STEPHEN BATEMAN
@concentricdots
#wmconf16
“ True content
marketing drives
sales, not just clicks!”
@concentricdots
#wmconf16
@watertightmkg
CREDITS & COPYRIGHT
Material from Stephen’s own
approach.
Mapped against Watertight
Marketing methodology with
permission.
Other Copyright owners are
credited where known.
@concentricdots
#wmconf16
@watertightmkg
IN THIS SESSION
➊ A content plan that’s right for your buyers & your business
➋ A twelve month editorial calendar
➌ A content plan to power your sales growth
➌
@concentricdots
#wmconf16
@watertightmkg
QUICK POLL BEFORE WE START
➌
@concentricdots
#wmconf16
@watertightmkg
➌
➊ A content plan that’s right for your buyers & your business
➋ A twelve month editorial calendar
➌ A content plan to power your sales growth
IN THIS SESSION
@concentricdots
#wmconf16
@watertightmkg
➊ CONTENT PLAN FOR BUYERS & BUSINESS
1. How does your buyer really buy?
2. How does your content support the buyer?
3. How does your content move your buyer through the sales cycle?
4. How does your content map to your buyer’s mental model?
5. How well is your content supporting acquisition?
6. Do you have the right content for each stage of the buying cycle?
7. Have you got the right content types?
8. Have you done a content audit?
Ask these eight questions:
@concentricdots
#wmconf16
@watertightmkg
➊ CONTENT PLAN FOR BUYERS & BUSINESS
1. How does your buyer really buy?
2. How does your content support the buyer?
3. How does your content move your buyer through the sales cycle?
4. How does your content map to your buyer’s mental model?
5. How well is your content supporting acquisition?
6. Do you have the right content for each stage of the buying cycle?
7. Have you got the right content types?
8. Have you done a content audit?
Ask these eight questions:
@concentricdots
#wmconf16
@watertightmkg
➊ CONTENT PLAN FOR BUYERS & BUSINESS
1. How does your buyer really buy?
2. How does your content support the buyer?
3. How does your content move your buyer through the sales cycle?
4. How does your content map to your buyer’s mental model?
5. How well is your content supporting acquisition?
6. Do you have the right content for each stage of the buying cycle?
7. Have you got the right content types?
8. Have you done a content audit?
Ask these eight questions:
This is your
most
fundamental
question!
@concentricdots
#wmconf16
➊ CONTENT PLAN FOR BUYERS & BUSINESS
Credit: Watertight Marketing - See Chapter 1
@concentricdots
#wmconf16
@watertightmkg
➊ CONTENT PLAN FOR BUYERS & BUSINESS
1. How does your buyer really buy?
2. How does your content support the buyer?
3. How does your content move your buyer through the sales cycle?
4. How does your content map to your buyer’s mental model?
5. How well is your content supporting acquisition?
6. Do you have the right content for each stage of the buying cycle?
7. Have you got the right content types?
8. Have you done a content audit?
Ask these eight questions:
@concentricdots
#wmconf16
Credit: Thomas Net
➊ CONTENT PLAN FOR BUYERS & BUSINESS
@concentricdots
#wmconf16
@watertightmkg
➊ CONTENT PLAN FOR BUYERS & BUSINESS
1. How does your buyer really buy?
2. How does your content support the buyer?
3. How does your content move your buyer through the sales cycle?
4. How does your content map to your buyer’s mental model?
5. How well is your content supporting acquisition?
6. Do you have the right content for each stage of the buying cycle?
7. Have you got the right content types?
8. Have you done a content audit?
Ask these eight questions:
