How Content Marketing differs when dealing with clients in Professional Services

1. Content Marketing
Master Class
MASTER
CLASS
Lorraine Hennessy
HEAD OF CONTENT
EY FINANCIAL SERVICES
DUBLIN, IRELAND ~ SEPTEMBER 4 - 5, 2023
DIGIMARCONIRELAND.IE | #DigiMarConIreland

2. Content Marketing
Masterclass: Humanizing
your brand through
targeted content
4 September 2023

3. ABOUT ME…
• Digital Strategist, Content Writer, Lecturer & Speaker with almost 20 years digital marketing experience. Currently Head of
Content for EY Financial Services in Ireland.
• Prior to this, worked as a consultant with SME and corporate clients (B2B and B2C) spanning Financial Services, Public Sector
Bodies, IT/Tech firms, Food Producers, Travel/Tourism organizations and global software companies.
• Clients included Bord Bia, Failte, Bank of Ireland, Irish Life, Pioneer Investments, chill.ie and Enterprise Ireland.
• Lecture for DMI, UCD & IMI covering Digital Marketing, Content Marketing & Writing, Email, Social Media & Video
• Freelance Journalist featured in Irish Independent, Business & Finance, InBusiness, Thinkbusiness.ie, Food and Wine, Irish
Country Magazine, Lovin’ Dublin and RTÉ.
• Connect via Linkedin.com/in/lorrainegriffin

4. • It’s all about Video & Interactive Content
• Design is now democratized -it’s available to all of us
• Enhanced Automation and the use of AI
• Data-led content decisions
• Humanization of the Brand
• Digital competition is fierce
4
Where is Content Marketing in 2023?

5. Consumers are still motivated by just 3 things…
Entertainment
Information Education

7. How does this typically look for professional services content marketing?
7

8. 5 key steps in your Content
Marketing Strategy

9. 6 October 2023 Presentation title
Page 9

10. Who are your audience, and what do they care about?
• To create content that resonates with your audience, you need to understand their pain
points, desires, and motivations.
• Drill your website + social media analytics, conduct market research, publish surveys,
engage on social media, ask questions…
Sweet
Spot

11. ABM Approach - Building meaningful and measurable client relationships
Position your brand as a trusted advisor rather than service provider
Identify Plan Evaluate
Research Execute
1 5
4
3
2
• Key accounts
• Key individual targets
• Key buyer insights
• Themes / Topics of interest,
priorities & challenges for
clients
• Account strategy
• 90-day action plans
• Tailored content plan
• Define KPIs
• Client engagement tracker
• Relationship tracker
• ROI - Event attendance
• Content/Web / Paid Media
Analytics
• KPI tracker
• Market intelligence
• Competitor analysis
• Stakeholder mapping
• Thought Leadership
• Insights Packs
• Targeted events
• Client Workshops

12. Create one comprehensive content plan

13. A Structured approach is key
• 40% of B2B Marketers don’t have a
documented content marketing strategy…do
you?
• Think themes, formats, topics and people
• Set clear objectives and KPIs
• Continually monitor analytics/results and
then tweak and refine as you move to the
next iteration

14. 60+ Free Content Marketing Templates | Smartsheet

15. Keep it simple
6 October 2023 Presentation title
Page 15

16. “
If you can’t explain it simply
enough, you don’t understand it
well enough
Albert Einstein

17. Embrace white space –make your words count
• Write the way you speak!
• Cut out the jargon
• Keep it short
• Break up the text with quotes, indents, bullet points, numbered lists, pictures and videos
• Answer the ‘so what’ question
• Include a CTA

18. Embrace white space –make your words count

19. Study the ‘F-shaped pattern’ for your online content

21. Think about where people are reading or viewing your content

22. …and adapt your content in line with audience preferences / channels

23. Showcase your
people

24. Your people ARE your content
• Humanize your brand
• Build profile and credibility for experts in
your business
• Position your leaders in the market
• Differentiate from competitors
• Drive greater engagement on social media
Video
Content

25. But we need to move from being ‘delighted’ in our social posts..

26. Try more of this…
Video
Content
Bring in the personal touch (your story) Explain something complex in a simple way –ask me anything

27. Try more of this…
Video
Content
Use data & imagery in an eye-catching way Share topical content or insights, always add your perspective

28. Prioritise Video Content
6 October 2023 Presentation title
Page 28

29. Video now essential component of Content Marketing Strategy
• Pandemic pushed video into top position as a way to communicate, engage and interact
with clients
• Higher cut-through then other content formats – 90% of information transmitted to the
brain is visual & 93% of all human communication is visual
• Video is the most effective format on social media – it attracts 1200% more shares than
text and images combined
• Easier to break down complex information into digestible format
• Profiles the people (experts) in your business

30. Video helps us profile and establish credibility for the EY brand and our
Thought Leaders
Draw the
audience in On the Pulse
Break it
down
Bringing our audience the local
perspective
Faster time-to-market with our
insights & reflections
Easy-to-digest content at a click

31. Interactive online magazine with over 90% video content –drawing people
back to the EY website

32. Video Team as ‘Roving Reporters’ at major EY and co-branded events

33. Thank You