Chapter 10 Filling the Funnel with Content Marketing Filling the Funnel One quality piece of content, like an e-book, can be utilized within the different stages of the sales funnel. Activating your content this way ensures longevity of the piece, and creates consistency for the customer throughout their journey. • Helpful, insightful c ontent Top of Funnel throughout • Not selling • Some product placement Middle of Funnel • Case studies or customer quotes • Link to demo or free trial Bottom of Funnel • Include specific contact info Top-of-Funnel Tactics Your top-of-funnel efforts likely cast a wide net and reach a wide audience. You have some ideas of this audience so you can target accurately, but you might not know them as well as you know your best customer. Therefore, this is the place to slice and dice the most. People digest content in different ways, so the more you chop up and share out your e-book, the more buzz you’ll create. Utilize these top-of-funnel tactics, and make sure to have a link to download your e-book as the call to action: • Post the first chapter on SlideShare. • Record yourself reading the e-book aloud and launch it as an audiobook. • Launch a webinar with the author, featured thought leaders, or relevant brands. • Create an infographic with the e-book’s tips, tricks, or quotes. • Create Twitter cards with quotes, stats, or tips from the e-book. • Host a TweetChat on the topic of the e-book. • Turn each e-book chapter into a blog post. • Contact influencers and ask them to share it out (give them an exclusive sneak preview for even more exposure and buzz). • Guest blog on relevant sites covering the topic of your e-book. • Include the e-book on your website in 2–3 places. Your home page, resources section, or sidebar is a good place to start. • Post it on your product listings.