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Key Takeaways from Market New York Expo

Content Boost Director Carrie Majewski and I had a blast last Thursday, May 12, at Market New York Expo. We learned so much about how to keep improving our marketing strategy from some of our peers in the industry. If you didn’t get a chance to get out to the show yourself, stay right here; I’ll fill you in on the top marketing takeaways of the day.

With a variety of sessions and advice from innovative speakers, suffice it to say I left the conference with a mind full of ideas and insights. However, the biggest takeaway of the day was the emphasis that was placed on the importance of target marketing.

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Left Brain versus Right Brain: For Content Marketers it’s a Matter of “And” Not “Or”

I’m sure at some point in your life you’ve heard someone label you (or perhaps you labeled yourself) either “right brained” or “left brained.” But I say, why do you have to be just one? In fact, as a content marketer, I know that I cannot afford to fall into the trap of exclusively thinking either one way or another. Instead, content marketers must extract valuable qualities associated with each side of the brain and integrate them to produce a well-rounded content creation strategy.

So, let’s refresh our memories about which characteristics are associated with each side of the brain. “Left brained” thinkers are usually analytical, literal and organized while “right brained” thinkers are dreamers, emotional and creative. But, the best marketers are analytical and creative; here’s a better look at how they use each side of the brain to create the most effective range of content:

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Why Marketing Is Still an ‘In Person’ Game

Don’t get me wrong; I definitely believe in the power and prominence of digital marketing. After all, digital vehicles like eNewsletters, blogs and digital magazines are ranked as top tactics being used by marketers today, according to the Content Marketing Institute (CMI)’s “2015 Benchmarks, Budgets and Trends—North America” report. Furthermore, research from Gartner shows that digital marketing budgets will increase by 8 percent in 2015.

There’s no denying that digital marketing is here to stay, but, still, there is something exciting—inherently dynamic even—about having a face-to-face interaction.

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Top Takeaways From the Content Boost Crash Course, Part 2: Afternoon Sessions

Looking back on the second half of yesterday’s Content Boost Crash Course, the word that comes immediately to mind is “action.” While the first half of the day was focused on educating attendees about the basics of content marketing—the ins and outs of blogging and the need to engage with customers via social media, for example—the afternoon was all about how to put those strategies into motion and move forward with an integrated, revenue-driven content marketing strategy.

shutterstock_134665622What is the best way to get started with content marketing in your organization? As Content Boost Director Carrie Majewski intimated during a presentation titled “Getting the Boss to Say Yes to Content Marketing,” approaching the boss about investing in content marketing may be intimidating. She advised participants to lay such fears aside, however, as, in truth, most decision makers are ready to move forward with content marketing. Majewski backed up her claim with a study from DNN which shows that the top three priorities for marketing executives are to acquire new customers (87 percent), increase customer retention (86 percent) and increase brand awareness (80 percent).
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Top Takeaways From the Content Boost Crash Course Part One: Morning Sessions

The morning flew by here at Content Boost, as we’re now halfway through our second content marketing Crash Course; that is, our all-day integrated marketing seminar offering the latest tips and tricks for growing your brand online.

Before we head into this afternoon’s additional seminars and group discussions, it’s a great time to reflect on some of the top takeaways from the morning sessions, led by our in-house team of integrated marketing experts.

Here are three key tips that were discussed:

20150421_112544Be bold with your content: After opening remarks from our CEO, Rich Tehrani, our Director Carrie Majewksi kicked things off with a presentation on the basics of content marketing. One of the most important things she spoke about was the need to be bold and take chances with your content. As she explained, you are already disruptive with your product offerings so it’s critical to be innovative with your multimedia. According to Majewski, content marketing is your opportunity to drive emotion, tell stories and create a “WOW” experience that will resonate strongly with your customers. Continue reading “Top Takeaways From the Content Boost Crash Course Part One: Morning Sessions”

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5 Simple Social Media Strategy Tips to Implement Today

897px-Facebook_like_thumbThere’s no doubt that social media has forever changed the way brands interact and engage with consumers. Through social, businesses are able to spread brand awareness, generate leads and create meaningful relationships with buyers. Despite the various benefits and popularity of social, however, many businesses still seem to struggle with implementing a successful strategy. Continue reading “5 Simple Social Media Strategy Tips to Implement Today”

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B2B Marketers: Stop Being So Boring

shutterstock_151959050Let’s face it; B2B marketers get a bad rap for being boring. I can say that because I am one. Like most B2B marketers, I’m not producing ads for the Super Bowl or booking Gisele Bundchen for our next marketing campaign. Rather, I’m writing whitepapers for the C-suite, creating blogs for other marketing professionals and drafting lead-nurturing campaigns. But just because I’m a B2B marketer doesn’t mean I’m boring—and you don’t have to be either. Continue reading “B2B Marketers: Stop Being So Boring”

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Content Creation: A Marketer’s Double-Edged Sword

shutterstock_161159720We often come to the realization that sometimes our greatest strengths or supports can become our biggest setbacks. For example, someone who is a perfectionist can tap into that Type-A drive to execute a number of initiatives; but that unending search for betterment can also handicap progress.

Content creation is just as confusing. While marketers know that content creation, especially in the form of SEO-driven pieces, is perhaps their most effective marketing tactic today it can also prove especially frustrating. In fact, according to a recent study from Ascend2, which polled 270 B2B marketing professionals around the world, almost 60 percent identified content creation as their most effective strategy. But still, 54 percent reported that it is an extremely difficult tactic to execute well.

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