The buying process for a B2B company is different than the process of a B2C company. While both rely on being found online, B2B companies usually require a salesperson to aid the sale.
So what does that look like?? A person has an idea of something they need for their business. The first place they look is google for information about the product. If they decide they are interested they will reach out to a sales person, submit a contact form, or send an email. From there the content has done its job online and the salesperson is there to make the close.
According to a new study 94% of B2B buyers conduct online research before making a purchase.
Other findings
* 77% of people research on google
* 41% research product reviews
* 34% research 3rd party websites
* 19% use social media and blogs to conduct research
What Does This Mean To Your Business
It is clear that content plays a huge role in the sales process. A good content marketing strategy can help you get found online, rank high on Google, get reviews from bloggers and 3rd party websites, and play a huge role in your overall social media presence. The first thing people do when they are looking to make a purchase is hit the search button. They are looking for information about you and the higher you come up on the search engines, the more influence your own content will have to aid the purchase.
Put yourself in the shoes of the buyer for a moment. If you are ready to buy something you search for the keywords that you are looking for. You probably click on the first 5 or so and take a look. What comes up first can vary from home pages, landing pages, videos, social media posts, and blog posts. You want to be up there for all of those so that you literally dominate what they are searching for. By creating the content that will help you get found is the best and most organic way to do that.
What Types Of Content Work For B2B
* Videos
* Ebooks
* Blog Posts
* Emails
* Infographics
* Case Studies
* HowTos
What Should Your Content Do
As you know, your key to ranking highly and getting found online is through great content that you produce and publish on your own website. In the B2B world, your content should educate your future customers and give them a reason to work with you. Your content should also explain the problem you solve. Remember that buyers will have different reasons for buying, as each business has a unique set of problems. You should be able to communicate the different problems you solve on your site and through your unique content.
Once you’ve already interested your potential buyer with your content that speaks to them, the job of the sales person is a lot easier. Plus your leads will be a lot more qualified.
