The WOMMA Word » WOM B2B

SXSWi Can’t Miss List

Pat McCarthy — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 18:16:39 +0000

It’s the beginning of March, which means it’s high time for SXSWi session suggestions. We found some good ones based on what you want to learn:

How to be Strategically Unlikeable Online

Mon., March 12 9:30 AM

This should explain it…

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Being Likable

Sat,. March 10, 11:30 AM

Dave Kerpen of longtime WOMMA member, Likeable Media, discusses a social strategy based on likeability.

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The State of Social Marketing

Sun., March 11 9:30 AM

A panel that examines social marketing from all angles. Speakers are from Eloqua, JESS3 (both WOMMA members), The Next Web and Unified.

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Pinterest Explained: Q&A with Co-Founder Ben Silbermann

Tues., March 13 11:00 AM

This session will sell out. Get there early. That is all.

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For more on SXSWi suggestions, check out Eloqua for B2B sessions; the Influential Marketing Blog for influence sessions; and David Binkowski for social tips.

Creating Content that Sells

Pat McCarthy — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 18:21:53 +0000

Two slidedecks today on content marketing, a big focus for WOMMA in 2012. Both focus on creating the right content at the right part of the sales process, whether it’s for B2B or B2C.

The Suspects and Prospects B2B Content

The first comes from Eloqua, with design by JESS3. They found that at the wide, ever-reaching end of the sales funnel, you have Suspects. These people are best reached through broad and free content like blogs, social networks and partner sites. Done correctly, Suspects become Prospects.

Prospects are further down the sales funnel. They’ve given some personal information in exchange for more content. This means they think you have what they need. Prove it to them with more focused content like eBooks, webinars, and chapters from physical books.

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Step 4 is “Create Shareable Content”

Steven van Belleghem of InSites Consulting created the Six-Step Content Marketing Model. The steps are:

Topic selection
Content conversion strategy
Editorial content planning
Create shareable content
Manage content conversation
Measure success

Content creation often catches people by surprise. It’s a longer process than expected. Following a calendar, keeping subjects focused, and engaging those who consume the content will make the actual content convert more.

45% of B2B Companies Developing Mobile Apps

Pat McCarthy — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 18:15:51 +0000

Apps have exploded over the last few years. Early on, lots of independent apps started as stand-alone companies. Due to their success, B2C brands caught on. And recent research from Antenna Software found that B2B companies are joining in.

38% of UK firms are developing mobile websites
45% in the U.S.

And the mobile sites and apps aren’t just for customers.

34% of UK firms are making apps for their employees
47% in the U.S.

Key Takeaway: B2B may be a bit behind, but their catching up fast. Think about how your company could solve a problem with apps and mobile sites.

(Insider tip: Don’t create a problem to solve. It won’t work and you’ll just waste time and resources.)

Read more about the study at The Guardian

B2B Salivates over Content Marketing

Pat McCarthy — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 18:11:06 +0000

60% of B2B marketers plan to spend more on content marketing in the next twelve months. Content as a marketing tool grew widely throughout the last year and has produced some winning brand strategies.

Mint.com, for instance, focused on becoming a financial information resource through their blog. Their expertise led people to try, use, then share their financial tracking app. American Express did something similar by creating OpenForum.com, a site that draws users to their financial services through relevant business articles.

Key Takeaway: B2B has a long sales cycle. Building trust in the marketplace relies heavily on expertise. Creating content that proves your company’s worth will draw more eyes to your services and, more importantly, qualified leads to your doorstep.

See the full infographic at eConsultancy

15 Easy Fixes to B2B Blogs

Pat McCarthy — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 18:10:03 +0000

It’s one thing to start a B2B blog. The work really begins when creating and promoting the content. Done correctly, a blog can generate a lot of leads. Consider this:

Hubspot recently released an eBook that offers easy fixes to common blog problems. Among their tips were:

1. Too Much Promotion – You like leads, but your reader wants to learn. Post content that shows your expertise. People like to hire experts, not relentless self-promoters.

2. Publishing Infrequently/Inconsistently – Pick a schedule and stick to it. People expect a regular frequency for blogs. You don’t have to post every day. Just stay on top of it.

