SalesVPI

Content Marketing Principles and Practices

Subtitle: Lip Service or Disciplined, Consistent Execution?

A research briefing on Focus Marketing website call Best Practices in Content Marketing presents summary recommendations, a set of principles really, for conducting content marketing.

Executive Summary
"A content marketing strategy involves the creation of content for the purpose of engaging and establishing relationships with current and prospective customers, and subscribes to the belief that delivering high-quality information to prospects at the right stage of the buying cycle drives profitable action. There are several stages of a content marketing strategy each with many elements to consider before moving to the next. In this guide, Focus Experts Ardath Albee, Joe Chernov, Barbra Gago, Doug Kessler, and Stephanie Tilton have suggested their top tips and best practices for each stage of the content marketing cycle."

I highly recommend the briefing, the full roundtable discussion transcript, or the on demand recording of the full program. (I especially like that Focus offers MP3 and transcript versions, and wish more webinar providers would follow suit).

While the principles are quite clear and have been promoted extensively now for years, execution of the associated practices is indeed difficult.

How many of the recommended best practices does your organization execute on with consistency and discipline?

Another Case for Marketing and Sales Collaboration

We have to be careful not to take words too literally.

Consider the idea that marketing delivers sales ready leads to sales. By doing this, marketing has moved the buyer X% (30% -70%?) of the way through the sales process, right? Well, maybe, but maybe not.

Let's look at what has to happen with that "lead" on the sales side. (Reminder, we're talking complex not transaction oriented sales here.) In most B2B sales processes 4-15 stakeholders are engaged. (A top technology company selling a multimillion dollar solution has 30-50 people on their People Map.)

When we say marketing has delivered a sales ready lead, do we mean the 4-15 stakeholders to a specific opportunity, or a single individual?

Obviously, waiting for marketing to get an entire buying team to sales ready status introduces serious risk factors of being late to apply the critical sales professional resource. After all, people progress individually at different rates, and in a non-linear manner, through their buying process. It's often difficult to determine the specific stage for each individual.

So, at best, what we can say is sales gets a good start. Hopefully they receive confirmed:

• Business needs
• A decision by the customer to resolve some need
• A participant to the buying process who is willing to engage immediately with a sales person (considerable time and effort saved)
• Some degree of information about the customer's preference for the approach of the solution provider (SP) -- at least on the part of the contacted lead.

What we don't know is, do we have:

• A thorough and accurate diagnosis or assessment of the business needs (anything overlooked like peripheral needs, programs, functions or people?)
• Clarity about, or relationships with, all affected participants to the buying process, especially key influencers and decision makers
• Complete understanding of the customer's buying process, criteria, assessment of fit with the SP's capabilities
• The customer's flexibility to modify or evolve those criteria (are the criteria favorable to a positive outcome for the SP, or for their competitor?)

OK, you get it, not all the factors by a long shot (and many more are on the list). And that's the point. A lot of work to do, possibly even to determine if they really ARE a legitimate prospect -- hence the Sirius Decisions distinction "sales accepted lead" and "sales qualified lead."

What's most important from a sales and marketing perspective is, sales must begin enrolling, educating (nurturing), building relationships, trust and credibility with the balance of the buying team, the other people on the People Map.

Without effective marketing collaboration, sales lacks the tools, resources and time to do this efficiently and effectively. They work in a cacophonous, interrupt driven world of phone calls , meetings, travel, preparation and learning -- and did I say meetings?

They need content (tailored to role, issues, buying stage, competitive factors and communication objectives within the downstream portion of the buy/sell process). Sales needs delivery and tracking assistance -- resources and automated tools -- to execute in a consistent and timely manner.

For marketing and sales managers, this raises the question: how have you defined, documented and communicated with your counterpart, requirements for core services that marketing can provide as part of their content marketing and automated delivery and tracking systems, so everyone gets timely and accurate visibility to actions and the "digital body language" of each buying stakeholder?

Marketing: how does this inform your content strategy and execution priorities? For example, have you identified with sales all the downstream risk points that sales experiences after you hand off that lead? Have you defined how you can create content, first, as "bait" to uncover and identify individuals who are at those risk points, and then created content to help sales address those issues?

The most obvious area involves competitive alternatives, but also those nasty related risks of "do nothing" or "deal with it ourselves".

