B2B Content Marketing Works
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Content marketing involves creating helpful, non-promotional content to attract potential customers at each stage of the buying process. It can result in improved search rankings, more website traffic, stronger brand awareness, validation of referrals, leads, and increased sales. Creating a content strategy and editorial calendar is important, as is focusing on informational rather than promotional content. Expertise is required across writing, graphics, video, platforms and analytics to succeed with content marketing.
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B2B Content Marketing Works
- 1. Winning fame and fortune, leads and sales with content marketing
- 4. Buyers don’t pick up the phone to start looking for a product or service, they go to the Internet. If they do pick up the phone, it’s to call a trusted associate for a referral - but they’ll still check the Internet before they call. When you finally talk to them, they’re already deep into the decision process, maybe just confirming a decision they’ve already made.
- 5. So how do I make sure they find my company? If customers are going to “sell” themselves, how do I give them what they need to do that? How do I make sure the referrers know us and like us?
- 7. Trade shows don’t seem to work as well as they used to.
- 8. Advertising may work for you. Or it may not. The law firm of Smith, Smith, Smith, Jones, Jones & Jones – The Smith and Jones Group I am the greatest, so help me God!
- 9. Of course you have a website. But can anyone find it? Ouch! We don’t show up for our best keyword until page 59!
- 10. ?What to do?
- 12. A definition Content – Information that buyers and referrers need at each stage of the buying process. Information that has value, is relevant, authoritative, free, and never a sales pitch. It’s about providing help and advice.
- 13. Another definition Content – Information that buyers and referrers need at each stage of the buying cycle. Awareness Stage Consideration Stage Decision Stage Establish Requirements Explore Options Research Solutions Research Vendors Build Short List Assess ROI Decide Identify Problem
- 14. Awareness Stage Awareness Stage Consideration Stage Decision Stage Establish Requirements Explore Options Research Solutions Research Vendors Build Short List Assess ROI Decide Identify Problem Awareness Stage Establish Thought Leadership • Search • Online communities/groups • LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter • Blog • Website • Virtual events Metrics: • Referrals • Leads • Website visits
- 15. Consideration Stage Awareness Stage Consideration Stage Decision Stage Establish Requirements Explore Options Research Solutions Research Vendors Build Short List Assess ROI Decide Identify Problem Awareness StageConsideration Stage Build Trust • Email, newsletters • Articles, white papers, ebooks • Case studies • Video • Webinars, seminars • eLearning Metrics: • Email opens • Downloads • Attendees • Completed courses
- 16. Decision Stage Awareness Stage Consideration Stage Decision Stage Establish Requirements Explore Options Research Solutions Research Vendors Build Short List Assess ROI Decide Identify Problem Awareness StageDecision Stage Build Relationship • Face-to-face meetings • Tours • Demonstrations • Proposals Metrics: • Proposals • Orders • Revenues
- 17. Results • Better search rankings • More website traffic • Improved brand awareness • Validation of referrals • Debt of gratitude • Leads • Sales
- 18. Content marketing goes back to basics . . .
- 19. . . . and focuses on what you want most from your marketing:
- 20. Awareness, trust, relationships and sales.
- 21. Content marketing puts you on the radar screen Awareness
- 22. with your best prospects and referrers.
- 23. Content marketing follows a simple principle: Trust
- 24. Show…
- 25. I graduated 6th in my class at the Omaha Magician’s Academy, where I was editor of the Journal of Hat Tricks. Go Ask Alice magazine called me the 5th greatest practitioner of the rabbit-in-a-hat trick in the state of Nebraska and then I went on to graduate school in . . . don’t tell…
- 26. Good content makes you sound like a human and starts conversations. Relationships
- 27. Content marketing is all about leads, sales . . . Sales
- 30. steps to121110 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 success
- 31. 1 121110 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Understand your goals. What are your key marketing objectives?
- 32. 2 121110 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Understand your audience. Who are you trying to sell to? What are their information needs?
- 33. 3 121110 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Understand the competitive landscape. Take your content in a new direction - where no one has gone before.
- 34. 4 121110 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Understand your resources. Who on your staff is excited about sharing what they know? And capable of doing it well?
- 35. 5 121110 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Create a content strategy. What do you have? What do you need? How are you going to get there?
