Q. Conversions are a sizzling topic at content marketing conferences 2015, and that’s exactly what you’ll be discussing at the upcoming conference in Las Vegas. If you had to pick the top three elements that drive conversions, what would they be?
A. Before looking at the tactical side of driving conversions, marketers first need to understand their audience and know (specifically) what their goal is – then, start to think about:
- Creating a great user experience (which requires testing and iteration)
- Relevant messaging (you have to truly understand your audience’s needs and pain points and address them)
- Clear and concise language (be clear in how you communicate and what the value is)
Q. On the other end of the scale, what is the No. 1 marketing faux pas that drives people away?
A. There are many things that can negatively impact your conversion when it comes to content marketing, but – assuming the end goal is lead generation – one of the biggest mistakes I see is that marketers aren’t asking for the lead in the first place.
Bottom line: you won’t get it if you don’t ask ;)
Q. The summary of your upcoming discussion says creating great content is not enough, that companies also need to create a great content experience that’s engineered to accommodate their goals. What constitutes a “great content experience?”
A. A great content experience looks different for every company and should be customized to fit your brand and personality. That said, there are a few basics that marketers need to keep in mind:
- The experience should be easy to navigate.
- It should be well-organized and tailored to your buyer personas.
- There should be an engagement path for visitors.
- Your experience should be mobile friendly.
I’ll be chatting about these in more detail during my session, so be sure to come by!
Q. You’ve built up an impressive reputation as one of the most dynamic and inspirational speakers making the circuit. What’s your secret? Kale juice? Yoga? How do you keep your enthusiasm alive and continue to instill it in others?
A. Not sure I’d go for the kale juice, but I’m happy to strike a tree pose anytime!
Truthfully, I love what I do. We (my team and I) always say we’ve got the best jobs – we’re marketing to marketers. It’s challenging and fun at the same time. We can relate to the highs, lows and obstacles that marketers experience because we have them too. I think this comes across when I speak. I enjoy connecting with people on that level, teaching what I know and, in turn, learning from others.
Q. Your LinkedIn bio says you “love the entire marketing process.” What makes it so alluring to you?
A. I think at its foundation, marketing informs almost every aspect of a business from product development to sales to customer advocacy. I love the visibility and consistency that allows for. That process has to be integrated with what everybody else in the company is doing, otherwise you’ll end up with a fragmented customer experience.
Now, as the traditional definition of marketing shifts, we’re seeing mainstream companies start to catch on. As Seth Godin put it, “The marketer now needs to be in charge of everything a company does… they need to be the first step.”
Q. What part of the marketing process is the most fun? Which is the most challenging? What aspect of content marketing cries out for more attention than businesses are generally giving it?
A. Most fun: Do I have to pick just one? ;)
Most challenging: Getting visibility into any offline interactions of visitors with your sales teams.
Content marketing: People need to pay more attention to the content experience, not just the content creation.
Q. You’re also a self-admitted “tech geek.” What thrills you most about technology? How did you first get into technology and what’s your background in it?
I think technology has the capacity to empower marketers in a way that hasn’t been possible. If you’re using the right tools, you’re no longer at the mercy of an IT team to get get stuff done. On a personal level, I grew up surrounded by technology, so I suppose I just followed suit!
Q. When you encounter companies that are less than savvy about or even fearful of technology, what do you tell them to convince them it’s worth integrating into their business?
A. Understanding and leveraging technology is no longer a nice to have – it’s a must have. The rise in marketing technology is one indicator that marketers are integrating technology into their daily processes. Those who haven’t will struggle to survive as the marketing landscape continues to evolve.
Q. Tell us more about Uberflip, where you’re the VP of Marketing. Give us your best elevator pitch on why businesses can’t live without the Uberflip platform
A. Uberflip lets you aggregate existing content – blogs, tweets, videos, eBooks and more – into a responsive content hub where you can strategically place CTAs and lead gen forms. From there, marketers can manage and optimize the content experience, and gate content on the fly to generate leads – no IT required
Uberflip also syncs contacts and engagement data with your marketing automation, fitting seamlessly within your existing ecosystem. You can use your content hub to power your resource center, content library, blog or even for sales enablement!
Q. Anything else you want our readers to know?
A. I love talking to marketers (and people in general too!) say hi on twitter or come chat with in in Las Vegas.