Is your B2B marketing content dryer than Dry January?

Ahhh, Dry January. The annual challenge to abstain from alcohol after the prolonged period of indulgence that is the festive season. More than 2 million people took part in Dry January last year and that number is expected to increase this month, as more and more of us seize the opportunity to detox our bodies and minds ready for a new year[i].

With January generally considered to be the most depressing month of the year, challenges like Dry January can help to lift peoples’ spirits and give them something to focus on after the fun of their Christmas and New Year’s celebrations.

And B2B marketing content in January is no different. December is a distant memory, along with the abundance of engaging Christmas-themed and end-of-year content that goes with it. But, did you know this is actually a year-round problem for many B2B marketers?

69% of content marketing lacks quality[ii]

Due to the nature of marketing to businesses, many B2B marketers automatically adopt a dry, dull approach when it comes to writing B2B marketing content for campaigns. They focus too much on the product they’re trying to sell and the technical terminology that describes it, forgetting that they’re writing for actual humans.

This means that despite the recent boom in the amount of content being created by B2B marketers, it’s resulted in industry saturation. As more content is produced, the quality is impacted, and decision-makers have actually become desensitised to the barrage of inferior information being thrown at them.

So, if you’re a B2B marketer looking to make your content less dry and more engaging, what should you be doing?

1. Carry out thorough persona research

In order to be able to write engaging, enticing copy for the decision-makers you’re targeting, you need to know them inside out. By researching things like their job responsibilities and media consumption, as well as any pain points relating to their industry, you can start to build a picture of what they’ll be looking for when they come to buy a product.

2. Understand the B2B marketing sales funnel

Once you understand the journey prospects take through the top, middle and bottom of the sales funnel, and the different stages associated with each, you can start to tailor the information you’re giving them. For example, offering visual content such as infographics during the top of the funnel (awareness stage) can capture a prospects attention much more effectively than, say, an ebook, which requires much more time and attention.

3. Get the tone of voice right

As mentioned before, the influx of B2B marketing content means a lot of the information being generated is starting to sound similar – dull, emotionless and uninspiring. No prospect wants to buy from a company that sounds boring, so you need to make your content stand out from the crowd. Using an engaging tone of voice and a conversational style will maintain a prospects attention, and don’t be afraid to show some personality in your writing. You may be selling products and services to a business, but real people are behind that business.

 

For more information about how you can create unique and enticing content that will generate leads, sales and ROI while making you the prime candidate for new business…