You Need a Better B2B Content Strategy

According to Forrester, all B2B decision-makers, buyers and influencers can be reached via social media and networking channels today. I wrote about this compelling research here. To leverage this research you need to develop a B2B content strategy that achieves your objectives. But according to a CMO Council report featured in this CMS Wire post, “…many businesses are lacking proper B2B marketing strategies.”

In fact, many companies spend too much time concentrating on customer experience and content development before they even have a good strategy.  –CMO Council report

Get your strategy right. Here’s 7 considerations for persuading B2B buyers:

1. The B2B customer isn’t like a B2C customer. Get in the right stadium.
2. B2B folks don’t care about promotions, sales or deals. They want selective, quality information.
3. Peer-generated content is the most influential. Then industry white papers.  Then customer case studies.
4. Self-serving, irrelevant, hyped up or overly technical content are turn-offs in B2B.
5. B2B prefers peer-based communities and trusted, relevant and credible content leading to conversations.
6. Develop a precise and calculated B2B content distribution to be successful across social channels.
7. Pay attention to turning potential B2B customers into repeat customers.

And, remember, the best strategy is an informed strategy.Start thinking about social media as an “intelligent listening” tool for understanding a customer’s company and industry.Let that situational awareness inform your strategy for doing business development in a smarter way.  The customer will give you a “blue print” for doing business with them if you’re listening.  Here’s a peer videoexample. And, here’s a blog post from Harvard Business Review talking about how traditional Marketing is Dead. Bill Lee points out that “when you try to extend traditional marketing logic into the world of social media, it simply doesn’t work.” Lee’s suggestion?

Traditional marketing may be dead, but the new possibilities of peer influence-based, community-oriented marketing, hold much greater promise for creating sustained growth through authentic customer relationships.

I encourage you to study this Infographic. And, make sure to read the “fine print” (click the image for a larger version):

How are you promoting an “easy-to-understand” conversation with your B2B customers? How do you navigate this multi-channel, social world?