How to Become a Content Marketing Sharpshooter

To truly master the art and science of content marketing — and to consistently achieve your desired results — you must first master the individual skills necessary to hit your target consistently. Therein lies the challenge for many business professionals. They know the results they want to achieve and have selected the tactics necessary to get there, but they lack the resources, skills, or discipline to reach expert marksmen level for their efforts.

There’s a common misperception that content marketing is a soft marketing tactic, used primarily for brand awareness and not all that useful for lead generation. However, when paired with an account-based marketing (ABM) strategy, content marketing becomes a true powerhouse that can not only attract new leads, but accelerate them through the buyer’s journey.

Think of your approach to ABM and content marketing like a sharpshooter or sniper. What are snipers known for?

·      Expertise.

·      Patience.

·      Accuracy.

·      Consistency.

These same qualities are essential to the success of your ABM and content strategy. Applying the same principles and training that a sniper would use to your marketing efforts is easier than you think! Let’s take a closer look.

Make sure you have the right “equipment” and resources

A sniper always comes to the scene with a variety of equipment and resources to get the job done. He or she will bring different types of ammunition, for example, to be ready for any situation. In the same way, marketers must leverage a multi-channel approach with a variety of content types.

Your targets are not all neatly gathered in one place with the same preferences, challenges, and needs. So focusing on one channel or one type of content will only hit a small percentage of your target audience. You must think bigger.

Focus on your target, but don’t forget to scan your surroundings

Although focusing on your primary target it important, don’t make the mistake of ignoring the influencers surrounding that target. For example, let’s say your primary target is the chief executive officer (CEO). You have identified that person as the primary decision maker for the organization, so you focus all efforts on connecting, engaging, and converting that individual. You have this person in your scope. You can see their every move. And yet, they aren’t engaging, much less converting. Why?

Your target may be the decision maker, but they are not acting alone. They have a sphere of influence that you must not ignore. For example, let’s say your company sells a specific marketing automation software. You have identified the chief marketing officer (CMO) or Marketing Director as your primary target. They have budget control, after all. However, if you ignore the marketing manager who will use the tool on a day-to-day basis and will likely influence the purchasing decision, you’ve just reduced your accuracy significantly.

Be prepared for your next shot by referencing your DOPE (data on previous engagements)

A sniper never goes into the field without his or her DOPE. This critical information provides metrics from previous initiatives that can inform the strategy and tactics for future engagements and enables the sniper to accelerate the challenging shot process.

From a content marketing and ABM perspective, metrics provide a full picture of what has worked (or not worked) in the past, thereby informing future strategies and tactics.

It’s important to remember, however, that metrics can be misleading, especially for content marketing. So before you take any particular metric as gospel, ask yourself some clarifying questions, such as:

·      Have I given these tactics enough time?

·      Am I relying on my gut instead of letting data guide my decisions?

·      Am I consistent in my messaging and delivery?

·      Have I sought out a second expert opinion on your data to verify assumptions?

·      Am I targeting the right industry?

·      Am I targeting the right job titles?

Don’t be afraid to ask yourself (and your team) the tough questions. If a tactic isn’t performing well, don’t just throw it out. Ask why. Dig a little deeper. Metrics are a powerful tool, but you are still the sharpshooter behind the gun. Know your data. Ask the right questions (and be willing to hear the answers). The more you know, the better you’ll be able to refine and pivot, if needed.

Always have a spotter

A sniper works alone, right? Wrong. They often have one or more spotters in the field to monitor variables that could affect the sniper’s performance. Once the sniper takes a shot, the spotter monitors the effectiveness of the shot to help the sniper readjust his or her aim or position should there be a need for a second shot.

The same is true in the business world, except we call these spotters, “mentors.”

A mentor can serve as a sounding board for new ideas or challenges, offering guidance to help you take the shot or readjust for a second shot. A mentor is a trusted advisor. Not only can you gain insight and expertise from this person, you’ll also have the opportunity to broaden your professional network to include people who may be able to further support your goals. 

If you don’t have a mentor today, I suggest you seek one out. No one achieves true success alone. Get your spotter and you’ll have the right influence to make more of your shots — and make them count!

Being a sniper is long-range

Snipers are known for the long-range shot. They are able to line up their target, leverage data from previous engagements, rely on their spotter, and make that kill shot successfully.

In business, content marketing and, in many ways, ABM is a long game. One piece of content isn’t going to magically return paying customers. However, content delivered consistently through a variety of channels, using multiple formats, will create brand awareness, demonstrate authority, and nurture your prospects to accelerate through the buyer’s journey.

Looking long-range at your content marketing strategy, are you monitoring, predicting, and adjusting based on key market shifts?

If you shoot a new tactic at your target audience, do you know where it will land? What might get in front of it? Or what may influence the trajectory?

A sniper has to be ready to quickly put another shot down range if the first fails to eliminate the threat. As a professional, you must remain nimble and ready to adjust or pivot if you are not getting the results you need.

Too often, sales and marketing professionals get caught up in short-term glory over long-term gain. Sure, quick victories are exciting, but they are often unsustainable. You need to think long-term to achieve sustainable growth in your business.

Understand and assess the situation

Snipers take the time to understand and assess their situation. What variables are at play? Who is in the vicinity of the target? Assessing the situations allows snipers to stay agile in the field and make quick adjustments, if needed.

In business, it’s critical that you understand and assess your target market and audience. For example, what are the pain points and challenges that your target audience is facing today? Is there anything that would alter those pains and challenges in the next six to 12 months or longer? What is the typical buying process for this audience? Who is involved? What are the market influencers for a buying decision?

Be prepared with as much information about your buyer and the market so you can fine tune your aim and nail your target with greater accuracy and consistency.

Stay vigilant in your assessment and preparation.

Assess and prepare for any threats

In lockstep with assessing your situation, snipers pay close attention to any threats that may be present. As business professional, it’s critical that you perform a competitive analysis on a regular basis (e.g., annually) to identify any new players in your market, new products or services, updated messaging, pricing, and more. The more you know about your competitors, the better you’ll be able to address potential barriers or concerns and handle any objections that may arise.

The perfect shot

To make the perfect shot, securing more dollars in your pipeline, means thinking like a sniper. Know who you want to target, but don’t forget the influencers. Be prepared with the right “equipment” and resources to reach your target at the right time and via the right channel. Review your DOPE (i.e., metrics) and leverage a spotter to help you line up the perfect shot or readjust if you need to fire another shot down-range quickly. Always assess and monitor your situation and potential threats. At the end of the day, it’s about being patient and mindful of your market, situation, and audience.

At Active Blogs, we help our clients line up the perfect shot with custom content and LinkedIn brand amplification. If you need support to become a content marketing sharpshooter, or if you’d like to discuss a marketing second opinion with our team, I invite you to schedule some time on my calendar: https://calendly.com/marketingsuccess/consultation

Author: Connor Dube is an active speaker, multi-show podcast host, entrepreneur, and B2B marketing blogger. Starting his first business at seven, over the years Connor has been featured in leading podcasts, platforms, stages, and has helped colleges modernize their curriculum on social selling. His current focus at Active Blogs assists marketing and sales departments by adding high-dollar figures to their pipeline with strategic content marketing and social media support. Contact Connor to be a speaker at your event, guest on your podcast, or guest blogger.