- 36. 6 121110 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Develop an editorial plan. Identify topics and channels and lay them all out on a timeline.
- 37. 7 121110 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Pick your theme and stick to it. Build your brand as the authority in your space.
- 38. 8 121110 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Integrate SEO. Do formal research to identify keywords and start building links.
- 39. 9 121110 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Get the technology you need. Websites, content management systems, analytics, email, ecommerce and marketing automation.
- 40. 10 121110 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Inform rather than promote. People crave good information, but they don’t want to be sold.
- 41. 11 121110 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 But do promote your content on social media and by building links.
- 42. 12 121110 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Nurture leads. Good content not only brings prospects to your site but turns them into customers.
- 43. 13 13 Wash, rinse, repeat. Track your results, analyze and adjust based on what you learn.
- 44. come true Tips to make it Enthusiasm is necessary, but not sufficient. Hold someone accountable. Consider ghost bloggers Don’t worry about giving it away. PLAN. An editorial calendar is a must. Keep it informational, not promotional.
- 45. What can result?What can result? Improved search rankings . . . can result? What because your site content is fresh, relevant and authoritative.
- 46. More web traffic . . . . . . . more web traffic . . . . . driven by: • Better search rankings • Other sites linking to your great content • Users returning because they find it useful
- 47. Improved brand awareness . . improved brand awareness . . because more prospects are favorably exposed to you, more often.
- 48. Validation of referrals . . . validation of referrals . . . . . Your business may come exclusively from referrals - but they check your website before they call!
- 49. Leads . . . And sales . . . . leads . . . . . and sales!
- 50. What can result?What can result? Google changed how it ranks websites . . . Now based on Authority & Relevance It works Why
- 51. What can result?What can result? Good content leads prospects to discover you . . . Builds Inbound Marketing It works Why
- 52. What can result?What can result? • Takes a lot of time • Takes a long time • Best for unsaturated market niches • Complex: requires a lot of expertise . . . Downsides
- 53. What can result?What can result?Expertise Websit e Writing, Editing, VO Video, Image, Text, SEO
- 54. What can result?What can result?Expertise Websit e Graphics Writing, Editing, VO Video, Image, Text, SEO
- 55. What can result?What can result?Expertise Websit e Graphics Writing, Editing, VO Video, Image, Text, SEO Platform, CMS Hosting
- 56. What can result?What can result?Expertise Websit e Graphics Writing, Editing, VO Video, Image, Text, SEO Platform, CMS Domain Name Hosting Analytics
- 57. What can result?What can result?Expertise Websit e Graphics Writing, Editing, VO Video, Image, Text, SEO Platform, CMS Domain Name Hosting Events, Email Analytics
- 58. What can result?What can result?Expertise Websit e Graphics Writing, Editing, VO Video, Image, Text, SEO Platform, CMS Paid Search Domain Name Hosting Events, Email Analytics
- 59. Thanks! Created in 2011 by: Mary Pollman, David Green, Bob Duthie Nashville, TN Thanks! dgreen@dgreencommunications.com www.dgreencommunications.com Our expertise is marketing yours Presentations that persuade & train bob@duthielearning.com www.duthielearning.com
Editor's Notes
- If you’re like most legal marketers we’ve heard about, you’ve got a problem. You’ve got lots of attorneys to promote and it’s not altogether clear what works. It’s probably even less clear to your attorneys.
- Customers’ buying habits have changed completely - especially in business, B2B, situations.
- Customers’ buying habits have changed completely - especially in business, B2B, situations.
- Your task of course is to make sure that prospective customers feeling reassured that your people know what they are talking about – that they have the necessary expertise. Advertising may not always work as hoped. Take this lawyer for example.
- And then there’s another challenge – Google. Many people are bypassing traditional advertising media and searching for product and service providers on Google. The big question is how do you get found on Google. Appearing on Page 59 of the rankings is not good.
- At this slide, transition to BOB DUTHIE
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- (BOB) Here are the results of content marketing. We’ll get back to this in a few minutes.
- (BOB)
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- (BOB) Anyone can say they are the greatest. People are wary of hype. What you need is demonstrable proof that you know what you are talking about.
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- (BOB) After this slide, Bob turns it over to MARY.
- MARY covers the next section. Okay. We have talked a little bit about what content marketing is. And Bob has talked about critical tools and success metrics.
