Five Ways to Make B2B Content More Fun, Engaging and Shareable

Unfortunately, B2B marketing has a reputation for being dry and boring. We all know that dry and boring is unacceptable in today’s world of social sharing and virality. In fact, engaging the customer with compelling content has become the essential path to getting a sale.

Sometimes, this quest for fun and shareable seems easier for the B2C marketer. B2B marketers, in contrast, are faced with the challenges of highly complex products, educated prospects, and extended sales cycles. To solve this problem, here are five ways to make seemingly boring B2B content sexy:

Find experts

Whether your product is software or fencing, there are experts who love to talk about it, and they are the B2B marketer’s most valuable tool. Invite them to a roundtable to discuss ideas, or pass around a shared document. In return, you will gain invaluable ideas for quality content.

Don’t ignore blogging

The notion that B2B customers don’t read blogs is outdated and wrong. They are researching their purchases just as thoroughly as B2C customers. Companies that create compelling digital content with this platform tend to have more success with building a community, which in turn will choose them when it is time to purchase.

Find sustainable ideas

Calling on experts and executing a customer listening campaign are excellent ways to find ideas for content. However, not just any idea will work. The best ideas are extendable and sustainable; they lend themselves easily to editorial marketing plans, and they can be broken up over time. This extended release engages customer comments and feedback that can be crucial to building sales.

Answer customer questions

Formulating a marketing plan that is engaging and shareable relies almost wholly on its alignment with customer need. Use social media and your sales force to determine your customers’ biggest problems, and develop your marketing content to answer them.

Use an editorial calendar

The most engaging marketing is planned and executed over time. It is sustainable and organized, and it offers a chance to tie strategy to the sales cycle. Use it to marry your company to its prospects by connecting marketing to industry-wide events.

With some organization and creativity, B2B marketing can be just as compelling as anything else. What strategies have worked for you?

(Photo credit by Hodgers)

April Faves

Here on our blog, April has been devoted almost entirely to Brand Empathy. We’ve been staying up-to-date on industry news, though, and now we’d like to share our favorite B2B Marketing posts from around the web.

• B2B Marketers Say Twitter is Now but Google + is the Future
  By Cynthia Boris, Marketing Pilgrim
  B2B Marketing and Circle Research recently produced a Social Media Benchmarking Report for B2B Marketing. An overwhelming 85% of marketers chose Twitter as their most effective social platform, with LinkedIn coming in second at 82%. Unsurprisingly, only 36% of those polled chose Google+ as their favorite network. Though it seems unlikely, this report cites that Google+ will triple its relevance in the next twelve months. What do you think?
• 5 Tactics for Using Google Hangouts for B2B Marketing
  By Ryan Conners, Blogger
  In case any of you are excited by the prospect of Google+ growth, as cited above, this post outlines five uses for Google Hangouts in B2B Marketing. The social feature, though not always considered a helpful business tool, can work well for product demonstrations, customer relations, market research, business meetings, and re-playing important meetings later for individuals who were absent.
• 10 Questions to Evaluate Your Marketing Effectiveness
  By Christopher Ryan, Fusion Marketing Partners
  Numbers-focused marketing is an unavoidable part of the B2B industry. CEOs and CFOs count on quantitative statistics to run their businesses effectively, but numbers, however helpful, don’t tell the whole story. There is a qualitative side to marketing that is equally as important, yet it can be hard to measure. In this post, Christopher Ryan offers ten questions to help businesses gauge message-based effectiveness.
• Marketing is in the Throes of a Buyer Revolution
  By Tony Zambito, B2B Marketing Insider
  The internet has given the buyer the power to have increased control they have always wanted in the buyer-seller relationship. In this post, Tony Zambito describes his findings from qualitative buyer interviews and examines shifts in buyer behaviors. His recommendations for marketers to overcome the challenges presented by the Buyer Revolution are based in combining social science and qualitative behavioral research with the big data and numbers focus of the past.

As we look towards May, we would love to hear about other industry posts you’ve found helpful in the comments below. What are you reading?

(Photo credit: Rowdy Riders)

Brand Empathy: Three Ways to Mess it Up

Like any useful tool, Brand Empathy has potential downfalls that must be avoided. Before you start restructuring your marketing program to create an empathetic culture, be mindful of these risks:

Empathy cannot be bought

Companies can put a lot of time and energy into cultivating Brand Empathy, but in the end, it is only your consumers who can grant you that status. Marketers can attempt to guide perception, but a culture of empathy cannot be purchased. It comes only through persistence and consistent demonstration that you care about your customers’ problems. First, you must understand those needs through research and sales force analysis – then, you can show your customers and prospects that your company sincerely cares.

