PERSONAL PRESENTATION
Igor Savič is a communications expert, expert advisor to numerous Slovenian companies and the designer of original strategic, marketing, PR and editorial solutions, as well as the director of the PM, poslovni mediji agency.
He is a long-time editor of various media with a deep understanding of the logics and meaning of content marketing. The public knows him as the designer of the Viktorji project (the Slovenian equivalent of the Oscars). In addition to STOP, Mars and other magazines, he began designing corporate magazines for Delo Revije and took over the editing of Glas gospodarstva. He worked for the Slovenian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and obtained extensive experience in the field of economy and management, including of even the most demanding projects. Today, he is the director and partner of a modern content marketing agency, PM poslovni mediji, which works with numerous important Slovenian companies such as Porsche Slovenija, Petrol, UniCredit Bank, KD Group, GZS, NLB Group and Krka.
In order for companies to survive in today’s dynamic and constantly changing network society, they need to be able to efficiently communicate not only with buyers but also with numerous other individuals, companies, interest groups, institutions, media and, last but not least, the state. Successful communication is becoming the key to a company’s success and it is for this reason that the companies have to be aware of, know and understand the changing communication lines of the world and to know the limitations and opportunities provided by the tools, ideas and solutions that they are currently using.
For years, companies have been using various ways and means to provide information about their products and services to various publics. The old ideas and solutions, which are predominantly based on conventional marketing and advertising in mass media, are losing wind and one of the most exciting novelties is undoubtedly content marketing that builds on and from the knowledge and tools of marketing, public relations, strategic communication and editorial knowledge, while at the same time considering the various possibilities offered by modern information technologies. The most interesting fact is that modern companies are changing from leasers of media space to producers of their own media.
And this is the story behind the activity of Slovenia’s leading content marketing agency, PM poslovni mediji.
Content, Content, Content
A detailed understanding of the importance of CONTENT is the core of long-term success and efficiency. Since being set up in 2005, the PM, poslovni mediji content marketing agency believes in the concept of content. From the first, they realised that modern marketing is changing. Conventional advertising in the mass media is losing efficiency, so people are searching for new solutions and concepts. They thoroughly tested out the market, convinced even the most demanding clients, polished their solutions and checked them with research and results. Their knowledge is unique: it is a combination of content, editing, marketing and PR logic, skills and knowledge. PM also has an international presence – they are the co-founders of the global association for corporate media, which they see as the tool of content marketing.
Content marketing is a contemporary marketing approach that is used to attract, captivate, engage and include a clearly defined target group on the basis of the production, processing and distribution of relevant content. Nothing works without content and we are not talking about average information. Content marketing only works if the content is above average, bold, high quality, charming, attractive, tempting, interesting, funny, relevant, independent, trustworthy, deep, creative, current, decisive, crucial, etc.
Stories and content in various forms (texts, sound, video, animation or movement), adapted for various media (print magazines, e-news, blogs, online magazines and in-house magazines) and aimed and adapted to various target groups (in-house public, business partners, VIP guests, women, men, children or retired persons). The narrower the target group, the easier it is to adapt the content and make it more relevant for the target group, the greater its effects and the lower the costs.
Instead of the conventional paraphrasing of sales messages on the superiority and quality of our product and the exceptional benefits it conveys, content marketing offers an obligation or promise to provide existing and potential buyers relevant content that will enable them to make smarter purchase decisions. For Slovenia, experience clearly indicates that if we are able to provide buyers constant, relevant and quality content, we will be rewarded in the long-run with the best possible prize – the long-term loyalty of our buyers and their continual cooperation (purchases) with our company.
Results and Measurability
According to research conducted by the American Custom Publishing Council association for corporate media:
– 80 percent of potential buyers have a preference for obtaining information on the basis of good articles compared to obtaining information from ads in their purchase decisions;
– as much as 70 percent claim that they like a specific company more on the basis of content marketing;
– 60 percent claim that, due to well-prepared corporate content and its tools or media, they were able to make a better purchase decision.
Similar results are achieved using online tools such as iFly Magazine, KLM Airlines’ digital and interactive magazine. It took only three issues for the magazine to prove itself as the most efficient tool to sell airline tickets with 20% of readers reading the entire magazine, on average spending 20 minutes reading it. There is a similar example in Slovenia with the Carzine magazine issued by Porsche Slovenija, which is read in full by 18 to 40% of the readers (depending on the issue).
Content Marketing Checklist
The 5 key questions that I need to answer if I wish to establish appropriate communication through a print magazine, e-news or website where readers will spend 15, 30 or 45 minutes:
1. Which buyer segments are the most important and that I wish to attract?
2. Is my company able to continually prepare relevant and quality content in a form appropriate for the tools?
3. Do I understand and accept the rules or conditions for the success of content marketing?
4. Do I want others to talk about my company and my offer? Do I wish to proactively participate and add my view to the published story?
5. Do I really wish to attract buyers in the long-run or am I merely searching for a solution to a current problem?
