Six Things You Can You Learn from B-2-B Publishers

You’ve heard that everyone is a publisher now, so what can you learn from successful publishers.

B2B publishers have made a living off their ability to deliver audiences, initially through print and now online. Long before there was SEO, publications knew that great content would bring them loyal readership. Publishers continue to be go-to sources for information on industry trends, news, leaders, research and best practices. And with more competition for a reader’s time from all sorts of sources, today’s leading publishers are working harder than ever . The draw is still great content. However, many magazine websites have been transformed from online versions of the print product, into rich sites that fully embrace multimedia and social networks.

Now that you are trying to win over your own audience online with content, it makes sense to try and learn what you can from the pros.

1) Keep the needs of the customer/reader first and foremost.

It’s not about you and your company, it’s about your customer. What are their problems and how can you solve them.

2)Be fair and factual.

Your audience knows you are trying to sell something, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be a credible, reliable, source of information. Stick to the facts and avoid “ad-like” promises and sales jargon.

3)Hire professional writers.

Subject matter experts who can also write are few and far between. They are usually too busy with other jobs to write. Instead of trying to rely on them, hire a professional writer who knows how to pull the information from your sources and present it in a useful, usable and interesting format.

4)Keep a schedule.

As a reader, I know when my favorite industry publication will arrive each month, and I look forward to it. The same is true of my InBox. Whether you decide to publish content on a daily, weekly or monthly frequency, stick to a schedule. Be aware that there’s a direct correlation between frequency of content and website visits.

5) Look for the best way to tell a story.

Does the story lend itself to video, radio or text? PMQ’s Pizza TV is used to demonstrate a technique for rolling a pizza crust over the shoulder. It just wouldn’t be the same in print.

6)Add value with social sharing.

Today’s publishing websites include more ways for audiences to connect and share ideas with each other. PMQ Pizza Think Thank forum is a reminder that your customers and prospects can create your content. On techrepublic.com, social stats are front and center, helping the audience find useful content fast.

As a content marketer you need to know how to succeed in publishing. Examine your favorite industry magazine websites with a fresh eye. What do you like about them? How can you use that information to engage your audience? What do you see on consumer magazine websites that could translate to B2B?

From Glut to Glam

Stop. Take a hint from a road sign and understand the power of a word. Brevity gets attention. Precious minutes are wasted listing reasons to stop or giving instructions on how to stop. In its aloneness, Stop is powerful.

Brevity ensures that a reader gets the message. This trend is taking hold at companies large and small. On the website of Kraft Foods a five word headline, five short sentences each with a link, and a six-topic menu bar introduces the viewer to the company.

At the Pepper Construction Group, a general contracting construction management firm, the Home page contains a four-word headline and triple menu bars: one at the top by location, near the bottom by topic, and at the bottom with subject icons. News links are included. This information design is ingenious.

Emphasis Gets Lost When Overstated

On these sites nothing is overstated. It appears glamorous in its constraint compared with the glut of information most people see each day. Sensibilities are soothed rather than taxed. Information designed in small chunks like this is functional. A practical reason to limit word count is the click through. When introductory words are of interest to readers they act. Their click through is measurable.

When a not so prominent lawyer’s bio runs 851 words, perspective is needed. MicroSoft’s chairman of legal affairs wrote his bio using 421 words and Chicago’s largest and most prestigious law firm’s chairman uses only 326 words. It is a conversation. Don’t go on and on. Stop.

The Smart Ideas File

As a content writer and strategist I go through a lot of information every week. I rely on my own systems (using various methods for filtering the glut including Google Reader that I described in another post). I keep them in a “Smart Ideas” file. I remember some content from mere memory. Smart ideas don’t grow easily but this week’s plums were there for the picking.

From the Supply Side Community forum Alissa Marrapodi, managing editor for Inside Cosmeceuticals, writes:

“The consumer is driving the cosmeceutical market. No longer are manufacturers introducing niche markets and suggesting consumers’ needs proactively; but the consumer is putting their demands out there via social media, etc., and manufacturers are now reacting and responding to consumers. The shelves are not setting the trends; consumers’ demands are…A total of 63 percent of purchasing is driven by beauty blogs.”

From Seth Godin’s blog post on How to be Interviewed:

“If your answers aren’t interesting, exciting or engaging, that’s your fault, not the interviewer’s. “ He also says that interviewees don’t need to take every question posed literally. Redirect and talk about what you care about.

From a live conversation with Investment Banker Doug McConnell:

After a meeting with owners of a B2B company start up, Doug said to me: “It’s good to have an outside source filtering industry information to them. Entrepreneurs tend to become insular, only seeing what they want to see.”

Questioning Smart Ideas

Sometimes I ponder questions posed in an article, even when it’s the smartest sounding idea. In her article, A Better Way to Get Vitamins, Anita Marlay, R.D., L.D. writes: “Really, wouldn’t eating an orange for a snack make better sense than eating a processed fruit snack with added vitamin C?”