Empathy should not be sold

The Harvard Business Review blog recently posted about “gift economies,” situations in which value is not determined by supply and demand, but from the relationship between giver, receiver, and its meaning in the community. This is an excellent point, reminding us that Brand Empathy should never involve a financial transaction. Demonstrating thought leadership and offering it to consumers is a way to build trust, but asking for money in return destroys it.

Don’t let it become Brand Apathy

Marketers should not let their quest for Brand Empathy become Brand Apathy, a disproportionate focus on activities at the early stage of the buying cycle. Today’s B2B Marketers are faced with the challenge of creating compelling content for all stages of the buying cycle – not just the middle, as in the past. While it’s true that new attention and tools are needed to engage buyers before the cycle begins, mid-stage marketing tactics have not lost their value. They are still relevant and necessary.

Marketers who carefully avoid these pitfalls are more likely to enjoy the benefits of Brand Empathy for their company.

Have you experienced any of these problems, either as a marketer or as a consumer?

In conclusion of this series, we will share our ultimate guide to implementation of Brand Empathy with readers on Wednesday.

Image credit: 401(K) 2013

Brand Empathy: A Fancy Name for Thought Leadership?

As many of you realize, Brand Empathy shares some similarities with what has been known for years as “thought leadership marketing.” Both approaches are centered on earning trust and credibility among consumers. Thought Leaders specialize in sharing something beyond product – information, insight, and ideas – and they are viewed as the trusted authority in their industry, after having contributed generously to its well-being.

Like Thought Leadership, Brand Empathy is also based on providing something beyond product. At first glance, they may seem too closely related, but closer study reveals the difference. Brand Empathy’s core goal differs from Thought Leadership, which is based on positioning a company as an industry visionary whose opinions are highly sought after. While this is certainly a worthwhile objective, Brand Empathy is about earning customer trust through a shared recognition of their problems. In other words, it is achieved not by first showcasing your expertise, but by first listening, and then engaging in a bigger conversation. It is about demonstrating to customers that you care about their problem, not just showing them how smart you are.

A company called Westex serves as a perfect example. They produce flame-resistant fabric used to create safety clothing for electrical workers. These garments can save the lives of those involved in unexpected flash explosions. One of the biggest problems surround flame-resistant clothing is that workers refuse to wear it, simply because they believe it is uncomfortable, or even unnecessary. This is detrimental both to the people who could use enhanced safety features and to the company’s sales.

To combat this problem, Westex hosts live arc flash demonstrations and educational seminars for industry companies. They allow free attendance, but produce the event at great cost to themselves. Companies gain greater understanding of electrical risks and can then better educate their employees. This, of course, does increase Westex’s profit when trained employees purchase more protective clothing, but beyond that, it demonstrates empathy about a very serious industry problem. Because of this initiative, Westex is considered a trusted thought leader on this topic, but in addition, they are perceived as a company who cares enough to contribute.

While they may work together well, Brand Empathy and Thought Leadership are intrinsically different. Have you experienced success with one or the other?

(Photo credit: Mai Le)

Three Ways to Discover Your Customers’ Biggest Pain Points

On Monday, we discussed how important it is to create a culture of Brand Empathy with your customers. The first step in that process is, as you know, to figure out what consumer problems are. Only then can your company guide the conversation and present a solution to the problem. Even better, when customers feel like you care, they will be more likely to choose your product over your competitors’. To help you take a step in that direction, here are three ways to discover your customers’ biggest pain points:

Interviews and Surveys

Despite countless digital tools for measuring customer emotion and engagement, sometimes traditional research is the way to go. Asking customers to participate in a survey can be very effective in gaining consumer insight, and in most cases, they’re happy to help – especially if an incentive is offered to participants. To take it a step further, personal interviews via phone or email are incredibly useful – calling a customer by name and asking for their opinion is the best way to make them feel cared for.

Social Listening

The rise of social media has provided marketers with a wealth of insight into consumer mindsets. People feel free to voice unbiased opinions on social networks, and the quick, constant nature of communication invites honest response from customers – both happy and unhappy. Social media dialogue gives companies the chance to get to know their customers more intimately than ever before, and it provides companies with a quick and personal way to respond. That kind of conversation makes customers feel like their voices have been heard, and meanwhile, it helps businesses understand and then respond to their biggest concerns.

