by Fronetics | May 22, 2017 | Blog, Content Marketing, Marketing, Social Media
B2B enterprises with 1000+ employees face unique content marketing challenges that can hinder a program’s overall success.
Bigger isn’t always better. Or, maybe I should say, bigger companies don’t always have it easy.
Big marketing budgets and a big marketing staff have their perks — but they also have their share of challenges. The Content Marketing Institute’s 2017 B2B Enterprise Content Marketing Report, which surveys B2B companies with over 1,000 employees (enterprise marketers), brings many of these issues to light.
The challenges these enterprises face, of course, are quite different from those of their small- and mid-sized counterparts. Here are some of the top differences:
- 72% of B2B marketers agree that their organization is focused more on building long-term relationships than getting quick results. Only 58% of B2B enterprise marketers agree with that statement.
- 52% of B2B marketers agree that their leadership team gives ample time to produce content marketing results (which typically take longer than other marketing approaches). Only 38% of B2B enterprise employees agree that leadership supports their longer efforts.
- 69% of B2B marketers agree that their organization is almost always or frequently focused on creating content for an audience, instead of their brand. 47% of B2B enterprise marketers feel their focus on the brand.
Pressure to produce results quickly is a death sentence for content marketing. And being forced to create content for a brand, rather than a specific audience, can be detrimental to content marketing results. Yes, challenges facing these enterprise marketers are often as large as the companies for which they work.
Let’s take a look at some of the reasons why that is, and a few solutions for solving them.
3 enterprise-level content marketing challenges
1) Organization
While the CMI Report found that 88% of B2B enterprise companies are using content marketing, a mere 2% felt their content marketing strategy was “sophisticated.” Organization might have something to do with that.
Most enterprise organizations have staff that are responsible for multiple brands and product lines throughout the company. Their time is split developing strategies for different marketing programs. Smaller operations, on the other hand, can focus on a single brand, devoting time to developing and implementing a comprehensive strategy that the team can live and breathe — instead of toggling back and forth between programs all day long.
Solution: Outsourcing can be an enterprise’s best friend. A third-party vendor can dedicate itself fully to creating a content marketing strategy that best fits individual products or brands. And the vendor can even drive the strategy, if the enterprise’s resources are so taxed. Check out these 13 stats about outsourcing content marketing to learn more.
2) Clarity
It’s difficult to deem a program effective if there is no clear vision of success looks like. Yet, almost half (45%) of B2B enterprise companies feel their organizations lack clarity for benchmarking success. You can see the problem there.
Oftentimes, especially in larger organizations, the C-suite has a very different idea about what makes a content marketing program successful (i.e., leads and sales), whereas the marketers developing the strategy know that other benefits (e.g., increased brand awareness, social reach) have long-term value.
Solution: Education is key here. For one, set realistic expectations about the length of time it will take to generate tangible results from your content marketing program. Further, marketers need to learn to speak their bosses’ language when it comes to winning support for content marketing. They should regularly report on all progress to show how, over time, “smaller” victories (like growing social media engagement) translates to leads and sales. Check out our Monthly Marketing Reporting Template for some ideas.
3) Content Distribution
As more organizations recognize the benefits of content marketing, they’re ramping up production of content. In fact, 63% of survey enterprise-level respondents reported increasing the amount of content they produce from 2016. That’s great, but — the question is — does more content definitely equal better results?
The answer is not necessarily. Content distribution plays a huge role in getting the most out of what you’re producing. And here’s where the enterprise-level marketing problem lies: 94% of B2B enterprises are using email as their main distribution channel.
I’ve written before about how organizations spend too much time creating marketing emails. I believe organizations tend to stick with this content distribution channel because they see immediate results in the form of open rates and click-throughs. But the reality is that these companies are trying to squeeze water from the same well over and over again. At some point, they’re going to run out.
Solution: Don’t get me wrong: Email marketing is an important component of a well-rounded content distribution strategy. But so are publishing on social media and blogging (on your website and others!). These distribution channels help you reach new prospects who are searching for products and services like yours. Make sure your content distribution strategy includes a variety of platforms instead of just relying on one (like email) or just a few.
It is important to note that there are many B2B enterprise organizations that have highly successful content marketing strategies. Companies like Cisco and Boeing, who are committed to content marketing, have created ways to define what a successful content marketing program looks like and to effectively measure content marketing ROI.
The differences between B2B enterprise content marketing and B2B content marketing overall are tangible but not defining. These larger organizations have the ability to make changes that can redefine their content marketing programs and open the door to endless opportunities.
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by Fronetics | May 3, 2017 | Blog, Content Marketing, Logistics, Marketing, Social Media, Supply Chain
There’s never been a better time for supply chain and logistics businesses to implement a content marketing strategy — except for maybe yesterday.
Content marketing is a form of inbound marketing in which vendors publish digital content to attract customers who are searching for products and services like theirs. If done right, it is highly effective in growing brand awareness, generating and converting leads, and driving sales and repeat business.
Think content marketing isn’t for supply chain and logistics businesses? Guess again. Here are five reasons why companies in these industries should use content marketing.
