Bredin research and experience shows that content generates small and midsized business owner (SMB) leads. But specifically, what content works best? In this deck you’ll learn: • What formats and topics work best to generate SMB leads • What SMBs want in your content • How SMBs find content • How SMB size impacts their content preferences • The kinds of content SMBs want specifically from your industry • What information SMBs will provide in exchange for content

1. December 13, 2018
Generating SMB Leads with Content

2. INCREASING SALES TO SMBS
2

3. INSIGHT
3
Topics Methods Output
• Attitudes and usage
• Buyer identification
• Competitive perceptions
• Market segmentation
• Media behaviors / preferences
• Message / positioning testing
• New product testing
• Net promoter score
• Persona / buyer journey
• Purchase intent, behaviors,
channels and preferences
• Qualitative
• Live / online focus groups
• Workshops
• In-depth interviews
• Quantitative
• Custom online
• SMB Pulse omnibus
Insight for CE / product /
marketing strategy
Data for PR / content / social /
collateral programs

4. OUTREACH
4
Video
Email
Newsletters
Checklists /
Worksheets
Case StudiesArticles Blog Posts
White Papers
Podcasts
eBooks
PR Surveys
Social Media
Handbooks /
Guides
Webcasts
Slideshows
Infographics
Interactive
Tools
• Survey data
• Creative brief
• Editorial calendar
• Content development
• Content audit
• Analytics
Contribution
• Expert
• Actionable
• Relevant
• Easy to understand
• Professional
• Brand-building
• Custom
Principles
Direct Mail
Event
Collateral
Brochures /
Sell Sheets
Custom Pubs

5. 5
WHAT WE’LL COVER
What SMBs want in your content
SMB content preferences from your industry
The kind of content that generates SMB leads
The information SMBs will provide

6. 6
METHODOLOGY
1
2
HOW
WHO
Online survey via the Bredin.com/SMBPulse
Note: The SMB Pulse is open to marketer participation.
250 VSB
<20 employees
(97.7% weighting)
150 SB
20-99 employees
(2.0% weighting)
100 MB
100-500 employees
(0.3% weighting)
3 WHEN Monthly
Company Size
500 principals of U.S. companies with ≤500 employees (4% +/- CI)

7. SMB optimism increases with company size, and decreases with respondent and company age
7 n=600
SMB BUSINESS OUTLOOK
How do you expect your 2018 revenue to compare to 2017?
Respondent Age
Revenue Outlook
Company Age
42%
62%
75%
82%
58%
38%
25%
18%
Less than 4 years 4 to 9 years 10 to 19 years 20 years or more
30%
62%
77%
70%
38%
23%
18-34 35-49 50+
No / Slow Growth Fast / Hypergrowth
Company Size
70%
37%
24%
30%
63%
76%
VSBs (<20) SBs (20-99) MBs (100-500)5%
5%
32%
27%
26%
5%
Down more than 10%
Down by less than 10%
Same as 2017
Up by less than 10%
Up 10% to 100%
Up by more than 100%

8. ‘Finding new customers’ is a top challenge, especially among VSBs
8
Headcount
VSBs (A) SBs (B) MBs (C)
37% (BC) 23% 21%
24% (C) 23% (C) 8%
23% 23% 19%
19% 10% 16%
18% 18% 20%
18% 15% 22%
12% 23% (A) 19%
12% 15% 22%
11% 16% 24% (A)
11% 15% 14%
9% 17% 14%
BUSINESS CHALLENGES
What are your biggest business challenges? Please rank these business challenges
from most important (top) to least important (bottom):
37%
24%
23%
19%
18%
18%
12%
12%
11%
11%
9%
Finding new customers
Managing costs
Retaining current customers
Having enough money to pay our bills
Dealing with government regulations
Staying in business
Retaining good employees
Dealing with competition
Finding good employees
Keeping myself / my employees productive
Developing new products and services
Ranked top two. n=500

