This episode is the continuation of Shira Levy Barkan’s discussion on relationship marketing and its essential components. When it comes to content marketing, Ms. Barkan maintains content is key.

Content can come in diverse forms. It can be:

• an e-book
• a photo
•  a video
• a slogan
• customer advocacy, etc.

There are several assets / engines that can be used to build relationships. Some of the assets / engines you can tap into can include:

• web
• mobile
•  blogs
• Facebook page
• editorials
• social emails

Ms. Barkan considers it ideal for content to be done in-house. In addition, content recycling is something you should look into. When recycling content, take into account the following:

• You can use a video and make an e-book out of it or you can create several versions of the same material.
• Don’t use only one type of content across all your social media channels.
• As a general rule of thumb, make the content relevant to the channels and the audience.
• Plan your content in advance to ensure you keep your audience within your ecosystem.
• It is recommended that you have an editorial / content plan prepared at least a month in advance.

Key takeaways

1. Relationship management
   • Should be data-driven. The figures will help you decide where to go.
   • Ensure you have the right content infrastructure.
   • Make sure the community is engaged in your content.
   • Lastly, don’t forget management is key.
2. Life cycle management
   • What’s the content?
   • What’s the community?
   • How are you managing it?
3. Creating value
   How are you creating value for your audience? Value does not always mean cheaper or faster. It can also be a lot of other things like:

• fun
• great pictures
• connection with others

Links
Newsletters
Microsoft Dynamics Community - Forums, Blogs, Videos, Support
Microsoft Virtual Academy

Quote
"Sometimes, the value is the recognition and not the pay."