INTRODUCTION

How can I help you?”

Five simple words to start a conversation. There are many ways to say them. But who is saying them and how the words are said can make all the difference. Whether they're words used by a gum-chomping teenager serving you at a fast-food counter or a suit-and-tie professional you meet at a networking event, one may be obligatory whereas the other is more genuine. But there's more.

At a minimum, all relationships begin with a “handshake moment”—those first few seconds that say a great deal about the character of the person standing before you. Why should a company be any different? “Content marketing” has evolved traditional marketing into a new level of personalization as a means of bridging the gap between the old guard (TV, radio, and print) and the new (digital and social media).

And though content marketing has become big business, it remains largely misunderstood as a legitimate means of starting or growing your business. Budgets can be big, or next to nothing, depending upon whom you're trying to communicate with and what you're trying to accomplish.

Gone are the days of blasting your message to unwitting consumers. They want to trust who they turn to for their information needs. They expect transparency. With the clamor of choices fighting for their attention, what makes your message stand apart from the crowd?

Content marketing, when done right, builds long-term relationships and drives meaningful action through conversation with your audience. Websites, videos, social media, magazines—you name it. It provides people with information that is valuable and relevant while it positions you as a trusted resource. It attracts customers, and it retains them.

What Is “Content,” Really?

For all the talk about content, there are a surprising number of people who still don't know how to describe it. This is the best definition I've heard: “A fancy piece of terminology for movies, television, plays, videogames, books, magazines, any form of news, information, or entertainment that people consume with any of their sensory organs other than their taste buds. Soup, for example, is not content. But a video of soup is.”¹

Too many companies continually produce content for content's sake. They open a Twitter account, start a Facebook page, write a blog, start curating content, or post mindless copy. It's not a positive strategy. Instead, they need a set of rules to guide them in engaging their audience in today's demanding world. Audiences aren't tolerating rote copy or robotic, frivolous content anymore. Branded content, in particular, should be outward facing, not inward focused, in a human, relevant, and useful way.

Unless content is part of a conversation—a meaningful, two-way dialogue between you and someone else— it's just part of the online noise. Content, when used as a marketing tool, along the path to purchase, should first serve the information needs of your customer, not your own. Content without context is useless. And most often, that context is found through conversation.

Conversation Is King

How does conversation fit in here, and how do we define it? Some might define it as an exchange of opinions and ideas. Others might see it as swapping rhetoric. The dictionary defines it as a spontaneous interactive communication between two or more people that involves a verbal exchange. But did you ever contemplate the relevance of conversation in a business marketing setting? It can be quite different.

In a business marketing setting, effective conversation elevates content from a tired commodity to prose that motivates. It “humanizes” a brand. But inserting exclamation marks in your copy to feign emotion and hiding behind the language of “you” aren't enough. The secret sauce of content marketing isn't channel distribution, customer engagement, or key performance indicators. It's much simpler. It's how you speak with your audience—not only what you say, but how you say it. If content is the what, conversation is the how.

Picture this. The average person in the U.S. is exposed daily to a sea of more than 3,000 marketing messages.² But is it the start of a conversation? Hardly. In most cases, it's simply noise to be tuned out by the majority of the crowd.

How will you rise above the noise? What will make your brand stand out and seem particularly interesting to a target audience? Oftentimes, the differentiator is kick-ass content, and whether it's engaging and memorable enough to compel your audience to choose whether to do something meaningful, stick around for more, or forget about it ten seconds after they see it. The trick to delivering the right kind of content to the right audience at the right time is a deeper understanding of who they are, what they want to talk about, and how they want to be spoken to. At the heart of this is “conversation marketing”— the intersection of one-to-one conversation and content marketing.

This book applies some tactical rules for having a conversation within the context of your content marketing strategy. In life, wars are not won on strategy alone, but the sound tactics in approaching each battle. Tactics are critical to the success of a campaign. And simple conversation tactics are the “missing links” in many failed content marketing campaigns that would otherwise be successful.