It's natural for marketing to deal with early stage, lead generation requirements that are in heavy demand by sales and senior management, and are more familiar and comfortable for marketing to address.

But if we're talking about collaboration and having marketing take more responsibility to "drive the revenue engine" it's critical to see the whole process as a system that requires alignment and execution of all the elements that make a sale successful.

Too often in the past, these activities were hostage to siloed ownership where the parties never spoke (maybe other than to say your stuff s*cks) let alone had regular meetings, developed a common strategy and process, provided helpful feedback, and shared execution.

This is a great opportunity for marketing to add further value, establish higher relevance, build better relationships with sales, and make a visible and significant difference to the business.

Request to Webinar Sponsors

I have two simple requests and recommendations that will improve the viewing experience, and through that, the outcomes sponsors seek: please make your webinars easier to consume, and improve the overall webinar quality.

A universal principle that is regularly preached is to make content easy and convenient for the customer to consume and share.

There are well over a dozen webinars backlogged on my "to view" list. Most are from really good thought leaders, people I respect and learn from every time I read or hear them. But who has 45 minutes to devote to viewing streaming webinars, especially during "prime" time. For me, prime time is anytime from 6AM when I begin work to 7PM when I end, but also includes 7-9PM (family time) and most of the weekends (personal, family and work time.)

So, when do I want to consume these programs? How about in my nice new Bose headphones while I'm exercising (OK maybe not the Bose for that), walking the dog, driving, hanging out at gymnastics and swim meets. I just can't devote prime time to the volume of programs I'd like to hear.

So my request is to ask you to post an MP3 version along with the recorded webinar (preferably chapter indexed), and the slides. If you really want to fulfill the principle of making content convenient to consume and share, how about a transcript.

If you could also modularize your content into smaller chunks, edit out intros, outros, Q&A (for some of you it's great content, for most, not so much), that would be a big plus.

I've lost count of the number of times I wanted to forward some interesting points to customers, prospects, and colleagues, but couldn't because the delivery method inhibited that action. Sometimes I wanted to point someone to a 5 minute segment embedded in a 45 minute webinar, archived without chapter indexing as a Go-to-Webinar, Webex or ON24 archive. I have no easy and fast way to direct my colleague to the specific section I want them to view. (Or, maybe I want to blog about it.)

Sometimes the people I want to send to, would prefer to get the segment as text -- especially if they're viewing on a mobile device.

My second, but related request, is for a higher standard of overall program quality. This isn't directed at the relatively few professional presenters and speakers, but the vast majority of amateur (to be kind) presenters who have something valuable to say, but could really use a delivery coach and a good editor before I have to hear it. Our customers tell us they really appreciate the results of a pre-produced process.

My company has been a webinar service provider for 12 years (starting in 1999 when it took about 4-5 people and good luck to run a successful event.) We stopped counting years ago at over 5,000 webinars and webcasts. My colleague has been writing about our view of the evolving state of webinars, and new ideas to improve the user experience.

Take note of my colleague's recommendation for much shorter (try 20 minutes to start) webinars, supported by a microsite of modular content that is available to meet the broad interests of your audience who are in different roles, buying stages, and learning interests.

Let's apply the principles we all read about to this long standing, important delivery method. Please join me in making this request of webinar sponsors you value.

Reflections on Sales Call Preparation Checklist

I'm a big believer in checklists. With the work I do with PrivateSalesCoach, and after reading Checklist Manifesto, we are applying checklists more rigorously throughout our business. I make sure to read most of what Nigel Edelshain publishes and his recent blog is no exception.

14 tips are quite a handful, so I thought as I share my reflections on these tips I'd also recommend you group them into three categories: Background, Tactical and Strategic. This relates mostly to the "when" these tips should be applied. I find that a pre-call process must be as efficient, brief and focused as possible.

Background tips are those that don't need to be worked out for every call. They should be worked on well before customer engagements begin, and simply selected and applied to each call. They tend to be related to account strategies and plans. Many are important to help determine who (company and individual) you should be calling on. Some of these tips apply across multiple accounts. In this category I would place tips #3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11.

In addition to "prepare to fight the status quo" I would recommend reading Sharon Drew Morgen's writing on Buying Facilitation(TM). Her trademarked process focuses on the internal issues the customer must resolve to make a buying decision with ANY vendor. She eloquently points out that this is a key reason sales opportunities "go dark" or result in "no decision." We must factor in ways to help the customer understand their internal systems, and how to align those systems toward an effective buying process.

