This document discusses building an effective content marketing strategy and achieving market leadership. It provides advice on developing a viewpoint through contextualized content, choosing the right marketing technology, and fueling growth through messaging and positioning. A proven model is outlined that moves from launching to leading through innovation, unique value propositions, and experience-based selling. Templates are provided for developing viewpoint stories that can tilt the playing field in a company's favor through breakthrough marketing.

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From Launching to Leading
Add CONTEXT to your CONTENT
A Proven Model for Breakthrough B2B Marketing

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ABOUT KEN
Ken helps B2B growth company executives in sales,
marketing, and the C-Suite to breakthrough, achieve,
and grow market leadership in new and existing
markets.
Ken has spent 20+ years in B2B marketing roles,
launching the Intel Inside broadcast co-op program in
1991 and the Internet’s first affiliate marketing
program, Netscape Now, at Netscape from 1995-99
Ken’s Marketing Magic in, Launching to Leading,
revolutionized our marketing approach. Dive in now!
Disclaimer: materials and ideas exhibited in this presentation were taken
from the book Launching to Leading, with permission from the author.

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90% OF B2B BUSINESSES USE
CONTENT MARKETING
bitly.com/cm-research

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HOW WILL YOU STAND OUT?
BLOGS
EBOOKS
WEBINARS
PODCASTS
WHITEPAPERS
INTERVIEWS
THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
EVENTS
VIDEOS
TWITTER
FACEBOOK
LINKEDIN
SLIDESHARES
EMAILS
PAID ADS

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3 CHALLENGES TO GETTING NOTICED
CHALLENGE #1 → INFORMATION OVERLOAD…
- NOT FINDING AN ANSWER, BUT FINDING THE RIGHT ANSWER
CHALLENGE #2 → INDEPENDENT BUYERS…
- CUSTOMERS ALREADY KNOW WHAT THEY WANT!
CHALLENGE #3 → CROWDED MARKETS…

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“
THERE IS ALWAYS A
BETTER WAY
”
Thomas Edison

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AIM SOLUTION FRAMEWORK
RE-IMAGINED &
UNEXPECTED
SOLUTION
INNOVATION
MINDSETAPPROACH
Approach: from bottom up to top down
➔ Start with customer reality… NOT…
features or function
Innovation: from benefit to Viewpoint & Value
➔ Align your value with the customer’s
reality
Mindset: challenge and engage on the
customer’s terms
➔ Challenge customer’s assumptions and
comfort
➔ Move from diagnostic selling to
authority-driven selling

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CONTEXT!
THERE IS ONE KEY TO A USEFUL
CONTENT ASSET...

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“VALUE WITHOUT CONTEXT IS
LIKE A TREE FALLING IN THE
FOREST WITH NO ONE AROUND
TO HEAR IT”
- Ken Rutsky

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“IF CONTENT IS DEAD, CONTEXT IS THE NEW
THING.”
- Ken Rutsky
CREATE A VIEWPOINT…

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A VIEWPOINT…
IS CONTENT FRAMED IN A POWERFUL, CUSTOMER-DRIVEN
CONTEXT
➔WELL-PLANNED, CONSISTENTLY ARTICULATED CONTEXT
➔MARRIES YOUR VALUE WITH THE CUSTOMER REALITY
◆ WHAT IS THE CUSTOMER IN NEED OF?

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BUILDING THE MODERN MARKETING
RACECAR
3 Core Competencies

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Content
Marketin
g
Marketing
Automation
Messaging &
Positioning
THE MODERN MARKETING RACECAR
EFFICIENCY
EFFECTIVENESSRELEVANCE

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ONE
BUILD YOUR ENGINE

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BUILD YOUR ENGINE: MARKETING TECHNOLOGY
SPEED & EFFICIENCY = DEPLOYING THE RIGHT TECHNOLOGY
BASIC PRINCIPLES:
➔ CHOOSE WELL-KNOWN, LEADING SOLUTIONS
➔ RESIST THE TEMPTATION TO CUSTOMIZE
➔ CAUTIOUSLY ADD NICHE TECHNOLOGIES

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TWO
PUT ON THE TIRES

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PUT ON THE TIRES: CONTENT MARKETING
CONTENT MARKETING…
CREATING & DISTRIBUTING VALUABLE, RELEVANT, CONSISTENT CONTENT
➔MARKETS ARE CONVERSATIONS… CONTENT IS HOW YOU PARTICIPATE
➔INTERNET = CONTENT IS EASIER TO CREATE & CONSUME

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THREE
FUELING THE ENGINE

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FUELING THE ENGINE: MESSAGING & POSITIONING
#1 CHALLENGE IDENTIFIED BY CONTENT MARKETERS…
➔PRODUCING ENOUGH RELEVANT & ENGAGING CONTENT
➔IT’S ALL ABOUT THE CUSTOMER!
➔MULTI-CHANNEL MESSAGING → ENGAGE WITH CUSTOMERS

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PATH TO MARKET
LEADERSHIP

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MARKET LEADERSHIP ACHIEVEMENT LADDER
Focus Leads to Revenue
(# per 100 Leads generated)
Experience
Viewpoint
Value
Product
Concept
5
3
1
0.5
0

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STAGE 1: HIDING --- IN THE LAB
➔ SMALL AMOUNT OF CUSTOMERS
➔ NOT QUITE YET “IN THE MARKET”
➔ PREPARING TO LAUNCH
➔ ARTICULATE PRODUCT BENEFITS TO EARLY
CUSTOMERS

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STAGE 2: LAUNCHING --- AMONG THE MANY
➔PRODUCT LAUNCH IS MAIN FOCUS
➔AMPLIFY EARLY SUCCESSES WITH
CUSTOMERS
➔AVOID A CONTENT MARKETING BATTLE!!!
➔CONVERTING LOW % OF LEADS →
REVENUE

