“Customer Stories: How to Unlock an Abundance of New Content”

@goldasich • #cmworld

Customer Stories:How to Unlock an

Abundance of New Content

Deana GoldasichWell Planned Web, LLC

@goldasich • #cmworld

@goldasich • #cmworld

Customer Stories

1. Introduce

2. Shut Up

3. Get Out of the Way

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Customer Stories

Create

Imagine

Dream

Direct

“Brilliance” Is Less About How Well You…

Customer Stories Can’t Come From a Controlled Vision

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Customer Stories

Facilitate

Capture

Glean

Listen

Customer Stories Become Your Story.

“Brilliance” Is More About How Well You…

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Do Customer Stories Really Matter?

Producing content that engages

prospects

—B2B Content Mktg: 2012 Benchmarks, Budgets &Trends

#1 Challenge for Content Marketers today:

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Do Customer Stories Engage?

Business decision makers say:Friends & colleagues are the #1 influencer of B2B purchase decisions.

8 out of 10 consumers say that opinions and recommendations from people they don't know indicate brand quality and influence what they buy.

— Bazaarvoice Survey

70% of Content Marketers say: Case Studies are “Effective” or “Very Effective.”

—B2B Content Mktg: 2012 Benchmarks, Budgets &Trends

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Do Customer Stories Really Matter?

Producing enough content

—B2B Content Mktg: 2012 Benchmarks, Budgets &Trends

#2 Challenge for Content Marketers today:

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1 Customer Story

1 Internal Customer Email

2 Infographics9 Blog Posts

10+ External Drip Emails

2 White Papers 3 Case Studies

11 Testimonial Quotes

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• 3D Interactive Animations• 3D Cutaways / Exploded Views• 3D Product Images/Spinners• Interactive Floor Plans• Architectural Renderings• 3D Set Shots / Interiors

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Multiple Stories = Abundant Content!

COMPANY CUSTOMERS

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Position Your Customer. Not Your Brand.

( Psst! It’s not about you. )

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Positioning Your Customer

1. Make the customer the HERO.

– They saved the day.

– They came up with the solution.

– They reaped the rewards.

You may have created the solution, but your customer owns the

experience.

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Positioning Your Customer

1. Make the customer the HERO.Whirlpool Quote:

“In our dishwasher animation, you

actually see the tool going in,

tightening bolts, connecting wires,

and showing how everything works

together.

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Positioning Your Customer

1. Make the customer the HERO.Whirlpool Quote:

“We realized you don’t want a

person in the demonstrations

because they take up too much real

estate – especially when your

customer is viewing the demo on a

small screen like a smart phone.”

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Positioning Your Customer

1. Make the customer the HERO.Whirlpool Quote:

“Feedback from our consumers

is that the animations are great.

In fact, they’re asking us to add

interactive animations to our

product Use and Care Guides.”

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Positioning Your Customer

1. Make the customer the HERO.

Mentions of “Whirlpool” (customer) = 24

Mentions of “MediaLab” = 1

Check the ratio of Company to Customer mentions

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Positioning Your Customer

2. Make the customer RELATABLE.

VS.

Who would you rather meet?

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Positioning Your Customer

2. Make the customer RELATABLE.

“The past solution was less than ideal.”

“It just wasn’t the ‘wow’ we had hoped for. We felt stuck.”

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Positioning Your Customer

2. Make the customer RELATABLE.

“We found a program that satisfied the leadership team.”

“We finally found a better way…and no more tug-of-war between departments.”

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Positioning Your Customer

2. Make the customer RELATABLE.

“We saw a 76% lift in sales within the first 26 days.”

“Our team was floored. 75% lift in sales? We hadn’t seen that kind of spike in five years.”

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Positioning Your Customer

3. Make their story RELEVANT.

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Positioning Your Customer

Make Them:

1. Hero

2. Relatable

3. Relevant

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Gathering the Story

Think Like a Reporter.Not a Writer.

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Research

Ask your “front line”:– Sales people– Customer Service reps– Account Managers– Social Media managers

“Who should we talk to on the customer side?”

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Research: Who Should Conduct the Interview?

– Sales people– Customer Service reps– Account Managers– Social Media managers

You want the 30,000 foot view.

Don’t send someone who’s on the front line.

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Research: Who Should Conduct the Interview?

– Content Producers– Content Managers– Facilitators– Storytellers

– Outside Agencies

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Prepare to Listen

The Surprise StoryThe Assumed Story

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Prepare to Listen Assumed Story:• Cost Savings• Simplified Process• Smooth Product Launch

Surprise Story:

• Haven-like environments impossible without 3D Set Shots

• Not locked into one vision

• Control over every detail

• Using images everywhere — even as art at corporate and showrooms.

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Prepare to Listen

PREP with WIDE-OPEN "questions.”

– B2B:• Tell me a little about your role at Acme. (B2B)• Describe the biggest challenge you face in your role. • Explain how your team is organized. (B2B)• Describe why you decided to start researching “X.”

– B2C:• Tell me about your family/car/dog/skin • Explain your desire for a better “X.” (B2C)• Describe how/why you decided to start shopping for “X.”

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Prepare to Listen

PREP with FOCUSED questions. (then hope you won’t need them)

• What made you decide to consider [company]?• What was your experience with [company]? Who did you work with?• You mentioned your prior search for “X” was “fruitless.” Can you tell me more

about that?

Relevant questions draw out

relevant stories.

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Get Comfy

• Set the stage. – Introduce yourself– You’re here to hear their story.– Tangents are welcome.– Use questions as a reference… not a form.

Facilitate. Don’t interrogate.

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Interview

• The Extremes:– Low Energy / Quiet

• Bring your energy to the table

• Linger on open-ended questions

• Shy = Dry: Make it a brag-safe environment

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Interview

• The Extremes:– High Energy / Talkative

• Meet their energy level.

• Focused questions keep things on track (relevant)

• Let them talk! Keep `em focused.

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Record It!• Let’s you be a reporter, not a

secretary

• Keeps it relaxed, conversational

• Let’s you bite off more than you can chew(you can chew it later!)

SoundNote

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Unfold the Master Story• Transcribe First!• Highlight:

• Sound bites / Quotes• Background• Problem• Challenge• Resolution• Results• Tangents• Other relevant nuggets• Don’t fear emotional tidbits

Now think like a writer!

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You’re Not Done Yet…

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Maximize Your ROI(Return on Interview)

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Maximize Your ROI (Return on Interview)

Contribute• Build a database of

content– White paper snippets– Case studies– Stats– Blog ideas– Anecdotes – Quotes– Future content

Distribute• Create a tagging strategy• Collaborate

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Maximize Your ROI (Return on Interview)

Taglaboration: n. 1. the act of tagging one’s content for easy reference,

usage and love by others.

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7 Customer Interviews

2+ Infographics9 Case Studies 46 Blog Posts

20+ External Drip Emails

42 Testimonial Quotes

3 White Papers

3+ Internal Customer Emails

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From This

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To This!

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Deana Goldasichdeana@wellplannedweb.com

813-863-1486