Buzzwords continue to dominate B2B marketing.
Over the years, terms like account-based marketing (ABM) and intent data have taken center stage. If implemented effectively, these concepts will be a resource for creating successful content marketing campaigns. However, the surrounding noise often makes it difficult for marketers to discern what is innovation and what is industry jargon.
It’s easy to get caught up in the hype of buzzwords, but the real value lies in how they can be effectively integrated into a broader marketing strategy. Michael Brenner believes that focusing on the core principles of effective marketing is the key to breaking through it.
Michael Brenner is CEO and founder of Marketing Insider Group and an international keynote speaker and author. Michael has led sales and marketing efforts for global brands such as SAP and Nielsen, helping lead brands and startups to build successful content marketing programs.
On the latest episode of GTM Innovators, Michael sits down with G2 consultant and former Chief Revenue Officer Mike Weir to discuss ways to break out of traditional B2B marketing and emphasize the power of contextual content, audience-centric messaging, and the need for a human touch In terms of marketing.
Redefine the core of marketing
We have come a long way from traditional marketing practices. The B2B landscape continues to be driven by technological advances, changing customer expectations and global market dynamics.
But among all the buzz and jargon, have we forgotten why we do it?
“Marketing is all about acquiring new customers,” says Michael. The best way to acquire customers is not to rely solely on advertising, but to do something that people actually want. That’s why we have content marketing, which, as Michael says, is just the modern take on marketing.
Start by creating useful content that attracts the right people to your business. This could be in the form of a video or “how-to” that aligns with the buyer’s journey.
Buzzwords are only valuable if they are used effectively in a marketing strategy. Michael said ABM and buyer intent data are valuable tools, but must be aligned with the larger acquisition strategy. When you have useful content, you can use such pipelines to convert and optimize the return on investment (ROI) of your marketing spend.
“When you understand how to target your audience with the challenges, pain points, and issues that matter to them, they will opt in. This is cost-effective for you because it leads to higher returns.”
Michael Brenner
CEO and Founder of Marketing Insider Group
Implement a contextual approach
You’ve heard it time and time again: Targeted marketing wins your audience. Consumer data continues to evolve, and so does the personalization of marketing strategies. Personalization works because it aligns marketing efforts with the immediate interests and needs of your audience. But where do we draw the line?
Michael de-emphasizes highly targeted strategies and emphasizes the value of contextual marketing. He mentioned that content that addresses broader industry issues often performs better than more targeted material. Using his own experience as an example, he shared how a white paper that addressed a common industry challenge received more attention than a highly targeted brochure in the retail industry.
As an application of audience-centric marketing, Michael elaborated on his strategy, “We try to find people who want to receive and click on our content, and then we retarget them with ads,” he said.
Bottom line? Adapt to the needs of your audience rather than just your sales goals.
How to build an effective contextual content marketing plan
Michael offers a four-step approach to building an effective contextual content marketing strategy.
- consistency: Commit to long-term consistency and recognize that it takes time to build compounding returns.
- Audience-centered messaging: Create content that resonates with your audience’s challenges and pain points. Focus on what they care about, not just what you want to sell.
- Find watering holes: Determine where your audience interacts with your brand and make sure your marketing messages are placed there.
- Measure your returns: Regularly evaluate the effectiveness of your marketing efforts and invest more in what works.
Find the sweet spot
ABM, intent data, and contextual content marketing are not standalone strategies but complementary elements in a successful marketing approach. Michael stresses the importance of finding the best balance between them for maximum impact.
ABM helps convert the right people more efficiently, and intent data helps identify potential targets on the ABM inventory. Contextual content marketing bridges this gap by providing valuable resources to nurture leads through the pipeline. “Cultivating a good mindset is key. Marketers need to think about how to efficiently and effectively find people in the buyer’s journey, and nurturing will help identify who is ready to buy now,” Michael said.
“When we combine all four components: effective content marketing, ABM, intent data, and nurturing sales pipelines, ROI skyrockets.”
Michael Brenner
CEO and Founder of Marketing Insider Group
Content brings it all together, while nurturing drives it home. To be effective, all you need is to write content that solves your audience’s pain points. “If you could ask your audience one question, it should be ‘What is your biggest challenge?’ Every company should be creating content for those challenges,” adds Michael. Here’s what you need: industry trends and audience pain points.
Other things Michael learned in this episode
The entire conversation with Michael Brenner in GTM Innovators Episode 12 also includes other key points such as:
- The role of technology in implementing an effective contextual content marketing strategy.
- There is a need to maintain the human element in marketing and become customer driven.
Watch the full episode on YouTube to learn more about Michael. Subscribe to the GTM Innovators Podcast for other insightful conversations with GTM experts – available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Amazon Music, and more.