Content Merchandising Guide for an Integrated Marketing Plan

3 prompts led to this blog I will share them below:

Prompt 1: Last week you helped me build an Integrated Marketing Plan and it was very helpful. Now I want to focus on the next step, instead of identifying channels and setting the strategy, I want you to focus on improving how we merchandise the content. For instance when might a video get used, where would it live, what role would it play. Or if we've developed an ebook are there certain ways in which we can extend the usefulness of that asset and better merchandise it for more downloads by say creating a email for sales to send, a social post that they can share, or a carousel for social. I want you to focus on providing examples of where something might fall in a sales funnel, how the same asset might be used at different stages of the buyers journey, and also highlighting the importance of personas and understanding if a customer is existing or net-new.

Prompt 2: This is great but I think in the final thoughts we want to show the buyers journey maybe create a table showing how the user navigates down the funnel and how timely assets can be added to facilitate that journey better

Prompt 3: please write 1 paragraph on the importance that timely and informative marketing can have on accelerating deals and converting at a higher rate.

My take?

I must say where the AI took me is really... really... compelling. Like can I design a better framework? Of course, but this generated in a matter of seconds. Honestly, the thing the AI struggled the most with was bulleting lists.

We're getting really close to having the tools that can turn marketers into absolute content machines (and I don't bean agentic or robots taking jobs) I'm talking absolute wrecking balls that can create full campaigns solo.

What is needed to step into that future? A commitment to start with these tools in everything you do. An imagination and active mind that constantly is seeking to solve problems and finds the patterns in both what is occurring and more importantly what is being missed. This whole thinking got kicked off by 3 pieces of stimulus today:

1. a colleague who had gone through a content rationalization exercise
2. a sales rep asking for a "door opener email"
3. Looking at an internal SharePoint and not seeing a place to link an email to a specific piece of content.

These 3 disparate and rather mundane tactical activities in my day: attending a report out, responding to sales, and reviewing a content repository; gave rise to an idea that I'm missing a massive opportunity to merchandise my content better. Anyways, i hope you enjoy this guide to merchandising content.

AI Responses generated for the Content Merchandising Guide:

Effectively merchandising your content can transform how your audience interacts with your brand. It's not just about creating great content; it's about ensuring that content reaches the right people, at the right time, and delivers maximum impact.

Below, we’ll explore strategies to merchandise content like videos and ebooks across the buyer’s journey and sales funnel, offer specific examples for using them in diverse channels, and highlight how understanding customer personas enhances targeting potential.

1. Content in the Sales Funnel and Buyer’s Journey

The sales funnel and buyer’s journey aren’t one-size-fits-all. A piece of content can fit into multiple stages depending on how, where, and for whom it’s deployed.

The Sales Funnel Stages:

• Top of Funnel (TOFU) - Awareness
• Middle of Funnel (MOFU) - Consideration
• Bottom of Funnel (BOFU) - Decision

The Buyer’s Journey Stages:

1. Awareness - The buyer identifies a problem.
2. Consideration - They evaluate potential solutions.
3. Decision - They select a solution (you, hopefully!).

Content merchandising should align with the goals of these stages. Take a single asset—like an ebook—and position it differently as it moves through the funnel to support buyers effectively.

Example:

A Video:

• TOFU/Awareness - Use the video on social media ads or organic posts to spark curiosity about your product or service. For example, a 30-second clip highlighting a pain point your audience faces and how your offering can help.MOFU/Consideration - Host the video on your landing page or product page to provide more in-depth information. This could be a 2–3 minute explainer video.BOFU/Decision - Use the video in personalized emails or sales presentations to give prospective buyers a deeper understanding of why your solution is unique.

An Ebook:

• TOFU/Awareness - Gate the ebook behind a lead form on your website/blog post to collect emails. Promote it with social media graphics and carousels.MOFU/Consideration - Share the ebook link in nurturing email campaigns to offer value to leads who’ve already shown interest.BOFU/Decision - Provide sales teams with personalized emails or LinkedIn message templates that include a link to the ebook when engaging with prospects.

2. Tailoring Content for Personas and the Customer’s Status

Every piece of content performs better when aligned with a specific persona. For instance, messaging and tone for a net-new lead should differ from how you speak to a long-term customer.

