Creating Demand in B2B
Draw in B2B buyers by engaging them.
What’s our point? Great content marketed well (in the right place to the right people) will create demand for products and services
This is basic: For people to want your products and services, they need to first know about what your business can do for them.
How to create demand? A defined, content strategy can help to create want (demand in marketing speak) through building awareness and leading customers to purchase. Companies who are successful at creating demand understand who their prospective customer is and what their needs are. Their content strategy aligns with their business goals and delivers solutions buyers are looking for — throughout the buying process.
Generating demand through a Demand Generation Program refers to marketing activity that is focused on building awareness and engaging customers throughout the buying process using an integrated approach to paid, owned and earned media. This must be a longer-term committed strategy to be successful. Your content needs to be easy to find, valuable and engaging to read. B2B Buyers want new ideas and fresh perspectives to help them do their jobs better or be successful in their business. A well-designed integrated B2B content plan, executed creatively and strategically will build brand awareness and increase SEO for your company.
B2B buyers are consumers.
Today’s B2B buyer acts much like any consumer, researching and evaluating using a variety of content types like reviews, unbiased reports, technical documents, white papers, 3rd party analysis, advertising, feature/benefit sales material and comparisons. All this is a combination of paid, owned and earned content.
Think about the content you generate and control what you own.
This content is most effective if it offers solutions-based information from your company or external experts. Talk about the solutions your products enable in a way that is informative, fresh,results –oriented and above all valuable. Your owned media can help establish your company as an industry leader and valuable resource. Owned media includes content like sales material, web content, blogs, social media interactions and white papers. Don’t forget to review your pricing and product information and make sure they offer what customers want to know. If your content is compelling on all fronts it can create demand and help convert prospects to customers.
Paid content like traditional or online advertising jump-starts awareness and supports your owned content. Earned content is what others say about you and can add credibility to your owned content through reviews, news coverage or referrals.
B2B buyers care about your reputation; so leverage your brand, great products, service and expertise in your content online, in your sales materials and through traditional marketing channels. In summary, to be successful at creating demand you must understand who and how your prospect’s buy. Deliver engaging content, easily accessible in a variety of formats and channels. Using a combination of paid, owned and earned media consistently will help you create demand for your products or services. (For more on the buyer’s path see a recent post )
The 5 steps for creating demand:
- Know your customers well ; who they are, how they buy, their pain points
- Treat your content as a very valuable asset – make sure it is great!
- Promote and make your content easy to find, on your website and other marketing channels
- Write from the perspective of your reader – make it about their benefit
- Utilizing a combination of paid and owned will lead to earned media
Any points to add? Feel free to comment.
