Nuggets of Goodness from Content Marketing World

I’m still digesting the mind-blowing two days at Content Marketing World, but a few insights keep bubbling to the surface:

— All stories, even B2B, will sing with a narrative arc that includes a sense of danger and characters representing the hero, the villain and the mentor. Imagine Harry Potter without Voldemort or Dumbledore. Is the company the hero in every story? No. The customer is the hero. The company is the wise mentor, preparing the hero to fight the villain.

— Utility is the future of content marketing. What we old-timers call News You Can Use.

Thanks Mitch Joel @mitchjoel

— Listening is the greatest content marketing tool!

Thanks Marcus Sheridan @thesaleslion

— Speak Human. Even a large company can seem like a real person. Develop a brand voice that’s real and resonates. That doesn’t mean every voice in the company will sound the same (see: Apple Inc.) It does mean everyone in the company shares the same passion and purpose for why and how the customers want to engage.

Thanks Anne Handley @marketingprofs

(Initially published September 2012 upon returning from 2012 Content Marketing World — Points remain valid!)