The document describes a webinar on building sustainable content strategies. It discusses the current state of content marketing, noting that while most companies produce more content, this has led to issues like content fatigue. It then presents the 5 building blocks for a sustainable content strategy: personas, content audits and gap analysis, messaging, content and repurposing, and measurement. The webinar agenda focuses on the first block - personas, explaining how to develop buyer personas through research and identifying insights into buyers' pain points, triggers, and preferences.

1. #SPS2015
The
5
Building
Blocks
For
A
Sustainable
Content
Strategy
SPONSORED BY:

2. #SPS2015
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Kim
Zimmermann:
@KimZim2764
Content4Demand:
@Content4Demand
Dana
Harder:
@DanaHarder
Ma5hew
McKenzie:
@mstuartm

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4. #SPS2015
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6. #SPS2015
Panelists
MODERATOR:
Kim
Zimmermann
Sr.
Managing
Editor,
Demand
Gen
Report
Dana
Harder
VP
of
Client
Strategy
Content4Demand
@DanaHarder
Ma5hew
McKenzie
Chief
Content
Officer
Content4Demand
@mstuartm

7. The
5
Building
Blocks
For
A
Sustainable
Content
Strategy
Dana
Harder,
VP
Client
Strategy,
Content4Demand
MaO
McKenzie,
Chief
Content
Officer,
Content4Demand

8. CONTENT4DEMAND
8
Agenda
THE
STATE
OF
CONTENT
MARKETING

9. CONTENT4DEMAND
9
IF
CONTENT
IS
GOOD…
MORE
CONTENT
MUST
BE
BETTER,
RIGHT?
90%
of
B2B
marketers
now
use
content
markeIng
73%
produce
more
content
than
they
did
a
year
ago
55%
plan
to
increase
their
content
markeIng
investments
T H E
S T A T E
O F
C O N T E N T
M A R K E T I N G

10. CONTENT4DEMAND
10
BUT
NOW
WE
HAVE…
CONTENT
FATIGUE!
• Inside
out:
The
“markeIng
selfie.”
• ReacLve:
The
customer
speaks,
you
respond
(oken
too
late).
• Generic:
“One-­‐size-­‐fits-­‐all”
is
an
insult,
not
a
strategy.
T H E
S T A T E
O F
C O N T E N T
M A R K E T I N G

11. CONTENT4DEMAND
11
THIS
IS
NOT
SUSTAINABLE
.
.
.
The
content
faIgue
trap:
MORE
and
MORE
content
–
LESS
and
LESS
response.
It’s
a
vicious
cycle
–
and
we
know
how
it
ends:
T H E
S T A T E
O F
C O N T E N T
M A R K E T I N G

12. CONTENT4DEMAND
12
BUT
WE
CAN
FIX
IT….
T H E
S T A T E
O F
C O N T E N T
M A R K E T I N G
The
5
Building
Blocks
For
A
Sustainable
Content
Strategy:
1. Personas
2. Content
Audits
/
Gap
Analysis
3. Messaging
4. Content
/
Repurposing
5. Measurement

13. CONTENT4DEMAND
13
Agenda
PERSONAS:
GET
TO
KNOW
YOUR
BUYER

14. CONTENT4DEMAND
14
From
Theory
to
PracIce:
Applied
Buyer
Insights
Buyer
insights
are
the
starIng
point
on
a
journey
to
messaging
and
content
to
support
consistent,
impachul
and
cost-­‐effecLve
demand-­‐gen
programs.
P R O J E C T
E L E M E N T S
&
G O A L S
PERSONAS
IdenIfy
Key
Buyer
Insights
MESSAGING
Synthesize
&
PrioriIze
Insights
FRAMEWORK
Applied
Messaging
AUDIT/GAP
Content
Impact
&
ROI
NURTURE
Content
Deployment
TRACK/MEASURE/ANALYZE/EXPERIMENT/ADAPT

15. CONTENT4DEMAND
15
Persona
Development
Process
This doesn’t have to be complex, but it
does need to be a repeatable and reliable
formula.
B U Y E R
P E R S O N A S :
M E T H O D S
&
F I N D I N G S

