Why Custom Publishing. WHITE PAPER The Power of Custom Content Publishing to Acquire and Retain Customers

Transcription

1 Why Custom Publishing The Power of Custom Content Publishing to Acquire and Retain Customers WHITE PAPER The Power of Custom Content Publishing to Acquire and Retain Customers Contents Executive Summary 2 Custom Content Defined 2 Why Companies Invest Heavily In Custom Content Publishing 3 What CMOs Are Saying About Custom Content Publishing 4 Seven Steps To Creating Effective Custom Content Publications 5 STEP 1: DEVELOP YOUR STRATEGY 5 STEP 2: BUILD A QUALIFIED PROJECT TEAM 5 STEP 3: PLAN EARLY FOR ROI 6 STEP 4: CREATE YOUR CONTENT PLAN 7 STEP 5: THE CREATIVE PROCESS 7 STEP 6: FIND PRODUCTION EXPERTS 8 STEP 7: MAKE SURE YOU RE REACHING THE RIGHT PEOPLE 8 Leverage An Integrated Approach 9 About DCP 9 Custom Content 1

2 Executive Summary Marketing today is not as much about flashy marketing campaigns as it is about constant interaction and the sharing of relevant information with a targeted audience. Since today s savvy consumers want to make their own highly-educated decisions, marketing organizations need to play a key role in the transfer of knowledge and participate in their consumers decision-making process. The more valuable content an organization provides, the more likely they will build and grow a loyal customer base. Traditionally, marketing departments simply pushed products and brands out to their prospective customers. Today, marketing departments must think and communicate from their customer s perspective. To cultivate relationships with customers, marketers serve as consultants who engage in two-way conversations. Successful marketing depends on the continuous development of compelling custom content. Custom Content Publishing Defined First, many terms are used interchangeably to describe this concept. A few include custom publishing, custom content, content marketing, custom media, and branded content. According to the Custom Content Council (CCC), Custom media marries the marketing ambitions of a company with the information needs of its target audience. This occurs through the delivery of editorial content via print, Internet, and other media so intrinsically valuable that it moves the recipient s behavior in a desired direction. Basically, custom content publishing is the creative delivery of valuable, relevant content that helps you engage with prospects/customers to drive actions and build loyalty. It is the fine art of communicating marketing messages without actually selling. Custom content provides a service it empowers consumers to make intelligent decisions and ultimately lead them to purchase your products and services. Custom content is communicated across all types of media, including: Print Magazines/Newsletters Online Magazines ipad/tablet Apps E-Newsletters/ Videos Whitepapers Business Blogging Webcasts/Virtual Events Social Media Mobile Solutions 2

3 Content marketing is used by small, medium, and large businesses across the world, and its use is on the rise. According to a survey from the Custom Content Council (CCC), the average U.S. corporation spent a recordbreaking $1.9 million on branded content in Respondents also reported that 26% of their overall marketing, advertising and communications budget were dedicated to content marketing. Why Companies Invest Heavily in Custom Content Publishing If you consistently deliver valuable, relevant information to your target audience, you become a trusted resource. And when consumers trust you, they are more likely to reward you with their loyalty and business. Customer loyalty translates into ongoing revenue. 55% say that they are more apt to buy another product from a company that has provided them with a custom publication. 61% feel that when reading custom publications it makes them feel better about the company that provided it. By applying the best practices of custom content publishing you can connect deeply with consumers in productive and engaging ways. Nothing adds more value to customer relationships than giving them information that will enhance their lives. According to a 2011 study performed by the Custom Content Council and Roper Public Affairs, custom publications influence purchase decisions and strengthen bonds between consumers and companies. 78% feel that custom publications show a company s interest in building good relationships with consumers. 74% prefer receiving information about a company through custom publications. 65% say that companies that provide information about their products in custom magazines help them to make better purchase decisions. 3