In a very simple sense, all sales involve change. How well is the organization (not just our enthusiastic sponsor) willing and able to change in the way that allows a decision -- especially our recommended decision -- to be made? Why must they change, what is "at stake" for all stakeholders involved in the buying process. There is a lot of enrolling, aligning and change management that goes beyond "fighting status quo."

Finally, where is the organization in the buying process? At what point are we engaging them? Again, not just the point person -- all stakeholders to the decision. Understanding and aligning with the customer's buying process and the related buying criteria is a breakthrough opportunity for all sales professionals -- especially those with a customer oriented, "best interest," and buying mindset.

Tactical tips relate to the mechanics of the call itself. They insure a smoother call, a better overall experience. These can be executed quickly and should become habitual, to the point of not requiring a checklist.

In this category I would place tips #2, 12, 13 and 14. To these I would add, review all previous account notes, including account activity captured in the marketing automation system or interactions conducted with service or support people.

My colleague Rob Scanlon has developed a format for a "sales prologue" as a method to begin meetings that goes beyond having a meeting agenda and confirming the participants. Part of this is confirming the objectives and expectations of each participant.

Strategic tips are the critical few: get them right, you have a successful call, mess them up and you could be in trouble.

Tip # 1 -- have an objective is in this category. I would add "prepare a questioning sequence" that is linked to listening objectives. Listening objectives are critical. You must be clear about what you want to "listen for" during conversations. In addition, plan what you want the customer to listen for. Then, plan ways to "set up the listening" so the customer is clear about what you want them to hear.

As I write this I'm watching the New England Patriots whoop up on the Miami Dolphins (#3 defense). The commentators remark at how well New England prepares for each game. Preparation is definitely key to sales success. Only part of preparation is pre-call. Preparation includes the plan for the entire sales process as well as the strategy and mindset of sales professionals.

Additional Thoughts on 10 Rainmaker Principles

As we all plan for a new year and for changes that will make a difference, a good place to start is with core principles and practices. Mike Schultz gives us a useful checklist in his recent blog 10 Rainmaker Principles and Keys to Sales Motivation, which I highly recommend.

Given my commitment to focusing on "being the best" I found this list especially helpful. Like all good points this post stimulated additional thoughts that I'd like to share.

Principle #1 -- Play to win-win. One of the challenges many of us have given our years of experience is to view principles like this through a mindset of "yes, this is a good one, I understand." I will be challenging my organization to re-think and re-apply this principle in ways that break through our "thinking as usual."

We will re-define what it means to deliver in the best interests of clients and prospects -- specifically and in detail. What does it mean to be "top performers"? How committed are we -- really? We will use this to set new levels of expectation.

Principle #4 -- Think buying first, selling second. I think this is a key principle to achieving our objective of being the best and taking our business to the next level. Again, we're re-thinking what it means to "think buying first." Aligning with the customer's buying process is an important starting point, and one we baked into our process well in 2010.

For this year, it means to start with a buying vs. selling mindset. This will drive our entire approach to prospects. Rather than thinking about "what can we sell them?" our approach will be based upon how well we can service them uniquely, and how our buying criteria fit with the prospect, i.e. we're "buying" a new customer.

Among our criteria will be "fit." We will work with customers where we are truly the best fit with their needs, values and beliefs. They will value the best, and be appreciative of our "secret sauce," the things that make us best. This is important because too many buyers do not meet this criteria. Either through ignorance, indifference, or the belief of commoditization of services, they refuse to appreciate our capabilities that provide real value.

Three important buying questions from our perspective: 1) can the customer be helped best by us? 2) will they allow us to help them? 3) will they value our help sufficiently to make them an ideal customer?

This will show up in the conversations we have with customers. They will sound like a journey of discovery and alignment, rather than directed questioning, pitching of value propositions, or even traditional discovery.

Principle #5 -- Be a fluent expert. Everyone in our organization must know, appreciate and be able to communicate our unique expertise -- where and how we are the best -- and how this provides value to customers. This must be delivered not in a pedantic or typical competitive sense, but to gain alignment and verify appreciation.

