Buyers are the ones in control of today’s B2B business world. Digital technology has made it possible for customers to self-educate for months or even years before deciding to make a purchase.
This means that brands must find a way to establish a relationship with their target audience before ever interfacing with them directly. B2B brands, they must do so in a manner that maintains the thought leadership and expertise that B2B customers expect.
More than content is needed. Brands must first determine their target audience, what content and channels they will use to reach them, and how ROI will be measured. They risk creating content that consumes resources and doesn’t produce results.
This is how it works: In other words, B2B brands need more than content. They need a content strategy that considers the specifics of B2B selling and the buyer journey.
Take-outs
Customers own the buying process – 90% of it happens without any assistance from sales representatives.
B2B brands can earn buyer attention by using content. In the initial stages of a buyer’s journey, content builds relationships.
Content strategies give content purpose. B2B brands need to set goals and define metrics that will help them evaluate ROI.
B2B content strategies serve both internal and externe purposes. The former supports sales teams to build trust with buyers and convert sales.
The B2B Customer Journey: A Shift
Customers are independent of brands for information about products. When they reach out to start a conversation, they are often experts in their own right about the benefits and features offered by a brand solution.
The B2B sales pitch is now less about the product. Instead, it must show buyers what they need (the problem they are trying to solve). A personalized pitch should also be used that shows how the product can help them (and better than their competitors) and what the buyer should expect from the product.
Two key points are highlighted here. The first is that brands must create engaging content for buyers during the initial stages of their buying journey. This establishes a brand as a leader in the industry and helps customers remember them when they are ready to buy.
The content that sales teams use to sell products must be able to present the benefits and features of the product.
Why content is key to B2B sales
Brands can attract buyer attention by using content. The range allows brands to establish relationships with potential customers despite the change to a more autonomous buyer journey.
