The majority of B2B buyers turn to the Internet first to begin their research. In fact, research by Interwoven shows that 22% of global marketing spend (read $1.5 Trillion!) is allocated to content origination, publication, syndication and promotion.So it just won't do to put all that effort into content development if it only results in turning off your prospects.In order to eliminate the turn offs from your marketing content, you've got to assume your prospects perspective and give your content some tough love-before you let it fly.
Here's a down and dirty 7 Point Content Value Audit:Jargon, Hype, Fluff, and blatant Pufferyhave no place in compelling content.Do I need to say more?
Actually, Go Thump Your Chest in the Gym a post from the Phoenix Rising blog, makes this point crystal clear.Generalist focus without specific value statements.This is like telling your prospects to do something just because you said so. It's imperative that you help them understand the value-for them, not you. And, if you think about it, in order to present a value that resonates, you've got to have a specialist focus, not a generic one-size-fits-all approach.Lack of evidence to prove promised results.
Even if you have value statements, they're only frivolous promises without the evidence to support that what you say is true.Inflated, tedious writing style. Try reading your content out loud. Do you struggle for breath when reading a single sentence? Even when we read, our brain has the same interpretation as our lungs do when we speak. Plus, the thought gets lost. Aim for 35 words or less in a sentence. Make your points clear and compelling.No connection to industry trends or issues.Your prospects want insights related to trends and issues that could impact their business results. Your content should show your ability to look beyond just your product and apply whatever it does to real world scenarios.Ambiguous takeaways.See my recent blog post, Plan B2B Content for the Takeaway, to learn the difference between takeaways and calls to action. Your content needs both-and yes, they are different.No humanity.Is your content written for "Jerry" or a role within a company with 300 employees generating revenues higher than $100 million?
The best way to engage people, gain pass along and create great recall is with content written for people - not vague, one-dimensional images. For those of you wondering why recall is important, it's that wonderful response from a prospect when you follow up and they say, "Oh, yeah, that was great white paper. You know, I was wondering if you could tell me more about... Here's why you have a huge opportunity to have an impact on lead generation and move prospects through those lengthening sales cycles faster:
According to CMO research on content ROI, "Only 22 percent of respondents say they are very satisfied with the caliber of technology content." And, when you consider that IT buyers also say they only find relevant content 42% of the time, expending the effort to eliminate content turn offs has some serious payback potential.
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