Certainly the current trend of creating valuable, education based content has captured your imagination.

If not, let me give you a little more leverage to get you working on your content strategy.

Content that addresses the concerns of the CEO will get your message past the purchasing agent’s filtering system.

Let me explain. You’re selling your solutions to XYZ corp and Bob, the Director of Purchasing, isn’t returning your phone calls. Then one day, Susan, the CEO bursts into Bob’s office and says she want the entire sales team to attend a presentation called “How to Get Sales and Marketing on the Same Team.”

Just so happens that you’re presenting this killer workshop that addresses the very thing that keeps Susan up at night, oh, and Bob’s on line 2.

By creating marketing materials focused on every level of a prospect’s buying chain you can take much more control over the sales process.

CEO’s are searching for answers, VP’s are searching for answers, and interns are searching for answers. By writing blog posts, creating white papers, and offering web conferences that address the needs and concerns of all three, you can move past the gatekeepers make the sale.

For many organizations, getting invited to the table is the most difficult task. Educational content minimizes the need for selling. Content draws leads to you and allow them to find your products and services and sell themselves.

At a minimum you should consider some combination of:

• A frequently updated blog that answers the key questions your prospect have
• A monthly email newsletter with quick reads and deep dives into important subjects
• An online web conference series featuring industry related guests or great how to information related to your industry (record, archive and transcribe for even more content)
• A white paper or ebook that covers a hot topic and demonstrates your expertise at getting results (great to co-brand and offer to strategic partners)
• Success stories from real customers with proven and specific results
• Articles for submission to local, national and industry specific websites and publications
• Guest blog posts on high profile or industry specific blogs
• Series of 45 minute seminars on trending and important topics that can be offered to strategic partners as a value add to their customers.
• Customer RSS feeds that provide specific customers or prospects with filtered and aggregated information

I know the list above can look pretty intimidating but many of the items build upon each other and can be edited, expanded or otherwise repurposed once you create a number of core elements.

My advice is to start with a killer seminar that is totally focused on something your prospects need – make it a topic that is full of valuable information and will get people’s attention.

From this one seminar you can create many of the items listed above and form an on message, gate keeper busting, integrated content strategy.

Image credit: st0rmz

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