Marketing 101

How to build a unique content marketing platform

by JimRaffel on May 15, 2013

Image of SheHe Media content marketing platform

Content marketing is not as easy as the pros make it sound. Oh wait, were you expecting a blog post that was going to give you the secret to making a seven-figure income from blogging and other content creation? Sorry, this isn’t that post; but it will inform you how to build a successful content marketing platform that will contribute handsomely to your income stream.

Start with experimentation

When I started an email newsletter (for customers of my ColorMetrix business) back in 2005, I had no idea that what I was doing had a name – content marketing. When that email newsletter grew into this blog (I know that sounds backwards in retrospect), I didn’t know what SEO was and that it would eventually help me build an audience both on this site and others. When I opened a Twitter account in 2008, I had no idea that it would help grow readership and eventually find me both customers and a business partner.

All those activities I listed in the previous paragraph I approached with curiosity and an open mind. I viewed it all as marketing research and development. I feel the same way today as I look at new social platforms such as Pinterest, Vine, Google+ and even Facebook, for which I’m still searching for the value. And then there is my new favorite tool for growing audience: webinars. I say new because it’s just in the last year that I’ve figured out how to use the tool effectively to grow my audience. I have, however, been using a webinar tool, Webex, since 2003 for sales demos and technical support purposes.

Find what works and refine it

The tools and technology you choose for your unique content marketing platform are important, but not nearly as important as the topics and styles you choose to tell you stories. A couple of years ago, Shelby and I started a series of blog posts on this site that we called “She Said, He Said.” Those blog posts quickly grew into a Twitter chat and then into live speaking engagements. Eventually that led to consulting clients and the formation of a new venture She / He \ Media. If the story ended there, it would be an example of a successful unique content marketing platform.

But that is not the end of the story. We decided to see if we could take our unique combined voice and use it to also grow the content marketing platform for ColorMetrix. Again, it took a bit of experimentation but eventually we found someone willing to let us speak at their conference in our back-and-forth style calling on our respective backgrounds in the print production world.

We turned that speaking experience into qualifications to lead webinars with partner companies that are now helping us greatly expand the audience that ColorMetrix reaches. Each time we perform a webinar, we are reaching hundreds of folks without ever getting on an airplane or spending money for a trade show booth.

Being unique is hard work

There is a reason I don’t write for this site as much as I used to. While this is part of the content marketing platform for the brand that is me, it’s not the most effective platform I have at my disposal. I’ve found that by partnering my content creation efforts with Shelby for both She / He \ Media and ColorMetrix we get a better return on investment than either of us was getting separately.

Finding that unique voice that is the two of us combined did not just happen. We’ve had to work at and refine the voice that comes out when we speak together. Sure we disagree – a lot – but that is part of the voice. I’m not going to say we plan our disagreements, because we don’t. What we do work on and plan is how to temper the disagreements so that the audience can take away more value.

The other tool we’ve added to the arsenal is webinars. By presenting to audiences numbering in the hundreds each month we are able to reach far more people for far fewer dollars than any other platform we have utilized to date. Here again, presenting via webinar is not the same as standing on the stage in front of a live audience. It takes hard work and preparation to make sure the message is properly conveyed.

The secret to build a unique content marketing platform

The secret is equal parts experimentation, refinement of what works and continued hard work. The hard work comes in the form of constantly hustling for audience, creating great content and improving upon that content to make it better and better each time you deliver it.

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Continue Reading 1 comment }Content Creation Wednesday, Marketer, Marketing 101

The Customer Testimonial

by JimRaffel on September 21, 2010

The unsolicited customer testimonial is both social capital and brand equity. Two of the most valuable forms of capital, that while not economic, can be leveraged to achieve significant economic gains.

Unsolicited customer testimonials are social capitalGetting unsolicited customer testimonials

It’s really easier than you think. When you are doing good work people will recognize that fact. All the testimonials on ColorMetrix.com came in via emails thanking us for helping a customer out. Then, it’s a simple matter of firing an email back asking for permission to share their thoughts with other customers. I suggest doing that right away and saving the reply email providing permission.

Or, just put yourself out there. If you take a look at the Public Speaking page of this site you’ll find three videos of past engagements I have spoken at.  Those three videos combined have been watched over 150 times. That’s a big enough number that someone thinking of hiring me to speak can see that others are looking too. Consider an individual making a decision between two potential speakers. One has a great speaking page but no video or testimonials, just lots of great text about what they can speak about. Put that up against a page with actual speaking samples that have been watched at least a little bit.

How long have you been in business? ColorMetrix has been around a while and we make that clear right in the testimonials section of our site (see the image with this post). If you are just starting out in a new venture you can still stress your years of experience. Point to recommendations on Linkedin. Stress that you have been around a while and are in the game for the long haul.

The other option.

If you are like my friend Raymond Lutzewitz who is looking for work you can blog about Why It is Better to Have No Experience. Ray has actually blogged about many topics that perspective employers would find of interest. He has mastered turning what other perceive as a weakness into a strength.

It’s your social proof, don’t be bashful about sharing it. Just try to do so without being boastful.

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Continue Reading 4 comments }Marketer, Marketing 101, new media, public speaking

Marketing 101: Make the Move Online

July 30, 2010

The idea to make the move online is such a basic strategy it begs to be a 101 topic. The quandary lies in the fact that moving a traditional offline business on-line turns out to be 201 and 301 subject matter. There will be hard work and pain involved, I promise. Moving online should work [...]

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Marketing 101: Trade Show and Conference Strategy

July 29, 2010

Trade shows and conferences are alive and well. Sure they shift and change just as our lives and our businesses do. Attending the correct trade shows and conferences is an excellent strategy to find new prospects and communicate with existing customers. Arrive with a plan. Sounds simple enough, but by looking around at the typical [...]

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Marketing 101: Micro Campaigns Execution

July 28, 2010

Yesterday I discussed the strategy behind micro marketing campaigns. Today I’ll dig into the nuts and bolts of how I execute these events. Your tools and milage may vary but the concepts should be basically the same. So much for yesterday’s Why, here’s the How. Mining for contacts. For your first campaign, I recommend searching [...]

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Marketing 101: Micro Campaigns Strategy

July 27, 2010

For small businesses, staying in meaningful contact with your customers regularly can be a challenge. Equally challenging is finding recurring revenue streams to smooth out business downturns when they occur. Micro campaigns address both these issues. First, a definition. A micro campaign is a multi-touch campaign and reaches out to a small segment of your [...]

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Marketing 101: Out of Box Experience

July 26, 2010

Know that feeling you have when you open the box of a new product and everything is just perfect? That experience whether off-line or on-line does not happen by accident. It requires a great deal of planning and learning from mistakes. The typical small business does not devote enough effort and focus to the out [...]

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