Not many children clamor to become marketers when they grow up. But you wouldn’t know it this time of year. Come December, children around the world are making final pleas in annual letters to Santa. Hoping to make amends for 12 months of malfeasance in one finely crafted piece of content, these children summon their inner marketer to make emotional appeals intended to persuade Santa to add their names to his “nice,” vs. “naughty,” list.
You may not be answerable to a jolly man in a reindeer-driven sleigh these days, but the end of the year is, nonetheless, a time of reflection for marketing departments. Year-end earning reports either prove or invalidate the efficacy of your content marketing campaigns throughout the past year. Strong numbers will demonstrate an ability to connect with customers and justify budgetary spending for your department in 2017. In that sense, the naughty and nice lists are still relevant.
If you’re worried that your marketing department is going to end up in the wrong column, you’re not alone. According to the Content Marketing Institute’s “2016 Benchmarks, Budgets and Trends Report,” only 30 percent of B2B marketers say their organizations are effective at content marketing—down from 38 percent just a year ago. Respondents claimed that their in-house personnel did not have the background knowledge or writing expertise to create engaging content consistently—hampering their ability to bolster sales.
These numbers indicate that marketers trying to manage their own content production took a hit. Content quality suffers if writers lack experience. Brands lose visibility when postings are irregular. Campaigns are ineffective when not driven by a long-term cohesive strategy.
Remember this: Even Santa has helpers. Although he has to deliver presents around the globe in one evening, he’s got a slew of elves working behind the scenes. Similarly, your organization doesn’t have to produce quality content on its own.
Leveraging the services of an independent content vendor can transform your content strategy, and propel your marketing department into the good graces of your customers and C-suite. An experienced content vendor will help you enhance brand visibility across channels, build consumer confidence, augment product launches and generate more quality leads. Working with a partner that can help your organization achieve these results will also empower your in-house personnel to focus on other responsibilities that require their attention.
If your organization made the naughty list this year, reach out to a proven content vendor that can positively impact your business in 2017.
