Promotional Content simply doesn't work. We ignore it and become amazing filters of any content that is trying to sell us something"-Michael Brenner, NewsCred
If promotional content really does not work, then why do 93% of marketers connect their content directly to a product or service? (Economist). To be fair, marketers are under pressure to produce massive amounts of content, which needs to be pushed out across a growing number of channels and also to enable sales to more effectively navigate a tricky environment. With the war for your prospect’s attention escalating, and with buyers demanding more effective and relevant communications, what are marketers to do? The content machine is up and cranking. So why the disconnect? Why are marketers still shooting blanks? What is needed to improve content marketing programs? Let's get to the HEARTof the matter:
Help, Don't Sell: Content needs to be about the buyer. Depending on the stage in the Buying Journey, a prospect will be seeking information and looking to solve business challenges. In fact, 75% of executives who actively seek content are researching a business idea(Economist). They need Help--not a sales pitch. Social Media Guru, Dave Kerpen in his new book, The Art Of People(http://www.amazon.com/The-Art-People-Simple-Everything/dp/0553419404)  describes the most important question you can ask in a first meeting and it's no different than what your content needs to say: "How Can I Help You?" Kerpen describes how he was approached by a financial advisor years back who asked for a meeting, didn't try to sell him anything, and asked the magic question. The advisor subsequently connected Kerpen with VC's and others who could potentially help his fledgeling business. He provided value, did not talk about himself or his business. Kerpen eventually asked the advisor about his business and eventually become a client. Awesome story.
Engagement: Content needs to be interesting, entertaining and visually appealing, perhaps with embedded video. The most shared piece of content today is the Infographic. Why? Because its (a) new, (b) colorful, (c) graphical (d) informative and (e) simple and easy to consume. Shared content is the ultimate form of engagement. In fact, 83% of CMOs believe that social sharing is the primary benefit of social media marketing(The Content Code). Conversational Commerce is beginning to take off. New innovations such as interactive video, Virtual and Augmented Reality are attracting new levels of immersion and engagement.When connected to social platforms, we are seeing the greatest levels of engagement and conversion.
Authenticity- Buyers want to learn from those they believe are experts. Your brand, whether it be you own personal reputation or your company's brand ID needs to be consistent and establish subject matter expertise. Build up a dossier of effective content which connects with buyer challenges and provide case studies around how you solve(d) these issues with others. 
Relevance- Your buyers want content that solves their problems or teaches them a new way to think about their challenges. As mentioned in a prior article, Content is no longer king. Context is King. Prospects demand that your content be relevant. Interactive content which a prospect can tailor to his issues has proven to be very effective. In fact, 64% of marketers according to eConsultancy say they want to improve personalization. And campaigns with personalized content deliver 29% higher unique open rates and 41% higher unique click rates (Experian). 
Trust- Become a trusted source of information. Much like developing a new friendship, if your content is helpful, engaging, authentic and relevant, you will begin to build a strong virtual relationship with your prospects. Effective content marketing which is customer focused, timely and relevant, earns the prospects' trust. They will pay attention to your next email, or even better, subscribe to your content. 
eConsultancy estimates that $50B of content was wasted or was ineffective in 2015. It's a massive opportunity for marketers. With Valentine's Day coming up, remember to put some HEART in your content and reap the benefits of building relationships with prospects. One simple key question can lead to the revenue growth you are looking to achieve: How Can We Help You?
Dan Sixsmith is VP @Alinean, Inc
He is CMO @ Augmento
And Chief Content Officer at "The Digital Advantage by Dan Sixsmith."
Dan also hosts the Podcast, This Week In Digital Marketing(we are back live on 2/8 @8PM ET). 
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 Twitter:@DigitalAdvantg