Differentiating Personas

Ask the following when creating and merchandising content:

• Who are they? What is their role, industry, and pain point?
• What do they already know? Are they net-new leads unfamiliar with your product, or existing customers needing updates or add-ons?
• What motivates them? Are they looking for cost savings, efficiency, or innovation?

Examples:

Net-New Personas:

• TOFU Video - A simple, visually engaging clip featuring stats about the industry pain point can catch their attention. Share it on social media or YouTube.MOFU Ebook - An introductory guide to solving their problem using your product or service. Gate it behind an email form to capture information for nurturing campaigns.

Existing Customers:

• TOFU Video - A feature announcement or sneak peek into product updates can build loyalty. Send it through a customer-focused newsletter or embed it on a customer login portal.MOFU Ebook - Provide best practices or use cases for an advanced feature to encourage expanded usage or upgrades. Share it in a dedicated email campaign for current customers.

3. Maximizing the Value of Content Across Channels

To make any single piece of content work harder, think about repurposing. A single ebook, blog post, or video can turn into multiple pieces of content, each tailored to specific channels and audience preferences.

Repurposing Examples:

Ebook:

• Create a social media carousel using key takeaways and stats to showcase value to your audience. Think Canva slides with visuals and concise text.Develop short LinkedIn posts for the sales team to share. For example, "Struggling with [Problem]? Check out these solutions in our free ebook!"Extract a blog post from the key lesson in the ebook. Include a subtle CTA linking to the full download.Add snippets to your email nurture sequence, introducing the ebook with short summaries or teasers.

Video:

• Chop a 3-minute explainer video into bite-sized Instagram Reels or TikToks to drive traffic to your website.Use the full-length video for a landing page or embed into relevant blog content for MOFU audiences who want to dig deeper.Add the video to sales decks or a post-demo follow-up email focused on nurturing leads toward decision-making.

Content Channel Examples:

• Social Media - Great for attention-grabbing TOFU content or quick reminders to current customers.
• Email - Effective for nurturing leads or sharing personalized content for net-new clients or upselling existing ones.
• Website Landing Pages - Multi-purpose home for ebooks, in-depth videos, and case studies.
• Paid Ads - Use snippets of larger content like ebooks or whitepapers to tantalize and drive TOFU traffic.
• Sales Tools - Equip sales teams with tailored emails, PDFs, and links to relevant TOFU/MOFU/BOFU content.

4. Best Practices for Effective Content Merchandising

1. Know Your Personas - Understand your audience's position (new vs. existing customer) and pain points.
2. Map Content to the Funnel - Decide where the content fits based on your marketing objectives.
3. Promote, Then Promote Again - Don't just create content; actively merchandise it across every relevant channel.
4. Repurpose Smartly - Get the most value from assets by reformatting them to fit other channels and stages.
5. Equip Your Team - Share tools like email templates, post copy, and slide decks to ensure alignment across sales and marketing.

Buyer's Journey and Content Merchandising Table

Timely and informative marketing plays a vital role in accelerating deals and achieving higher conversion rates. By delivering the right content at the right moment in the buyer’s journey, you can significantly influence decision-making and build trust with potential customers. When prospects receive personalized and relevant information that directly addresses their needs or pain points, it not only helps overcome objections but also demonstrates that you understand their challenges. This proactive approach shortens the sales cycle by guiding buyers confidently toward a decision, improving their experience and ensuring your offering remains top of mind. Ultimately, well-timed and insightful content creates a smoother path to purchase, fostering both efficiency and effectiveness in deal closures.

This table maps specific content assets to the buyer's current stage in the decision-making process. It highlights how each type of material not only engages but also supports the buyer as they move closer to a purchase decision.

Final Thoughts

Merchandising content isn’t just about where it lives—it’s about understanding the intersection of buyer needs, sales objectives, and your assets. A well-crafted ebook or video can stretch far when presented strategically across the sales funnel and through multiple channels. By identifying personas and their place in the buyer’s journey, repurposing content thoughtfully, and integrating a promotion plan, you can maximize the effectiveness of every piece of content you produce.