This is how we think about agency-client relationships. When we get it right, it feels fantastic. When we screw up, it doesn't.
We have mixed feelings about awards. When we see other people win them, we think they're over-valued ego-candy and not worth the time, money and effort it takes to enter. But when we win them, we see them as a proper celebration of excellence and a reflection of our true standing in the industry.
Just read a good book. Predatory Thinking: A Masterclass in Out-Thinking the Competition. By a guy called Dave Trott. Famous ad guy. When Dave Trott writes an ad, people buy stuff. We're all buying brands like Toshiba and Ariston and Cadbury Flake because sometime, somewhere, some smart clients paid Dave Trott to tell us about them.
In most of my life, if I hate a product, I just stop buying or using it. But Powerpoint isn't like that. Powerpoint is chained to my ankle for life. And I hate it. I really hate Powerpoint I don't hate Powerpoint because it dumbs down our world. (People do that).
We love guest posting on blogs and sites we admire. It's not just the ego strokes ("Look, Mom, I'm on CMI!") or the backlinks (which, these days, make me feel kind of dirty even thinking about) - it's the idea that we're reaching more B2B content marketers than we could reach on our own blog.
As we whinged about in our Crap slideshare, it's getting harder and harder to get content discovered and downloaded. That means content marketers will have to get better and better at the kinds of things we thought we'd left behind: like dreaded outbound, interruption-based advertising (gasp!).
Ungrateful son-of-a-bitch Ryan Skinner announced today that he is leaving his role as Account Director of Velocity, the world's most interesting B2B content marketing agency, to work for Forrester (Nasdaq: FORR), the little-known global research and advisory firm.
So I'm on the train back from Cambridge to Kings Cross station in London, after a great day sitting in a dark room listening to smart people talking about marketing. (Because I'm an idiot, I left my raincoat at the conference. I discovered this while chatting to Dave Trott (yes, that Dave Trott) on the station platform.
Okay, I don't want to wish away the summer or anything but I do think you should start planning for the biggest event in the content marketing calendar: Content Marketing World , running from 9-11 September in Cleveland, Ohio, USA. (There's a massive discount code coming... wait for it).
You know how when you know you should go to the gym or go for a run or whatever and you just don't feel like it but then you do and you're really glad you did and you think, "Why didn't I want to do this when it makes me feel so great?"?
They finally made their move. Ever since Salesforce announced the Marketing Cloud, the question everyone has been asking is: when will they buy a marketing automation vendor to fill that elephant-shaped hole? Then Oracle, their arch-frenemy, bought Eloqua and the stakes went up. How long could Salesforce sit this one out?
Marketing today is a long way from the glamorous Mad Men world of the 1960s (assuming that the show is even halfway historically accurate, which it almost certainly isn't). Think less slick suits and whisky and more long, coffee-fueled hours in Google Analytics.
There is a regular conversation that happens about 12:25 in Velocity HQ which goes a bit like this: Jessie: What are you having for lunch? Neil: I'm going to the deli to see what's there. Jessie: Hmm. I think I'll just go get something from the supermarket.
Content marketing sucks if the writing sucks and soars if the writing is great. That's why writers are at the very heart of our business - and why we're always looking for great ones.
Your boss: "So will this [insert content marketing tactic here] conquer the world, get hundreds of thousands of shares and rival Gangnam Style?" You: [string of excuses, qualifications, wild guesses and tenuous supporting arguments] Your boss (thinking): "He has no idea, does he?" Admit it.
Online no one can tell if you sweep the shop floor. When you walk into a store anywhere in the world, you can usually tell immediately if they give a shit. If it smells like either garbage or cleaning solvent, they probably don't give a shit.
Dear anonymous "link builder": No. You can't guest blog on our site: Because you don't know anything about me - and your note proved that. Because you addressed your request to our 'info@' address - instead of to a human.
I hate to say this, but marketers do tend to exhibit herd behavior just when they should be romping off on their own, inventing stuff. When something new and exciting hits, too many of us are apt to say, "Me too" instead of "Where can I take this?".
The moment has finally arrived. It's time to flash two fingers in the air to anyone who told me that 17th century English literature isn't relevant to a modern world career. Let me introduce the growing band of content marketers to the of the "Slough of Despond" made famous, in about 1668, by John Bunyan's book, The Pilgrims Progress .
It's a hugely exciting time to be a content marketer. But it's also a confusing time. The discipline never stands still for long enough to be photographed much less analyzed. So when Abigail Harrison called from the B2B Huddle event here in the UK, I was really glad that she asked me to speak about "The Future of Content Marketing".
A client introduced us to Markerly earlier this week (thanks, Mike!), and - after doing some due diligence - we decided to give it a spin on our site. So, what does Markerly do? According to their website, they're the future of content marketing, but - hey - who isn't these days?
A short interview with Doug Kessler of Velocity, the B2B content marketing agency, on content, crap and cut-through.
I remember it like it was yesterday. My spine still tingles at the wave of anticipation I felt walking through the door to start my first PR job. The industry was buzzing, attracting top graduates in droves; I felt lucky to be invited to the party.
There are two approaches to data: The scientist, and the trainspotter. To scientists, data is a means to ensure new theories are anchored in reality. To trainspotters, data is an end. To stay on the right side of that divide, content marketers need to track only data that validates hypotheses that contribute to business results.
You're a bloody genius but you're stuck in the wrong job. Or you know a superstar and want to help accelerate their career. So check out these jobs: Account Director Take care of our fantastic clients, slam-dunk projects, ride the budgets and lead the way with digital and content marketing strategy.