4 What CMOs Are Saying About Custom Content Publishing According to a 2011 study performed for the Custom Content Council by Roper Public Affairs and Corporate Communications, CMOs from medium and large companies report the following: 95% of CMOs agree that consumers purchasing behavior can be influenced by custom content 94% of CMOs believe that custom content stregthens the relationship between recipients and sponsoring companies 90% of CMOs say that a majority of their consumers report finding useful information in custom media 85% of CMOs report that people who receive custom content say they are more likely to buy from that company again 59% of CMOs report having shifted marketing funds away from traditional advertising in the last year toward custom content Measuring ROI is always top-of-mind for CMOs, and sometimes an area of concern with custom publishing. However, this study finds that: 62% of CMOs reported achieving real results from their custom content campaign, ranging from direct responses to increased sales/orders to increased hit ratios. Seven Steps to Creating Effective Custom Content Publications Now that we ve established that custom content is what your customers respond to and what your competitors are investing in, it s time to discuss how you can develop an effective custom publication. First, what does an effective custom publication look like? It is: On par with professional magazine quality Predominantly lifestyle-centric Journalistically-written, objective content Well designed High production value Targeted to individual customer interests Trustworthy sources of information 4

5 Below is the seven-step process that DCP follows when creating a custom content publication. STEP 1: DEVELOP YOUR STRATEGY Ready, Aim, Fire While producing compelling content and stunning design are essential, successful custom content programs are about much more than that. They start with a clear definition of your goals and a deep understanding of your target audience s behavior. The first steps are to: Effectively get ready and aim before firing off a campaign. Develop a strategy that carefully considers the preferences and interests of your audience. Identify the best ways to reach your customers by mail, , social media, website, etc. Understand what drives their decision making. The core team should consist of: Strategist: Responsible for developing a strategic brief that captures your goals and objectives. Project manager: Responsible for schedules and budgets, trafficking of materials, facilitating communications between team members. Managing editor: Defines and hones editorial concept, direction, content, and tone of the publication. Assembles and maintains the publication s style guide. Manages the team of project editors, writers, copy editors, proofreaders, and fact-checkers. Art director: Conceptualizes and develops design structure and template. Presents design strategy. Manages in-house staff of graphic artists and production designers who assist in design. Technology director (online projects): Works with the project team to define technology specifications for project and coordinates programming and IT personnel. STEP 2: BUILD A QUALIFIED PROJECT TEAM Keep Your Project on Track On time, on budget, on target the three important goals of any custom content program. To accomplish these goals, you need a dedicated project team committed to the project s success. These professionals should have expertise in areas as diverse as reader research, art direction, electronic prepress, printing, web production and proofreading. 5

6 STEP 3: PLAN EARLY FOR ROI Measuring ROI is an important part of any marketing program. If you define specific goals, results can be measured. While calculating revenue growth is self-explanatory, how do you quantify increases in customer loyalty or brand awareness? By asking the right questions at the right time and tracking vital data, you can determine if your messages are getting through and how your customers are responding to them. ROI Approach Pinpoint clear program goals up front. Plan early how success will be measured: Which ROI metrics will be used? How and when will data be collected? Will we use control groups? Who will analyze the data? How and when will results be reported? Collect available benchmark data to clarify starting point for later comparison. Develop a detailed ROI plan that clarifies all of the above. Design custom publishing program to achieve specific ROI goals. Explain how publishing elements support goal attainment. Periodic review of quantitative and qualitative results. Potential ROI Metrics There are a number of methods to measure a marketing program s success. Which one(s) you use depends on the nature of your program. They include: Transactional Measurements Visits to a website Specific actions while visiting website click through rates messages Phone calls Business reply mail Coupon retention Sweepstake participation Reader survey responses Letters or s to the editor Business Measurements New sales leads Sales of products and services Customer retention rates Anecdotal evidence collection Media interest generated Market Research Methodologies You can also perform supplementary market research both in-house and in partnership with leading independent research companies through: Focus groups Phone surveys Online surveys Fax-back questionnaires 6

