How do you make B2B content engaging?

Send an audio DM to every new company page follower to see if they have any questions or topics they'd like to see covered. Takes 10 seconds per message and can easily generate 10-20 content ideas in a 30min session.

I've done a fair amount of qualitative market research to gain specific insights into how the customer thinks about their challenges, goals, and experiences and where they go for solutions. In every instance, there was always a surprise where the client learned something new about their customers they did not expect. Just because you think you know your customers doesn't mean you know everything about them. Use qualitative research to dig in.

Having a close collaboration with the Sales Team and gather their knowledge about your customers use to be a good source for customer insights. But not only once, to make personas or a campaign. This collaboration and shared meetings need to be recurring and regulary.

? Start with a strong headline. Your headline is the first thing people will see, so it's important to make it count. Use clear, concise language that will grab their attention. ? Write in a clear and concise style. B2B buyers are busy people, so they don't have time to read through long, rambling articles. Get to the point quickly and make sure your writing is easy to understand. ? Use visuals. Visuals can help break up your text and make your content more engaging. Use charts, graphs, images, and videos to illustrate your points. ? Tell stories. People love stories, so use them to connect with your audience on a personal level. Share stories about your own experiences, your customers' experiences, or even fictional stories.

You should definitely know your audience. So talk to customer, talk to your colleagues that interacts with your customers too. Do surveys, but dont overcomplicate them. Really boil it down to what is important to know. In my experience, if you have more than 20 questions in your survey - it is likely too long. 10-13 seems to be acceptable. But do fewer if you can. Finally test out different approaches! Channels, Creatives, Messages, Insights, Events etc.

I've worked with CEOs who see over 4x reach and engagement when they tell personal stories instead of re-sharing corporatey or salesy posts on LinkedIn. Storytelling is the way to go!

I'm a big fan of the hero's journey as a storytelling technique for B2B marketing. It's an elegant way to tell the story from the customer's perspective. How did the customer conquer common or unusual challenges? This still shines a light on the company's products or services but reinforces making customers' lives easier.

It is definitely a great way to convey a message. But how can you reach the customers. In some highly specialized markets, you dont get to use modern channels, in a way that it makes sense. Then you might meet your potential customers at trade fairs and professional seminars etc. Maybe your primary channel is your sales rep colleagues. So keep in mind how you will reach the customers - that includes 'word of mouth'!

Stories and case studies are the best selling tool. They work for out of market buyers to build mental availability and for in market who are ready purchase and comparing brands. 3 B2B brands that do this well: - GE - Google - EY

Stop thinking that decision makers care and have time to read your 100 page long report, especially if it's 80% just words. Break down all long form content into shorter formats with infographics, charts, call-outs, quotes and explore interactive digital formats for reports allowing for audio and vodcasts. Make sure your writing is concise, impactful and polished while avoiding bombastic words and jargon.

My first LinkedIn post in 2020 was a massive wall of text. I've learned that posts with ample white space and one-liners are much easier to skim, making it more likely your audience reads them.

Truly interesting is how much influence one can get from constantly providing value through contents. It is not just for the purpose of marketing but also how It can help change the perspective of your target from thinking of you not just as a contact, but as a SOURCE. Becoming a source to them secures their continuous loyalty and establishes you as their go-to for value in that industry.

One thing I've found helpful when creating B2B content is balancing a brand's personality and perspective with an individual thought leader or specialist perspective.

A great tool is to 'personalize content' for the customers. You can do it for both existing customers and prospects. Depending on your market, you can either invest the time in tailoring the message 1:1, or you should standardize 'materials/kits' that are ready to use. If you chose the standard materials/kits, then make sure that you incorporate 'snippets of personalized content'. Then you only update parts of your material prior to customer engagement. Reach out if you need inspiration - because my list of ways this can be achieved is long!

Make content that is about your audience and not about you. You are more convincing when you demonstrate that you fully understand what your B2B audience is up against and can talk thoughtfully about their challenges. You will get their attention and build trust by talking about their challenges, desires, and goals and not waxing on about how great you are.

Once you've identified your audience and created content that is fit for their needs, knowing where they prefer to consume the content is vital to driving engagement. The trifecta to high engagement for each audience persona is the right content, in the right format delivered via the right channels.