Evolved Media ICM Program

Evolved Media’s ICM program grew organically from observing and desiring to meet the multifaceted needs of CMOs, product marketers, and other marketing leaders at growing companies. These professionals found that they needed both high-quality content to drive engagement and an effective way to promote that content to maximize its impact. They need ways to rise above the noise and highlight their value proposition and their thought leadership.

At many of these firms, there is a clear case for a comprehensive content marketing program, but it is difficult to staff and maintain such an effort on a continuing basis.

To staff such a program, you may need:

• Social Media Producer
• Copy Editor
• Graphic Designer
• Experienced Writer

In addition, you need at least one full-time editor and analyst who understands your message, your product, the competitive landscape, and buyer motivations to create a high-quality stream of ideas and see those ideas through to execution. Further, the work must be analyzed to gauge its effectiveness, increase engagement, and pivot as the market evolves.

Content is called king because many other forms of marketing and promotion such as SEO, account-based marketing, influencer marketing, and digital marketing all rely on steady streams of high-quality content that is effectively promoted. The Evolved Media ICM program delivers all of that. 

How ICM Works

ICM is based on using Early Adopter Research, Evolved Media’s industry analyst publication, as a vehicle to engage with influencers and buyers, who we call early adopters.

Early Adopter Research publishes and promotes research missions that explain how to accomplish important goals for early adopters. The stream of content from the ICM clients then shows how their products are relevant to the ideas and implementation problems involved in implementing a research mission.

The ICM program is based on the following process:

• Early Adopter Research Missions are used to find and build an audience around key topics and questions related to accomplishing a compelling goal of early adopters.
• Research Missions are promoted through Early Adopter Research social channels and other means such as contributed articles, podcasts, and speaking engagements.
• ICM client programs create blogs about topics based on key messages that also connect to the stream of Research Mission content.
• The ICM content is written to implement client SEO strategies as well as have an impact on influencer relations and account-based marketing. It provides a solid foundation for content used in digital marketing programs.
• The ICM content is promoted both from client social channels and by Early Adopter Research.
• Influencers are engaged via Early Adopter Research and then educated about how ICM clients serve the Research Missions.

Foundations of ICM Success

The key to the success of the ICM program is a strong product and clear messages that help early adopters understand the fit of the product to their needs.

The Research Missions provide a framework for creating a sophisticated discussion about a topic that is of strategic importance. Because the Research Missions are specific, it is possible to talk about complexities and compare different approaches.

ICM clients can then build on this sophisticated discussion in their content to show the power of their product in various contexts.

The sophisticated discussion is then expanded by Early Adopter Research to include ideas from influencers and other practitioners. In this way, a Research Mission leads an exploration of important issues of relevance to early adopters.

ICM clients are then able to connect with influencers not just about the glory of their product, but about how to solve crucial problems. In this way, the engagement is educational for both sides, not just an exercise in marketing promotion.

In other words, the key to success is for Early Adopter Research, the ICM Clients, Influencers, and early adopters to all be in conversation about exciting ideas and how to solve problems.