Friday, September 09, 2011
Fantastic! It was the word everyone was using at the conference
because that's exactly what the conference was- Fantastic. Content Marketing Institute brought together
some of the best in the industry to illustrate marketing concepts,
tactics, and lessons related to content marketing. But one lesson
came from an interaction in the Tower City Mall.
I was called after, "Ma'am! Ma'am!" just like I had dropped
something of value. A man approached me and introduced himself. He
also included he hadn't eaten "since the holiday which was Monday."
It was Thursday after the conference. He was asking for money. So
now you're wondering, did I give him my money? He was a good
marketer.
Even though the man asking for money was an isolated incident
and wasn't an actual business transaction, it was a message with a
call-to-action. He had great content and it lead to a realization
that the "Rule of 7" is not a rule and probably not even a
guideline. I didn't walk past him seven times. I wasn't asked seven
times to give money. We were strangers to each other and he only
asked me once. The lesson I learned about Marketing at Content
Marketing World 2011 is a classic concept:
Communicate with the right person at the right time with
the right message.
The success of content marketing doesn't lie in spamming
potential clients with tons of "relevant" content. It's about the
right content for the right person when they need it.
Now apply that to the fantastic take aways from the speakers and
you can improve the efficacy of your content marketing. Here are 5
take aways from Content Marketing World 2011 sessions and
keynotes.
- The actual product doesn't mean anything. Use content to make a
commodity valuable.- Sally Hogshead
- Outsource with intent. Do it for speed and talent, not cost
savings.- Todd Wheatland
- Give people a Nordstrom's experience.- Mike
Stelzner
- Be where the puck's going to be, not where it was!- Kevin Smith
- Reverse engineer your content with the action in mind.- Jay
Baer
Jay Baer reminded us, consumers have the power in purchase
decisions. Be sure your content strategy is designed to empower the
right person at the right time with the right content. And then ask
for the desired action, "Can you give me money?"
I was the right person at the right time and his message was
relevant to me. I hate being hungry, too.