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Ad hoc B2B content marketing, lost subscribers and unread emails

 “Why is it that with all the information available today on how to be successful in small business, so few people really are?”

Michael Gerber.

Consider the following scenario:

A business sends an email with a link to a white paper produced by a third-party expert.

The email produces a 31% click through rate.

A month later, the same business sends a notice about a webinar on an entirely different subject.  CTR is 19.5%, but only 6% of those register for the webinar.

The following month, the business sends out an announcement about a new product launch. It receives a 9% CTR, but only 1% view the accompanying online demo.

What’s the problem with this type of marketing?

It lacks focus and, even worse, in all likelihood it will not be relevant to prospects’ needs. Just sending whatever content comes to hand once a month does not constitute a marketing strategy. And as a result interest drops away.  

A recent survey of email recipients found that 60% of recipients who stop reading or unsubscribe from B2B emails cite ‘lack of relevance’ as the deciding factor. Whenever you’re creating content, the biggest mistake you can make is not being relevant to your audience..

Content marketing is a highly effective way of communicating with ‘difficult to reach’ audiences. But people will only continue to read what you have to say if they identify a relevant and clearly defined theme.

People want useful information that helps them build their knowledge, presents a strong business case and helps them solve their problems. Give them what they want and, rest assured, they’ll be back for more. And in the process, you’ll be perceived as a bona fide expert in your field.    

When writing a report or white paper or presenting a webinar, etc, it is important to remain objective. If your content is unduly biased in favour of your own   product’s superiority, people will quickly see through it and cease to trust what you say. Credit your prospects with some intelligence!

The key to effective B2B content is to think like your prospect, and speak to them about their concerns. By all means touch on the effectiveness of your own products, but be careful to present them in the context of a wider discussion. And definitely don’t attempt to present your product or service as the only solution to a problem (unless this is indisputably the case), because no one will believe you.

Misplaced claims of superiority never win business. Nor do they compel people to want to learn more about you.  In fact, too much ‘me, me, me’ is more likely to alienate people. When considering your content, it is best to be a humble expert offering sagely advice, educating your readers on issues that matter to them. If you want to drive home a point about the excellence of your own product, present it as a case study. This way you provide real evidence of the effectiveness of your solution without blowing your own trumpet. And one good case study is worth all the marketing puff in the world.    

And finally, a chilling assertion from management guru Peter Drucker which makes me glad I’m my own boss…

“The corporation is the ‘master’; the employee is the ‘servant’. Because the corporation owns the means of production without which the employee could not make a living. The employee needs the corporation more than vice versa.”

That’s it for now. Thanks for reading. As ever, your comments and ideas are very welcome. 

And always to a higher response!

Norman

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