I adore my kids. Three boys – 17, 14, and 11. Great kids. Want to watch my videos or flip through our family photos?
Of course not. You don’t know them and you’re happy for me, but you could not care less.
Welcome to the real world of Business-to-Business sales and marketing. No one cares.
Comparing kids to a company’s products and services works.
When David Meerman Scott said to his boss at Thompson, “No one cares about our products and services,” what his boss actually heard is, “Your kids are ugly.” David was fired.
No one likes to be told his kids are ugly. But David was right.
Herein lies the conundrum for business-to-business companies. They’re proud of their fine products and services. But no one wants to watch the videos or view the photo albums of their “kids”—products and services. Unfortunately, that is what 98% feature on their websites. “We’re the leading provider of _________, a multi award-winning search marketing firm.”
No one cares.
Look at it from the point of view of the buyer.
Let’s say I’m going on vacation and I need our lawn mowed. Your kids might be perfect, but I’m not looking for a kid—I’m looking for lawn mowing services. This is why Ideal Customer Profiles, Buyer Personas and Mapping Content to the Buyer Variables (Title, Buying Stage, Industry) and Content Marketing are critical in business-to-business marketing today. Focus on what buyers need and not what you have to sell.
You must take time to carefully plan your approach for success today.
Jeff Ogden is president of Find New Customers “Lead Generation Made Simple.”