You’ve created the most compelling content ever. Have you thought about how to merchandise it?
First, you may be asking yourself, “What does it mean to merchandise content?” Let me explain.
My first job out of business school was working as a marketing/merchandising manager for Monsanto Company’s apparel fiber division in New York City. I literally dealt with merchandise: our company created fiber that our customers used in fabric and garments. I quickly learned that my role was to “merchandise” these fabrics and garments so that we could ultimately sell our fiber.
This was a profound realization. Given how tight budgets were, I wanted–and needed—to get the most out of each dollar spent, which meant that no one marketing element could exist in a void. Whatever content I developed, I needed to maximize its reach – whether it consisted of a fashion show, consumer research, a market trend presentation or a newsletter.
In other words, in those non-digital days, I “merchandised” my marketing.
The same parallel can be drawn with the content you are creating. While you ultimately want to sell your product or service, you need to “merchandise” your content.
Some of you may have heard Joe Pulizzi refer to the “3 and 3″ method for content. (If you haven’t, I invite you to read my post titled Joe Pulizzi on Content Marketing detailing his visit to MENG NJ in November 2009.) More specifically:
Use the “3 and 3″ method. For example, publish your presentation on your blog and post it on Slideshare, write about it on another blog and create a video about the presentation. If you’ve created a white paper, create an audio version, obtain testimonials, and share research by leveraging a news release.
I consider the “3 and 3″ method the equivalent of “merchandising” content marketing using digital tools. Both require that you do more with your primary content than simply create it. Merchandising it places it in the path of potential customers, increasing the likelihood of being stumbled upon.
One caveat: You will need to have some basics in place for your content marketing merchandising approach to work. More specifically, set objectives, develop a strategy, create worthwhile content and embrace an open mind to integrating traditional and social tools.
Here are a few examples to get you thinking about how to merchandise your content marketing.
A blog
To promote my blog posts, I do these three things:
- Include site links in my email signature
- Include links in my business card
- Reference posts during in-person presentations
Presentations
When I do in-person presentations, I distribute an assessment form asking for feedback, topics of further interest and an email address for follow up. After the session I do these three things:
- Write a summary blog post where I embed the slides themselves after uploading them to Slideshare, including relevant notes and links and addressing points mentioned in the assessment forms
- Send out a thank you note via email to those who filled out the forms
- Refer to the presentation summary in other communications [e.g., eNewsletter]
Press releases
Whenever possible, I like to generate press releases. Here are all of the ways I like to “merchandise” these:
- I distribute them via PRLog where I have my own press room
- I have a widget to the press room embedded in the Simple Marketing Now homepage
- I publish the press release on the Simple Marketing Blog
- I include links to the blog post and the PRLog documents in my website Newsroom
- I refer to them in eNewsletters and Facebook updates
Blog posts
To broaden the reach of Simple Marketing Blog posts, I do the following:
- Tweet about them using StumbleUpon compressed URLs
- Update my Facebook Fan page with a link
- Include a reference in my LinkedIn status [not all at the same time, though!]
- Issue a monthly recap of my posts on Flooring The Consumer, which has more subscribers and greater digital visibility.
In addition to merchandising content marketing internally (i.e., promoting yourself and your business), what’s even more powerful is doing so externally, to promote those you’re involved with via the social web and programs and activities they have invited you to participate in.
For example, Jay Ehret from The Marketing Spot invited me to take part in his most recent Marketers’ Roundtable. In addition to tweeting about his podcast, I have written my own summary post about the Marketers’ Roundtable with show notes, posted a reference to Facebook, included it on my LinkedIn status, used it as the basis for in-person conversation and will mention it in my next eNewsletter.
Now it’s your turn.
How do you merchandise your content marketing? Which tools do you prefer? What combination have you found most effective?
Add your examples and ideas in the comments section and let’s get creative about how to merchandise content marketing!
How To Merchandise Your Content Marketing
You’ve created the most compelling content ever. Have you thought about how to merchandise it?
First, you may be asking yourself, “What does it mean to merchandise content?” Let me explain.
My first job out of business school was working as a marketing/merchandising manager for Monsanto Company’s apparel fiber division in New York City. I literally dealt with merchandise: our company created fiber that our customers used in fabric and garments. I quickly learned that my role was to “merchandise” these fabrics and garments so that we could ultimately sell our fiber.
This was a profound realization. Given how tight budgets were, I wanted–and needed—to get the most out of each dollar spent, which meant that no one marketing element could exist in a void. Whatever content I developed, I needed to maximize its reach – whether it consisted of a fashion show, consumer research, a market trend presentation or a newsletter.
In other words, in those non-digital days, I “merchandised” my marketing.
The same parallel can be drawn with the content you are creating. While you ultimately want to sell your product or service, you need to “merchandise” your content.
Some of you may have heard Joe Pulizzi refer to the “3 and 3″ method for content. (If you haven’t, I invite you to read my post titled Joe Pulizzi on Content Marketing detailing his visit to MENG NJ in November 2009.) More specifically:
I consider the “3 and 3″ method the equivalent of “merchandising” content marketing using digital tools. Both require that you do more with your primary content than simply create it. Merchandising it places it in the path of potential customers, increasing the likelihood of being stumbled upon.
One caveat: You will need to have some basics in place for your content marketing merchandising approach to work. More specifically, set objectives, develop a strategy, create worthwhile content and embrace an open mind to integrating traditional and social tools.
Here are a few examples to get you thinking about how to merchandise your content marketing.
A blog
To promote my blog posts, I do these three things:
Presentations
When I do in-person presentations, I distribute an assessment form asking for feedback, topics of further interest and an email address for follow up. After the session I do these three things:
Press releases
Whenever possible, I like to generate press releases. Here are all of the ways I like to “merchandise” these:
Blog posts
To broaden the reach of Simple Marketing Blog posts, I do the following:
In addition to merchandising content marketing internally (i.e., promoting yourself and your business), what’s even more powerful is doing so externally, to promote those you’re involved with via the social web and programs and activities they have invited you to participate in.
For example, Jay Ehret from The Marketing Spot invited me to take part in his most recent Marketers’ Roundtable. In addition to tweeting about his podcast, I have written my own summary post about the Marketers’ Roundtable with show notes, posted a reference to Facebook, included it on my LinkedIn status, used it as the basis for in-person conversation and will mention it in my next eNewsletter.
Now it’s your turn.
How do you merchandise your content marketing? Which tools do you prefer? What combination have you found most effective?
Add your examples and ideas in the comments section and let’s get creative about how to merchandise content marketing!