Think about the different characters and what their personalities, motivations, and style are like. Act 3: The protagonist resolves the problem and comes out a wiser/kinder/happier person. Does your marketing copy grip your readers, drawing them in and pulling them along; or does it send them into a semi-catatonic state more conducive to REM sleep than taking action on your offer? As a writer who makes her living as a content marketer (website copy, e-books, blogs, etc), but aspires to be the next J.K. Good business writing does not have to be staid and boring. MORE >>

Use a stats person or a research firm. Research reports are a popular content marketing tactic as readers crave tangible stats. While they are useful, they can take a lot of time to execute well. After working on a few research reports, there are a few things I’ve learned that I’m applying to my next project. Start with the end in mind. Be very clear with what story you want to communicate to your audience with the research data. The details of your story may change once you see the results. Some firms can help you reach the right people if your internal lists are too small. MORE >>

Personally, I can’t tell the difference from one to another. At Savvy B2B Marketing, we thrive on different perspectives and new ideas, which is why we are thrilled to welcome today's guest blogger, Ardath Albee. We enjoy Ardath's blog, Marketing Interactions , for its keen insights into B2B marketing (and so do many others - check out all her top blog awards!) More fantastic guests are planned for the weeks ahead, so stay tuned. Word choice is one of the most important facets of B2B website content. Am I interested enough to make the effort to learn more? Are you impressed? MORE >>

Related posts: Personality: The Missing Ingredient in B2B Marketing Today. Whether used to inform or entertain, videos are claiming a place of prominence in the world of B2B content assets. And it’s no wonder. When asked which content types they had consumed in the previous six months to evaluate a technology purchase, respondents to the Eccolo Media 2011 B2B Technology Collateral survey listed videos third behind brochures/data sheets and white papers. Findings from research conducted by Searchmetrics help explain this trend. Why to Use Online Video for B2B Marketing. MORE >>

When I saw what Alan was doing with user personas – to define the person using products so engineers and designers could address the user's goals, tasks, and skill levels – it struck me that the same process could be applied to sales and marketing. If the person championing the buyer persona initiative is in the marketing group, he or she will be reluctant to share these insights as it reflects poorly on the group's activities. Here Tony and I discuss the concept of and misperceptions about buyer personas, and what it takes to extract full value from them. to 2.0. MORE >>