- (MARY) Let’s turn to the 12 Steps to Success in Content Marketing
- (MARY) UNDERSTAND YOUR GOALS. What are your key marketing objectives? Content marketing isn’t separate from your overall marketing program - though it may be the key component.
- UNDERSTAND YOUR AUDIENCE. Who are you trying to sell to? What are their information needs? How do they like to receive information? Knowing your customer is crucial. It’s the only way you can provide prospects (and current clients) with information they can use. That is what they will value. Understand, too, that, your goal in content marketing is to become a valuable, an essential part of a COMMUNITY. That’s what social media is all about. You want to be a respected voice prospects recognize long before they become customers.
- UNDERSTAND THE COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE. Are others in your space trying the same thing? For example: You’re in lawn care. If everybody else is talking about mowing equipment, fertilizer and maintenance schedules, you could distinguish yourself by focusing on DIY landscape design and the pleasures of relaxing in the back yard. Find topics others aren’t talking about. Figure out where YOU can become the font of knowledge.
- KNOW YOUR RESOURCES. Identify enthusiasts. Who among the experts on your staff (or your client’s staff if you’re a marketing practitioner) is excited about sharing what they know? And who is capable of creating what Hubspot CEO Brian Halligan calls REMARKABLE content? And it takes more than talent and enthusiasm. Content marketing is a marathon not a sprint. You need people who will stick with you.
- CREATE A CONTENT STRATEGY. Most companies aren’t actually starting from scratch when they launch into content marketing. You may have a website full of content, a collateral system that fills 50 filing cabinets, newsletters and company magazines going back 15 years. Or more. Much of that can be repurposed. The strategy starts with pulling together or inventorying what you have. Then you figure out what you need. Then you decide how you’re going to get there.
- Develop an editorial plan. This is the natural follow-on to the content strategy. ‘Editorial plan’ may sound like a strange phrase for a business. But if you’re going to have a website that serves any purpose at all, if you’re going to rank higher than page 59 on Google, you need to think of yourself as a publisher. Because that’s really what you are. Identify topics to address and channels to use – be they blogs, e-newsletters, video, webinars, as well as off-line channels like seminars and trade pub articles. Then use your plan to help you stay on track and stick to a schedule.
- PICK YOUR THEME AND STICK TO IT. In other words, be relentless about focus. We have talked about the value of a keyword strategy and SEO - and we’ll come back to that again. High rankings are the fruit of focus. So is a strong brand. Don’t water down who and what you are. Define your space and build your reputation as THE authority in that space.
- INTEGRATE SEO This is a must, not a ‘nice-to-have’ Do formal research to identify your keywords, and start building links. You will want to optimize your content for those keywords, and you’ll want to optimize the back end of your website - in the metadata on each page.
- Get the technology you need. Without certain pieces of technology, content marketing is really, really hard. You need a website with a good blogging platform. You need a website that’s built on a good, easy-to-use content management system. That will let you create registration forms on the fly, create landing pages on the fly, modify your pages when your SEO shows you you’re missing out on keyword opportunities. You need web analytics - Google Analytics may work just fine for you, and it’s free. You need a good, easy-to-use email system. You may need an ecommerce platform. You may need marketing automation - a catchall term that covers systems that help you capture, nurture and score leads - and track the effect of your online marketing. There’s kind of a lot to think about on the technology front. But it’s essential. Make it part of your content marketing strategy.
- Inform rather than promote. It’s a tone of voice that makes your intention clear - “I’d really, really like to sell you something” versus “We’re all part of this community of interest, and I have something valuable to share. I’m not trying to sell you anything. But you can see I know my stuff. Maybe someday, if you really need services like mine, you can get in touch. But I’m giving you this little gem whether it turns into anything for me or not.”
- Ok - we just said don’t promote. Now we say DO PROMOTE. If you’re going to spend all this time and effort creating great content, make sure people know about it! Promote your content on social media. Develop relationships in the blogosphere - and get links.
- Nurture leads. This is kind of a new role for marketers. Traditionally marketers GOT leads, turned them over the sales and went on their merry way. But most leads aren’t really ready to buy. Doesn’t make them bad leads. Just unripe leads. A good nurturing program puts the right online content and offers in front of your prospects periodically so they don’t forget about you when they are ready to buy. You can educate them over the course of a nurturing campaign about all the great things they’ll gain by working with you. In B2B sales, recent statistics are showing close rates are 30% higher WITH nurturing than without. And it’s all done with CONTENT.
