Content Marketing Today

Content Marketing Accelerates Acceptance of MindManager Software

Mindmapping is hard to explain, but easy to demonstrate.

Mindjet uses Content marketing to accelerate the acceptance of the concept and of their product, MindManager

San Francisco-based, software company, Mindjet, has been developing mindmapping software since 1993. In the past three years they’ve grown dramatically from a three dozen employees to almost 165—and more than 900,000 users.

Mindmapping is a different way of thinking from the traditional vertical outline that we all learned in school and United States. It involves a radial model with a core concept at the center and branches and sub-branches extending from that core. Click here to learn more of what it’s all about and why you should consider using it as a productivity tool.

Although it does take a bit of explaining, Mindjet marketing executive, Katy Colletto, likens the incredible productivity improvement she experienced when she started using MindManager to the difference between schlepping an old fashioned suitcase and the ease of strolling along with a suitcase on wheels. As she puts it, “Today I can’t imagine how I ever got along without MindManager.”

I must confess that I’m not totally impartial because I’ve been using MindManager myself since 2000—and I can’t imagine doing without it either.

Mindjet’s growth parallels the increasing acceptance of the concept of mindmapping. But, in spite of their success, they face a significant marketing challenge:

Therefore, their primary efforts involve extending the reach and impact of these evangelists. They have determined that most MindManager users tend to focus on a single application for mindmapping. Mindjet is convinced that by educating these enthusiasts in all the ways that MindManager can improve productivity, process, and creativity, they will grow both the users and the uses of the product.

A website that really works

Appropriately, when you land on their website, the first thing you see is a simple but instructive mind map with the headline: “Work smarter, think creatively, save time… Every day Mindjet helps people visualize and use information.”

In fact, the Mindjet website provides a wealth of compelling content that it presents brilliantly. It uses a combination of visual elements and well organized bullet point style text that makes it clear even to a complete mindmapping newbie what they can expect from Mindjet and from the MindManager product.

Webinars explain and extend mind manager’s capabilities and user base

An essential element of the website is the access provided to regular webinars that feature subject matter experts on everything from ‘how to write a best-selling book’ to ‘real world project management.’ The webinars are equally valuable to brand new users or to the thousands of Mindjet evangelists. Typical webinars attract as few as several hundred to as many as several thousand attendees. Archived versions may pull in as many as 10,000 new contacts.

Mindjet learned an important lesson in terms of what works well. Those presenters who make their webinars interactive are far and away the most popular and successful. In turn, they will certainly deliver the most effective viral marketing impact.

But there’s lots more on the web site:

• a free 21 day trial

• free productivity packs

• clear descriptions of vertical solutions

• an extensive gallery of sample maps

• case studies on the successful use of MindManager in a variety of applications

• easy access to support

And then there’s a really useful monthly newsletter

The Mindjet newsletter focuses almost entirely on how to achieve more by using MindManager. For example, in the August 2007 issue, the lead story is about using mind manager to win complex sales—with a link to a special “Sales Manager’s Dashboard Template.” It also includes new tips and tricks, maps of the month, and time-saving templates.

If In addition to all the great stuff that users can put to work immediately, the newsletter also has numerous links that take readers to where they can purchase the product or upgrade to a more advanced version.

The newsletter is also colorful and visual, adding to its impact. Every graphic has purpose—and serves to reinforce a mind mapping concept or benefit. All in all, the Mindjet user newsletter is an excellent example of effective content marketing. Why? Because it serves the information needs of the reader while it serves the strategic marketing needs of the company.