If you're just starting out on a content marketing strategy, there is a lot of work to be done. In line with my recent Shiny Object post , I thought I'd explore another argument in favor of B2B content marketing; namely improving the cost effectiveness of marketing. Considering that content marketing — done well — is a never-ending continuum , one of the obstacles for B2B marketers often times appears to be based on a cost-driven argument from the "con" perspective. Obviously, I've got a counter for that. But it will. Lay out the costs and compare the pros and cons. MORE >>

" If you go look at your About paragraph, how many words are self-serving, self-focused blather that make you feel good about working there but don't do a thing to make you memorable to potential customers? Obviously, as more channels entice new voices in your company to share about the work they do, the need to help them stay on track in aligning it to the value your company provides to customers is paramount. Brand positioning is becoming critical as more B2B marketers turn to content marketing across a range of channels to cultivate standoffish, self-service buyers. MORE >>

In the post, Confessions of a Buyer Persona Skeptic , he writes: "Ever worked through a persona exercise and found your team spending. strategy and creative work." Or are we cutting to the chase, doing the good and hard work, and. Many of the projects I do for companies start with buyer personas. After all, it's a logical place to start as it's next to impossible to develop a content strategy without a keen understanding of the people involved in buying complex B2B product offerings. But I'm noticing a trend I hadn't foreseen. At all. MORE >>

In my work with clients, the group I work with is often labeled demand generation and is usually responsible for an industry vertical or for driving demand for a specific product division. I've worked with companies where each marketing organization has a different perspective on who their customers are and what they care about. When alignment is discussed in marketing, the usual application is to sales and marketing alignment. This has been an ongoing conversation for nearly as long as I can remember. And I've been in the business environment for quite a while. MORE >>

I'm a B2B content strategist - and dang proud of the work I do. But reality is what we have to work with and a phased approach can be a beautiful thing. Evolve and add layers as you learn what works and what doesn't. Sometimes I think content marketing can be made so convoluted and complex that it's nearly impossible to execute. I've seen spreadsheets and diagrams and lists of things you must do that make my head hurt. And, yes, I know I do this for a living. Theory is great, but often difficult to put into practice in a reasonable way. Not before. MORE >>