3. Failing to Cross Promote – If you have a blog, you probably have a Facebook page and Twitter account. Share your new posts to cross pollinate your audiences. It will strengthen engagement and reduce the amount of time spent on generating content.

Download the full eBook from HubSpot

10 Ways to “Solve” Facebook for B2B

Pat McCarthy — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 18:35:49 +0000

Let’s face it, Oreo and Coke have it easy when it comes to Facebook. Their community is huge because their price point is low and they have millions of customers. But B2B companies have a much harder nut to crack.

Eloqua, with the aid of JESS3 and PageLever, developed a great presentation deck for B2B marketers who yearn for vibrant Facebook engagement.

Read more about their findings at It’s All About Revenue, Eloqua’s blog

Eloqua and JESS3 are WOMMA members.

B2B and Social Share the Love

Pat McCarthy — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 16:00:11 +0000

Social strategy makes a big splash for B2C brands, but many B2B companies are left scratching their heads. The problem lies largely in the misconception that when people are on unprofessional social networks like Facebook, they are in social mode, not business mode. Yet a recent stat from eMarketer found that 86% of technology buyers at B2B companies use social media over the course of their workday.

B2B brands that develop useful content will find the most success. In the cited article, Aaron Strout offered a useful example:

“If I’m a marketer and I’m looking for a new e-mail service provider (ESP) and I see that one of my professional friends has just “liked” a Constant Contact video on “10 Things You Should Know When Evaluating an ESP,” I’m heading over to check it out. If the video provides useful information how which ESP criteria I should be using, there is a good chance that Constant Contact is going into my consideration set.”

Key Takeaway: B2B social media marketing is fueled by content and oiled by sharing. Developing useful content will drive eyes to your site and leads to your door.

B2B & Location-Based Marketing

Pat McCarthy — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 16:22:54 +0000

Local brick and mortar stores along with national chains have embraced location-based technologies to market their wares. One of the key reasons is because, well, they have a location that needs their customers to physically be in the store to make a purchase. This has left thousands of B2B companies wondering how they can use location to generate leads and sales.

Aaron Strout, Co-author of Location-Based Marketing for Dummies, touched on the B2B question in an interview with Eloqua. He suggested thinking about where your customer goes and striking partnerships with those places. In his example:

“Maybe my customer makes Windows, right? So where is it that I can impact them, where can I have a conversation with them? They go to tradeshows, right, they go to Home Depot, or they go to wherever it is that they’re buying and selling their particular wares.”

Watch the full interview at It’s All About Revenue, Eloqua’s blog

B2B Has a Human Element BTW

Pat McCarthy — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 17:11:09 +0000

The buyer dictates the method of sales. Ages ago, salespeople didn’t start calling leads until the leads had phones. They didn’t email before leads had email. But a shift in B2B has happened. Potential buyers can now do a ton of research online without the help of salespeople.

This time, the buyer advanced quicker than the salesperson. According to a recent Televerde survey of B2B sales and marketing professionals (from the cited post on MarketingProfs):

· Over 60% of those surveyed stated incomplete data and poor data hygiene as their biggest marketing challenge when it came to data.

· Only 29% stated that more effective and relevant customer touches should be the highest priority for lead nurturing. (For that 29%, conversion rates ranked the highest. This indicates that more effective and relevant touches lead to higher conversions.)

· 83% described their definition as providing educational and collateral (i.e., one-way communication).

Key Takeaway: The salesperson is still critical, but having a robust online profile of your goods/services is critical for the large end of the sales funnel.

Linkedin: A B2B Dream

Pat McCarthy — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 17:44:12 +0000

At 100 million users, Linkedin is a major social network. And its purpose is focused on business, careers and professional connections. This is fertile ground for any B2B marketer.

MarketingProfs made a great 2-minute summary of an episode of This Week in Digital Media. Listen to the clip here. Some of the most useful points were:

1. Linkedin factors into SEO – Fit your company and employees’ description of your company to your keywords.

2. Post in Groups – 57% of links posted to Linkedin Groups convert. Just keep it relevant and don’t spam.

3. Don’t Be Generic – You get three links per profile. Name your blog or website instead of just calling them “Blog” or “Website.”

For more tips, read the full post at MarketingProfs