Last Thursday night I attended my first Toronto B2B Event hosted by BrainRider. The session focused on B2B Marketing, featuring guest speakers Erin Braford from STR Software, Scott Moore from Motum B2B and Patrick Dean from Livingston International. I was able to break down the presentation points into two categories I found most useful: 1. Marketing B2B 101 and 2. How to use your old marketing content.
Marketing B2B 101
STR Software
We come up with ways to reach our customers, but are you successful at it? STR Software overcame this by building a “bridge” to their customers. Erin highlighted this point in her presentation by referencing a program launched by STR Software called BIP University. The program contains educational content useful for potential prospects. The best part of the program is that prospects don’t know they are being qualified. Accessing the information signals to STR Software that someone is in need of their help.
Progressive Forms
Progressive forms are an efficient way of collecting information about customers without overwhelming them with too many questions at once. Each time a user visits the site, they are asked a new question about themselves. By the time the sales team is ready to call, they know enough about the lead that they are better able to qualify the opportunity.
Don’t be Creepy
Scott from Motum B2B says “do not be creepy.” By this he meant do not email the user who viewed one of your web pages with a message detailing their step by step actions on your site. No one wants to know that their every move is being watched. Be conscious of how you’re qualifying leads.
Re-Marketing What You Already Have
Revive Underperforming Content
Instead of disregarding what did not work in the past, like white papers and blogs. Revisit that content and start to reformat. Change the title, alter the format and advance the keywords. Ensure that whatever title is being used benefits your efforts; do not use metaphoric titles because they will only confuse your readers and Google.
Extract Information
Break down your content so it is easier for people to navigate through it. Put in an introduction and conclusion and identify what is still in play and what is not. If you’re reusing a white paper from five years ago, update the content and make sure it is relevant to your customer’s needs.
Must Do’s
Use bullets and titles. No one has time to read endless pages of information. Make it short and to the point. Also include meta-content on the first page so your readers know what to expect.
Must Not’s
Don’t repurpose content that is not yours. Google algorithms are smart enough to figure it out and you will be black listed if found guilty.
Brushing up on your marketing knowledge and expertise is a great way to enhance your skills sets. You would be surprised at how much information you can get from networking events and events happening in your neighbourhood. For those interested, the next Toronto B2B Event will happen on January 26th. Sign up for our newsletter for more information.
