A whole different game Closed-Loop Strategy is a game changer Plus Plan, Create, Distribute, and Optimize CONTENT INDEX INDEX Click on title to jump to Desired Section B2B Marketing Content: A Whole Different Game 7 » Complexity with a Capital "C": Why Content Chaos Plagues B2B Marketers ............................................................................................8 » Moving from Chaos to Calm: Introducing a Fluid Cycle for Content Management .............................................................13 THE B2B MARKETING PLAYBOOK X2 INDEX Plan 16 » Budget for Content: Assessing Cost in the System ...............................16 * Technology ......................................................................... 17 * Channels ............................................................................. 19 * Additional Resources .......................................................... 19 » Assemble Your Stakeholders: Creating a Cross-Functional, Consistent Strategy ...............................................................20 * Product Marketing .............................................................. 20 * Field Marketing ................................................................... 20 * Marketing and Sales Operations .......................................... 20 * Demand Generation ............................................................. 21 * Digital and SEO ................................................................... 21 * Social/PR/AR ....................................................................... 21 » Define the Buyer's Journey, Sales Stages, and Content Map along the Way .............................................................................. 22 * Definitions Matter ............................................................... 22 » Develop and Align Your Personas: Content in a Consensus Sale ............................................................................................................................................25 * Building Your Personas ....................................................... 25 » Crowdsource Ideas: Getting Real Insights from the Right People .....................................................................................28 » Build Timelines: From Big Picture to the Details ...................................................................................................................................31 THE B2B MARKETING PLAYBOOK X3 INDEX Create 36 » Map the Process: Identifying Key Tasks and Roles ................................................................................................................................38 » Establish a Team Structure: Aligning Process to People ................................................................................................................................................39 » Build Workflows: Planning Your Content Types .........................................................................................................................................40 » Set Smart Timelines: Assigning Deadlines for Major Initiatives ...............................................................................................41 * Identify the Average Production Process for a Content Type 41 * Establish the Framework for Accountability ........................ 41 * Align Content Initiatives to Corporate Goals ........................ 42 » Gain Visibility: Establishing Insight into the Content Production Cycle .............................................42 » Work Cross-Functionally: Collaborating across Teams without Chaos .....................................................................................43 * Establish an Internal Communications System ..................... 44 * Integrate Technologies for a More Efficient Workflow ......... 44 » Ensure Content Governance: Delivering Consistent, Streamlined Content ......................................................................................46 * Ensuring the Right Style – Building a Style Guide ................ 46 * Put SEO into Your Process ................................................... 47 THE B2B MARKETING PLAYBOOK X4 INDEX Distribute 48 » Creating a Closed-Loop Channel Strategy .................................................48 * Maximize Your Internal Channels ........................................ 49 * Avoid Internal Content Chaos: Build a Central Content Repository .............................................................................................................50 » Traditional PR Is Dead: Make a Splash with Influencers ................................................................................................................................51 * Leverage Channel Partners ................................................. 51 » Coordinate Technology: Distributing the Right Content through the Right Channels ...................................52 • Email .................................................................................. 53 * Segmentation and Targeted Messaging ................................ 53 * A/B Testing.......................................................................... 53 • Blog ................................................................................... 54 • Paid Advertising .................................................................. 54 » Strategize for Social: Employing Tactics to Boost Amplification ..............................................................................................55 • Integrate Social with Your Marketing Content Strategy ............. 55 • Identify Relevant Social Channels .......................................... 55 * LinkedIn ............................................................................. 56 * Twitter ................................................................................ 56 * SlideShare .......................................................................... 56 * Facebook ............................................................................ 56 * Pinterest ............................................................................ 56 • Optimize and Analyze Social Engagement ............................... 56 » Maximize Your Website for Inbound: Turning Your Site into a Content Conversion Machine ........................................................57 * Make Landing Pages Optimized, Primary Destinations ......... 58 * Make Calls to Action Clear and Compelling .......................... 58 * Make Content Dynamic and Persona-Driven ........................ 59 * Make SEO a Priority ............................................................ 60 THE B2B MARKETING PLAYBOOK X5 INDEX Optimize 61 » Measure Results: Reporting on the Pillars of B2B Content Metrics ...................................................................62 • Internal Reach: How Your Team Uses and Shares Content ...........................................................................................................63 • External Reach: Performance across Channels .......................................................................................................................................................................64 • Conversions: Content’s Impact on Leads and Revenue ..............................................................................................................65 • Production: Finding and Clearing Inefficiencies ................................................................................................................................68 * Average Production Time .................................................... 68 * Average On-Time Delivery Rate............................................ 68 * Bottlenecks and Challenges in Workflows ........................... 68 * Content Coverage Gaps ....................................................... 68 » Create a Content Metrics Dashboard: Measuring and Optimizing Shared Goals across Teams .....................................................70 » Incorporate Findings: Closing the Loop between Metrics and Strategy .........................................................................71 Meet the B2B Marketing Challenge 72 THE B2B MARKETING PLAYBOOK X6 Introduction THE B2B MARKETING PLAYBOOK A whole different game The desired outcome dictates your strategy; this is true in any game or competition. ut the tactics that win It’s not that there aren’t any similarities differ depending on your between B2B and B2C: the focus on [B]environment, allies, creating, delivering, and tracking competition, the rules of the game, and buyer-centric content—the lifeblood of the tools at your disposal. modern marketing—and the adoption of tools that support the content lifecycle The same is true in marketing— have evolved in both types of marketing particularly when comparing B2B and alike. B2C. But with B2B marketing, where the Across roles and functions—product stakes are high, the buying cycle long, marketing, demand generation, field and the decision makers many, the marketing, digital and web, content, or teams with a winning strategy are those communications—B2B marketers face that successfully address the complex distinct challenges. processes and outcomes of the B2B content lifecycle and buyer’s journey. THE B2B MARKETING PLAYBOOK 7 Introduction Complexity with a Capital “C”: The Consumer Why Content Chaos Plagues B2B Marketers n B2C marketing, the process for managing the content lifecycle [I]is built around driving a single consumer