@concentricdots
#wmconf16
LOYALTYLOYALTY
TRIALTRIAL
ADOPTION
ADOPTION
INTEREST
INTEREST
EVALUATIONEVALUATION
A W A R E N E S SA W A R E N E S S BE THERE
BE RELEVANT
BE PROVEN
BE HELPFUL
BE FRIENDLY
BE CONSISTENT
Credit: Watertight Marketing - See Part One
@concentricdots
#wmconf16
1000 SITE
VISITS
200 3+ MINS
VISITS
40 CASE STUDY
OR PRODUCT
PAGE VISITS
10 WEBINAR
ATTENDEES
20%
MONTH 2MONTH 1 MONTH 3 MONTH 4 MONTH 5 MONTH 6
LOYALTYLOYALTY
TRIALTRIAL
AWARENESSAWARENESS
EVALUATIONEVALUATION
ADOPTIONADOPTION
INTERESTINTEREST
4 GATEWAY
PRODUCTS
2 ONGOING
CONTRACTS50%
20%
25%
40%
Credit: Watertight Marketing - See Chapter 10
➊ CONTENT PLAN FOR BUYERS & BUSINESS
@concentricdots
#wmconf16
@watertightmkg
➊ CONTENT PLAN FOR BUYERS & BUSINESS
1. How does your buyer really buy?
2. How does your content support the buyer?
3. How does your content move your buyer through the sales cycle?
4. How does your content map to your buyer’s mental model?
5. How well is your content supporting acquisition?
6. Do you have the right content for each stage of the buying cycle?
7. Have you got the right content types?
8. Have you done a content audit?
Ask these eight questions:
@concentricdots
#wmconf16
➊ CONTENT PLAN FOR BUYERS & BUSINESS
Credit: Dave Chaffey, Smart Insights
@concentricdots
#wmconf16
@watertightmkg
➊ CONTENT PLAN FOR BUYERS & BUSINESS
1. How does your buyer really buy?
2. How does your content support the buyer?
3. How does your content move your buyer through the sales cycle?
4. How does your content map to your buyer’s mental model?
5. How well is your content supporting acquisition?
6. Do you have the right content for each stage of the buying cycle?
7. Have you got the right content types?
8. Have you done a content audit?
Ask these eight questions:
@concentricdots
#wmconf16
➊ CONTENT PLAN FOR BUYERS & BUSINESS
This, on its own, is not good
enough!
Credit: HubSpot
@concentricdots
#wmconf16
@watertightmkg
➊ CONTENT PLAN FOR BUYERS & BUSINESS
1. How does your buyer really buy?
2. How does your content support the buyer?
3. How does your content move your buyer through the sales cycle?
4. How does your content map to your buyer’s mental model?
5. How well is your content supporting acquisition?
6. Do you have the right content for each stage of the buying cycle?
7. Have you got the right content types?
8. Have you done a content audit?
Ask these eight questions:
@concentricdots
#wmconf16
➊ CONTENT PLAN FOR BUYERS & BUSINESS
Credit: Adapted from Watertight Marketing
UNAWARE AWARENESS INTEREST EVALUTION TRIAL ADOPTION LOYALTY
TASK BE THERE BE RELEVANT BE PROVEN BE HELPFUL BE FRIENDLY BE CONSISTENT
CONTENT
OBJECTIVE
REACH
PAIN
(AWAY FROM)
EDUCATE DIFFERENTIATE
MOTIVATE
(TOWARDS)
CONSOLIDATE RELATIONSHIP
CONTENT
TYPE
One-liners
Guest posts
(2-way)
Advertorial
Stand-out
imagery
Blog post
How-to
Tip sheets
Video tips
Lead
magnet
Paper/guide
Infographic
Research
Case study
Demo
Video series
Vox Pops
Book
Gateway
product
Diagnostic
Webinar
Free Trial
Proposal
Welcome
Pack
Tutorial Vids
User Guides
Live Demo
FAQ
Help articles
& videos
Fun stuff
@concentricdots
#wmconf16
@watertightmkg
➊ CONTENT PLAN FOR BUYERS & BUSINESS
1. How does your buyer really buy?
2. How does your content support the buyer?
3. How does your content move your buyer through the sales cycle?
4. How does your content map to your buyer’s mental model?
5. How well is your content supporting acquisition?
6. Do you have the right content for each stage of the buying cycle?
7. Have you got the right content types?
8. Have you done a content audit?
Ask these eight questions:
@concentricdots
#wmconf16
➊ CONTENT PLAN FOR BUYERS & BUSINESS
Credit: Smart Insights
@concentricdots
#wmconf16
Credit: Stephen Bateman, Concentric Dots
➊ CONTENT PLAN FOR BUYERS & BUSINESS
@concentricdots
#wmconf16
CLEAN IT COM
Credit: Stephen Bateman, Concentric Dots
➊ CONTENT PLAN FOR BUYERS & BUSINESS
@concentricdots
#wmconf16
@watertightmkg
➊ CONTENT PLAN FOR BUYERS & BUSINESS
1. How does your buyer really buy?
2. How does your content support the buyer?
3. How does your content move your buyer through the sales cycle?
4. How does your content map to your buyer’s mental model?
5. How well is your content supporting acquisition?
6. Do you have the right content for each stage of the buying cycle?
7. Have you got the right content types?
8. Have you done a content audit?
Ask these eight questions:
@concentricdots
#wmconf16
➊ CONTENT PLAN FOR BUYERS & BUSINESS
@concentricdots
#wmconf16
Credit: Smart Insights
➊ CONTENT PLAN FOR BUYERS & BUSINESS
@concentricdots
#wmconf16
@watertightmkg
➊ CONTENT PLAN FOR BUYERS & BUSINESS
Work with real buyer understanding (never a hunch) to guide
your content plan.