This book brings marketers and businesses closer to how to create the personal connection critical in a content marketing strategy. Although most companies know they need to invest in content, many are struggling with doing it effectively.

Content marketing today is so much more than it was in the early days when John Deere created Furrow Magazine in 1895 to educate farmers. Today's content marketing is about stimulating an audience with useful information they need to know, in an unobtrusive way, and nudging them to do something—to take action, to get involved, to join a movement, or to purchase a product.

For those who think you have to choose between content and traditional marketing, understand that content marketing plugs into and complements an existing overarching marketing strategy. It's no longer separate but equal. Content marketing is one of the fastest-growing segments in marketing because of the sheer volume of content being produced. By 2019, content marketing is projected to be a $300 billion industry, with marketers increasing their content marketing spend 75 percent in 2018.³

Where Conversation and Opportunity Met

I got into this business because I was passionate about helping small investors learn how to navigate the financial markets more easily and safely—through eye-level education. The “tech crash” of 2000 rendered a lot of innocent folks broke, scared, and mistrusting of the financial markets. The trading magazines I read were intimidatingly complex and full of jargon, and the investing magazines, which were mostly for the “buy and hold” crowd, felt stodgy and outdated. I knew if I could distill the complexities of active investing into a fun conversation that anyone could understand and actually enjoy, they would trust the markets again, and feel more confident and empowered to take matters into their own hands. If they felt more confident, they would make better decisions, invest smarter, and improve their lives.

A few years later, literally on the back of a cocktail napkin, I sketched out an idea allowing me to scale this belief to a large audience by having a conversation with them through the lens of content marketing. As an investing instructor at the time, something I uniquely understood to be the missing link between the companies that produced financial services products and the investors who used them was simply having the right conversation. The goal, then, was simply to put the information needs of investors first, keep it light, don't pitch, and the product will sell itself.

In 2007, just as the original iPhone was making its debut and smartphones were about to change the way we would all communicate with one another, I pitched an idea to an online brokerage firm that they should consider engaging in a different kind of conversation with their audience that nobody else was having yet: a print magazine that focused solely on trading strategies in a plain-English, humorous, and irreverent way. They loved the idea, and the conversation that took shape was thinkMoney, published quarterly, focusing squarely on active trading strategies, tools, tips, and the goings-on in the trading industry. My firm, T3 Custom, was in business, and what might have looked like unfortunate timing in 2007—as the planet was about to simultaneously collapse economically and go all digital—ended up being serendipitous. Despite the headwinds, thinkMoney was exactly the smart, reassuring offline voice that was needed at a time when there was so much distrust with any brand connected to Wall Street. After TD Ameritrade purchased our client in 2009, they went all in on thinkMoney, and it went on to become one of the largest circulated magazines of its kind in the world, with thousands of loyal fans, some of who admitted to waiting by their mailboxes for the next issue to arrive!

That kind of loyalty isn't earned because of drab content that anyone can write. It came from a thoughtful, conversational approach that honored the audience's time, focused on their interests, filled their knowledge gaps, and gave them aspirational content to get them to do something meaningful for themselves and, ultimately, the bottom line of the brand.

In the beginning, we weren't afraid of the fact that a magazine like this hadn't been done before, and there was no data point that could tell us it would succeed, other than simply knowing our audience very, very well. And that's the point. A good idea that can't be validated because it lacks historical comparisons doesn't make it a bad strategy or risky. Brands like Red Bull, Marriott, and American Express, which we'll discuss later in the book, knew this all too well also, and have had tremendous success creating content brands that broke all the rules.

Welcome to the Conversation Age

The Stone Age overhauled how early humans worked with the advent of tools. The Agricultural Age revolutionized human beings' use of land. The Industrial Age transformed humans' work with the dawn of machines. The Information Age enriched human knowledge and communication via electronic media.