5 reasons to use content marketing
1. Buyers use content to make purchasing decisions.
The B2B buying landscape has shifted dramatically in the last 10 years. Buyers no longer rely on sales reps to make purchasing decisions; they turn to the internet. Companies must shift to accommodate buyers at various levels of self-sufficiency in the purchasing process.
The reality is that 94% of B2B buyers use online research. That means they’re judging whether or not to buy from your business based on the kind of digital content you publish (or do not publish, as the case may be). Consider these stats:
- 95% of B2B buyers are willing to consider vendor-related content as trustworthy.
- 51% more B2B buyers rely on content to make purchasing decisions than they did last year.
- 47% of B2B buyers consume 3 to 5 pieces of content before engaging with a sales person.
2. Control the conversation in your favor.
Customers go online to discuss their buying experiences — both positive and negative. If a potential buyer googles your business’ name, what will they find?
Content marketing puts you in the driver’s seat of reputation control. If you publish thought-provoking blog posts about industry trends, you can earn a reputation as a thought leader in the space. If you curate the latest articles about relevant happenings, people will begin to view your social media accounts as a resource for industry news. Be professional, quirky, clever, ahead of your time, youthful, wise, funny, off-color — whatever your brand is, you can set that reputation by what you publish online.
3. Present yourself as a solution.
When prospects go online they are looking for information and for answers. Position yourself as an expert who fully understands their problems and how to solve them by publishing content that anticipates their pain points. Quickly and fully respond to customer queries on social media. Use content marketing as an opportunity to be the solution prospects are looking for, right when they need it most.
4. Content marketing is more effective than traditional marketing.
Companies in the supply chain and logistics space have a lot to gain by modernizing their marketing tactics. We see this every day with our clients. With the evolving B2B buying landscape, ads in industry publications no longer cut it as a “marketing strategy.”
Take two examples under consideration. How about TotalTrax, a warehousing technology company that grew new business by 30% with content marketing? Or 3PL Cerasis, who gained 98 customers from its content marketing efforts? Content marketing works, and that’s been proven time and again with logistics and supply chain businesses.
5. Your competitors are doing it.
Content marketing is already a widespread practice within the supply chain and logistics industries. If you’re not producing content to attract prospects and retain customers, you’re missing out.
This year, 75% of marketers are increasing their investments in content marketing. Why? Because it works. Successful content marketers experience drastically more site growth than their competitors. In fact, content marketing leaders experience 7.8 times more site traffic than their competitors.
In sum, content = customers. If you’re not using content marketing as part of your marketing program, you’re going to get left behind, if you’re not already.
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by Fronetics | Mar 20, 2017 | Blog, Content Marketing, Marketing
If you want to connect with your target audience, make storytelling a part of your content strategy.
If you want content marketing to make a big impact on your business, your audience needs to connect with your content. You need to engage them. You need to grab them emotionally and intellectually. You need to get them thinking.
The best content feels like a great story. That’s because stories do all those things and more.
Content that reads like a great story will facilitate engagement and brand loyalty with your audience, which, in turn, will lead to content marketing success. Here are some tips to incorporate storytelling into your content strategy.
Make your brand tangible to your audience.
Statistics and graphics have their time and place. But real people and real experiences are the best way to connect with your audience on a deeper level. Tell real stories — how a customer benefitted from your product, for example — to get your audience to understand what your company can do for them.
When you engage readers and get them involved in your story, you create long-lasting customer relationships. Storytelling makes them form an emotional bond with your company, which drives brand loyalty.
Greg Hadden, executive creative director of Motive Made Studios, sums up the power of this strategy: “What often gets lost is the fact that good storytelling is potent stuff. It has the power to make people want to believe and to belong, which is the goal of all storytellers. We’re all selling something, be it an idea, an exploration of the human condition, or say, a vacuum cleaner. It’s no mistake perhaps that good stories often create products.”
Humanize your content.
Yes, at the end of the day, we’re all selling something. But your content should not be a sales pitch — it should speak to your audience rather than at them. It should connect with them on a human level.
Your content should represent what you do, what your customers stand to gain, and how you are making life better for your customers and those around you. It should convey genuine enthusiasm for your work.
One of the best ways to tap into this enthusiasm is by thinking about what your company stands for and building content around those principles. Is sustainability at the core of your mission? Does your company pride itself on improving customers’ productivity and efficiency? These are messages that can humanize your brand — and that your audience can believe in and relate to.
Whole Foods is an exceptional example of a company using content to connect with its audience and establish itself as a lifestyle brand focused on healthy eating and living. It curates content, for example, about how to save money while still eating healthily. While not directly related to its products, this kind of content understands the needs of the target audience interested in Whole Foods’ products. Further, its content conveys the company’s passion for earth-conscious living and uses proactive language to allow readers to feel like they have an active role in that mission.
Successful content begins with connection. The more you can walk the line between telling a story and promoting your brand, the more connections you’ll make. Start by being yourself and talking about what drives you in your content. The stories you share will be authentic and tangible to the target consumer who is interested in what you have to offer.
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by Fronetics | Feb 22, 2017 | Blog, Content Marketing, Marketing, Strategy
Follow these 4 steps to learn how to build a successful DIY content marketing strategy that will help grow your business.
