Uncovering Your Most Authentic Stories — WistiaFest 2015

Ann Handley is a Wall Street Journal best-selling author, keynote speaker, and the world’s first Chief Content Officer. Ann speaks and writes about how you can rethink your business’s marketing strategy. She is the Chief Content Officer of MarketingProfs, a training and education company with the largest community of marketers in its category.

In this presentation, Ann highlights the need for companies to start creating not just more content, but better content. Ann’s formula is Useful x Empathy x Inspired = Great Content. She provides details and specific examples for how you can nail each of these qualities by continually striving to know your customer better.

According to a survey by MarketingProfs, the biggest challenge marketers face is creating engaging content. Handley believes that we don’t need more content, but we need better content. She offers three suggestsion for how marketers can create more engaging content:

1. Focus on empathy and experiences.
2. Focus more on relevant and inspiring stories.
3. Focus on being useful.

When it comes to uncovering your most authentic stories, think about how you can answer your customers questions and pull on their heartstrings. Keep pushing yourself to ask “So what?” Why does what you’re saying matter to them? Be irressistably useful to the folks you’re trying to connect with.

“When it comes to uncovering your most authentic stories, think about how you can answer your customers questions and pull on their heartstrings.”

Handley also urges us to think about your content not just like a magnet for getting everyone towards you, but more of like a filter. You want the right people, not just all the people. Content can attract and repel. Think more broadly about how you’re buidling your audience, and strive to define your voice.

Watch her talk to learn more about unconvering your business' most authentic stories, regardless of what industry you’re in.