•When B2B marketers put their customers first, they’re also putting themselves in the position to succeed.
•Use your online space as an area to give your customers the information, tools, and education that they’re looking for.
•Sharing relevant and empathetic content sets you apart from the “it’s all about me” companies, the “bots will do the work for us” companies, and the “I see you as a dollar sign” companies.
In the Digital Age, we’ve learned many things about how to market ourselves, our products, and our businesses effectively. Some of it has been debated, argued, or met with confusion. Still, one thing is clear: when B2B marketers put their customers first, they’re also putting themselves in the position to succeed.
There are many ways to do this, from training your team to focus on solutions when they communicate with customers to drawing clear pictures and competitive comparisons. These are two great places to start, but the next three are even better:
Talk Less About Yourself
Forrester’s 2019 study showed that 88% of B2B marketers use their home pages to talk about their companies, products, and services more than anything else. This may seem like the way to go, but studies show that it’s far less effective than customer-focused marketing. Put the customer first. We can’t stress that enough. Use your online space as an area to give your customers the information, tools, and education that they’re looking for.
If you’re not sure what that may look like, all you have to do is ask! Tap into your current customer base when you’re creating and optimizing your brand’s messages and other content. Getting them involved in the conversation will make them feel valued and heard, and knowing how to direct your words appropriately will help you retain customers and attract new ones. Make the customer the star of the story, not your service or product.
Use Customer Success Stories to Your Advantage
Providing relevant and empathetic content and making the customer the star of the show are two significant ways to turn prospects into buyers. Now, let’s drive it home. This is your chance to highlight the customer experience; use case studies to provide real-world stories, facts, and statistics your customers can rely on.
Whether it’s superior customer service, a trial period, or another factor that sets you apart from the competition, making the distinction through customer success stories will help you show them the benefits of choosing your company over another.
Make the Content More Relevant and Empathetic
When you focus on dumping data rather than making a connection, you can come across as cold and uninterested. More than ever before, buyers are looking for content that is relevant and empathetic. They want to know how you can solve their particular problem and that you care enough to do so. And why shouldn’t they? Be specific about their pain points in every marketing attempt, content share, email blast, and LinkedIn post. Tailor them frequently, adjust and update regularly, and pay attention to the metrics to see what works.
With millions of products, services, and companies just a few keyboard strokes away, buyers have more options than they can count. One key to turning prospects into buyers is showing them that you stand out from all of these other options. Sharing relevant and empathetic content sets you apart from the “it’s all about me” companies, the “bots will do the work for us” companies, and the “I see you as a dollar sign” companies. Quality will always beat quantity, especially in B2B marketing.
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