B2B Marketers: Are You Listening, or Just Talking?

We all probably know at least one person who can’t seem to stop talking. In my case, that person happens to be my youngest daughter. She talks all day long, while watching tv, while we are driving and while I’m on the phone, regardless of who is listening.

When children behave this way, we view it with a sense of humor and take it as a sign of their precociousness. After all, children still have much to learn in terms of social skills.

B2B marketers, being the adults that they are, have no such excuse. But this same kind of behavior takes place.

In the world of B2B marketing, there’s still some carry over from the old-school, advertising-focused interruption model of yesteryear. Some marketers are still bombarding their prospects with loud, disruptive advertisements that they would rather ignore than engage with. But this one-sided marketing is just unwanted noise.

Whether you are launching your next content marketing campaign or rewriting your entire website, there’s one thing you must do first: listen. Companies that want to engage their readers and increase their influence should be listening to existing customers.

Why should you listen to customers before writing your B2B content marketing?

1. They have problems you may not be aware of. It’s hard to know what someone’s pain points are without really listening. Sometimes we focus on crafting our brand or selling our products without taking the time to really hear what our customers’ problems are and be flexible enough to find out how we’re already solving them, or how we might offer a new solution.
2. They use language you might not be using. When building a business, it’s easy to get caught up in what you know and your product. What sounds like straightforward messaging to you can come off as clunky, technical and salesy, and subtle changes in wording can make a big difference. Not sure if your message is resonating with your customer? Try asking them. Have a conversation and find out how they describe your product and how they use it.
3. They have direct experience with content marketing from other companies. As a B2B company, you may keep track of what the competition is doing, but do you relate to it on a personal level? Even more importantly, does your customer relate to it? Ask your customers what they are reading and hearing from other companies that resonates with them and then take steps to connect your marketing message with your reader.

While it may seem like you are inconveniencing your customer, chances are they will be happy to share their opinions with you. Even better, you will have the opportunity to connect on a more personal level and show your B2B customers that you care about their business. And when you take what you’ve learned and incorporate it into your new marketing content, you’ll know that your message isn’t just noise in the wind.

Give us a call today at 970-581-1752 or email info@3aspensmedia.com for a free consultation on how content can support your growth strategy.