9. 37%
24%
23%
19%
18%
18%
12%
12%
11%
11%
9%
Finding new customers
Managing costs
Retaining current customers
Having enough money to pay our bills
Dealing with government regulations
Staying in business
Retaining good employees
Dealing with competition
Finding good employees
Keeping myself / my employees productive
Developing new products and services
Retailers also worry about staying in business; PS about costs and Mfg about productivity
9
Industry
Professional
services (A)
Retail/wholesale
(B)
Manufacturing
(C)
38% 39% 35%
32% (B) 19% 26%
21% 31% 18%
17% 22% 13%
26% 17% 17%
9% 22% (A) 17%
18% 14% 5%
0% 14% 21%
12% 11% 5%
9% 8% 21% (AB)
15% 3% 13%
BUSINESS CHALLENGES BY INDUSTRY
What are your biggest business challenges? Please rank these business challenges
from most important (top) to least important (bottom):
Ranked top two. n=500

10. Your content topics should align with relevant SMB challenges
10
TOPIC RELEVANCE
Your Brand SMB Challenges
Topic
‘sweet
spot’

11. Your topics should align with relevant SMB challenges
11
TOPIC RELEVANCE: FINANCIAL SERVICES
Your Brand SMB Challenges
• Personal loans /
cards
• Wealth
management
• Import / export
• Treasury
• Capital markets
• Etc.
• Sales & marketing
• Customer retention
• HR
• New product
development
• Regulatory
compliance
• Tech management
• Employee productivity
• Operations
• Etc.
Billing
Cash flow
Credit
Cost mgmt.
Fin plng.
Payroll
Etc.

12. 12
Banks
Financial planning and management
Law and taxes
Operations
Industry news and trends
Leadership and management
Technology
Sales and marketing
Human resources
Import / export
Technology
Technology
Operations
Law and taxes
Sales & marketing
Financial planning and management
Industry news and trends
Leadership and management
Human resources
Import / export
Telecommunications
Technology
Sales and marketing
Operations
Financial planning and management
Law and taxes
Industry news and trends
Human resources
Leadership and management
Import / export
Rank
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
TOPIC RELEVANCE BY VENDOR INDUSTRY
Topic preference varies significantly by vendor industry
n=490n=600n=500

13. 13
SBs
Financial planning and management
Leadership and management
Law and taxes
Technology
Sales and marketing
Operations
Industry news and trends
Human resources
Import / export
VSBs
Financial planning and management
Law and taxes
Operations
Industry news and trends
Leadership and management
Technology
Sales and marketing
Human resources
Import / export
MBs
Technology
Financial planning and management
Leadership and management
Industry news and trends
Operations
Law and taxes
Import / export
Sales and marketing
Human resources
BANK TOPIC PREFERENCES: COMPANY SIZE
Tech is increasingly important as SMB size increases
Rank
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
n=500

14. 14
SBs
Technology
Operations
Financial planning and management
Leadership and management
Industry news and trends
Sales and marketing
Law and taxes
Human resources
Import / export
VSBs
Technology
Operations
Law and taxes
Sales and marketing
Financial planning and management
Industry news and trends
Leadership and management
Human resources
Import / export
MBs
Technology
Operations
Sales and marketing
Financial planning and management
Human resources
Law and taxes
Leadership and management
Import / export
Industry news and trends
SMBs want tech vendors to educate them on… tech
TECH TOPIC PREFERENCES: COMPANY SIZE
Rank
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
n=600

15. 15
SBs
Sales and marketing
Technology
Operations
Financial planning and management
Human resources
Industry news and trends
Leadership and management
Import / export
Law and taxes
VSBs
Technology
Sales and marketing
Operations
Financial planning and management
Law and taxes
Industry news and trends
Human resources
Leadership and management
Import / export
MBs
Sales and marketing
Financial planning and management
Technology
Human resources
Industry news and trends
Import / export
Law and taxes
Operations
Leadership and management
Telecoms providers are seen as good sources of marketing advice
TELECOM TOPIC PREFERENCES: COMPANY SIZE
Rank
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
n=490

