When I talk to partners about their business, I hear inspiring stories -- stories about helping a hospice spend more money on patients, or implementing ERP for a Native American nation, or providing managed services for a robotics startup. You also undoubtedly have great stories to tell. These stories can be the foundation for your marketing content.
When partners think about storytelling, they generally think about just case studies, which we'll talk more about later. But stories bring any material to life and help illustrate your point in a way that connects with your reader. More
Posted by Barb Levisay on March 23, 20110 comments
The idea of writing content is likely to be daunting for your contributors. While there are some technical folks who love to write, it's an uncommon trait in most partner organizations. Changing gears from solving problems to writing about solving problems will be a little easier if you share these tips with your writing team.
Tell a story. One of the easiest ways to get started writing and to make your point is to tell a story about a challenge that you solved for a client. You don't need to use names -- just describe the situation and how you approached it. Simplify by focusing on one element of a project instead of covering too much. More
Posted by Barb Levisay on March 17, 20110 comments
Imagine a potential buyer, Norman. Norman wakes up on Monday morning thinking, "If the California engineering team could post their drawings and RFP responses in a central place where the Washington proposal team could grab them and wrap them into the final RFP submission, we could save hundreds of hours on each response cycle. I am going to call Acme Solutions today and get them to implement SharePoint for us."
While we can continue to hope for Norman's call, let's take a look at what the real buying process looks like and what that means to your content marketing strategy. More
Posted by Barb Levisay on March 09, 20110 comments
Now that you've figured out who you're targeting and the purpose of your content marketing, where do you start? A good first step is to look at the assets that you already have and turn them into content you can use right away. Turn marketing materials and documents that you've developed in the past into marketing content for the future. Here are a few ideas to get you thinking.
Use a Case Study To Build a White Paper
Did you create a case study a few years ago that you don't use any longer because the technology is outdated? You probably still provide services that solve the same business problem described in that case study, but with the latest technology. Use the case study as a framework for a white paper -- just remove the specific company information and update the solution descriptions. State the business problem, describe the solution, explain the benefits and end with how your organization understands how to solve issues like the one described. More
Posted by Barb Levisay on March 02, 20110 comments
As much as I want to jump ahead and talk about finding and creating great content, we need to start with the first step in your content marketing plan -- defining your prospect. Large companies can afford to spend big dollars on market research to define their target markets precisely. Most of us don't have those resources or the time, but with a little reflection and analysis, you can make an educated choice.
Build a Profile of Your Ideal Customer
Start by looking at the most profitable deals you have closed in the past six months or year. List the industries, size of the companies, roles of the people involved in the buying decision, and key problems that you solved. Look for patterns in each area, and you might see: More
Posted by Barb Levisay on February 22, 20110 comments
If you believe today's marketing pundits, the only way business-to-business service companies can attract new prospects is with content marketing. For a Microsoft partner, content marketing means the creation and delivery of information that educates a prospect on some aspect of the services that the partner delivers. Most partners have plenty of internal knowledge that would make valuable, compelling content -- the challenge is finding the time to create and deliver.
Why Content Marketing Is Important
Changing buyer behavior is the primary cause for the shift to content marketing. Everyone, including technology and business solution buyers, starts their purchase decisions with an Internet search for information. The ultimate goal of content marketing is for you to supply the information that your prospects are searching for online in a way that positions you as an expert. More
Posted by Barb Levisay on February 14, 20110 comments
Existing client events should do two things: help your clients improve their business and build a stronger relationship between you and your client. Valuable content and professional delivery are clearly the basic ingredients, but attention to detail and a little creativity can turn a good meal into a State dinner.
Assure Attendance with Reminders...and Incentives
The first order of business in making the event memorable for your clients is to get them there. Your registration confirmation should include an Outlook Calendar Appointment with full details and directions. Send them an email reminder a couple of days in advance and place a reminder call the day before the event. If you don't have their number, send a reminder e-mail with directions. More
Posted by Barb Levisay on January 24, 20112 comments
When you hold an event for your existing clients do you spend as much time preparing as you do for a prospect event? Your clients will notice. The respect and appreciation you have for your audience is evident from the way you prepare -- from testing the projector through choosing your speakers.
Choose Speakers Thoughtfully
After you have decided what your seminar content is going to be, it's time to think about who can best present the material. Take an honest inventory of the potential presenters in your company. Factors to consider include: More
Posted by Barb Levisay on January 07, 20110 comments
You know that feeling when you run into an old friend that you haven't seen for a long time? You have a great conversation and you agree that you will do a better job keeping in touch. And you really mean it. Long-term relationships build strong connections.
Your clients are no different. Using social media to connect with new clients and build communities is great -- but is no replacement for long-term friendships. You may not have time to visit every client regularly, but holding regular in-person events where you can shake hands and reconnect is smart marketing that will build your business. More
Posted by Barb Levisay on January 06, 20110 comments