Mining Salesforce Data

Your salesforce is a goldmine of untapped customer information. Though they may be preoccupied with goals and revenue, salespeople are usually aware of your customers’ biggest problems. With some guidance, they will be able to provide stories of customer dissatisfaction, or times the company has failed to meet customer needs. Because the salesperson is often the primary liaison between business and customer, they are often on the receiving end of every complaint, whether it’s sales related or not. Talk to your sales teams. Find out the biggest customer gripes, and brainstorm ways to address the problems. Salespeople might find it rewarding to contribute to revamping company culture, and their knowledge of your customer base will prove invaluable in developing Brand Empathy.

How has your business discovered your customers’ biggest complaints? Share your insights with us below.

(Photo credit: @boetter)

Brand Empathy: How to Establish It and Use It To Your Advantage

This month, we’ve been discussing Brand Empathy, the most important modern tactic for B2B marketers to master in the digital age. While you may be convinced that this step is necessary, development and implementation of Brand Empathy can be daunting. The key is to convince your customers, through conversation and engagement, that you care deeply about their problems. After establishing this culture of empathy, it can be positioned to positively impact your business in a variety of ways. Here are two real-life examples of Brand Empathy success:

IBM Establishes Empathy

When Lou Gerstner became CEO of IBM in the 1990s, IBM was more often associated with arrogance than empathy. In fact, the company was in a serious state of decline. One of Gerstner’s first initiatives was “Operation Bear Hug,” a program that sent top IBM managers to meet face-to-face with customers. They were instructed not to try to sell at these meetings, but instead, to listen to customer problems and think of IBM solutions. Lou Gerstner knew that the culture surrounding IBM had to change, and his theory worked. Operation Bear Hug managers discovered that clients were intrigued by the internet, but unclear about how to use it for business. IBM responded with a huge impact by creating the infrastructure needed to help large enterprises harness the power of the Web. This endeavor put the company on the path to long-term success, and it’s a clear example of empathy as a powerful driver of business growth.

vAuto Uses Empathy to Oust Competitors

After empathy is established, businesses have the opportunity to convince customers that because they understand the problem, they are best suited to solve it. vAuto, a company that markets inventory management software to auto dealers, has had great success with this strategy. After noticing an industry problem – diminished used car sales by local market price transparency provided to consumers by the internet- vAuto developed a solution. Instead of turning their head to the issue and offering their software as a band-aid fix, they started selling a philosophy. “Velocity Management” claims that live auto sales data is more powerful than historical, that ROI on used vehicles grows the faster they turn, and that therefore, an auto dealer’s online presence is more important than the physical one. vAuto offered auto dealers a way to transition to online success, using the very problem as part of their solution. The company offers software to make the transition seamless, of course, but once an auto dealer has found an answer in their philosophy, the deal is done.

Brand Empathy, as you can see, is highly beneficial for internal business growth and direction. Learning to establish it is imperative, and following up with a strategy to position yourself ahead of competitors is even better.

How could Brand Empathy change your company’s direction?

(Photo credit: Sartors)

Brand Empathy: Why It’s Important

On Monday, we discussed the growing need for Brand Empathy among B2B marketers. The internet has changed the buying process for businesses, and brands no longer have the influence they once did in the middle of the sales cycle. Branding is no less important, but today, companies must gain influence at a different time: before a consumer enters the buying process. Enter Brand Empathy –  the perception that your company deeply cares about a prospect’s needs, challenges, and the marketplace in which it operates. Here are three reasons why this strategy is so important:

You can frame the debate

Beyond just shopping for a product or service, B2B buyers are out to solve a problem or fill an unmet need. If your company can frame the debate around a problem, and generate conversations about how to solve it, you can influence your prospect’s thinking about how to do so. Later, this will influence their purchase. Making the buyer feel like part of the conversation engages them in a way that will pay off in the end, and being the one to start the conversation implies subliminally that you’re the expert.

Align your approach with the problem

By putting yourself on the forefront of the conversation about the problem your company solves, you identify yourself as the leader in the industry. With enough active engagement, you become the “marker” by which other brands area measured. Being first in the buyer’s mind puts you at a clear advantage when they enter the buying process.

Show that you care

Although many feel that B2B sales are less personal than B2C sales, there is an emotional element in B2B purchasing that can’t be ignored. Brand Empathy is demonstrating that you care about the buyer’s problem. You listen, and you understand their needs. Most importantly, you have the answer. B2B buyers are more likely to become your customer when they feel understood.

The essence of Brand Empathy is making potential customers feel like you have the cure before they are even looking for it. Because they know your brand, they’ll know you can solve their problem. When it’s time to buy, they’ll come straight to your door.

