Living proof that you can be an excellent marketer without caffeine
We are kind of obsessed with talking about content syndication, but here – we pass the mic. The Marketer Showcase feature on the NetLine Blog highlights some of our fellow marketers. In this feature, we pick the brains of content warriors to discover who they are and what they’re into. Kicking off the first post of its kind, we got to know Valerie Riley, Director of Marketing at ITProTV.
How has content syndication affected your approach to lead generation?
Valerie Riley: ITProTV has been in business for four years and the focus from the beginning was B2C sales. I was hired as marketing director in late 2017 to build and execute a B2B marketing plan. I had used content syndication in a previous role and saw that it was a source of highly targeted leads for SMBs and enterprises. When I was creating a marketing strategy at ITProTV, I knew that content syndication would be a core lead generation channel.
How does content marketing fit into your overall marketing strategy?
VR: Content marketing has always been my channel of choice. Telling stories and providing expert information is at the heart of giving your target audiences what they want. It’s core to the inbound marketing philosophy. I love to write and so, for me, content marketing has always been a personal favorite. Content syndication is a way to amplify the results we get from content marketing to levels that were not really possible before (with the exception of, perhaps, something going viral.) It allows content marketers to get so much more from the great work they are already producing.
How does data influence your strategy?
VR: NetLine makes it so easy. Whether you choose full or self-service, it’s simple to see what you want and how NetLine can deliver it. The reporting makes it easy to see with what types of leads my content is having the most success, and which pieces are performing best. Sometimes my lead order is filled in just days. That’s especially helpful when I’m running out of month and I haven’t hit my lead goals yet!
What are your top performing pieces over the past year and what are the KPIs used to measure performance of those assets?
VR: Since we’re just getting our B2B marketing strategy off the ground, it’s hard to comment on results. However, we put all of our NetLine leads in nurturing campaigns and we’ve seen conversions already. The delivery rates on nurturing emails are excellent, proving that the leads are of high quality. When my sales team opens the leads and sees Fortune 1000 companies, they get excited about the possibilities.
VR: We use our marketing automation platform (Pardot) to determine content performance. We’ve seen that listicles and infographics do the best. Also, anything related to IT security does well, since this is a constant threat for businesses and training with our platform mitigates it.
Describe the normal path a lead follows once it has been captured via one of your gated assets.
VR: Our nurture campaigns are two ‘house list’ sends per month of timely and high-quality content pieces. We also send periodic webinar/event invitations. Each time a lead interacts with our content, he/she is offered a live demo and/or team trial. If the lead says yes, it becomes an SQL and moves to a sales development rep for qualifying/scheduling. Each content interaction augments a lead score as well, prompting a touch from a rep at a certain threshold.
In addition to using NetLine, what are your other strategies for lead generation?
VR: In addition to NetLine, we use paid search, paid social, list rental, other content syndication vendors, owned events and sponsored events for lead generation.
In your marketing career, what has been your biggest marketing success? Why?
VR: I’ve always worked in marketing, but my biggest success was having the courage to leave a comfy job several years ago and try something new. It ended up being a great move and led me to the job I’m in now which I love.
Describe your workspace.
VR: ITProTV offices are the best. We have a colorful, open work area filled with a dedicated team of professionals. I feel lucky to work here.
What productivity tech/app do you rely on the most?
VR: I’m in love with my MacBook Pro. Can’t live without that baby.
Who are your greatest marketing influences?
VR: I’ve worked with some great marketers over time who have shaped my style. The CMO at my last company was a favorite. I follow a few marketing blogs regularly, including Radius (because it ties marketing to revenue) and the HubSpot blog.
When are you at your best?
VR: I’m at my best when my MQLs are converting…happy days.
Coffee or tea?
VR: I’m a freak and I drink decaf coffee. It’s lonely in decaf land. : )
ITProTV is a SaaS company that delivers binge-worthy learning™ to train IT professionals in every stage of their careers. ITProTV turns IT education into a conversation that connects learners to experts and each other…from the comfort of your living room.