It would seem so, but another choice is emerging through the fast growing Functional Foods industry. Commercial organic farm operators that pick fruit when it’s ripe and freeze dry it immediately can create powerful antioxidant rich compounds. New ORAC (total antioxidant capacity measurement) tests show a fresh plum has an ORAC value of 9.49 (per gram); compared to a dried plum (prune) with an ORAC value of 57.7 (per gram). The same is true of grapes. Fresh grapes have an ORAC value of 4.46 (per gram) versus dried grapes (raisins) which have an ORAC value of 28.3 (per gram).

What makes sense is that drying removes the water and concentrates the antioxidants. Bio technology firms are positioned to partner with companies to offer new food or beverage products that are not only convenient but lend scientific support to the effects of added nutritional ingredients. That’s a long answer to her question, but sometimes it’s good to stop and think about what you know.

Do you have a smart ideas file? How do you retain those you’ve read or heard?

Q&A Becomes a Custom Content Star for Mack Trucks

What questions do potential customers have about your B2B brand? Mack Trucks got it right when they added a section to their website called “Talking SCR.” SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction) is a new technology that Mack employed to meet stricter emissions regulations. The change had truck owners worried about how SCR technology would affect fuel economy, costs and maintenance.

The SCR Talks section allows website visitors to submit questions via email to Dave McKenna, director of Powertrain sales and marketing. Questions and answers are then posted on www.macktruck.com. The appeal of the section is in the authenticity of both the truckers and McKenna.

While McKenna is straightforward in presenting the facts, his passion and enthusiasm for Mack shines through, especially when he shares the news of a sale. He deals with competitive questions head on. Customers show genuine appreciation for the information. Says one customer, “Thanks for all the great information and for taking your time to answer our questions – it’s invaluable in understanding the real world applicability of these technologies.”

Information that your audience finds invaluable is powerful. The opportunity to ask a question and get a personal response is simple, yet effective in building brand loyalty. Shared on the Internet, the information becomes a benefit to the entire Mack Truck community and a positive force for the brand.

In an interview with B2B for its “10 Great Websites” feature article, Sharon Shuman, director of e-business for Mack Trucks, called SCR Talks one of the most popular areas of the website.

What questions are your customers asking? Who can best answer them? Mack Trucks offers proof that Q&A can become quality custom content–useful information that can drive traffic and build loyalty among your audience.

Tell an Authentic Story

I spent some time in Williamsburg, Va., last week and we visited the nearby Jamestown settlement and Powhatan Indian village exhibit. There was something about Caucasians playing the part of the Indians that left me thinking about authenticity, or the lack of it.

Case studies can provide compelling content, but authenticity is key. Potential customers want to read real stories, and if your copy sounds like a sales pitch, they will quickly move on.

An authentic story begins with an interview that goes beyond the basics. Here are some of the methods and questions I have found helpful in capturing an authentic and compelling story from a business owner, customer or subject matter expert.

Before the Interview

Learn as much as you can about the business of the person you are interviewing. Check their profile on Linked-In, view the company website, make a personal visit to their business if possible. By doing this you will avoid the obvious questions, become familiar with the industry-specific language, and identify topics for discussion.

Begin with some small talk and set a friendly tone. Let them know you will provide them with an opportunity to review their comments. This serves to relax the person being interviewed. If someone is rushed, offer to call back when they are not distracted by pressing business problems.

During the Interview

A vivid description of the customer and their problem will engage readers who will identify with the story. Ask questions in a non-threatening way. Don’t just run through a predetermined list of questions (although it’s a good idea to prepare questions in advance). Show genuine interest and ask follow up questions. And if the person goes off on a tangent, be patient.

Ask about their responsibilities and their biggest work challenges. Ask how the product or service fits into the grand scheme of their job or product. Ask what life was like before they found a solution. If they are a business owner, ask how they got into the business. Uncover what the true pain points were. Get all the details that will create an authentic story.

If you are a marketer, you must take off your marketing hat and think like a journalist, asking the who, what, when, where and why questions. Ask them to compare how they do things now, vs. how they did things before. Ask how they came to find out about the solution. Ask what they were apprehensive about in choosing a supplier and how they were able to alleviate these doubts. Ask about the other options they considered and why they didn’t choose them. Ask what they would do differently, if they had to do it over again. Avoid presenting a completely one-sided view.

Ask how the solution met or exceed their expectations. Focus on customer service issues as well as benefits of the product. Ask about any critical timing or delivery issues. Ask if there were any unexpected benefits or rewards. Ask if any problems came up and how they were resolved. Find out if there was positive feedback from customers, sales or the management. Are there any quantitative measures of success? If so, find out what those numbers really mean to the business. Were they able to increase profits or reduce costs? Facts and figures are an essential component of a convincing case study.

After the Interview

When writing the case study, use quotes, facts and details gleaned from your interview to add authenticity and personality. Make your story easy to read and skim online through with good use of subheads and call-out quotes. Don’t forget to include your keywords and phrases.

I like like this case study from Trimble. The details and conversational language helps to make it both authentic and readable.

What are some other ways to add authenticity to your website content?