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With the advent of the Internet, consumers in general are putting a lot more time and effort into making purchases. The Internet makes it easy to comparison shop to get the best value for the lowest price, and consumers also have the added bonus of being able to read reviews of products and services written by other people that have already taken the plunge. The same is true when it comes to B2B focused products and services, but when you’re selling something to another company, it can get even more complicated due to the fact that there are often multiple people involved in the buying process that can enter into the picture at any stage during the buying cycle.
Here on the JSA blog, we’ve offered up quite a few B2B marketing tips dealing with the importance of using valuable content to market your business. Content marketing is efficient and effective, but in order to truly take advantage of the benefits it can offer you, you need to thoroughly understand how it actually applies to your users during the different stages of the buying cycle. Once you understand that, you will be even more prepared to deliver the right kind of content at the right time and get that sale.
B2B Marketing Tips for Using Content to Target Users During Different Stages of the Buying Cycle
There are three basic steps in the buying cycle that most people go through, particularly when the people in question belong to a business looking to make a purchase. B2C focused companies may find that many of their customers do make impulse buys, but businesses are much less likely to jump on something on impulse. By directing the right kind of content to them at the right times, you increase your ability to prove that your solution is the solution they really want and need.
- Awareness. This stage of the buying cycle covers the period of time in which someone realizes they need a solution and starts to research, looking for the best options available to meet that need. The types of content that target this stage are things like educational articles, blog posts, videos or webinars, and whitepapers.
- Evaluation. A buyer enters into this stage when they’ve narrowed down their options to just a few and start looking for more in-depth information about which one will be most suitable for their specific needs. To target a buyer at this stage, the right kind of content will be product-based webinars, case studies, demos, samples, FAQs, and in-depth whitepapers that cover more specific information about a product or service.
- Purchase. This is the last basic stage, when the buyer is ready to buy. You can target buyers at this stage with things like live demos, free trials, consultations, and special offers.
People in the first stage aren’t ready for the kind of content people in the third stage are, and vice versa, so it’s important to keep these stages in mind as you create content and work to target your potential customers accordingly. As far as B2B marketing tips go, this one is great for helping you get organized and moving in the right direction.
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