Orig Post www.business2community.com | Re-Post So-Mark Consulting 1/21/16
When I brief clients and prospects on content marketing, I like to end the presentation with a quote from Trish Bertuzzi, Founder of The Bridge Group. She said, “It’s the cold that’s dead, not the calling.”
Question: What’s the number one content marketing strategy for B2B marketers? Answer: In person events! In spite of this, we absolutely need to beef up our blogs with excellent content. We also need to keep valuable information in front of our tribes with effective email campaigns and social media. The question I put in front of my clients and prospects is simple. What will people find when they look for you online?
If they don’t find good stuff, then you may never get to the in-person stage. If you start at the in-person stage and then they check you out online and find a weak presence with weak content, you’re toast. You still need to make calls. You still need to build relationships. And, you still need to close deals to be successful.
The most effective way to close a deal is to meet face to face. This whole process is much easier when you have great content and consistent activity on the web creating credibility and building your reputation in the minds of your audience. The article below from Business 2 Community talks about the importance of direct interaction with prospective clients and the impact to closing the deal. Please enjoy the article…
Jim Anthony – So-Mark Founder
“Productivity is never an accident. It is always the result of a commitment to excellence, intelligent planning, and focused effort,” Paul. J. Meyer, founder of the Success Motivation Institute
The Most Effective Content Marketing Tactic
When you think of content marketing, do online tactics come to mind—e-books, white papers, emails and more? If so, it’s not surprising. That’s where a lot of the marketing action is today.
Given our focus on all things web-related, it may come as a surprise to discover that the number one content marketing tactic is good old-fashioned in-person events. That’s according to research conducted by the Content Marketing Institute and their partners. When they asked B2B marketers what their most effective content marketing tactics were, in-person events topped the list. Seventy-five percent of survey respondents said event marketing was the most effective form of content marketing.
While in-person events are impactful, they are also a significant investment. So, how do you ensure a positive return on investment?
Plan for Success
It starts with a dose of planning. Yes, I know you’re likely already spending a lot of time on everything that’s highly visible at your events—the booth, giveaways, entertainment, food, drink and presentation. After all, you want to wow your prospects and customers and outshine your competition at the tradeshow or conference.
At many companies, event planning is all about the sizzle. But who is taking care of the steak—your plan for lead generation and turning prospects into clients?
Think about who you want your company representatives to interact with at the event. You may have some ideal prospects and key customers with whom you’d like to deepen your relationship. So don’t just hope that they stop by your booth. Be proactive. Send an invitation. How you send it is up to you. You might choose email, or to make a bigger impact, you could send a physical letter. Since so few companies are sending snail mail anymore, it may give you an advantage.