The Conversation Age, likewise, finds us in the midst of another evolutionary process. During the 1990s—the heyday of the Information Age—a new form of persuasion architecture emerged. Email and the Internet became incredibly efficient pipelines for new business, forever changing the way we bought and sold products and services. Banner ads and email campaigns were like the land grabs of the Wild West. It was all an unexplored frontier. When the Internet reached critical mass in the 1990s, the paradigm was simple: Get eyeballs. Throw a bunch of ads on anything with a dot-com, and a relatively predictable number of those eyeballs would convert to customers. The more eyeballs, the more companies would spend on ads to be on your site. It was so novel and exciting, consumers didn't think too much about what companies had to say. They were having too much fun clicking buttons! And companies weren't too concerned about personalizing their messaging beyond slogans and taglines. They sold products. Anything that didn't immediately translate into sales was a waste of time.

The landscape rapidly changed, however, after the technology industry “crashed” in the early 2000s. Today, differentiation is critical if brands want to compete. And it often comes down to content. Learning to use conversational techniques through a content marketing lens to touch the hearts and minds of customers should be a top priority for today's marketers in every field. It's no longer effective to merely shout at consumers through one-way megaphones like television, radio, print, and banner ads. Instead, today's more sophisticated consumers demand transparent, honest, and authentic dialogue.

Social media has afforded brands the ability to engage in a transactional dialogue, giving them a bigger platform and louder voice. This new power has forced the modern brand to be completely transparent, and in many cases, more vulnerable in its storytelling. Thus, the Conversation Age requires businesses to educate, motivate, inspire, and even entertain their customers, all while telling a human “story.” When brands speak human, this conversation begins and the journey from customer discovery to customer loyalty can begin.

The implication in this era of conversation, then, is your need to have healthy engagement with customers that not only defines your brand's personality but also enhances its credibility and reputation in their minds. In other words, one of the key factors distinguishing you from your competition in the marketplace is sounding less like a marketer and more like a peer—hence, “speaking human.” And although you might think otherwise, your brand personality is not limited to catchy slogans, slick logos, and eye-popping website designs.

Content that conveys your brand's voice and character can share equal footing with traditional marketing techniques, and work together to express your brand personality and make your relationships with your customers worthwhile and memorable. It's all about connecting with the world and its varied cultures in a way that they're able to connect with you in return. Find the common emotional hot button for your audience, and indelibly insert your brand's mark into your customers' hearts and minds so they think of you first when they need you—even if you're just selling gum.

Consider “The Story of Sarah and Juan,” a 2015 ad for Extra gum with a cover version of “Can't Help Falling in Love” performed by Hailey Reinhart. The simple love story of Sarah and Juan begins in the hallway of high school, where Juan helps Sarah with her dropped papers and she thanks him with a stick of gum (Extra, of course). Later the love story takes audiences through the seasons, from high school to college to career, with kisses and Extra. Audiences get glimpses of Juan drawing on the wrappers. The climax of the story is an art gallery showing of Juan's Extra wrapper art of their chronological love story, which ends with a drawing of Juan proposing to Sarah. When she turns, Juan is on his knees proposing to her as the song ends.

Here are the first-week statistics for Extra's sweet love story set to music (before it ever made its primetime television debut):

• 7 million YouTube views.
• 78 million Facebook views.
• 1.1 million Facebook shares.
• 19K downloads of “Can't Help Falling in Love” performed by Hailey Reinhart.⁴

So how did a gum company achieve this? It's simple: They chose emotional storytelling with values and vision (gum is a part of our lives), rather than a rote commercial touting features and benefits (our gum is the most spear-minty and lasts the longest). Instead of pitching well-written sales jargon and talking about how great your products/services are, offer your audience a front-row seat to your story. Simply put, don't just sell me gum. Give me an experience to remember.