Are you trying to create a content marketing strategy, but don’t know where to begin? Even the language around content marketing can seem foreign to newcomers. That’s why Fronetics created its guide, How to Grow Your Business with Content (download below) — to make creating a content marketing strategy possible for the DIYer in your company.
Setting your content marketing strategy is a crucial first step in trying to reach your target audience. Before you begin writing blogs and posting tweets, you need to set goals. A content marketing strategy outlines the methods by which you will target, reach, and engage your audience. Here are four steps, outlined in the guide, to creating a successful foundation to your content marketing strategy.
Steps to building a content marketing strategy
1. Identify your target audience and buyer persona(s)
Knowing who your ideal customer is allows you to create content that is informative, educational, and entertaining to that specific person. Trying to write compelling content for an unidentified audience is like taking a shot in the dark. The more detailed you can be with your buyer persona(s), the more specific and effective your content can become.
2. Define goals and objectives
Your content goals should be a direct reflection of your business goals. What do you want your content marketing efforts to accomplish for your company? The top marketing goals for content marketers in 2016 included converting contacts/leads to customers, growing website traffic, and increasing revenue derived from existing customers. Make sure you include short-term and long-term goals and that you frequently refer back to these goals to make sure your strategy is on track.
3. Developing and distributing content
Once you have identified your audience and defined your content goals, you can begin to educate yourself about the distribution platforms that will work best for your business. Let’s face it: Social media is not a one-size-fits-all solution. It’s imperative you know not only what to post but where to post it.
There are lots of great resources to help you optimize your content marketing presence. You can individualize your outreach so your blog posts are reaching one target audience, while your tweets are capturing another.
4. Put your knowledge to work
Once you have worked through the initial steps of planning a successful content marketing strategy, the real fun begins. It’s time to start pushing valuable, effective content out to consumers. If you’ve spent the time and effort up front to really thing through your strategy, you’ll reap the rewards in good time. Just remember that your strategy should be fluid, and you should be able to adjust your plans as you move forward and find what is working and what isn’t.
Pulling together a content marketing strategy for your B2B business can seem overwhelming. But having the right tools to support you can make all the difference. Download Fronetics’ easy-to-follow, step-by-step guide How to Grow Your Business with Content below to take the leap to a successful DIY content marketing strategy today.
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by Fronetics | Feb 7, 2017 | Blog, Content Marketing, Manufacturing & Distribution, Marketing, Supply Chain
Here are four key takeaways from the manufacturing content marketing report.
The Content Marketing Institute (CMI) has released the results of its annual manufacturing content marketing survey, and there have been some big changes since last year.
Like many businesses in the logistics and supply chain industries, manufacturing companies have been slow to adopt modern marketing principles. Many are hesitant to undertake a content marketing program, whether from lack of time or lack of knowledge about how it works and the benefits.
But that is beginning to change. Manufacturing companies are realizing how much there is to gain from inbound marketing strategies. They’re practicing content marketing, and it’s paying off. In fact, CMI has been conducting the survey among manufacturing operations for the last four years, and never before have the results indicated such progress.
We’ve summarized four of the things you need to know.
4 takeaways from the CMI manufacturing content marketing report
1. Marketers are improving at content creation.
Compared to one year ago, 59% of manufacturing marketers report more success with content marketing for their organizations. A whopping 82% of that group credits this increased success with improved content creation. This means that marketing professionals are getting more efficient at producing higher-quality content.
Related resource: Check out our guide on writing good content.
2. A documented strategy gets results.
This year’s study showed a 72% increase in companies’ documenting their content marketing strategy. Documenting your strategy allows you to set goals, identify benchmarks, and follow through on your objectives. It’s also easier for your organization to come together with a unified, well-rounded marketing and sales strategy.
Related resource: Start crafting your strategy with our content strategy template.
3. Content marketing is becoming a greater priority.
It may seem obvious, but for greater content marketing success, your business must prioritize your content marketing efforts. Of marketing managers who reported increased success last year, 62% credit putting content marketing higher on their priority list. This means communicating with leadership to ensure ample time to produce quality content.
Related resource: Show your bosses these 6 marketing metrics they really care about.
4. Manufacturing marketers are becoming more seasoned with content marketing.
The manufacturing world is gaining experience with content marketing. According to CMI’s survey, more than half (56%) of respondents report that their organizations’ content marketing maturity level is either sophisticated, mature, or adolescent — as opposed to young or “first steps.” That’s an 8% jump from last year. Gaining experience creating, documenting, and implementing a strategy is what ultimately allows marketers to determine what works for their business — and to see sustainable success.
Related resource: See how companies in the logistics and supply chain industries are using content marketing.
Going forward
CMI identified some areas for improvement for manufacturing marketers. Consider these recommendations as goals for your business as 2017 progresses:
- Fully commit to content marketing. It’s time to go all in.
- Focus on clarity in setting goals and documenting results.
- Have a real vision of what success means for your business.
Manufacturing operations have come a long way in the past year with content marketing. As the supply chain industry gets more and more comfortable with this kind of marketing, the possibilities for business development continue to grow.
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