A company’s brand plays a vital role in the long-term success of any business entity. It is more than a product catalog, a logo and color scheme. A brand represents the totality of who the company is as an organization and the values it communicates to and shares with its stakeholders. In the simplest terms, a brand is what customers and prospects think of when they hear a company name.
User-generated content (UGC) is defined as any type of content created by users of an online platform, whether they are individual consumers or business representatives. This type of content results in others promoting your brand rather than your brand promoting itself. Content can range from product images, blogs, tweets, videos, reviews and other social media posts.
The B2B marketplace has changed significantly since digital, internet-based communication has become king. With the vast number of interactions occurring digitally, often we’re interacting with prospects and customers before we know it. In fact, most B2B buyers are already 57% of the way through the buying process before they meet with a representative. To better connect early on, it’s important to have a clear understanding of the buyer personas, or the profile and characteristics of your target audiences.
White papers and ebooks are among the most popular formats of content marketing. While both add value, ask yourself these three key questions to help determine when to use one as opposed to the other.
Understanding the needs and market research challenges of your target market is vital to the long-term success of any business. Logically, that knowledge should come from facts, not fiction and be based on extensive research and the careful analysis of the data collected. But market research is only effective when utilized in context and via informed and proven processes.
Last month, I was interviewed by Bob Pritchard, host of The Bob Pritchard Radio Show, the number one business radio show in the world for entrepreneurs and business executives. This weekly show is broadcasted on VoiceAmerica Talk Radio Network, the leading producer, distributor, and online broadcaster of original live and on demand talk radio programming worldwide. The show is listened to by millions and is heard in more than 140 countries.
For decades, B2B marketing techniques relied on the same basic principles as consumer marketing. But over the last 20 years, B2B marketing has gone through an evolution and emerged as its own discipline with unique strategies, practices and metrics of success. The way marketing and business has changed over the years mimics the ways our values change as a society. If we compare the two, we discover greater insights into why we make the purchase decisions we do.
While marketing trends continue to tap into ongoing advances in technology, email marketing— especially newsletters—is still an essential component of effective B2B marketing plans. In fact 93% of B2B marketers use email to distribute content. Additionally, 86% of professionals prefer to use email when communicating about business matters.
The widespread reach of the internet, growing global markets, and an educated, entrepreneurial workforce mean competition is fierce and constantly on the rise. That requires companies to create a meaningful corporate differential and focus on how they deliver on that promise in the marketplace. Here is a list of nine essentials to help accomplish that goal.
A solid marketing strategy requires effective decision making. Time, planning, expertise, budget and resources will impact your plan before it’s executed. With so many influences and decisions to make, avoiding missteps along the way is crucial. However, some mistakes aren’t so cut and dry. Here are some of the most common B2B content marketing mistakes and some tips for avoiding them.
As marketers, nothing is more important than interacting with your target market. We’ve discussed ways to identify, interact with and grow a specified target market and communicate with an interactive audience, but the next step, segmenting the audience, is just as important. Segmentation ensures your content and outreach are relevant to your prospects and clients.
As marketing professionals, we need stay on top of trends, news and industry insights to maintain a competitive edge. Yet, it can be hard to find the time needed to consume all the relevant content that crosses our paths. Enter podcasts, also known as digital, conversation-based series. They are the new form of talk radio.
When we think of “gamers” we often picture teenagers, headphone-clad in a dim room, palming a controller for hours on end. According to a 2017 study, however, 64% of the general US population consider themselves “gamers.” Video game technology and usage have grown exponentially since its inception in the 1970s. As a result, video game technology has infiltrated sectors far beyond the entertainment industry.
According to Hubspot, a white paper is “a persuasive, authoritative, in-depth report on a specific topic that presents a problem and provides a solution.” In the B2B marketplace, white papers are among the greatest utilized marketing tools. In fact, 70% of B2B companies rank white papers as one of the most effective forms of marketing content above videos, blogs, newsletters and online presentations.
Editorial coverage helps you increase marketplace visibility, develop a competitive edge and become a recognized leader in your industry. Here are some simple ways to leverage your published articles into additional exposure, extending the lifespan of the piece and reaching a wider audience.
Marketing is a rapidly changing and evolving discipline. New technologies, social and behavioral norms, digital marketplaces, business trends, global and cultural influences and communication methods change almost every day. Yet, we expect marketers to not only keep up with the pace, but also count on them to be experts too. While this is a tall order, it is possible to develop high-performing, agile marketing departments.
No business can be all things to all people. The more narrowly you can define your target market, the better. This process is known as creating a niche and is a key to success for businesses of all sizes. Niche marketing concentrates marketing efforts on a specific and well-defined segment of the population—the ones whose profiles most closely match your existing customers’ needs.
In today’s digital marketplace, a well-thought-out and integrated social media marketing strategy is essential for most companies. Social media is a powerful way for businesses of all sizes to reach prospects and customers. When starting out, it can be a challenge to develop a social media audience who will engage with and respond to your content and brand. To make it easier, we’ve compiled 20 tips to launch your strategy.
Not long ago, prospects and customers were a more homogenous group, often located in the communities and surrounding areas in which they lived and worked. Today, with the advances in technology and the growth of a multicultural population, companies are expanding their marketing outreach dramatically, both in terms of geography and customer profiles (including age, gender, race and socioeconomic background).
Search engines are fast becoming the preferred mode of delivering information to consumers of all types and ages. In fact, only 29% of people want to talk to a salesperson to learn more about a product, while 62% will consult a search engine. That’s why as marketers, we need to harness the power of search engines and boost our knowledge and understanding of SEO terms and their significance.
Customer service excellence is an initiative that most companies strive to achieve. The first step is to convert prospects into customers. One way to accomplish this goal is by delivering relevant, customer-centric content at every stage of the prospect’s journey.
Before content marketing emerged as the powerful marketing tool it is today, traditional marketing outreach focused on promotions, product features and self-serving messaging. With the growth of the internet, a global marketplace, digital marketing and social media, companies have transformed the way they communicate with prospects and customers. Today 90% of marketers put customers’ informational needs first. They recognize delivering informative, engaging and even entertaining messages to customers and prospects through a variety of communication channels is essential to capturing their hearts, minds and pocketbook. That’s where market research comes into play.
Successful marketing doesn’t happen on its own. To get results, you need a written plan. Without one, companies fall prey to trial-and-error or end-to-end marketing. This guarantees companies will spend more time, money and energy than necessary. It may seem obvious, yet only 32% of B2B marketers state they have a documented marketing strategy.
The traditional 9-5 workplace is becoming less common. Remote office technology has taken down the office walls. According to a recent study, 70% of people work remotely at least once a week. For millennials, flexible work hours and business days are essential, and 64% of the younger generation say they are willing to quit their job if it lacks flexibility. With the traditional office structures diminishing, how do we ensure productivity as employers and individuals in remote workplaces?