16. FORMATS: AWARENESS STAGE
16
VSBs & SBs are most likely to learn of your new offerings via your resource center; MBs, a webcast
On a scale of 1 (very unlikely) to 3 (very likely), please rate how likely you are to first learn about products or services for
your business via each of these specific sources / content formats.
n=503
% rated very likely
Headcount
VSBs (A) SBs (B) MBs (C)
25% 55% (A) 48% (A)
22% 44% (A) 38% (A)
20% 43% (A) 43% (A)
20% 40% (A) 43% (A)
18% 40% (A) 34% (A)
17% 40% (A) 45% (A)
16% 41% (A) 35% (A)
16% 45% (A) 43% (A)
15% 40% (A) 41% (A)
14% 34% (A) 37% (A)
14% 31% (A) 33% (A)
13% 34% (A) 43% (A)
13% 34% (A) 34% (A)
13% 32% (A) 39% (A)
11% 30% (A) 33% (A)
10% 38% (A) 40% (A)
26%
22%
20%
20%
18%
18%
17%
17%
15%
15%
14%
14%
14%
14%
11%
11%
Product section of a vendor’s website
Email newsletter
Video on vendor’s website
Forum or discussion board
Print newsletter
Webinar / webcast
Interactive tool
Analyst report
Research report
Blog
eBook / guide / handbook
Press release
White paper
Infographic
Audio podcast
Case study

17. VSBs rely most on vendor video and resource centers
On a scale of 1 (very unlikely) to 3 (very likely), please rate how likely you are to use each of these sources / content
formats when you are researching products or services for your business.
n=503
% rated very likely
FORMATS: RESEARCH STAGE
17
Headcount
VSBs (A) SBs (B) MBs (C)
32% 56% (AC) 43%
23% 48% (A) 50% (A)
22% 42% (AC) 30%
20% 44% (A) 49% (A)
20% 45% (A) 46% (A)
19% 46% (A) 47% (A)
19% 46% (A) 43% (A)
18% 40% (A) 37% (A)
18% 42% (A) 49% (A)
16% 40% (A) 44% (A)
16% 36% (A) 48% (A)
14% 50% (A) 45% (A)
14% 39% (A) 48% (A)
12% 34% (A) 37% (A)
11% 30% (A) 43% (AB)
10% 32% (A) 44% (A)
33%
24%
22%
21%
20%
20%
19%
18%
18%
17%
16%
15%
15%
12%
12%
11%
Product section of a vendor’s website
Video on vendor’s website
eBook / guide / handbook
Email newsletter
Research report
Interactive tool
Forum or discussion board
Blog
Print newsletter
Webinar / webcast
Press release
Analyst report
Case study
Audio podcast
Infographic
White paper

18. VSBs & SBs are most likely to rely a resource center; MBs, vendor video
On the same scale, please rate how likely you are to use each of these sources / content formats to make a final purchase
decision on products or services for your business.
n=503
% rated very likely
FORMATS: PURCHASE STAGE
18
Headcount
VSBs (A) SBs (B) MBs (C)
28% 52% (A) 46% (A)
24% 46% (A) 50% (A)
20% 46% (A) 44% (A)
18% 48% (A) 48% (A)
18% 38% (A) 40% (A)
16% 40% (A) 35% (A)
16% 36% (A) 49% (A)
16% 40% (A) 38% (A)
15% 49% (A) 45% (A)
15% 41% (A) 46% (A)
15% 46% (A) 42% (A)
14% 44% (A) 46% (A)
12% 35% (A) 46% (A)
12% 38% (A) 44% (A)
12% 34% (A) 37% (A)
11% 34% (A) 47% (A)
28%
24%
21%
19%
19%
17%
16%
16%
16%
16%
15%
15%
13%
12%
12%
12%
Product section of a vendor’s website
Video on vendor’s website
Email newsletter
Research report
eBook / guide / handbook
Print newsletter
Blog
Forum or discussion board
Analyst report
Case study
Interactive tool
Webinar / webcast
Press release
White paper
Infographic
Audio podcast

19. 19
Webinar / webcast
Print newsletter
Video on vendor’s
website
Email newsletter
Resources section of a
vendor’s website
Awareness
Research report
Email newsletter
eBook / guide / handbook
Resources section of a
vendor’s website
Video on vendor’s
website
Research
eBook / guide / handbook
Research report
Email newsletter
Video on vendor’s
website
Resources section of a
vendor’s website
Purchase
CONTENT SOURCES ACROSS THE SALES CYCLE: VSB
Resource centers are popular among VSBs…

