Content marketing for B2B - how to effectively communicate to a professional audience?
Katarzyna Sarba ??
Mktg Management | Industry & tech | Market Entry ???? ???? ???? | B2B Sales support | ?? Why me? I connect engineers with business & help them to translate their solutions into B2B language! ??
Everyone wants to build strategies based on content marketing - we are all aware of the power of content, but do we know how to create it to reach the intended target?
Precisely speaking - what do we mean by "professional audience"? We are talking about highly specialized managers and specialists of various levels, very often with engineering backgrounds, to whom communicating via smooth marketing language may simply not be convincing. And what is more - not be considered reliable at all.
In the era of widely available knowledge and the possibility of its verification, we have very aware, well-educated targets. Especially those from high-tech sectors, who are by nature up to date with innovations and passionate about modern technologies, participate in seminars and training and monitor the market. So, the professional industry is well equipped with knowledge and expectations - engineers and management teams look for an argumentative and reliable partner who will provide an effective solution. Also, the data-gathering and decision-making process regarding the solution and supplier may take several months to over a year (depending on the specifics of the industry).?
All of this puts marketing more on the educational and advising role than strictly selling. At this stage content marketing gains special significance by performing an accompanying role during the customer's journey:
While paid campaigns and other advertising activities can be outsourced to the external agency, content creation ideally should be created “in-house”, by the internal departments of the company (marketing, communication or PR).? That’s the ideal solution if we really want to create "tailor-made" content for a sophisticated professional audience. However, I do not deny the benefits and principles of cooperation with agencies in this field but this topic we will discuss another time.
Can your own marketing department effectively communicate complex engineering content?
Yes, but certainly not alone, remaining apart from other departments. Nevertheless, the situation in which companies have the ability to create in-house content based on their own resources is probably the most comfortable situation. Nobody probably knows better the specifics of the company, product or service, than employees of the company, which gives an advantage to the content created inside the company, over the one prepared by the best copywriter from outside.
The problem of companies from high-tech industry is primarily the lack (or really a very small number) of agencies conducting substantive communication for their clients. Tech or engineering companies are "more difficult" clients due to their specificity and issues. Agencies simply need to put more effort into the preparation of substantive content for their client, and they do not always have the desire, or resources to take such projects on the agenda. The high turnover of agency employees, often their young age, and thus less experience also does not help in this situation.
However, keep in mind that creating in-house content through your own communications or marketing department also involves several challenges and limitations.
A very refreshing experience for marketing is the participation from time to time in meetings with clients, local visions, UX tests, or contact with R&D departments or Customer Service. Inviting the marketing department to product or technical training will also be helpful.
Creating content within a company through its own communication departments has the advantage that the communication path is much shorter, and the data collection and verification process is also more efficient and effective. We know the resources of our company best, and we know who can provide us with the information we need, easier and faster to verify doubts or questions.
What else can help while creating content?
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All this gives a massive advantage to in-house content. An external agency may not be involved so deeply and may not devote so much time to preparing your content.
But marketers in a company can also fall into the trap, especially if our company belongs to a global organization.
Common mistakes made when preparing content:
To sum up: content marketing is a long-term strategy, a fantastic tool not only for creating the company image but also for building relationships between the company and its audience. The more sophisticated audience, niche industry and complex technology, the more quality content is required. In the constant informational noise good, valuable content can also be a sign of respect for your audience.
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