What’s new in marketing

Last week was a fun and productive one. I attended a marketing conference and a social media seminar. But, I also had writer’s block and was drawing a complete blank on what to write in my blog this week. So, when all else fails, I write about what I learned.

I love going into Boston. I love going to marketing conferences and I love learning new things. I had the good fortune to attend Content Marketing Bootcamp, sponsored by Kapost. Kapost is a Colorado based company that offers a content marketing software platform.

It’s so inspiring to spend the day with like-minded marketers and to hear about the latest trends in marketing. I did learn a lot, in spite of thinking about where to sit and the big chocolate chip cookie that I ate.

Today, it’s all about providing interesting and informative content to your customers. Gone are the days of “in your face” selling.

Here’s what’s new in marketing.

Panel: Content – the Fuel to Power Modern Marketing

Panelists:

Joe Chernov of Kinvey
Dave Balter of BzzAgent
Mike Volpe of Hubspot
Erin Estep of SiriusDecisions.

1. Is content marketing a flash in the pan or is it here to stay?

Joe – Content marketing will not go away. This type of marketing works and as long as it works, it will be here. The tactics for this will continue to evolve.

Dave – Content marketing has really been around forever, it’s the platforms that have changed and will continue to evolve.

Mike – Buyer power is here to stay. This, too, is evolving, especially with all the interactive tools out there.

2. How do companies face the challenge of attracting buyers now?

Dave – Companies need to switch their communications and start talking about the buyers’ problems. It’s not about what a company can sell, but HOW it can help a buyer solve a problem.

3. What exactly is content marketing?

Mike – It’s all about your buyer and what is important to them.

Joe – It’s how you capture buyers at the top of the funnel and earn their trust.

4. How can companies produce good content?

Dave – Ingest and read what your target audience is doing. Monitor their conversations on social media. Get input from other parts of your company like sales and customer service.

Erin – Look at your existing content, there’s lot of potential right in front of you.  See if you can re-purpose your content.  For example, look at the questions your customers ask and see if there’s a trend.  Use this to write a blog post or white paper.

5. Is it better to be fast and first with content or to have a more thoughtful, slower approach?

Mike – It depends on your goals and your audience. If you are a fashion business, it’s probably best to be at the forefront of trends. If you’re in economics, it might be better to spend time putting together a thoughtful analysis.

Joe – As long as you make it unique and interesting, you should be good.

6. How can companies set themselves apart?

Joe – Companies need to be the best at what they do. They need to understand the buyer beter than their competitors. They need to produce more insightful content and have a better distribution channel for doing so.

Summary: Content rules and will continue to rule. Companies need to switch their focus to the buyer and the buyer’s problems.

This applies whether you are a Business to Consumer or a Business to Business company.

If you want to learn more about content marketing, there’s a really neat conference coming up in August. It’s sponsored by Hubspot, the creator of “inbound marketing.” The conference takes place at the Hynes Convention Center on August 19-21. Here’s the link for more information:

Hubspot Inbound Marketing Conference 2013.

If you use the code IH033 to register, you can save 10%. What could be better than Boston in the summer time? If you do register, I’d love to know about it – you can contact me via my blog contact page.

Photo is courtesy of Every Stock Photo.