20. 20
Interactive tool
Video on vendor’s
website
Email newsletter
Analyst report
Resources section of a
vendor’s website
Awareness
Research report
Interactive tool
Video on vendor’s
website
Analyst report
Resources section of a
vendor’s website
Research
Email newsletter
Interactive tool
Video on vendor’s
website
Research report
Analyst report
Purchase
CONTENT SOURCES ACROSS THE SALES CYCLE: SB
…as they are in the early stages of the SB sales cycle

21. 21
Press release
Video on vendor’s
website
Analyst report
Resources section of a
vendor’s website
Webinar / webcast
Awareness
Press release
Case study
Print newsletter
Email newsletter
Video on vendor’s
website
Research
Webinar / webcast
Audio podcast
Research report
Blog
Video on vendor’s
website
Purchase
CONTENT SOURCES ACROSS THE SALES CYCLE: MB
Vendor videos are a top source of information for MBs, especially in the later stages

22. WHAT SMBS WANT IN YOUR CONTENT
22
Comprehensibility is key to content effectiveness
On a scale of 1 (not at all important) to 5 (very important), how important to you are each of these aspects of marketing
content, like the formats above, from a vendor?
n=503
% rated top-two box
Headcount
VSBs (A) SBs (B) MBs (C)
80% 81% 79%
75% 83% 74%
75% 80% 79%
74% 81% 79%
68% 74% 75%
66% 73% 69%
64% 65% 62%
63% 66% 71%
63% 79% (A) 74% (A)
60% 76% (A) 71% (A)
53% 68% (A) 71% (A)
49% 64% (A) 66% (A)
43% 66% (A) 68% (A)
41% 62% (A) 76% (BA)
39% 64% (A) 74% (A)
80%
75%
75%
74%
68%
66%
64%
63%
63%
60%
53%
49%
44%
42%
39%
It is easy to understand
It clearly describes the benefits of the product or service
It is well-written
It provides information on a product or service I’m interested in
It provides practical advice or tips I can put to use in my business
It is visually interesting or compelling
It doesn’t do a hard sell
It is recommended by a peer / colleague
It addresses the concerns of companies in my industry
It addresses the concerns of companies the same size as my company
It provides a compelling or time-sensitive offer, like a discount or free trial
It is short
It is in a new or unique format
It is written by a third party expert, like an industry analyst
It is written by someone from the sponsoring company, like an executive or
product manager

23. 23
FORMATS FOR LEAD GEN
SMBs are most likely to provide contact info for forums and email newsletters
9%
12%
12%
13%
13%
13%
16%
19%
20%
20%
21%
22%
25%
27%
29%
Infographic
Blog
White paper
E-book
Audio podcast
Video
Webcast
Analyst report
Article
Case study
Interactive tool
Checklist / worksheet
Printed sheet, booklet or guide
Email newsletter
Forums / peer-to-peer exchange
% likely
On a scale of 1 (not at all likely) to 5 (very likely), how likely are you to provide your contact information to download,
subscribe to or access these kinds of content?
n=300
% rated top-two box

24. FORMAT PREFERENCES: GATED CONTENT
24
In aggregate, search is the single biggest driver to content
On a scale of 1 (very unlikely to provide contact information in order to access it) to 5 (very likely to provide contact
information in order to access it), please rate each of these same content elements:
n=303
Top-two box
Headcount
VSBs (A) SBs (B) MBs (C)
34% 64% (A) 69% (A)
33% 67% (A) 70% (A)
31% 65% (A) 70% (A)
31% 57% (A) 69% (A)
30% 65% (A) 72% (A)
26% 63% (A) 76% (A)
25% 63% (A) 67% (A)
25% 59% (A) 59% (A)
23% 59% (A) 65% (A)
22% 57% (A) 66% (A)
21% 58% (A) 64% (A)
19% 57% (A) 64% (A)
17% 57% (A) 61% (A)
17% 55% (A) 68% (A)
17% 51% (A) 60% (A)
16% 59% (A) 66% (A)
16% 55% (A) 63% (A)
35%
34%
32%
32%
31%
27%
25%
25%
23%
22%
21%
20%
18%
18%
17%
17%
17%
Survey / research report
Webinar / webcast
Case study
Whitepaper
Article
Video
Guide
Ebook
Workbook
Checklist
Kit
Podcast
Blog post
Slideshare
Cheat sheet
Template
Infographic