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STAGE 3: PARTICIPATING --- FOCUS ON UNIQUE VALUE
➔FEATURE FOCUS → UNIQUE CUSTOMER VALUE
➔MESSAGING BASED AROUND VALUE
STATEMENTS
➔MOST ORGANIZATIONS FAIL FROM BEING
PRODUCT FOCUSED
➔VALUE FOCUS = 2-3X REVENUE

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STAGE 4: BREAKING THROUGH
ALIGN VIEWPOINT AND TILT THE MARKET
➔ CREATE A VIEWPOINT STORY
➔ SET TERRAIN FOR MARKET CONVERSATION
➔ 3X LEAD → REVENUE
➔ GROW MARKET SEGMENT
➔ GROW REPUTATION AS TRUSTED EXPERT

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STAGE 5: LEADERSHIP --- SHOW ME, DON’T TELL ME
➔PUT EXPERIENCE FRONT & CENTER
➔MESSAGING EARLY IN THE SALES CYCLE
➔UNIQUE VALUE COMMUNICATED W/ HIGH
VELOCITY
➔10X LEAD → REVENUE

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BREAKTHROUGH GO-TO-
MARKET STRATEGY

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WHY WE NEED BREAKTHROUGH MARKETING
MESSAGE
BREAKTHROUGH
& MARKET
LEADERSHIP
The Usual Approach
➔ Solution
➔ Feature/function/benefit
➔ Demo
The New Approach
➔ Viewpoint
➔ Unique Value
➔ Experience
THE NEW B2B MARKET
➔ INFORMATION ABUNDANCE
➔ CROWDED MARKETS
➔ INDEPENDENT BUYERS
TRADITIONAL B2B MARKET
➔ INFORMATION SCARCITY
➔ SMALLER MARKETS
➔ DEPENDENT BUYERS

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UNIQUE VALUE =
TOTAL VALUE WE DELIVER
VALUE FROM ALTERNATIVES

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MY BUSINESS
BENEFITS
COMPETITIVE
BUSINESS
BENEFITS
WHAT CUSTOMERS
VALUE
UNIQUE
VALUE LOSE
DRAW
WHO
CARES
UNIQUE VALUE
MY FEATURES
COMPETITIVE
FEATURES

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SCALING OUT: THE FANTASTIC FOUR
1. EXPERTS & INFLUENCERS IN MY CHANNELS (EX: PRODUCT REVIEW)
2. CUSTOMERS IN MY CHANNELS (EX: CASE STUDIES)
3. EXPERTS & INFLUENCERS IN OTHER CHANNELS
a. EX: MENTION BY KEYNOTE SPEAKER
4. CUSTOMERS IN OTHER CHANNELS
a. EX: REFERENCE IN PRIVATE DISCUSSION WITH CUSTOMER

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TILT THE
PLAYING FIELD

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MY BUSINESS
BENEFITS
COMPETITIVE
BUSINESS
BENEFITS
WHAT
CUSTOMERS
VALUE
UNIQUE
VALUE LOSE
DRAW
WHO
CARES
VIEWPOINT
TILT LOSE
DRAW
UNIQUE
VALUE
MY BUSINESS
BENEFITS
COMPETITIVE
BUSINESS
BENEFITS
WHAT CUSTOMERS
VALUE
WHO
CARES

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VIEWPOINT
STORY
WHEEL
BUSINESS
GOAL

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VIEWPOINT STORY MATRIX
BETTER MOUSETRAP
ALL PAIN, NO GAIN
BRAVE NEW WORLD
TRENDSPOTTING
CUSTOMER-CENTRICSOLUTION-CENTRIC
FuTURE
FOCUS
PRESENT
FOCUS
HOW TO
ARTICULATE A
VIEWPOINT?

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VIEWPOINT STORY
TEMPLATES

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ALL PAIN, NO GAIN...
➔TRYING TO SOLVE TODAY’S BIG
PROBLEMS WITH YESTERDAY’S
SOLUTIONS
➔STUCK IN THE MUD
➔WORKS WHEN PAIN IS LARGE
ENOUGH TO INDUCE ACTION
ALL PAIN,
NO GAIN

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A BETTER MOUSETRAP...
➔ RECOGNIZE THE PROBLEM,
SPENDING TO FIX IT
➔ “HEY WHAT YOU HAVE SUCKS,
AND I HAVE A BETTER
SOLUTION HERE”
➔ WORKS GREAT IN
REPLACEMENT MARKETS
BETTER
MOUSETRAP

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TRENDSPOTTING...
➔NAME & FRAME
ENVIRONMENTAL SHIFT
➔CREATES GREAT
OPPORTUNITY FOR CUSTOMER
TRENDSPOTTING

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BRAVE NEW WORLD!!!
➔DESCRIBES PROMISED NEW
STATE
➔CUSTOMER CAN CHANGE
BUSINESS FROM YOUR SOLUTION
➔INTERSECTION OF CUSTOMER’S
WORLD & UNIQUE SOLUTION
BRAVE NEW
WORLD

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PUTTING IT ALL
TOGETHER

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VIEWPOINT
STORY
CHOOSER
BETTERMOUSETRAP
BRAVE NEW
WORLD
TRENDSPOTTING
ALL PAIN
NO GAINLOW
GROWTH
HIGH
GROWTH
REPLACEMENT MARKET NEW MARKET

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EXECUTE
WITH
VELOCITY:
Content Types

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BUY THE BOOK TODAY!!!
LEARN MORE FROM A MARKETING GURU…
OR VISIT:
➔http://kenrutsky.com/
◆ http://kenrutsky.com/blog/
◆ http://kenrutsky.com/about/
➔@Ken_Rutsky