Look for more posts about cultivating Brand Empathy in the weeks to come!

Should B2B Marketers Consider Vine?

At the end of January, social media saw the introduction of Vine, a new video sharing tool that was purchased by Twitter last year. Vine allows its users to share six second videos on Facebook and Twitter, and while the application is currently only available to iOS users, Twitter hopes to eventually introduce it to other platforms. The stop-motion videos produced by Vine are strangely addictive in nature, perhaps because of the GIF-like quality created by the touch-sensitive record function. They play on a mesmerizing, repetitive loop within the app.

Marketers had mixed reactions to Vine. At the very moment they felt mastery of social media networks, another one popped on the scene. B2B companies are not exempt. They, too, are left wondering if Vine is another tool that they should adopt. Because Vine is so seamlessly integrated with Twitter, companies who have a large following there may find it especially useful. Here are three potential uses for B2B marketers:

Brand Empathy: The Next Evolution of B2B Marketing

B2B marketers are well aware that making a sale to a business is a more complex endeavor than making a sale to an individual consumer. It is their job to understand the business buying model and develop communications strategies that lead to success within it. B2B complexity is due in part to the longer sales cycles of businesses. The decision-making process is extended, sometimes because of extensive research practices, and almost always because multiple departments are involved in a single purchase. The nature of this business sales cycle requires the seller to attempt “courtship before marriage” in the form of marketing.

Throughout courtship, B2B sellers must consider the needs and expectations of multiple decision makers as the product passes through the various channels necessary for purchase. For example, what’s most important to engineering management will probably not be most important to procurement. B2B marketers are dealing with more educated buyers in businesses, requiring them to address varying needs at each step in the process.

This trajectory of B2B sales shows marketers the breakdown of what happens within a business before purchase. Traditionally, companies assert their brand during the middle two stages, assuming it is the moment of greatest influence. The digital age, however, has invited a shift in this thinking that is becoming important to B2B marketers. Now, over half the buying process is completed before a consumer ever engages with a vendor.

This change has made it necessary to shift from “courtship before marriage” to “online dating,” or impressing them before you ever “meet in person.” In the past, B2B buyers weighed biased messages coming directly from competing brands, but today, buyers can read recommendations, blog posts, and discussion forums about the pros and cons of any given product. The buyer has been liberated by the perceived lack of bias in these loyalty-free reviews. Brands no longer have the luxury of making undisputed claims; the internet can refute them with a simple Google search. Not surprisingly, many buyers cite social media as a large influence in purchases, and because of these changes in culture, there has been a decrease in brand influence at the stages highlighted in figure 1. As a result, B2B marketers have been left with the challenge of engaging buyers before the buying process even begins. We believe the secret to doing this effectively is Brand Empathy.

Creating Brand Empathy – the perception that your company deeply cares about a prospect’s needs, challenges, and the marketplace in which it operates – with customers before they enter the buying process is the new ticket to B2B marketing. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be sharing a series of posts about how to foster Brand Empathy and use it to your benefit. Stay tuned!

Why B2B Marketers are Optimistic About 2013: Our Take

According to the quarterly Marketing Confidence Monitor report, B2B marketers feel growing confidence about their prospects for 2013. In fact, 42% of B2B marketers feel encouraged, while only 35% of B2C marketers report the same enthusiasm. Though concern surrounding consumer confidence remains, perhaps this growing stability among businesses will pave the way, through example, to more reliable, risk-taking consumers.

This rise in confidence among B2B marketers stems from many things, from increased marketing budgets to better economic performance. We suspect that it can also be attributed to a greater understanding of social media usage and analysis.

We all know that the digital revolution has changed the game for marketers. Suddenly, faced with countless new platforms for communication, industry professionals have been forced to stay on their toes and learn new skills on an almost daily basis. At first, the sheer magnitude of new tools and technologies was staggering, but the learning curve seems to have evened out recently. While there will always be more to learn, it seems that many of the B2B marketers we know have begun to truly master social media. Utilizing social media to its fullest potential leads to data that, while elusive, provides a valuable source of business confidence: customer knowledge.

That knowledge comes directly from the ever-evolving realm of social media analysis. Now, marketers have the chance to get to know their consumers more intimately than ever before. With more opportunities to listen and analyze consumer sentiment, businesses feel more confident in their ability to meet (or exceed) expectations.

While increased confidence among B2B marketers can be attributed to many factors, we’re convinced that a closer relationship with our customers is an important part of the puzzle.

Are you feeling more confident about your prospects this year? Tell us why in the comments!

Photo credit: Ivanpw