How to Make B2B Marketing Work (Even If It Feels Like Herding Cats)
Let’s Start with This: Why B2B Marketing Feels So Tough Sometimes
Alright, so selling to businesses isn’t exactly a walk in the park. It’s almost like trying to convince a whole committee that your favorite pizza topping is the best—every person at the table has a different idea of what “good” looks like.
For B2B, you’re not just getting one person on board; it’s usually their boss, their boss’s boss, and maybe even the boss’s dog.
And the thing is, if even one of those folks isn’t into it, the deal? Well, it’s toast. So, a big part of what we do as marketers is making sure everyone involved gets the message loud and clear in a way that sets their doubts at ease.
1. Be Stupidly Helpful with the Stuff You Share
Ok, so content marketing, right? You’ve probably heard it a thousand times. But the thing is, it’s not just about writing some boring blog post and calling it a day. It’s about showing up with answers to the questions people have when they’re pacing their office floors at 2 AM.
Here’s the Deal:
If your audience is a little lost, they’re probably Googling things like, “How to make our HR system suck less” or “Best ways to manage hybrid work without losing it.” Your job? Pop up with the exact advice they need, preferably with a side of “Oh, by the way, we sell this thing that fixes your problem.”
What’s Working Right Now?
Be Specific: People don’t want fluff. If you’re writing about, let’s say, takeaway packaging (you know, the stuff your food comes in), help folks figure out the tricky stuff—like new rules about materials or how to go green without breaking the bank.
Look Credible Without Being Snooty: Add real names, credentials, and proof of experience. Think, “We’ve been doing this forever, and here’s what we’ve learned,” rather than, “We’re the absolute best because we said so.”
Extra Sauce: Use Ads to Push Helpful Content
Sometimes, it’s not enough to wait for people to find you.
Example: There’s this company making software for hybrid offices. During COVID, they whipped up a guide on creating hybrid work policies and then paid to shove it in front of all the right eyeballs. The guide didn’t just sit there; it actually drove sales because the people who clicked were already thinking, “Yep, I need this.”
2. Squeeze Every Drop Out of Your Content
Here’s the thing - making content is hard work, and nobody has time to keep starting from scratch. That’s why repurposing is your secret weapon.
Stretch It Like Taffy:
Take one good idea, and spin it into every format you can think of.
Example: Say you wrote a solid blog post. Turn that into a video, chop it into bite-sized LinkedIn posts, and maybe even use it as the basis for a webinar.
For the Overachievers: If your company has a killer direct mail campaign or internal training guide, why not flip it into something new, like an email series or a social graphic?
Tweak for Different Audiences:
This part’s big, by the way. The folks at the top of the food chain care about budgets, while the people using your product care about making their workday easier. Adjust the tone and details to speak their language.
3. Stop Overthinking Thought Leadership
Ok, so thought leadership can sound super fancy, but really, it’s just showing people you know your stuff in a way that feels human. You don’t need a TED Talk for this; sometimes, a relatable LinkedIn post or casual email can do the trick.
Why People Want to Hear from You (Not Your Logo):
Relatable Wins Over Perfect: Share your experiences—good, bad, or just plain awkward.
Example: A business leader talked about their struggles with performance reviews and ended up sparking way more conversations than a polished white paper ever could.
But Skip the Copycat Trap:
Lots of businesses think “thought leadership” means cranking out the same old white papers everyone else does. Ask your audience what they actually care about. If they prefer short, punchy emails or simple how-to videos, do that instead.
Pro Move: Use Thought Leadership for PR and SEO
When done right, personal branding can get your business in front of the right people—and even boost your search rankings.
Example: A CEO shared insights with industry blogs and got featured in Forbes. Those articles didn’t just build clout; they brought in backlinks, which made the company easier to find online.
The Real Magic Happens When You Mix It All Together
Here’s where it gets fun: When you combine helpful content, smart repurposing, and authentic thought leadership, you’re basically building a marketing machine.
People find you, trust you, and start thinking, “Yeah, these folks get it.”
So, what’s the hold-up? Pick one of these strategies, try it out, and see where it takes you.
