How to Turn Your Content Marketing Plan into A Competitive Advantage

Content creation is becoming the cornerstone of many marketing plans. With content marketing’s rise, organizations are struggling with using it to gain an advantage

CMOs have a tough job balancing content needs with staff resources and the marketing budget. This can lead to sacrificing content quality to hit content production goals

We’ve found that CMOs are having difficulty transitioning to the world of content marketing.  Some worry the CEO won’t understand their strategy while others remain stuck in the past. A recent report revealed that 70% of marketers will produce more content in 2015. Stakeholders may endorse content marketing, but effective execution requires a differentiated and sustainable strategy.

Know Your Landscape

Your first task is to understand your competitive landscape.  We know that useful benchmarking starts with evaluating your competitor’s operations. It’s a free education on your rival’s dime.

Know Your Buyer

We find CMOs may panic and create content reactively to the competition.  Implement buying process mapping to examine the needs and motivations of your prospects.  Content customization is essential for reaching your target buyers.  We recommend proactively creating a list of buying personas to make every piece count.

Know Your Resources

You know what’s out there and what you need to accomplish.  Now it’s time to look at your available resources.  Do you have the team, budget, and mentality to create content that stands out?  Instead of over-promising and getting undercut with budget constraints, perform a resource analysis. Once you know what you have to work with, create your plan.

Take a Stand

Every piece of content needs an impactful message, even your 140-character tweets.  We’re amazed at how many marketers mistake “content marketing” with “writing that says nothing.”  Start with a core idea that reflects the needs of your buyer personas.  Have something powerful to say, then deliver it from different perspectives.

Be Merciless

Some CMOs deal with content demands by putting production on auto-pilot and neglecting quality.  Instead, create milestones and track your marketing results to adjust your plan as needed.  Examining every piece of content encourages your team to excel while maximizing your budget.

Have Fun

In our experience, it’s easy to lose sight of your reader’s needs. You don’t want to end up with hype-filled text-heavy posts. Instead, entertain your prospects with lively messages presented with a consistently authentic voice.

Above All, Do Better

The business landscape is more crowded than ever, no matter what industry you’re in. You need to do better than the other guy to succeed in content marketing.  In our experience, doing your best requires starting with your team.  They need to be a finely-tuned content creation machine for supporting your marketing strategies.  It takes time to find what differentiates your message and brand.  But CEOs are looking for capable CMOs who aren’t afraid to take risks

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