7 STEP 4: CREATE YOUR CONTENT PLAN Make Every Word Count To create compelling custom content that strengthens the bond between you and your audience you first must understand what is relevant and important information for them information they can t easily find elsewhere. Whether you re planning a publication, direct mail, campaign, or a website, your custom content should set you apart. Content Development Process Plan: Develop a content strategy optimized for diverse media platforms. Captivate: Communicate objectives by using the editorial advantages of consumer publishing. Define and hone a direction, voice, and tone. Inform: Tell readers something they need to know, something they haven t heard and want to pass on. Inspire: Give readers an actionable next step. Interact: Invite readers to participate and communicate. STEP 5: THE CREATIVE PROCESS Strategic Design Since first impressions really count, a sound design is needed to generate a remarkable initial impact. An experienced graphic designer can translate your objectives into a visual package that captures your customers attention. With communication across multiple media, you want to make sure that your branding is consistent. Creative Process Plan: Identify design objectives for diverse media platforms. Captivate: Communicate objectives by using the design techniques of consumer publishing. Differentiate: Focus on the distinctions and branding that make your company unique. Inspire: Develop creative solutions that are dynamic, contextual, and high-impact. Interact: Motivate readers to take action. 7

8 STEP 6: FIND PRODUCTION EXPERTS While there are important distinctions between writing and designing for print and the web, production is where these two worlds diverge. Technology for putting ink on paper is relatively unchanged since Gutenberg, while web production, social media, and mobile communications are an entirely new and fluid challenge. You ll need to make sure you have the necessary expertise either in house or from an outside vendor to implement your strategy across all media. For print projects: Take the time up-front to make sure you acquire the right lists. Segment your lists into groups with similar information needs. Consider versioning options Consumers only engage in publications that immediately appear relevant to them. Include lots of calls-to-action that allow you to measure results. Make sure your lists are current and segmented. For online-based projects: A majority say they are more apt to buy another product from a company that provides them with custom media (55%). STEP 7: REACHING THE RIGHT PEOPLE Track online activity to websites, social media, mobile phones. Explore Search Engine Optimization opportunities. Measure engagement by time spent with your online content. Look for ways to drive more traffic to online sites through complementary projects. Customize campaigns for different audiences to boost results. Track deliverability, open rates, click rates. Test subject lines to improve open rates. You can create a brilliant custom content piece with poetic prose and artistic graphics, but its ultimate effectiveness relies heavily on getting the message in front of the right eyeballs. If your target audience doesn t get to see your message, everything else is irrelevant. That s why you have to pay close attention to managing your distribution and measuring the results. 8

9 Leverage An Integrated Approach Traditionally, custom content was communicated primarily through print magazines and newsletters. While these vehicles are still very well received by consumers, there are so many other effective ways to reach people today. Once you ve invested in the development of valuable custom content, it s wise to make it available to your audience across all media. For example, after you create a 16-page print newsletter that is mailed to a targeted list, you should leverage the campaign with the following actions: Post the newsletter on your website or create a newsletter microsite. Send an to your subscribers inviting them to view the online publication. Create an newsletter with links to the key stories. Bring the print publication to life with complementary pieces online:»» Videos»» Podcasts/Audio Productions»» Related articles that expand on a topic»» Write blog entries about the key articles in the newsletter»» Talk about the relevant content on your social media sites About DCP About Diablo Custom Publishing DCP ( the San Francisco Bay Area s leading custom publisher, provides complete print and online custom content services to a diverse group of clients, including the San Francisco Giants, the Oakland Athletics, the American Cancer Society, Catholic Healthcare West, Comcast, and Chevron. With more than 30 years experience and an award-winning creative team, DCP develops integrated marketing programs that help companies communicate brand value, deepen customer loyalty, and increase revenue. DCP is part of the Diablo Publications group, one of the country s largest independent regional publishers. For more information: info@dcpmail.com The more areas of engagement you have with your existing and prospective customers, the more they are thinking about your products and services. 9