16. CONTENT4DEMAND
16
Persona
Development
Process
Getting started:
• Insights from data sources, internal stakeholders.
• Customer conversations.
Best in class:
• Quantitative research: Surveys, focus groups.
• Testing and validation: “Assumptions behind the assumptions.”
B U Y E R
P E R S O N A S :
M E T H O D S
&
F I N D I N G S

17. CONTENT4DEMAND
17
Persona
Development
Process
Identify target market/audience segments.
Organize insights by key business/behavioral categories:
• Buying triggers: WHY do they take action.
• Pain points: What KEEPS THEM AWAKE at night?
• Content preferences: Where are their digital WATERING HOLES?
B U Y E R
P E R S O N A S :
M E T H O D S
&
F I N D I N G S

18. CONTENT4DEMAND
18
IT
Leader:
ConservaLve
vs.
Progressive
Mindset
This
job
role
appears
to
embrace
two
segments
with
surprising
differences.
One
segment
is
highly
engaged,
opImisIc
and
focused
on
turning
IT
into
a
source
of
strategic
business
value.
The
other
segment
can
be
more
conservaIve
and
even
cynical
about
business-­‐IT
collaboraIon,
the
use
of
technology
as
a
compeIIve
differenIator
and
other
issues.
For
the
la5er
group,
technology
value
is
largely
a
quesIon
of
idenIfying
and
validaIng
tangible
business
benefits.
Profile
Snapshot
Titles
I
May
Have:
CIO,
IT
Leader
or
Director,
IT
Manager
(at
smaller
firms),
VP
of
Technology
Buying
Role
Specific
IniIaIves
Top
Pain
Points
General
PrioriIes
Measures
of
Success
Watering
Holes
Vendor
Eval.
Criteria
Buying
Triggers
• Contract
expiraIons.
• Serious
issues
with
an
exisIng
technology
provider.
• Major
downIme
events
or
tech-­‐related
disrupIons
that
can
be
addressed
by
changing
vendors.
BUYER
PROFILE
CORE
PERSONA
INFORMATION
• Evenly
split
between
primary
decision-­‐maker
and
recommender/
influencer.
When
self-­‐idenIfied
as
a
recommender,
the
CEO/Owner
is
usually
cited
as
the
decision-­‐maker.
• Assessing
and
maintaining
network/
Internet
capacity.
• EvaluaIng
and
implemenIng
managed
IT
services
as
part
of
a
broader
cost-­‐and-­‐
efficiency
iniIaIve.
• IT
security
iniLaLves
are
now
a
“huge”
part
of
many
day-­‐to-­‐day
priority
lists.
• “AcIonable”
analyIcs
and
BI
iniIaIves.
• [ConservaIve]
IT
infrastructure
assessment
and
implementaIon.
• Working
with
business
stakeholders
to
support
innovaIon
and
growth.
• Long-­‐term
strategy
and
planning.
• Modernizing
and
upgrading
technology
systems.
• Staying
ahead
of
IT
security
threats.
• [ConservaIve}
Controlling
costs
and
finding
ways
to
do
more
with
less.
• [ConservaIve]
“Keeping
the
lights
on”
basic
maintenance
acIviIes.
• Security
threats
that
pose
a
criLcal
risk
to
company
systems,
data
stores
and
business
processes.
• Business
applicaIon
downIme
-­‐
with
or
without
a
cyber-­‐security
aspect
to
the
problem.
• Network
reliability/capacity
limitaIons.
• [ConservaIve]
Dealing
with
outsourcing
and
headcount/budget
cuts
related
to
percepIon
of
IT
as
a
cost
center.
• Efficiency
–
in
this
case
with
a
focus
on
maximizing
the
ability
to
use
exisIng
resources
to
serve
more
aggressive
business
goals.
• Reliability:
The
key
impact
in
this
case
is
about
business
impacts
(e.g.,
unplanned
downIme
for
key
systems)
–
the
most
direct
threat
to
the
IT
leader’s
credibility
and
job
security.
• Mostly
in
line
with
global
average
content
preferences.
• Web
search.
• Technology
news
publicaIons
and
web
sites.
• Vendor
web
sites.
• Analyst
reports.
• Not
generally
recepIve
to
vendor-­‐supplied
content;
excepIons
in
cases
where
the
vendor
is
known
and
trusted.
• Tangible
business
impacts
are
extremely
important
to
this
group,
with
over
75%
ciIng
as
a
top
factor.
• Employee
producIvity
gains
reflect
the
same
focus
on
specific
and
acIonable
success
metrics.
• Delivered
on
promised
features
or
capabiliIes.
• Minimal
impact
on
exisIng
IT
staff
and
resources.

