With the growing significance of the Web as an integral part of the long B2B sales process, companies are more aware of the value of content: meaningful communications material that attracts (and holds) prospect attention.
But... where will that content come from?
It can—and should—come from you and your employees. Here's what's involved:
1. Reset your communications priorities
Our first impulse may be to write "about" our company, our product, or our services. But it is impossible to rise above the clutter of competing promises by simply creating more clutter. Your true purpose is not to inform, but to connect. Your real priority is to build trust by establishing your credibility as an informed authority, a resource, someone who understands your customers' challenges and has the expertise and experience necessary for meeting them.
For example: St. Jacques Franchise Marketing introduced itself to the franchise world with a beautiful, 8.5" x 11" report that combined unique market research with expert advice. The report generated new leads and media exposure, and instantly attracted recognition and connections within the industry's leading professional organization. No corporate capabilities brochure—of comparable size and expense—would have accomplished any of that.
2. Invest in tactics that inspire confidence
I love this quote from Jill Konrath, author of Selling to Big Companies: "Impressive business results coupled with real-life stories are irresistible to corporate buyers." For you, that means investing in communications tactics focused on real results, based on real-life experiences: think case studies, how-to articles, reports rooted in research and other content that connects to prospects with information they value and respect.
For example: A leading provider of virtual deal rooms packaged its expertise in a "Top 10" guide it heavily promoted via mail, email, telemarketing and more. The investment in the low five figures directly led to more than $1.2 million in new business.
3. Take a do-it-yourself approach
First of all, traditional advertising and marketing agencies simply aren't prepared to create this kind of content: They don't understand it; they don't respect it; they don't know how to create it. More importantly, they're not close enough to the source material. But you are. You and your employees virtually sit on the content that really matters: true success stories, real expertise. You're in the right place to mine your knowledge ore and turn it into content gold.
For example: Faced with a perception that it served an almost exclusively white, male, and rich population, a famous business school needed to demonstrate the genuine diversity of its student body. Instead of merely saying it was diverse, the school demonstrated it by writing and posting online profiles of dozens of its students—profiles only it was in a position to create.
4. Look for stories
Stories create a dramatic context in which your business can become meaningful to customers. Successful communicators articulate desires and dangers that readers can empathize with—and which position their products or services as "heroes" that overcome obstacles and achieve desired results.
For example: How do you make automated data collection hardware interesting? One smart company has done it by telling a "life cycle" story that positions its services as a way for customers to get the most out of their investments while protecting the environment from unnecessary landfill waste. Result? A "dull" product suddenly becomes a hot commodity.
5. Teach them how
Suppose your website incorporates a content management system that allows your staff to refresh your pages rapidly. That's a great start... but what, exactly, are they going to post? Fortunately, creating great content doesn't require a poet's gift for style. Even so-called non-writers can make outstanding contributions to your marketing communications—if they're appropriately trained.
Many professional associations and independent providers offer writing training that ranges from 45-minute webinars to full-day workshops. Look for the following characteristics:
- The emphasis should be on practical, tactical techniques that your people can use immediately.
- In-person programs should emphasize guided, hands-on exercises. These exercises give participants the opportunity to practice techniques among their peers and to get direct feedback from the instructor—often the most productive part of the learning experience.
- If you're bringing the instruction in-house, you should insist on a curriculum customized to your needs. Collaborate with the instructor to design a program that focuses on the writing issues and techniques that mean most to your organization.
- Get a qualified instructor, preferably someone with a great deal of experience in marketing writing and education.
Make your own magic
For too long, businesses have been under the sway of agencies that have insisted only they have the creative magic that companies need. But the creativity that really counts—based on real experience, real results, real stories—comes from within. Bring the magic in-house. Cultivate your own talent and enjoy a new ability to connect with customers through authentic, credible communications. See Jonathan in person at the MarketingProfs B2B Forum, Driving Sales: What's New + What Works, June 9 & 10. Sign up for the event and use promo code ESPK08 to save $200 on the $1,295 registration fee (save $350 if you sign up before May 19). Catch Jonathan's session on Day Two of the "Driving Sales" event, "10 Web Content Foul-Ups—and How to Fix Them!"
