how to develop content for the modern customer journey - #spark15
TRANSCRIPT
Chris Bolman
How to Develop Content for the Modern Customer Journey
Percolate: one system to manage your marketing process
Insights
Excited to be leading the way in content marketing
CUSTOMERS
The economics of attention are in their favor, not yours
The only place where share of attention is growing is mobile
More media autonomy means less patience for interruption
They are well-informed. If you’re not relevant and contextual, you will be ignored [see: ad-blocking]
What do we know about today’s customer?
The economics of attention are in their favor, not yours
The only place where share of attention is growing is mobile
More media autonomy means less patience for interruption
They are well-informed. If you’re not relevant and contextual, you will be ignored [see: ad-blocking]
In spite of that, the fundamentals of how and why people buy has not changed
What do we know about today’s customer?
Problem or need recognition
Information search
Solution search
Evaluation and comparison of alternatives
Purchase decision
Post-purchase behavior
Psychology tells us the buying process breaks down
This is (roughly) how this maps to marketingPhase Advancement Step Measurable Action(s)
Problem or need recognition [Generally] unaware of your brandAd impression, blog or website visit, social
media follow or exposure
Information search Aware of your brandTier 2 Lead (whitepaper download, webinar or
event signup, product page visit) or MQL
Solution search Understand (or potentially desire) your brand Tier 1 Lead (request a demo) or SQL
Evaluation and comparison of alternatives Believe your brand solves their need Sales opportunity
Purchase decision Act on belief your brand is the best solution Won customer
Post-purchase behavior Repeat and/or larger purchases Expansion / renewal / repeat purchase
Marketing [+ content] should play a role at all of these
Phase Advancement Step Measurable Action(s)
Problem or need recognition [Generally] unaware of your brandAd impression, blog or website visit, social
media follow or exposure
Information search Aware of your brandTier 2 Lead (whitepaper download, webinar or
event signup, product page visit) or MQL
Solution search Understand (or potentially desire) your brand Tier 1 Lead (request a demo) or SQL
Evaluation and comparison of alternatives Believe your brand solves their need Sales opportunity
Purchase decision Act on belief your brand is the best solution Won customer
Post-purchase behavior Repeat and/or larger purchases Expansion / renewal / repeat purchase
PEOPLE BUY BRANDS THEY KNOW, REMEMBER
AND TRUST
Be everywhere your target customer is (reach)
Be bold, distinct and salient (recognizable)
Be consistent with your brand (recognizable, again)
Be consistent over time (repetition and frequency)
Trigger high valence emotions (awe, positivity)
If possible, reinforce a conversion action (sales cycle advancement)
Building mental availability - checklist for content
HOW DO WE DO THIS WITH CONTENT?
Map creative to customer lifecycle
Path to Purchase Stage Objective(s) Creative Success metric(s)
Early1.Generate awareness
2. Start conversation
3. Entertain or educate
1. Social (video and visual)
2. Eye-catching visual experiences
3. Educational resources
4. Apps, tools, and gamification
Clicks, shares, engagement
Middle1. Inform
2. Continue education
3. Accelerate decision-making
1. Campaign content
2. Product videos
3. Gated content promotions
4. UGC
Leads, email subscribers,
page conversion rates,
repeat visitors
Ready to buy1. Reassure and reinforce credibility
2. Create anticipation
3. Accelerate decision-making
1. Short-term promos and sales offers
2. Customer stories
3. ROI / purchasing tools
Sales conversions
Audience (buyer persona) - map content for each one
Channel - how will content at different stages be delivered?
Device - is your content mobile-forward?
Departments - how is sales or HR using your content?
Other content dimensions to account for
B2C example
B2B example
Creative matters, a lot.
This
Not this
SO DOES TARGETING
Buying for Coca Cola by customer frequency % of UK cola buyers purchasing Coke x times, 2005
Source: TNS.
%
0
6
12
18
24
30
36
42
48
54
60
Number of purchases in a year0 1 2 3 . . . . . 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Then go narrower later on in the buying cycle
No such thing as too many creative variations…If you can manage the assets and act on the data
Understand who buys you, how, and what do they care about
Map content and creative to their path to purchase
Make content that is truly great and distinct
Distribution is the other half of the battle
Consider context (mobile, attention span, experience)
Test, track, and measure everything
Putting it all together
Thanks.
Thanks. Questions?