19. CONTENT4DEMAND
19
Agenda
AUDIT/GAP
ANALYSIS:
ROI
RESCUE

20. CONTENT4DEMAND
20
WHY
AUDIT?
Where
to
focus
new
content
investments.
When
to
update/repurpose/reIre
content.
Which
assets
have
quality/usability
issues.
Which
buyers/stages
are
not
yet
addressed.
What
content
is
available
for
“turnkey”
campaign
use.
C O N T E N T
A U D I T
&
G A P
A N A L Y S I S
B2B
marketers
rouInely
spend
MILLIONS
on
content
they
never
use.
A
content
audit
enables
you
to
FIND
and
FIX
the
underlying
problems.

21. CONTENT4DEMAND
21
WHAT
AND
HOW
TO
AUDIT
T Y PI C AL
AUD I T
C R I T E R I A:
Content
format
Date
created
Repurposing
potenIal
Age
&
vulnerability
to
aging
“Problem”
assets
Persona
alignment
Buyer’s
journey
alignment
Product/soluIon
menIons
C O N T E N T
A U D I T
&
G A P
A N A L Y S I S

22. CONTENT4DEMAND
22
A P P L I E D
M E S S A G I N G ,
C O N T E N T
S E L E C T I O N
&
G A P
A N A L Y S I S
THE
GAP
ANALYSIS
The
quesLon:
What
content
is
available
for
a
campaign
targeIng
a
given
persona,
message/topic
focus
and
buyer’s
journey
stage?
A
gap
analysis
shows
what’s
missing
–
allowing
you
to
make
smart
use
of
scarce
resources
and
create
content
where
you
need
it
most.

23. CONTENT4DEMAND
23
A P P L I E D
M E S S A G I N G ,
C O N T E N T
S E L E C T I O N
&
G A P
A N A L Y S I S
THE
GAP
ANALYSIS
S T A G E
C O N T E N T
O P T I O N S / N O T E S
S T A T U S
G A P ?
Inform
Client
PerspecIve:
InnovaIng
the
Way
You
Innovate
Turnkey
Trigger
BT
2020:
IGT’s
Future
in
the
Empowered
Era
Turnkey
Benefit
BYOD
Delivers
on
IT
Leaders’
ExpectaIons
Turnkey
Diff.
Shadow
IT
&
the
Rise
of
the
Cloud
Turnkey
Bus.
Case
Looking
to
Run
a
More
Efficient
&
Cost-­‐EffecIve
Business?
(Should
be
updated
to
arIculate
specific
business
impacts
&
BT
alignment.)
Update/
Refocus
Confirm
Case
study
gap
–
looking
for
a
relatable
example
of
an
IT
group
using
Client
to
support
the
new
business
relaIonship.
New

24. CONTENT4DEMAND
24
Agenda
APPLIED
MESSAGING

25. CONTENT4DEMAND
25
ConnecLng
The
Buyer
To
The
Content
Messaging is often the
missing step between
personas and content.!
A P P L I E D
M E S S A G I N G

26. CONTENT4DEMAND
26
Personas
&
Buyer-­‐Focused
Messaging
EducaLon
Phase
TRIGGER:
Pinpoint
the
idea
or
concept
that
will
persuade
persona
taking
on
acIon.
INFORM:
Connect
the
persona
with
the
business
issue
BENEFIT:
Explain
how
soluIon
can
meet
the
persona’s
need
or
solve
problem.
DIFFERENTIATE:
Illustrate
how
your
soluIon
is
unique
from
other
alternaIves.
BUSINESS
CASE:
Offer
investment
raIonale
based
on
persona’s
decision
criteria.
CONFIRM:
Reinforce
the
vendor
choice
via
peer
tesImonials
or
success
examples.
PRODUCT
OR
SOLUTION
MESSAGING
MAP
NarraLve
Elements
SiriusDecisions
B-­‐to-­‐B
Buying
Cycle
PERSONA
VALUE
PROPOSITION
Loosening
of
the
Status
Quo
Commi|ng
to
Change
Exploring
Possible
SoluIons
Commi|ng
to
a
SoluIon
JusIfying
the
Decision
Making
the
SelecIon
1
3
4
5
6
2
SoluLon
Phase
Vendor
SelecLon
Phase
A P P L I E D
M E S S A G I N G

