Recently, “Bob,” a B2B marketer asked a question in one of my online marketing communities.
He wanted to know if anyone was using a particular marketing tactic in the corporate world – like sending daily emails. I reached out to him in a private message and we ended up having a very productive chat.
He also echoed one of my biggest frustrations with B2B marketing.
Bob said this about his company: “They wanted me to help write some info copy for the packets we mailed out with policies. They wanted the “trusted advisor” voice and ‘we’ve been in biz for 40 years’ and ‘we’re a full service agency.’ Plus we offer ‘service over price.’ Blah, blah, blah.
I told them to go to a competitor’s website and cut and paste. We’re saying the same thing as everybody else. We’re not showing insight into our clients’ desires. We’re not showing the surprising differences we have as a small biz ourselves.”
Differentiators, folks. It’s what’s for dinner.
Marketing Stuck In Mud
Reminded me of a past client who was marketing very high-ticket service packages to enterprises.
This company was huge and growing. But they were still stuck in the same marketing muck most B2B companies employ.
I was hired to write copy for a sales brochure. It was aimed at the C-level suite. And I had a buyer persona that truly identified some of their deeper pain points.
The pressure these men and women have is no small matter. They’ve got a lot of people to manage and usually a board breathing down their necks.
But a big pain point?
Fear of not being in control. Being unsure of how to measure success.
So I first addressed those pain points and then tied it to the company’s solution.
This is a basic copywriting strategy – focus first on the pain of your buyer, then talk to them about a solution.
A popular (and effective) formula is this: PAS. It stands for “Pain, Agitate, Solve.”
Find whatever that pain point is for your buyer, stir it up so they really feel that pain and realize what’s at stake if they don’t change.
Then solve the problem with your product or service.
So I did this, only to have my client come back and say, “Yeah… what you did with the product page? It really should be all about us.” He wanted to go back to the old marketing muck that about 97% of B2B companies do when faced with selling their services.
Drives. Me. NUTS.
Why B2B Marketing Needs to Change
THIS is why most B2B marketing sucks.
This is why most professionals receive a brochure, or an email, or read website copy and YAWN.
And this is why most B2B marketing doesn’t make a freakin’ impression… on anyone.
Get to know your target market.
Hang out where they hang out. Listen to their conversations. Ask them about their frustrations.
I will guarantee you that you’re not going to hear, “My company is seeking a trusted partner who will offer best-of-breed solutions that will allow us to position ourselves as the premier solution in the XYZ industry.”
No.
What you’ll hear is: “I know we’ve got to search for someone new but I just don’t have the time to deal with it. Meanwhile, my wife is about ready to divorce me because I can’t get home before 8:00 PM most nights and my little girl is wondering if some alien kidnapped her daddy.”
Or something like that.
B2B companies are not a monolithic entity. They’re made up of real people with real problems.
They get frustrated and often feel as though their jobs are meaningless.
Then they go home and binge-watch “House of Cards” or the latest season of “Daredevil” to escape it all.
So don’t wallow in B2B marketing muck. Figure out what is really ticking off your buyer.
Then use that knowledge relentlessly with your marketing – especially email marketing.
My Firestarter Marketing Packages are a great way to do this. Especially the Squeeze Pack.
You need a way to grab the attention of website visitor and persuade them to give you their contact information. Then consistently follow up.
Done the right way, you’ll have a loyal customer.
But done the wrong way (like 97% of B2B companies), you’ll be the written equivalent of Nyquil sitting on their night table.
Stir it up this week!
Yours for waking up your market in BIG ways…
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