Doubling Down on Content in 2022
Here is a typical scenario that is still happening today.
Scenario - A software buyer sees a piece of gated content about a topic she is interested in on LinkedIn. She adds her details to receive the content (a book, video, white paper etc.)
She receives this and reads with interest.
Sales count this as a lead.
2 days later she receives an email from sales thanking her for the download and could she choose a date from the sales calendar schedule to ‘discuss her requirements…’?
She has no intention of doing this.
A day later she receives a call from the sales team. She ignores the call. Calls and emails persist.
Sales are ghosted.
Result - the brand is tainted, the lead is wasted and a future prospect is probably lost. Sales say marketing’s not working.
The cycle continues hoping something will change. Sound familiar?
The B2B buyer market
We've passed the halfway point of 2022.
The recent LinkedIn Global State of Sales 2022 Report stated, "About 1/3 of sellers (31%) say that they have 'closed' deals over $500,000 without ever meeting the buyer face to face..."? This number is up on the previous year and is more than likely to grow.
These are 'closed' deals. Not inquiries, prospects, or marketing qualified leads (MQLs).?
Though this number may surprise a few, Google has been saying this for years through their search data, that over half of B2B buyers make up their minds before talking to a company.
The buyer-seller gap
There is so much buyer apathy when delving into some of the data. It is clear to see that a lot of this is driven by the way B2B buyers move along their journey.
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The knock-on effect of the Pandemic has caused changes in the buying pattern, alongside the likes of the B2B Omnichannel and deeper research by buyers.
It is clear that since the consumer market has changed, and people are comfortable buying large ticket numbers without having to consult a salesperson - think luxury goods, cars etc., so too has the business buyer.?
Though many buyers still prefer human contact, there is a huge upside to educating and building relationships.
Stuck in old ways
If buyers are behaving in this way, why are organisations selling their services, failing to address the needs of buyers?
Sadly, a lot of thinking about B2B sales is dated and those running various departments are stuck in outmoded processes.
Not all the information that sales and marketing are looking for is in the CRM or Analytics. The world has moved on.
A brave new world
Content is driving conversation.
From podcasts to video, from forums to small speaker engagements at events - all of these, when done properly are nurturing the buyer and treating them like a proper potential customer - not a line item on a spreadsheet.
There is a simple reason for this and I’ve been saying it for years — The 95:5 rule
From marketing week:
Our new research with Professor John Dawes of the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute. According to Dawes, only 5% of B2B buyers are in-market to buy right now.?
That means 95% of the buyers that you reach are out-of-market and won’t buy for months or even years. And, contrary to popular belief, you cannot persuade the buyer to go in-market because they already have what you’re selling and won’t need a newer version any time soon.
In conclusion, producing and distributing relevant rich content, omnichannel activity and listening to the needs of the target market in combination can help better, deeper results over time.?
Simone Divakova this supports what you were saying about content last week.
Story-teller+Film Maker : Crafting Impactful Stories Made into Movies You will Love !
2 年Thanks for the analysis Reggie. In all transactions between people, timing and perseverance are key along with presenting something inspiring on the business side but with a conscientious human touch. ??? ??
CEO & Co-Founder | B2B Tech Specialist | Content Strategist | Business Growth | GTM Strategist |
2 年Agree with all the points made here. If someone is in the market to buy, but has never heard of you or engaged with your content the chances are it's probably too late! Lead nurture is great for staying in mind but also being associated with helping them to address their pain points. Content is more important than ever but with the overload we're all experiencing, enabling them to find and engage with it easily and self serve additional relevant information when they are hungry for it is what will set us apart!
Lead Strategic Consultant at Digital Clarity
2 年My favourite line: "She has no intention of doing this." - this is so true. In fact, I would argue that to get someone to read what they download is the first step. With so many distractions, I am guilty of downloading e-books or guides with the intention of reading them - then never open them. This does not mean I am not interested in the content, nor does it mean I am not likely to buy that product or service in the future - however if I am too busy to read something I had full intent on reading, an email follow up for a meeting or call is not going to hit the spot! When a user is ready, they will buy. It's the marketers job to make sure when they are ready to buy - they already know... WHY TO CHOOSE YOU!
Marketing Director | +10 Years | GTM, Brand, Sales Activations | Multilingual Strategist Driving Results with Data-Driven Marketing, Customer Focus & Team Leadership ????
2 年On the edge of my seat…. wondering at what point the email nurturing and lead scoring comes in to the equation??? ??