27. CONTENT4DEMAND
27
Messaging
Recap:
Sample
PRIMARY
MESSAGING
ELEMENT
My
IT
group
has
commi5ed
to
a
strategic
shik:
CollaboraIng
with
the
business
as
trusted
advisors
–
not
acIng
like
gatekeepers
or
order-­‐takers.
Help
me
prepare
my
team
–
and
learn
how
to
assess
and
implement
the
right
IT
soluLons
–
to
make
this
transformaIon.
SECONDARY
MESSAGING
ELEMENT
Security
was
an
issue
in
the
past,
but
today
it
is
an
all-­‐
consuming
imperaLve.
I
can’t
afford
to
ignore
this,
but
I
also
can’t
sacrifice
our
strategic
business
technology
goals.
I
need
help
resolving
this
dilemma
–
and
I
need
it
yesterday!
INFORM:
How has the business-IT relationship
evolved? What do I need to know as an IT
leader about how my business colleagues
think about and use business technology
today?
TRIGGER:
What’s at stake for my budget, my team
and my career as this new approach to
business technology continues to evolve?
BENEFIT:
How do we adapt our technology
assessment and implementation decisions
to serve our new strategic role? How do
particular technology solutions meet our
requirements?
DIFFERENTIATE:
How do Verizon’s solutions serve our
business technology goals? What makes
them uniquely suited to drive innovation,
collaboration and growth without
sacrificing our IT security imperatives?
BUSINESS CASE:
Are there business metrics or KPIs that
we can use to measure our progress
towards this new view of the IT
organization? Can Verizon demonstrate
its ability to help us move the needle on
these KPIs?
CONFIRM:
How are IT groups similar to ours using
Verizon solutions to solve these
challenges, support business innovation
and growth, and make this strategic shift?
A P P L I E D
M E S S A G I N G

28. CONTENT4DEMAND
28
Agenda
Content
CreaIon
/
Repurposing

29. CONTENT4DEMAND
29
MAPPING
BUYER
INSIGHT
TO
CONTENT
STRATEGIES.
3
Begin
with
the
buyer.
End
with
engagement.
KEYS
TO
A
KILLER
CAMPAIGN
1. Create
content
in
a
progression
and
align
to
the
buyers
journey.
2. Let
the
persona
define
the
asset
type.
3. Create
content
for
the
enLre
funnel.
4. Repurpose
and
modularize
content.
C O N T E N T
C R E A T I O N
A N D
R E P U R P O S E

30. CONTENT4DEMAND
30
STEP
1:
Create
A
Progression
EducaLon
Phase
TRIGGER:
Pinpoint
the
idea
or
concept
that
will
persuade
persona
taking
on
acIon.
INFORM:
Connect
the
persona
with
the
business
issue
BENEFIT:
Explain
how
soluIon
can
meet
the
persona’s
need
or
solve
problem.
DIFFERENTIATE:
Illustrate
how
your
soluIon
is
unique
from
other
alternaIves.
BUSINESS
CASE:
Offer
investment
raIonale
based
on
persona’s
decision
criteria.
CONFIRM:
Reinforce
the
vendor
choice
via
peer
tesImonials
or
success
examples.
PRODUCT
OR
SOLUTION
MESSAGING
MAP
NarraLve
Elements
SiriusDecisions
B-­‐to-­‐B
Buying
Cycle
PERSONA
VALUE
PROPOSITION
Loosening
of
the
Status
Quo
Commi|ng
to
Change
Exploring
Possible
SoluIons
Commi|ng
to
a
SoluIon
JusIfying
the
Decision
Making
the
SelecIon
1
3
4
5
6
2
SoluLon
Phase
Vendor
SelecLon
Phase
C O N T E N T
C R E A T I O N
A N D
R E P U R P O S E

