chances.
- Put their needs and goals ahead of yours.
- Bring value to their lives and help them find success.
Related Posts
HUG 2010 Presentation

This post is based on my presentation at HubSpot’s HUG 2010 conference, “Give Your Customers the Content They Want — Persona Based Marketing.” You can view the slides below:

Give Your Customers the Content They Want - Persona Based Marketing
View more presentations from PR 20/20.

Paul Roetzer is founder and president of PR 20/20, a Cleveland-based inbound marketing agency and PR firm. He can be found on Twitter @PaulRoetzer.

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