The document discusses 13 mistakes made with content marketing campaigns last year. Some key mistakes included focusing on selling rather than creating awareness, speaking too much about the company rather than client needs, targeting niche audiences too narrowly, and relying too heavily on past analysis rather than innovation. The author resolves to make content more client-centric, reduce the number of campaigns, add clearer calls to action, focus more on demand generation than competitors, and try new approaches rather than repeating past successes. The goal for this year is to create demand for the marketing content and build a reputation as a thought leader.

1. 13 Mistakes - What went wrong with my content marketing last year
I had a real roller coaster ride last year for all the content marketing campaigns sent in market. Then as
usual I started thinking what might have gone wrong, I should thank numerous internet articles which
actually helped me to switch on my wisdom light.
Now my analysis might misfire or back fire my next year but at least I am happy that, I have something in
my mind to work on than try to get a bull’s-eye in dark. Here are some pointers which I have already
identified.
1. My Content tried to sell than wanted to increase the awareness, create new demand. So I missed
the main reason why am doing this.
2. My content spoke about my company more kind of bragging, as we are this and we are that. Biggest
mistake here I made is I forgot that my clients have the most powerful informative tool in this earth
i.e. internet. And they have more, faster, accurate information about my company than I do.
3. My content spoke about what my company can do than what clients are looking for. In the process
of doing it I tried to sort out issues which might happen and this is a solution. Wherein I should have
work around on finding out what roadblocks my clients are facing and then help them by overlaying
our products as per the need.
4. I worked in silos. I thought whatever I am doing is unique in my company. Wherein others are doing
same or better job on the same field. I kept on putting my foot on others toes and vice versa which
resulted into sabotaging each other’s campaigns without even knowing that we are trying to
accomplish the same thing for same company.
5. I am speaking too niche. I forgot one simple point that marketing alone can’t bring business (on a
regular basis) without sales. I went on speaking niche, more niche and more niche where in while I
went dipper I kept on targeting lesser number of target area than my previous target market.
Marketing works for creating the ground which is easier for sales to play on.
6. One content multiple channels. I didn’t take in a count that different contents sell themselves
differently on different channels. So I should have kept on eye on the combination on, for an
example the content made for social media, display ad, 30 sec commercial, or an email can’t be
interchangeable. Content should be channel specific.
7. Overdo of marketing. I crowded the target market with contents in such a way that I would have felt
suffocated by the same. If we have a cheap and effective way to sending out contents that doesn’t
mean we have to juice it as hard as possible.
8. Success pressure. I thought I have to be successful with all my campaigns and by doing it sometimes
below standard campaigns slipped out of my desk which eventually failed miserably taking down
yearly success ratio.
9. Quantity over quality. I thought it’s better to get in market on time even if the content is not up to
the mark and vague. Which kept clients thinking that even though the information/content is useful
but what exactly I want to convey.
10. Minimum action points kept clients looking for what to do with this and how to contact the
company.

2. 11. Too much of importance to the analysis data. Because by the time I acted on the analysis it was no
more real time analysis made on real time data. So it’s all historical data I am working on thinking
that I am ahead of time. Instead I could have changed the analysis by doing something new.
12. Reactive than being proactive. I tried to think about countering my competitor’s campaigns than
trying to make something for which my competitors should plan counter. By doing so I can save my
time and get some new campaigns in market meanwhile to keep my competitors so busy that they
couldn’t spread out the right kind of content into the market.
13. Finally I forgot that Innovation is all that matters. I kept on doing the same campaigns which were
successful last year or previous quarter and in the process of same I forgot to try and test new ideas.
Where in new ideas are like short lived king life and you can do whatever you want to during your
kingship.
2014 Resolution against my 13 mistakes
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Reuse of existing content.
More client centric and client issue centric content
Will reduce the number of campaigns
No vague messaging and clear action points for clients to want to take some action
Will keep in mind that marketing is for awareness and information sharing to create demand
Analysis will be an important part of decision making, campaign selection but will try out new
thing on 80-20 ratio (Where ratio of innovation and trying out new things will be 20)
Will plan more on my clients demand than what competitors are doing
Will not be running behind 100% success ratio
One new scenario I want to try to create this year. Create demand of marketing content, where
customers will wait for my content. Will not flood with information and will bring measure in madness. I
understand that it’s not a year’s job but at least I can start putting the foundation stone. This scenario
can place my company to a thought leadership role where we don’t have to think about competition
and we can become niche not only in offering but as a company.
I have to accept that client knows their problem better than me, they have enough information about
their problems. What they want to listen is how easily, securely, cheaply, and quickly they can sort it
with what I am proposing.
This is a personal scribble ground. The opinions expressed here are all personal they do not express any
direct or indirect linkage to the organization I am attached to. But I love changes so they might be
changing time to time. :o)