Conduct In-Depth Persona Research.
Know your buyers’ cycle (6 phases, 13 touch points.)
Define their content needs and preferences (respect their time.)
Look back at historical customer data on 10 historical closed/won deals.
Map the trajectory each buyer followed that lead up to the sale.
Incorporate these buyer insights as a foundation for your
marketing content plan.
Takeaways from this section…
@concentricdots
#wmconf16
@watertightmkg
Please get your questions in now
We’ll answer them at the
end of the session
@concentricdots
#wmconf16
@watertightmkg
IN THIS SESSION
➊ A content plan that’s right for your buyers & your business
➋ A twelve month editorial calendar
➌ A content plan to power your sales growth
➌
@concentricdots
#wmconf16
@watertightmkg
➋ TWELVE MONTH CONTENT CALENDAR
1. Know your audience
2. Create editorial themes: Pillars
3. Build one year of topics around your pillars
4. Take a birds-eye-view of the year
5. Gather your material
6. Build out your calendar
Tip: How to source more topic ideas
Tip: How to stay focused on deadlines
Six steps and two tips create your content calendar
@concentricdots
#wmconf16
@watertightmkg
➋ TWELVE MONTH CONTENT CALENDAR
1. Know your audience
2. Create editorial themes: Pillars
3. Build one year of topics around your pillars
4. Take a bird-eye-view of the year
5. Gather your material
6. Build out your calendar
Tip: How to source more topic ideas
Tip: How to stay focused on deadlines
Six steps and two tips create your content calendar
@concentricdots
#wmconf16
Credit: [CC] BY-NO-SA
➋ TWELVE MONTH CONTENT CALENDAR
Scribble it out
@concentricdots
#wmconf16
➋ TWELVE MONTH CONTENT CALENDAR
Make it visual
Credit: Client Example, Concentric Dots
@concentricdots
#wmconf16
➋ TWELVE MONTH CONTENT CALENDAR
Or, more formal
Credit: Stephen Bateman, Concentric Dots
@concentricdots
#wmconf16
@watertightmkg
➋ TWELVE MONTH CONTENT CALENDAR
1. Know your audience
2. Create editorial themes: Pillars
3. Build one year of topics around your pillars
4. Take a bird-eye-view of the year
5. Gather your material
6. Build out your calendar
Tip: How to source more topic ideas
Tip: How to stay focused on deadlines
Six steps and two tips create your content calendar
@concentricdots
#wmconf16
➋ TWELVE MONTH CONTENT CALENDAR
@concentricdots
#wmconf16
@watertightmkg
Orbit media!
X
➋ TWELVE MONTH CONTENT CALENDAR
Once you have your Pillars,
stick to your guns!
@concentricdots
#wmconf16
@watertightmkg
➋ TWELVE MONTH CONTENT CALENDAR
1. Know your audience
2. Create editorial themes: Pillars
3. Build one year of topics around your pillars
4. Take a bird-eye-view of the year
5. Gather your material
6. Build out your calendar
Tip: How to source more topic ideas
Tip: How to stay focused on deadlines
Six steps and two tips create your content calendar
@concentricdots
#wmconf16
➋ TWELVE MONTH CONTENT CALENDAR
Credit: Stephen Bateman, Concentric Dots
@concentricdots
#wmconf16
@watertightmkg
➋ TWELVE MONTH CONTENT CALENDAR
1. Know your audience
2. Create editorial themes: Pillars
3. Build one year of topics around your pillars
4. Take a birds-eye-view of the year
5. Gather your material
6. Build out your calendar
Tip: How to source more topic ideas
Tip: How to stay focused on deadlines
Six steps and two tips create your content calendar
@concentricdots
#wmconf16
➋ TWELVE MONTH CONTENT CALENDAR
Credit: Stephen Bateman, Concentric Dots
Note: Three S Timing
Product Launches
Special Offers
Seasonal Events
Sports Events
Political Days
Holidays, etc.
@concentricdots
#wmconf16
@watertightmkg
➋ TWELVE MONTH CONTENT CALENDAR
1. Know your audience
2. Create editorial themes: Pillars
3. Build one year of topics around your pillars
4. Take a birds-eye-view of the year
5. Gather your material
6. Build out your calendar
Tip: How to source more topic ideas
Tip: How to stay focused on deadlines
Six steps and two tips create your content calendar
@concentricdots
#wmconf16
@watertightmkg
➋ TWELVE MONTH CONTENT CALENDAR
Pen
Post-its in 3 colours
Laptop & internet
A large surface
A supply of snacks!