Conversation Marketing at Its Core

For decades, traditional marketing and advertising tactics that detached the brand/customer relationship dominated the media. Today, your audience demands more authenticity and relationship with your brand. Like billboards on a highway, traditional marketing is largely based on one-way communication where there is little to no opportunity for customers to respond and communicate their reactions in real time. Without a response from your customers regarding what they actually expect from you, it's difficult to make relevant changes to sync with their likes and dislikes. It's largely a game of shoot first and ask questions later.

Conversely, as an astute content marketer who “listens” to your audience and anticipates what they need, you'll develop a brand personality that is relatable. This gives you license to engage in a healthy two-way exchange of information driven by the rules set by your customers, not by you.

And the missing link needed in the large number of botched content marketing campaigns (particularly in social media) is conversation. But you have a blog, you say. That's a good start. But you've only just begun.

The Bottom Line

It's important to understand your audience and how to talk to them in their language. When you earn their trust, you can then prove your credibility by delivering novel ideas, not run-of-the-mill sales copy. Conversation replaces the one-way dialogue of bullhorn marketing with a two-way process encouraging inquiry and feedback to let you know what's on your customer's mind.

To start, ask yourself, “How can we speak to our audience? What do we want them to do? What are we offering them that they can get nowhere else?” When you ask these questions, you begin the process of customer engagement according to the new rules of marketing. And that puts you on the path of developing customer affinity and, ultimately, customer loyalty to your brand.

Given the fact Americans now spend more than ten hours per day on “screen time,”⁵ it's often easier to reach a larger customer base through digital channels like social media. As a result, when you post an advertising campaign on Twitter or Facebook, it could be viewed by an enormous number of audiences, and it will also allow you to monitor your performance by analyzing consumer responses and behaviors in real time.

By keeping tabs on your audience's likes, shares, and click-throughs, tracking consumer patterns in real time has never been easier. Additionally, making adjustments to your campaign to ensure better performance is equally performed with ease. Once you receive a collective response to your marketing message from your audience, the conversation has begun. With this open line to your audience, the goal is to keep the conversation going so these acquaintances turn into loyal friendships.

Content Marketing in the Conversation Age

Although the power of great-quality content cannot be denied, it's fast becoming commoditized. Today, content is everywhere, and we've become increasingly focused on creating “content” for content's sake—often technical and terribly sterile—rather than taking care to make the content warm and humane. Conversation marketing cuts through industry jargon and sterility by capturing customers' emotions with the goal of elevating them to your frequency. This notion is critical for the conversation to become immersive.

Conversation Marketing Concepts to Think About

Though it's hard for companies focused on “being the best” to imagine, one of the most effective approaches in securing your place within your customer's hearts is displaying your vulnerability and showing your brand is human, too. Remember: Regardless of how well established your brand might be, there will always be people who will be meeting you for the first time. Proceed thoughtfully.

Gone are the days when consumers graded brands based on their market position. People today appreciate honesty and humility over “corporate speak” and are far more responsive to personalized conversations that serve to make them feel connected to you—that you're one of them. You must be more approachable and welcoming rather than the other way around. You must come to the market exceeding consumer expectations and providing them with tailor-made solutions to their specific problems—always working toward meeting or exceeding their needs. Generalization is one of the biggest turnoffs for today's discerning consumer. You must engage with your clients, current and potential, and highlight the product or service you're offering in a way that's specifically designed to fulfill their individual needs.

So, how exactly does a conversation marketing approach add value to your business?

1. It promotes engagement. Companies that are only interested in delivering one-way information to a target set of customers without attempting to get to know them will lose in the Conversation Age. Just like with personal relationships, if your message is all about you and how great you are, people will start to avoid you. Conversation takes you from robotic and boring to likeable and human, making it easier for you to connect with your consumers on a deeper level. It fosters their affinity to your brand, and consequently, makes your products more appealing.
2. It adds a personal touch. Making your customer feel valued is a critical aspect of effective marketing. Through conversation, you get to know the likes and dislikes of your customers and offer them personalized solutions to suit their specific needs. When you engage with your customers on a one-to-one level and customize your message and story to their varied needs and requirements, you make them feel special and appreciated.
3. It maximizes conversions. Conversation lets you develop a lasting connection with your potential customers and ensures that they respond positively to your product or service. When customers trust a brand, they will automatically gravitate toward that company without giving it a second thought.

