Content strategy.  Content marketing.  Content management.  Content, content, content.  You’d have to be a hermit to avoid all that’s being written about content in the marketing space. 

But wait. What is content?  Why the hype?  Is content relevant to industrial marketers?  Good questions.

I define content as all the things your company knows about your product and market that are of interest to prospective buyers.  Because effective content is content that’s consumed (read or viewed or heard or otherwise taken in), the second part of this definition (“of interest to prospective buyers”) is critical. Undoubtedly, your company has lots of product and market knowledge, but if prospects aren’t interested, they’ll pass it by.

Content is a hot topic now because we communicate and learn using the internet, email and social media. Instead of marketers pushing their messages on prospects, we’re working to attract prospects to us with useful, engaging, sharable information. Education and/or entertainment are the hallmarks of this sharable information (good content.)

What’s useful to industrial products users?  Straight up product information doesn’t cut it since it can be seen as promotional and self-serving.  The people who use your type of product want to get smarter about using it. So information that helps a user get better results, or save money or time or both is useful and valued.

Here are ideas for content that attracts industrial buyers:
1.       White Papers  These are educational, non-biased discussions of a topic of interest to prospective buyers, like a new technology.

2.       Application Notes  These provide specific information on how to get the most from a product – like how to mount it or how to link into communications systems.

3.       Case Studies  These are problem-solution stories in which a user has a challenge which is solved by your product. The spotlight is on the user and the benefit he/she gets from your product.

4.       Research Reports If you conduct research that would be of interest to users and prospects, you could publish a report. 

What should you do with this content once it’s created?  Well, that gets into content strategy – a good topic to cover in my next blog.

About the Author

Claire Cunningham is a writer with 25 years’ experience marketing industrial products.  She can be reached at Claire.e.cunningham@gmail.com. Her website is www.Claire-e-cuningham.com.

You work hard to attract customers, right? Mailings, a great sales force, ads, publicity. But what are you doing to keep them?  You don't own them, so they could move to your competitors if the grass looks greener over there.

Business wisdom says current customers are your best source for ongoing business. After all, they already know and trust you. Whether they bring you referrals, product sales, or monthly retainers, customers are the life blood of your operation. Communication -- sharing information and knowledge -- is a good way to keep customer relationships healthy and keep customers happily corralled. 

Here are some communications programs that work well with customers.

1)  BLOGS or NEWSLETTERS - You have expertise and information customers need. Streamline the communication process by sharing that expertise in a newsletter or blog.  This lets you package and brand key information so your firm is seen as an expert. Make sure your staff members know about these tools so they can use them with customers and prospects.

2)  WEBINARS - Better educated customers are BETTER customers. Get credit for providing the knowledge by sponsoring webinars, seminars, workshops, and clinics.

3)  SOCIAL MEDIA - Is your audience using LinkedIn, Facebook, or Twitter to get information about your service?  If they're there, you need to be there, too.  Once you've established your presence, you can use it to treat your "fans" to exclusive deals, early access to information, special tips and tricks, whatever's of value to them.

4)  WEBSITE – The Internet is a popular information source. Use it! At minimum set up a basic site prospective customers can visit. Even better, set up a customers-only section that's password protected. Fill the section with information customers want - articles, tip sheets, a forum for posting questions and getting expert answers, downloadable forms, handbooks, etc.  Not sure what to include? Poll some of your best customers.