31. CONTENT4DEMAND
31
MAPPING
BUYER
INSIGHT
TO
CONTENT
STRATEGIES.
3
Begin
with
the
buyer.
End
with
engagement.
EDUCATION
E-books,
Infographics,
Assessments,
Motion Graphics,
White Papers,
Guides, Blogs,
Newsletters
SOLUTION
White Papers,
White Board
Videos,
Checklists,
Q&As, Briefs,
Case Studies
SELECTION
Checklists,
Q&As, Briefs,
Case Studies,
Testimonials,
ROI
Calculators
STEP
2:
Let
The
Persona
Define
The
Asset
Type
C O N T E N T
C R E A T I O N
A N D
R E P U R P O S E

32. CONTENT4DEMAND
32
STEP
3:
Content
For
The
EnLre
Funnel
C O N T E N T
C R E A T I O N
A N D
R E P U R P O S E

33. CONTENT4DEMAND
33
MAPPING
BUYER
INSIGHT
TO
CONTENT
STRATEGIES.
3
Begin
with
the
buyer.
End
with
engagement.
STEP
4:
Repurposing
/
Modular
Content
EducaIon
SoluIon
SelecIon
Progressive
Blog
Webinar
Guide
Repurposed
Infographic
G-­‐book
Video
Many-­‐to-­‐One
Blog
round-­‐up
Top
5
checklist
Case
study
por}olio
C O N T E N T
C R E A T I O N
A N D
R E P U R P O S E

34. CONTENT4DEMAND
34
Agenda
WHY
MEASUREMENT
MATTERS
C O X
M E D I A
C A S E
S T U D Y

35. CONTENT4DEMAND
35
When
it
comes
to
measurement…
W H Y
M E A S U R E M E N T
M A T T E R S
you need to walk !
before you run!.!

36. CONTENT4DEMAND
36
Semng
RealisLc
Goals
1. What can you measure
right now?
2. How will you define
success?
3. How can I repeat my
results consistently?
W H Y
M E A S U R E M E N T
M A T T E R S

37. CONTENT4DEMAND
37
Case
Study:
Cox
Media
2014
Success
Kit
• Partnered
with
Content4Demand
to
build
a
foundaIonal
content
library
for
this
theme.
• The
2014
Success
Kit
campaign
comprised
of
5
assets
in
a
variety
of
formats
designed
to
appeal
to
their
SMB
customers.
W H Y
M E A S U R E M E N T
M A T T E R S

38. CONTENT4DEMAND
38
Case
Study:
Cox
Media
2014
Success
Kit
Results
• Generated
interest
from
more
than
2,300
potenLal
leads.
• More
than
750
downloads/views.
• Major
contributor
for
Q1
lead
and
demand
gen
performance;
pu|ng
Cox
Media
more
than
16%
ahead
of
last
year.
• Content
conInued
to
pay
dividends
as
content
was
repurposed
all
year
long
and
assisted
in
driving
Q4
leads.
W H Y
M E A S U R E M E N T
M A T T E R S

39. CONTENT4DEMAND
39
Case
Study:
Cox
Media
Taking
What
They
Learned
Into
2015
EDUCATION
SOLUTION
SELECTION
W H Y
M E A S U R E M E N T
M A T T E R S

40. CONTENT4DEMAND
40
QUESTIONS
Ma5hew
McKenzie
Chief
Content
Officer
ma5@gthreecom.com
415.490.6535
Dana
Harder
VP,
Client
Strategy
dana@gthreecom.com
224-­‐578-­‐2099

41. #SPS2015
Q&A
Panelists
MODERATOR:
Kim
Zimmermann
Sr.
Managing
Editor,
Demand
Gen
Report
Dana
Harder
VP
of
Client
Strategy
Content4Demand
@DanaHarder
Ma5hew
McKenzie
Chief
Content
Officer
Content4Demand
@mstuartm

42. #SPS2015
40+
Sessions
//
2
Tracks
//
500+
B2B
Marketers
More
Info:
www.Content2Conversion.com
February
15-­‐17,
2016
ScoOsdale,
Arizona