- OK!! HERE’S THE BONUS. Wash, rinse, repeat. Track your results, analyze them, and adjust. Use analytics to understand what content and what channels are working for you. Refine your approach on a continuous basis so that your marketing gets better and better - and you can prove it!
- Enthusiasm is necessary, but not sufficient. Many blogs, newsletters and Twitter schedules start with good intentions, then fade. Hold someone accountable. Consider ghost bloggers. You may not have the horsepower to create and manage a content marketing program. There are people (like us) who can come in, learn your business and back you up on content creation. Don’t worry about giving away your wisdom and expertise. People aren’t likely to do what you do, DIY, whether it’s legal services or home remodeling. PLAN. An editorial calendar is a must. It gives you a track to run on. Keep it informational, not promotional. And give your company a HUMAN voice - but don’t go too far with the personal stuff. Nobody cares what your dog had for breakfast.
- AT this point, DAVE starts the WIND-UP. What can result? As we all know, the higher your website ranks in response to a Google search, the more likely a prospect is to click. There are lots of behind the scenes things to do to improve search engine rankings, but a vital element in the front of the house is making sure your site is consistently refreshing its content with relevant material.
- (TELL THE FDR STORY?)
- Increased web traffic and more consumption of your content across the web means greater exposure for your brand and a chance for visitors to become acquainted with you and your services.
- One objection we hear to content marketing: “All my business comes from referrals.” Even if you accept that (we don’t), you still need content marketing. Few people these days take a referral and immediately place a call. They check out the referred organization’s website. Rich, relevant content on your site helps validate the referral by letting prospects realize you know what you are talking about.
- You can require registration for some of your deeper content, like webinars and white papers. This contact info is the beginning of a lead, which you can nurture. (TELL LEARNING LAB STORY?)
- AT this point, DAVE starts the WIND-UP. What can result? As we all know, the higher your website ranks in response to a Google search, the more likely a prospect is to click. There are lots of behind the scenes things to do to improve search engine rankings, but a vital element in the front of the house is making sure your site is consistently refreshing its content with relevant material.
- AT this point, DAVE starts the WIND-UP. What can result? As we all know, the higher your website ranks in response to a Google search, the more likely a prospect is to click. There are lots of behind the scenes things to do to improve search engine rankings, but a vital element in the front of the house is making sure your site is consistently refreshing its content with relevant material.
- AT this point, DAVE starts the WIND-UP. What can result? As we all know, the higher your website ranks in response to a Google search, the more likely a prospect is to click. There are lots of behind the scenes things to do to improve search engine rankings, but a vital element in the front of the house is making sure your site is consistently refreshing its content with relevant material.
- AT this point, DAVE starts the WIND-UP. What can result? As we all know, the higher your website ranks in response to a Google search, the more likely a prospect is to click. There are lots of behind the scenes things to do to improve search engine rankings, but a vital element in the front of the house is making sure your site is consistently refreshing its content with relevant material.
- AT this point, DAVE starts the WIND-UP. What can result? As we all know, the higher your website ranks in response to a Google search, the more likely a prospect is to click. There are lots of behind the scenes things to do to improve search engine rankings, but a vital element in the front of the house is making sure your site is consistently refreshing its content with relevant material.
- AT this point, DAVE starts the WIND-UP. What can result? As we all know, the higher your website ranks in response to a Google search, the more likely a prospect is to click. There are lots of behind the scenes things to do to improve search engine rankings, but a vital element in the front of the house is making sure your site is consistently refreshing its content with relevant material.
- AT this point, DAVE starts the WIND-UP. What can result? As we all know, the higher your website ranks in response to a Google search, the more likely a prospect is to click. There are lots of behind the scenes things to do to improve search engine rankings, but a vital element in the front of the house is making sure your site is consistently refreshing its content with relevant material.
- AT this point, DAVE starts the WIND-UP. What can result? As we all know, the higher your website ranks in response to a Google search, the more likely a prospect is to click. There are lots of behind the scenes things to do to improve search engine rankings, but a vital element in the front of the house is making sure your site is consistently refreshing its content with relevant material.