25. MOTIVATING SIGNUP
25
SMBs are most interested in the content topic
Please rank, from most important to least important, the aspects of marketing content that would get you to provide your
contact information:
n=303
Ranked 1st or 2nd
Headcount
VSBs (A) SBs (B) MBs (C)
62% (C) 53% 43%
49% 45% 43%
31% 23% 38% (B)
25% 15% 15%
19% 27% 35% (A)
12% 32% (A) 24%
62%
49%
31%
25%
19%
12%
The topic
A special offer, such as a discount
The company that sponsored the
content
The format, such as a white paper or
guide
The author(s)
The design

26. CONTACT INFORMATION PREFERENCES
26
SMBs are most willing to provide their industry, email address and title
On a scale of 1 (very unwilling) to 5 (very willing), please rate how willing you are to provide these kinds of information to
access marketing content:
n=303
Top-two box
Headcount
VSBs (A) SBs (B) MBs (C)
56% 74% (A) 77% (A)
44% 72% (A) 74% (A)
44% 67% (A) 71% (A)
42% 67% (A) 74% (A)
41% 71% (A) 77% (A)
37% 66% (A) 71% (A)
35% 64% (A) 71% (A)
31% 60% (A) 68% (A)
30% 66% (A) 71% (A)
30% 59% (A) 68% (A)
26% 64% (A) 65% (A)
56%
45%
45%
43%
42%
38%
36%
32%
31%
31%
27%
Industry
Email address
Title
Company name
Name
Company size
Likelihood to buy a given product /
service
Phone
Timeframe to buy a given product /
service
Street address
Have budget approval to buy a given
product / service

27. THE EFFECT OF LEAD GEN CONTENT
27
Lead gen content creates the expectation for follow-up, and improves brand perception
On a scale of 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree), please rate each of these statements:
n=303
Top-two box
Headcount
VSBs (A) SBs (B) MBs (C)
56% 66% 75% (A)
53% 72% (A) 79% (A)
52% 77% (A) 79% (A)
50% 68% (A) 69% (A)
46% 65% (A) 80% (AB)
30% 61% (A) 72% (A)
29% 66% (A) 71% (A)
24% 54% (A) 64% (A)
56%
53%
53%
50%
47%
31%
30%
24%
By providing my contact information, I give the sponsoring
company permission to contact me
After I have read or viewed marketing content (without having
to provide my contact information), I have a better feeling
towards the company that sponsored it
If I provide my contact information, the sponsoring company
will contact me
I am more likely to provide contact information from my PC /
laptop than my smartphone / tablet
I am more likely to do business with the sponsoring company
after reading or viewing their marketing content
After I have read or viewed marketing content (after providing
my contact information), I have a better feeling towards the
company that sponsored it
I want to be contacted by the sponsoring company
I provide false contact information to prevent companies from
contacting me

28. Content drives perception, conversion and retention
28 n=600
CONTENT IMPACT
MBs (100-500)
SBs (20-99)
VSBs (<20)
Brand perception Acquisition Retention
Please indicate whether the business management advice you’ve read from technology vendors:
63%
say content
“makes me more
likely to become a
customer of that
vendor”
68%
Say content
“makes me more
likely to remain a
customer of that
vendor”
69%
say content
“makes me think
more favorably of
that vendor”

29. ✓Develop content on topics to which SMBs look to you for expertise
• Be attuned to differences by audience segment
29
TAKEAWAYS
✓Use high-potential formats to motivate SMBs to register
• Practical advice / high-value content
✓Ensure your content is comprehensible
• Avoid jargon; provide clear advice and/or product benefits
✓Be relevant
• Provide industry- or size-appropriate case studies
✓Cast your net wide
• Promote your lead gen content on your resource center, in email newsletter, on social media and via syndication
✓Test, retest and test again
• Test topics, formats, offers, reg. pages, distribution outlets etc. to continually optimize

30. 30
HOW BREDIN CAN HELP
Stu Richards, CEO
stu@bredin.com
• Content strategy
• Creative brief / ed cal
Strategy
• Original content development
• Exclusive SMB focus
Content
• Persona / buyer journey
• Original data for high-value content
Research
Work with the experts in SMB insight and engagement

31. THANK YOU
Want to watch the entire
Fastcast? Watch it here.
Want to talk with the B2SMB
experts? Email us at:
info@bredin.com