Is there a Better Way For Content Marketing?

Content marketing is so ubiquitous, that non marketers utilize it everyday without knowing it. It’s actually an amazing phenomena to have witnessed. There have been numerous purveyors of the content marketing concept (e.g. Hubspot, CMI, David Meermon Scott, and others) and the logic behind it is very sound. Here’s why:

Google loves content….so go create a lot of keyword focused content and attract visitors. Well, this raises issues. Now you obtained visitors to your site, but the real challenge is how to convert them into customers. (Marketers, you know how this story goes.) Of course you gate the content and promote it to drive customers to your great, high valued content.

The notion of “gating” content has also become ubiquitous. Most non marketers do not know what the word gate means. However, they certainly know what it means to put content behind a form. So, the form has become the means to capturing leads. And we all know, leads are what drive sales (remember Glenngary Glen Ross?).

So it seems the story ends here right? Is this the state of the art and the primary means for creating leads? Is this the best we’ve got we have?

Well, there may be variations on this approach, but the outcome is still the same. For example, you can use different types of content such as video or podcasts, yet the idea is still the same.

“Content For Contact” (C4C)

This entire system is what I refer to as “Content For Contact”. Again, the idea is, “I give you content and you give me your contact information.” Then I market the hell out of you (oh did I say that?). Well, you can always unsubscribe.

So again, is this the best we have?

Let’s take a moment and consider the challenges with the “Content for Contact” model. Out of the gate, we have all come to accept providing email addresses in exchange for something. However, what’s our attitude when we do provide our email address? How do we FEEL during the process? What’s our disposition toward those we are providing it to? Do we ever provide bogus information in hopes that we can just get the information without having to check our inbox for receipt?

Obviously, in order to get that content I must provide my contact information. However, I can be a tirekicker, a non viable contact (never going to buy), a competitor, or anyone else. The barrier to filling out information – accurate or not – is basically non existent. The web visitor just enters their email address (or possibly a bit more detail) and you provide them your content. After all, you the marketer don’t want to make the barrier too high. The idea is to get that content and brand out into the world. And the bigger objective is to get a lead into your system or into the hands of the sales team.

Again, is this really the best we have?

“Value For Value” (V4V) to the Rescue

You know, I thought about this problem….A LOT. (Not sure I like “You know”)

Several years ago a friend of mine discussed the idea of Assessments and how effective they are because they provide the prospect with value. I agreed and tried to find a way to develop an Assessment tool that would allow for something I would come to term “Value For Value” (versus “Content For Contact”) exchange.

Thus was born Koalafy (as in “qualify leads” but cuter).

How Do Koalafy Assessments Work?

Koalafy’s V4V model means that a prospect is engaged by the notion of not just getting content, but by obtaining customized results (results are another way of saying content plus an explanation) regarding their specific needs. And Koalafy does just that by allowing you to deliver any content you want. The key is that the content you deliver is based upon how they respond to questions that you provide to them.

Here’s an example, you build a Koalafy Assessment that asks questions about two key factors: a. Price issues; and b. Stage of Awareness (basically knowledge solutions). For this example, let’s say that you are selling B2B software (this can apply to any product). You ask several price questions and several questions about ability to adopt, maturity, etc. After the prospect answers all the questions they will want to know their results and recommendations, and obtain customized content that matches their SPECIFIC needs, based upon the answers they provided. Naturally, because they want their results, they provide you their email address (at the end of the Assessment). Their questions are automatically scored and, here’s the great part, segmented and delivered to you. So, they obtain customized results and you obtain a segmented lead.

The magnitude and implications of this may take a moment to sink in. Koalafy allows you to set up scoring so that different results deliver different content.

For example, you can have Unqualified, Marketing Qualified, and Sales Qualified results. Those results deliver different content. This can be contrasted with the “Content for Contact” model where you have no idea of the quality, interest, or intention of those who request the content. Now, you have a clear snapshot of who is gold and who is garbage, lead-wise.

This is an EXTREMELY powerful solution and is an antidote to the tired “Content for Contact” lead system that we have adopted. You have the choice to experience Koalafy Assessments V4V model as revolutionary, or as a supplement to the current model of digital content marketing for lead generation. Any way you slice it, Koalafy, at a minimum, provides you with a new tool for customized lead content delivery, providing personalized valued content to your prospects. In addition, you obtain advanced customer intelligence, a much improved prospect experience with your brand, and faster lead conversion to sale (this one alone is massive).

Koalafy Assessments – the evolution of content lead generation is here.