Principles #6 & 7 -- Create new conversations - Lead masterful conversations. Of course, it's all about conversations. But conversations about what? Not about us and our ideas and services (as tempting as that is). Leading conversations is about leading the buyer to better understand their current situation, their business and personal objectives, to notice symptoms that indicate problems they might not appreciate, to understand what's possible, necessary and required to resolve their problems. The quality of conversations dictates how well we execute on our vision and plan.

Our conversations will focus first on becoming related, on sharing our vision and values, on establishing trust and a common view. Like good buyers, we will discuss shared criteria to making the best mutual decision.

Each of the principles in this post bear reflection and serious application. How we interpret and apply the principles is the real challenge and opportunity. What insights can you share as you reflect on the original principles or my observation and application of them?

New year, new kidney, renewed energy, marketing and sales insights

Over the past three weeks I have had what can only be described as a transformative life experience. Through the incomparable gift of organ donation by my brother Steve, and the courageous, loving faith of his wife Kate, I have received a kidney that has given me new life -- and with it, an interesting perspective on my businesses and customers.

I'd like to share my story with you, and I look forward to connecting with you soon to make 2011 an incredibly successful year for all of us, for our customers and our businesses.

Background and Condition

In 1999 I was diagnosed with an elevated creatinine level that indicated possible kidney troubles. An ultrasound of my kidneys showed that I had a genetic disease called Polycystic Kidney Disease, or PKD. My kidneys were growing cysts that reduced kidney function as they became larger.

PKD affects about 1 in 500 people, and devastates many families as it is inherited generation to generation. Years ago it was a silent killer as most died from stroke, caused by the disease. (PKD Cure National Kidney Foundation)

My primary symptoms were fatigue, low energy levels due to low oxygen levels, muscle aches, and difficulty concentrating. Essentially my head was in a fog, like a pretty serious hangover that got progressively worse, especially this year.

The gene had muted in me, so no other members of my family were afflicted. At the beginning of 2010 my brothers agreed to be tested for organ donation. My brother Steve ended up being a perfect match, a willing and courageous donor, and we began to prepare for a December transplant surgery.

The surgery was performed at the Brigham and Women's Hospital (Brigham or BWH) in Boston. The Brigham was where the first kidney transplant occurred in 1954. Today, the Brigham regularly ranks in the top of lists for the best hospitals for kidney transplantation in the country. (Celebrating 50 Years of Kidney Transplantation)

Outcomes and Appreciations

The impact of the transplant on me was immediate. It was as though a switch was thrown and I was clear, energized and feeling normal. My creatinine level moved from 3.7 pre-surgery to 1.5 on Friday, 1.0 on Saturday, and .94 on Sunday!

I immediately realized the degree of mental compromise I had been experiencing for probably the last three years, although I was unaware of the full effect during that period.

I am so grateful for the support of so many people, but especially for the patience and support of my family over the last few years. My business partners have really covered and supported me incredibly well in the past year. I am very grateful for their support and eager to jump fully back in the game with them.

I cannot say enough about the surgeons, the supporting staff, and especially the nursing staff at the Brigham. They are, quite simply the best! (Picture of two of my four awesome primary caregivers.)

Starting Friday, three weeks ago, I am no longer sick. I have another week of basic recovery from the surgery itself, but I have no food or travel restrictions. I have a medication regimen that, over the next six months, will taper to the lowest level of immune suppression drugs of any transplant recipient. Assuming adherence to the discipline of daily medication, my risks are extremely low and prognosis very high. I am eager to move forward with my life, my family, my business and my friends.

Business Implications and Insights

But the experience and my story goes far beyond the obvious. As a result of the inevitable reflections during such a period I have gained a new perspective on how we will conduct our marketing and sales operations, and how we will work with select customers who share our values, vision and commitments.

I have had the opportunity to experience and watch "the best" during this period when my renewed senses were especially heightened.

The Brigham and Womens Hospital regularly shares the top spot on lists for the best hospitals for kidney transplant in the country.

But it was more than the hospital quality and process, the top shelf surgical staff. I experienced this quality in care delivery from everyone who touched us. The nurses who cared for us were unique in their skills, personality and approach. But each was absolutely the best. It was impossible to place one ahead of another. As a care delivery team the result over five days was incredible.

This got me thinking: why would I go for this type of procedure to a hospital, surgeon, or medical team that was not the best?

