https://www.wrike.com - We attended the 2014 Content Marketing World (#CMWorld) conference and came away with these strategies on how to stand out and persuade customers to trust you in our present world of content overload. Two keys lie in moving beyond the content comfort zone, and applying Agile Marketing methods to your management. But there's more inside. Check it out.

1. Standing Out in a World of Content Overload
7 Takeaways from Content Marketing World 2014

2. More content is being
generated than ever before
• 70% of B2B Content Marketers created more content this year
• 55% will increase and 32% will maintain Content Marketing spend
• How will your company stand out?
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3. The Buyer’s Journey
is not a guided tour
• Buyers can’t usually be escorted in their journey from
awareness to purchase
• Understand where they land on their journey and establish a
presence at each spot, including 3rd party sites, review sites,
social platforms, search results
• Advanced: Be the potential buyer’s “point of inspiration” by
creating and sharing inspiring and authentic stories
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4. Integrate authentic stories
into your content
• Find real stories that engage your audience
• Great stories generate:
• Conflict & suspense
• Empathy & authenticity
• Tap into emotions
• Foster aspirations in your audience
• Drive meaningful attention
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5. Unique Practices are better
than Best Practices
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Copying Content Marketing approaches (“best practices”) is less
valuable than finding your unique approach. Some ways:
• Develop a strong, unforgettable voice
• Be the best at something (e.g. best “digital” teacher)
• Document (or create) compelling stories (see #3)
• Go beyond traditional content (see #5)

6. All content marketers
need to be great writers 5
• Writing will never diminish as a key part of Content Marketing
• Even if your job description is not a “writer,” great writing is
still essential (for ads, emails, posts, press releases,
slidesets, web content)
• Managers: hire people who can write well (look at samples)
• Marketers: continue to hone your writing skills

7. Move beyond your
content comfort zone
Blogging, eBooks, Infographics, webinars – yes, we know the drill. What else?
• Understand your buyer’s ultimate goal and process
• Develop “things” that replace parts of their process
• Examples: Calculators, self-assessment tools, digital assets (like stock
photos or buttons for web), presentation templates (like a VC pitch deck),
statistics (to help with internal pitches)
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8. Use agile marketing
management approaches 7
• The online marketing world is complicated - cause and effect
are often hard to connect
• We’re also in a time of rapid change and need to stay nimble
• A Waterfall approach to marketing management (plan, build,
measure, deliver) is sub-optimal in this environment
• Agile practices with long term planning, shorter work cycles
and active communication better allow marketing to align with
changing priorities

9. Lessons inspired by....
1) Content Marketing Statistics:
• Content Marketing Institute, B2B Content
Marketing 2015 Benchmarks, Budgets and
Trends – North America,
@CMWorldhttp://contentmarketinginstitute.com
/2014/10/2015-b2b-content-marketing-research/
2) Buyer’s Journey:
• Andrew Davis, @TPLDrew
• Robert Rose, @Robert_Rose
3) Authentic Stories:
• Kevin Spacey, @Kevin Spacey
• Andrew Davis, @TPLDrew
• Joe Pulizzi, @JoePulizzi
4) Unique Practices:
• Ann Handley, @annhandley
• Marcus Sheridan, @thesaleslion
• Kevin Spacey, @Kevin Spacey
• Andrew Davis, @TPLDrew
5) Great Writers:
• Ann Handley, @annhandley
6) Content Comfort Zone:
• Jay Acunzo, @Jay_zo
7) Agile Marketing Management:
• Scott Brinker, @chiefmartec
Content Marketing World 2014

10. Collaboration & Project Management solutions
Click to learn about Wrike
Wrike’s powerful cloud integrations

11. Photo Credits
1) http://www.flickr.com/photos/paul_the_seeker/14057982277/
2) http://www.flickr.com/photos/lodekka/11711453104/
3) http://www.flickr.com/photos/flashcurd/8701716741/
4) http://www.flickr.com/photos/special-fx/4644755284/
5) http://www.flickr.com/photos/alexkerhead/3639860393
6) http://www.flickr.com/photos/chiemseehotel/8578856499/
7) http://www.flickr.com/photos/laprimadonna/4837911136/
Cover: http://www.flickr.com/photos/marfis75/13848268535