You will need:
@concentricdots
#wmconf16
@watertightmkg
➋ TWELVE MONTH CONTENT CALENDAR
1. Know your audience
2. Create editorial themes: Pillars
3. Build one year of topics around your pillars
4. Take a birds-eye-view of the year
5. Gather your material
6. Build out your calendar
Tip: How to source more topic ideas
Tip: How to stay focused on deadlines
Six steps and two tips create your content calendar
@concentricdots
#wmconf16
➋ TWELVE MONTH CONTENT CALENDAR
Pink:
Content Ideas
Yellow:
Monthly Theme
Blue:
Special Events
Photo Credit: @Minal2804
@concentricdots
#wmconf16
@watertightmkg
➋ TWELVE MONTH CONTENT CALENDAR
1. Know your audience
2. Create editorial themes: Pillars
3. Build one year of topics around your pillars
4. Take a birds-eye-view of the year
5. Gather your material
6. Build out your calendar
Tip: How to source more topic ideas
Tip: How to stay focused on deadlines
Six steps and two tips create your content calendar
@concentricdots
#wmconf16
Credit: Stephen Bateman, Using all sources mentioned
➋ TWELVE MONTH CONTENT CALENDAR
@concentricdots
#wmconf16
@watertightmkg
watertightmarketing.com/atoz
@concentricdots
#wmconf16
@watertightmkg
➋ TWELVE MONTH CONTENT CALENDAR
1. Know your audience
2. Create editorial themes: Pillars
3. Build one year of topics around your pillars
4. Take a birds-eye-view of the year
5. Gather your material
6. Build out your calendar
Tip: How to source more topic ideas
Tip: How to stay focused on deadlines
Six steps and two tips create your content calendar
@concentricdots
#wmconf16
Credit: Stephen Bateman, Using Trello
➋ TWELVE MONTH CONTENT CALENDAR
@concentricdots
#wmconf16
@watertightmkg
Put your buyer at the centre of your publishing
Identify what matters to your buyer: Define eight category themes and sub
topics, stick to them, relentlessly, (only then will search engines index and
rank you.)
Source more content ideas for your topics by involving more people in
ideation.
Takeaways from this section…
➋ TWELVE MONTH CONTENT CALENDAR
@concentricdots
#wmconf16
@watertightmkg
Please get your questions in now
We’ll answer them at the
end of the session
@concentricdots
#wmconf16
@watertightmkg
IN THIS SESSION
➊ A content plan that’s right for your buyers & your business
➋ A twelve month editorial calendar
➌ A content plan to power your sales growth
➌
@concentricdots
#wmconf16
@watertightmkg
➌ CONTENT PLAN TO POWER SALES
1. Bottom-up SMART budgeting
2. Goal-focussed planning
3. Six step plan-to-sale process
Three keys to content that drives sales
@concentricdots
#wmconf16
@watertightmkg
➌ CONTENT PLAN TO POWER SALES
1. Bottom-up SMART budgeting
2. Goal-focussed planning
3. Six step plan-to-sale process
Three keys to content that drives sales
@concentricdots
#wmconf16
Credit: Stephen Bateman, Adapted from Velocity
➌ CONTENT PLAN TO POWER SALES
@concentricdots
#wmconf16
Credit: Watertight Marketing, Chapter 9
➌ CONTENT PLAN TO POWER SALES
ÂŁ ÂŁ ÂŁ
LL
TT
AA
EE
AA
II
LL
TT
AA
EE
AA
II
LL
TT
AA
EE
AA
II
SKI SLOPESAILCRESCENT
CONSIDEREDIMPULSE
@concentricdots
#wmconf16
Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 Step 6
Planning Audience Ideation Creation Distribution Measurement
Set Goals Develop
Personas
Develop Content
Themes &Topics
Populate Editorial
Calendar
Identify
Influencers
Measure
Define Content
Mission
Map Buying
Cycle
Define Content
Types
Workflow &
Deadlines
Pick Channels Report
Agree Metrics Keyword
Research
Identify Sources Editing &
Formatting
Do Promotion
plan
Evaluate
Transcribe from
Sources
Optimise for
Search
Implement
Outreach
Credit: Stephen Bateman, Concentric Dots
➌ CONTENT PLAN TO POWER SALES
@concentricdots
#wmconf16
@watertightmkg
WHAT WE COVERED IN THIS SESSION
➊ A content plan that’s right for your buyers & your business
➋ A twelve month editorial calendar
➌ A content plan to power your sales growth
➌
THANK YOU
@concentricdots
#wmconf16
Questions Please
@concentricdots
#wmconf16
@watertightmkg
Please continue the conversation
over in the Facebook Group
THANK YOU
We’re grabbing a
quick cuppa
Back shortly

How To Plan Top Performing Marketing Content | Stephen Bateman