How Content Marketing Can Help You Generate B2B Leads
Sales in B2B have one major advantage over B2C. In the latter, profit comes from volume, and you have to convince millions of individual customers to buy from you. Conversely, B2B purchases are often done in bulk. You only have to connect with one decision maker. They will likely buy an order for the entire organization. However, it takes a lot of effort to turn that one head. But the rewards are often well worth it in the end. Here are 5 tips to grab the attention of that decision-maker through content marketing, and tailor your sales pitch just for them.
1. Create Webinars
Competition in the workforce is reaching critical levels. Employees in all niches are working hard to raise their credentials and qualifications. These days, many quality online training courses are available online, and a lot of them are free. Most of these online training courses are informational in nature, so there’s still some wiggle room. Develop a very specific webinar targeted at your ideal customer segment. It should be a practical, skills-based online training course. Popular topics include negotiation skills, climbing the corporate ladder, or nurturing your EQ. Prospective corporate learners will offer their contact information to access the online training course. You can then open the communication channels and show them what else you have to offer. Webinars are a good tool because you can put it together once and use it over and over again. You can even record the session for later expansion, or offer it as an add-on for other products.
2. Get Social
A few years back, social media was just a way to pass time on a busy workday. What we forget is that Facebook, Twitter and even Google are commercial companies. They have built sharp, efficient monetizing machines. As an eLearning B2B company, you’re ideally placed to benefit from that. You can create a brand page or brand group on Facebook and use it to talk to prospects. As your following gets bigger and the brand develops a reputation, clients will come to you. You’ll now have a sales machine of your own. In the beginning, you can even use paid media on Facebook and Twitter to promote your brand. The more eyeballs you can draw to your online assets, the more prospects you have access to.
3. Look Into LinkedIn
LinkedIn is becoming an increasingly popular tool for socializing in business contexts. Individual profiles can give you an overview of your potential customer career paths. This makes it easier to get in touch and discover what products or services might interest them. Many profiles allow you to contact them directly via email. Lately, professionals in related industries have taken an interest in online groups. They provide a chance to link up with peers, have online discussions, and find out what’s new in the industry. Begin by joining a relevant group, just to get the lay of the land. You can then start a group of your own, targeting your customers. Invite them to join, and make the group useful enough, so that they will recommend it to their networks. The group, then, becomes a good source of both feedback and prospects.
4. Make It White
White papers are a great way to establish yourself as an authority in your field. As a business, you have access to very specific industry data. Your prospects can greatly benefit from this kind of information. It can even make them feel like they're getting exclusive insider tips and tricks. This sense of one-upmanship will leave your prospects more open to you, and that helps sales. Consider releasing a comprehensive industry report on a regular basis. It could be monthly, to maintain the value proposition. Prospects will offer their contact details so that you can mail them the report. It’s an effective way to establish yourself as an authority in your field, which will boost your revenues. With time, you will have a large group of "fans" that look forward to your report. They will trust you, and are now more likely to buy from you when you launch a new product or service.
5. It’s In The Mail
Email is a powerful weapon. That’s why so many corporations are trying so hard to get into yours. If you put specific, strategic thought into your email marketing programs, you can generate and convert massive leads. Don’t be spammy, or your prospects will blacklist you and your reputation will be damaged. Instead, personalize your missives. Address prospects by name whenever possible. Don’t send generic mass messages. Do a little research and divide prospects into segments. The categories can be based on geography, interests, or even age. Every email should feel like a one-on-one corporate conversation. Be sure to automate your email process though. You don’t want to spend all day tinkering with email at the expense of making actual sales.
Content marketing is a proven method of generating leads for B2B sales. However, it has to be done the right way. Otherwise, all you’re doing is generating spam and creating a disconnect between you and your loyal client base. Use free webinars to catch your customers’ attention. Keep the webinar sessions classy and exclusive. Utilize social media targeting tools to reach specific prospects. Offer them high quality data through regular reports and white paper. Get personal on email, while still maintaining professionalism. Use these suggestions to maximize your inbound marketing performance.
Are you interested in exploring the basics and benefits of content marketing? Download our free eBook The Ultimate Guide To A Winning Content Marketing Strategy to get more tips and tricks on how to determine your KPIs and measure your marketing success, as well as tips to qualify your leads, and tap into the power of smarketing.
