Off the Page with Melissa Machay
David McCarthy
In her Off the Page interview, Melissa Machay, senior demand generation manager at Lightbend, dishes on what content marketing is really all about and where content marketers can really stand out (hint: it’s not on the screen).
Meet Melissa Machay
“It needs more exclamations. Like, a few of them. And an emoji. Definitely an emoji.”
That was the first feedback Melissa ever gave me.
It was for an email promoting a lead-generation magnet at RevenueWell.
And, of course, she was right. A series of exclamation points and the sunglass-clad smiling emoji were the missing touch. The edit fine-tuned the voice our prospects at the time, office managers at doctors’ offices, used and wanted (I would soon discover that customers’ sensibility is Melissa’s sixth sense). And it wouldn’t be the last piece of feedback she gave that was precisely spot-on.
Technically, Melissa isn’t a content marketer. She’s a demand gen leader, currently at Lightbend, and also a board member at Chromatic Health. Melissa claims that she isn’t a real content producer (“I dabble for fun,” she’s said in the past) — her podcast, The Popular Vote, her Instagram feed, and other content projects she’s contributed (like a set of Galentine’s Day Cards for single professionals running doctors’ offices) drastically prove otherwise.
But, as her interview illustrates, she thinks like a content marketer. And her views on content are often more forward thinking and holistic than many actual content developers’ and marketers’.
Tell me about a recent piece of content (you didn't create) that made you jealous.
Schooled. It's a five-part virtual event series by NYU professor Scott Galloway and columnist Kara Swisher focused on tech, media, and commerce. While virtual events may be the norm right now, these are not your average Zoom meetings. High-quality production, fun game show segments, no-holds-barred conversations with industry leaders, and the usual banter between the two hosts.
But not only is the format engaging — the content is also.. It's timely, relevant, thought provoking, and delivered with an emphasis on humor and brevity. These events are so good that I wish they were longer. And who in the world has ever wished a Zoom went 20 minutes over?
What content marketing skill or tool are you learning this year?
Successful companies are the ones who have mastered the art of the outcome, and content marketers should be firmly anchored in the same outcome-driven ethos. I’ve been diving into platforms like Full Circle that make full funnel reporting achievable.
Successful companies are the ones who have mastered the art of the outcome, and content marketers should be firmly anchored in the same outcome-driven ethos
Which other brand’s content do you admire most?
Glossier. They've crafted a cult following because of content, and that content is generated from their customers. Their Twitter feed is mostly retweets from fans and it reads like a group of friends geeking out about their favorite makeup.
People want to feel part of something larger than themselves — and Glossier does an excellent job of validating and authenticating that shared experience.
If you could recommend one book to every content marketer, what would it be?
Behave: The Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst. It's a cross-disciplinary explanation of human behavior and how culture, context, and learning shape everything we do. The book itself is a masterpiece in making complex subjects accessible (and funny, at times). But it also provides some interesting learnings about how people consume information and make decisions.
Which individual or organization would you love to collaborate with on a content project?
Scott Galloway — NYU professor, podcast host, TV show host, author. He is a straight-up gangster. (Scott, call me!)
What don’t non-content marketers understand about content?
Content marketing isn't just ebooks and webinars, and it isn't just about acquiring traffic.
Content marketing should aim to unify the customer experience, from acquisition to retention. It’s a long-term strategy for your brand, not a one-off project.
What part of the content-marketing workflow do you wish went faster?
All of it. From gaining executive buy-in to developing a content calendar to copywriting — each step can move at a glacial pace.
Content marketing isn't just ebooks and webinars, and it isn't just about acquiring traffic.
What do you consider the most underrated type of content?
Lumpy mail, aka direct mail that isn't a postcard or flyer. With most marketing efforts executed via digital channels, high-impact direct mail really stands out.
What type of content marketing do you secretly hope goes extinct soon?
Listicles. Content should evolve to be more visual and more personalized. And "10 things you didn't know about X" just ain't it.
Which content marketing talent would you most like to have?
I wish I was a whiz at data activation and customer data platforms. There's so much value to unlock from unified data. It ensures strategic plans and customer engagement are in sync. But it also creates marketing nirvana: an integrated view of real customer journey orchestration.
What is your most treasured content marketing tool?
Emojipedia.org, for all my emoji needs.
What do you most value in your teammates?
Collective ownership. Everyone is responsible for their part of the project. But the entire team is responsible for the project success.
When you hang up your content-marketing hat(s), what one word do you hope colleagues and clients will use to describe you?
Gangster.
About the Off the Page series
Legend had it that Marcel Proust, a French novelist, had a list of twenty questions that could reveal a person’s true nature. Vanity Fair later adopted and popularized the questions for a series of interviews with cultural figures and celebrities.
Off the Page (probably) won’t reveal any of these have-to-follow marketers’ true nature. But it hopefully uncovers attributes, points of view, and experiences worth learning from.
Who else should Off the Page Feature?
Recommend a content marketer for a future edition of Off the Page.