Unlike the ages that preceded us, the Conversation Age is about human evolution at a cerebral level. Though there's no single tactile invention to point to in this age that makes life better, more efficient, or goods and services, such as the plough, the assembly line, or the personal computer, we are reinventing how we speak to one another in ways that influence behavior like no time before this. And it's beginning to look remarkably like a Darwinian theory unfolding before us.

Based on his theory of natural selection, Charles Darwin hypothesized that giraffes once had shorter necks. Eventually, as other, more dominant herbivore species competed for food sources low to the ground, some giraffes with unusually longer necks were able to feast on food just out of reach of the other animals. Dumb luck for the short-necked giraffes became good fortune for their long-necked brethren. The long-neckers that survived paid their genes forward and proliferated, and eventually all giraffes had long necks.

Now, though the short-necked giraffe may have been an unwitting victim of the evolution of their species, today's businesses can choose their fate. Today's consumer is smarter, more informed, and less trusting than consumers of past generations. Choose the short neck and ignore content marketing at your peril, or choose the long neck by embracing it and not only survive, but thrive. Brands that ignore the principles of conversation in their content marketing program are tacitly choosing competitive disadvantage over opportunity. Just as fair pricing, great service, and reliable technology are basic attributes of a successful business model, human, conversational content is essential for survival.

To sum up, instead of sticking with the age-old business-to- business (B2B) or business-to-consumer (B2C) marketing concepts, as a conversation marketer, you must strive to create an H2H, or human-to-human, strategy. With humility and a little story, educate your customers on the impact of your products and services, not on feature sets or attributes. When done correctly, you develop a trust with your customer base that makes it nearly impossible for others failing to do so to compete. Trust is the foundation and mortar that builds and sells a brand. Ultimately, authenticity in the words you say drives the kind of trust and value, when engaged, loyal customers can provide. And it all begins with gaining the attention of your audience.

The Content Struggle

As businesses are clamoring to jump on the content marketing bandwagon, content itself is becoming increasingly commoditized, and many companies are losing sight of the quality of the conversation they're supposed to be having with their audience. These businesses are simply checking off the boxes on their content marketing checklist without much thought to formalizing an effective and meaningful strategy that helps their customers. As a result, there's a glut of blah content out there, seemingly created in a vacuum, and the data emerging from within the same vacuum is providing inconclusive results and “false positives.” In other words, it might be working for search engines, but it's not working for humans who actually read the content.

That is where this book comes in. Conversation Marketing is a how-to guide that takes you through ten key principles on how to engage in a conversation with your customers—within your content marketing program—that's meaningful, relevant, and trusted, and that ultimately drives them to engage with your brand. By applying these principles, you should be able to successfully strengthen your customer conversations and amplify your content marketing results.

Let's Delve In

The following pages will explore in depth the Conversation Age that we find ourselves in and the ten key principles of conversation marketing. These principles are designed to help businesses go from yawn to yay through evolved content marketing concepts that work. The topics we'll explore are:

• How to earn attention.
• How to tell a story.
• Being humble.
• Where to have the conversation.
• Opening up and listening.
• Being relevant (on a molecular level).
• How to start a conversation.
• Knowing when to stop talking.
• Getting your customer involved.
• Ditching the checklist.

Conversation marketing is an engaged process of knowing your audience, understanding their pain points, and motivating them to do something beyond watching thirty-second commercials and being shouted at. Conversation Marketing is the nuts and bolts of how to have a conversation within your content marketing strategy.