Let’s Get Personal about Your B2B Content Marketing

Posted on in Blog

In terms of business value, if all things are equal between you and the competition, are you confident that you’ll win the heart of your ideal customer?

Excuse me for sounding like a Cheap Trick, but I want you to want me. Of course it’s one thing to say that and another thing to actually make it happen.

For instance, let’s assume you’re in the market for a digital marketing agency and after some intensive research, you’ve made a short list of candidates. Let’s also assume Oneupweb is fortunate enough to be in consideration.

All things being equal (meaning, for purposes of this story, that each agency is price-competitive, offers similar services and has similar experience in your industry)—each of those things being equal, how do you make your choice?

Human nature suggests that you’ll go with the one “like” the most. It’s kind of a Head and the Heart conundrum (hey—that’s my second band reference, in case you were keeping track). The head reasons that there’s little differentiation from a business value perspective, so the heart takes over and pushes you towards a decision, favoring the one you’re most attracted to.

So let’s switch the story up and talk about you and your beautiful B2B business. Imagine your ideal customer. Now, imagine your competition. You want that customer to want you, not the others (obviously). What can you do to help make yourself more appealing?

Your marketing messaging is one place to start. If it sounds like all the others, you’ll never stand out. I like examples, so let’s look at another one. First, put yourself in the shoes of a buyer in the market for OEM auto parts supplier, then read the following sentences and decide which business you’d prefer working with:

Example A:

Established in 19XX, XYZ Auto Corporation is one of the leading suppliers of high-quality automotive parts, products, and services. We have over 40,000 customers across the nation including body shops, cargo industry business, motorcycle and repair. Our professional sales staff works tirelessly to build mutually beneficial relationships that last for years.

 

Example B:

We know it’s your job to choose a supplier you can trust so you can create a product your customers will love and feel safe driving.

Today’s autos are made up of tens of thousands of different parts. While we’re just one piece of the ultimate puzzle—we want to be your trusted source for quality. At XYZ Auto Corporation, we’ve worked hard to become one of the leading suppliers of high-quality automotive parts, products, and services—and we’ve been proving that to our customers since 19XX.     

     

The first example is very corporate—XYZ doesn’t speak to anyone in particular and it keeps the focus on them, not their consumer. In the second example, XYZ starts off by putting the consumer front-and-center. The second example isn’t perfect, but it’s an improvement and a step away from the bland, boring corporate-speak.

That’s not to say your content should never be self-congratulatory. Like most things, there’s a time and a place for that, too. It’s all in how you package it up.

Looking to learn more about how to personalize your B2B communications? Download our white paper, Business-to-Business: Bringing Sexy Back. We talk in greater detail about how personal the buying process is for your audience, 3 ways you get more personal with them and how to evoke emotional value with your products and services.




 

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