Content Marketing Strategies for Startups

Introduction

• Personal experience of wasting resources on content marketing without a clear strategy.
• Emphasis on finding low-cost methods of acquiring new customers.
• Goal: to share a smart content marketing strategy and identify founders who may not need to focus on it.

The 5 Levels of Awareness

• Introduced by Eugene Schwartz in his book "Breakthrough Advertising".
• Levels:
  1. Unaware
  2. Problem Aware
  3. Solution Aware
  4. Product Aware
  5. Most Aware

Content Ideas for Each Level of Awareness

1. Unaware

• Target broad general keywords.
• Content Ideas:
  • "How to get more business"
  • "How to be a better salesperson"

2. Problem Aware

• Audience recognizes they have a problem.
• Content Ideas:
  • "How to organize your sales leads"
  • "Five tips to closing more sales deals"

3. Solution Aware

• Audience knows software can solve their problem.
• Content Ideas:
  • "Top five CRMs"
  • "Best CRM for [specific industry]"
  • Include your product as an option.

4. Product Aware

• Audience knows your product exists but needs more information.
• Content Ideas:
  • "Bump vs. HubSpot"
  • "Alternatives to HubSpot"

5. Most Aware

• Audience consists of experts (e.g., CRM consultants).
• Focus on partnerships with agencies or consultants.

Starting Your Content Strategy

• Early-stage founders should focus on:
  • Solution Aware content to attract customers ready to purchase.
  • Product Aware content as brand recognition grows.
• Avoid starting with Unaware content as it may take too long to convert.

Distraction of Content Marketing

• Founders without their first 10 customers should prioritize quick marketing strategies like:
  • Outbound marketing
  • Cold outreach
• Content marketing can be time-consuming and may yield results in months.

Conclusion

• Content marketing is one of five main channels for marketing discussed in "The SAS Playbook".
• Suggestion to watch for additional marketing strategies to enhance outreach.