My brother Stephen is among the very best classical trumpet players in the world. This also involves being a music arranger. He has extended that ability on a broader scale by establishing the Fulcrum Point New Music Project in Chicago. Watching him for many years, and especially dealing with the challenges of this surgery (it's much tougher on the donor), I realize it's not just that he is the best, he knows how to be the best.

During my hospital stay I had the opportunity to watch the New England Patriots play the Chicago Bears in Chicago. With an 11-2 record so far this year, and impressive wins over the Jets and the Bears, New England are the best at what they do. And they succeed 80% of the time! But they believe they are capable of succeeding 100% of the time. They've developed a process to accomplish this. And that process is embraced by everyone in the organization. When they don't embrace this operating philosophy, they are released (good by Randy Moss).

The Patriot organization is full of people who know how to be the best, from Robert Kraft, Coach Bill Belichek, and quarterback Tom Brady on down.

Over the past few years I have been working with two businesses -- Avitage and PrivateSalesCoach. Each company provides different but related services to improve the quality and level of outcomes of business-to-business marketing and sales organizations.

Most sales organizations win about 10-15% of all the deals they work. The CSO Insights study of sales opportunities that are worked all the way to completion (i.e. sales person thinks they should win the business the night before they learn of the results) indicate only a 50% success rate. The few "best" organizations hit about 65% regularly. And this is considered "normal".

Now, every game has its unique averages (in baseball, the best lifetime batters have averages from 320 to 366 (Ty Cobb). But as I Googled to find these stats I noticed this quotation:

"I don't like to sound egotistical, but every time I stepped up to the plate with a bat in my hands, I couldn't help but feel sorry for the pitcher." - Hall of Famer Rogers Hornsby

I suspect our best sales professionals have a similar, if more positive, thinking pattern as they engage new customers.

But are 10%-15% (or 50% depending on your measure) really what our "batting averages" should be? I suspect if these "players" and "managers" were in professional sports they would be unemployed pretty quickly! (A nod to Sharon Drew Morgen who has been leading this cry for a long time!)

This got me thinking about these questions and ideas that I will be writing about over the next few weeks:

• Why would our customers want to buy from us if we aren't "the best"?
• What are we the best at? What does it mean to be "the best"?
• What impact would it have on us and our business if we regularly won 50% - 80% of the business we chased?
• What would we have to do differently to make this a reality?

Please join me in this discussion, online and within your organization. This is key to creating personal and organizational breakthoughs this year.

Content and Social Media Marketing Predictions for 2011

I’ve just read this compilation of insights and predictions published by the Content Marketing Institute (CMI).

Two strategic insights I found especially helpful:

• Must have a real-time mindset (David Meerman Scott)
• The “consumerization” of B2B marketing (Tom Pisello)

 

This summary of especially salient points looks like a pretty good content checklist:

• Content will get shorter (Doug Kessler)
• Relevance will become the new standard (Sandra Zoratti)
• Must become better storytellers - Some brands will understand that they are nothing
• more than a story and brands that tell their story will win (Simon Kelly)
• Create original high value content (think unique) (Valeria Maltoni)
• Education oriented better than humor (Russ Henneberry)
• Frequency, quality and relevancy not only matter, but will be essential to maintaining a competitive edge (Barbara Rozgonyi)

 

• Ability to generate content that engages audiences and motivates them to take action (Paul Roetzer)
• Quality over quantity
• Content strategy and planning -By the end of 2011, a marketer not having a content-related marketing strategy will be more the exception than the rule ( Russell Sparkman)
• Alignment with internet fueled buying cycles (Tom Pisello
• Allow customers to engage and consume content on their own terms (
• Customized (personalized) content delivery
• Attention spans are diminishing … alleviate information overload (Ambal S. Balakrishnan)
• Content rules when it shares or solves, and doesn’t shill (Ann Handley)

 

• Facebook will rule (Leslie Lindeman)
• Track audience preferred devices
• Challenge of standing out within the cacophony of content
• Focus on syndication
• Content curation
• Get webinars "right" - viewers won’t accept mediocrity anymore - (Shelley Ryan)
• Micro sites
• Leverage mobile
• Video will be the most significant development (Marc Laplante)

My (SalesVPI) addition:

The business front line (sales, sales support, inside sales, customer service, account managers) will become more active selecting, tailoring and proactively delivering content to target audiences. The front line can best understand the specific interests, timing, relevance factors, and convenience considerations of those audiences.