B2B Sales & Marketing

"If you’re only developing content with consumption in mind, you’re missing a huge opportunity to keep momentum going as prospective buyers move through the buying cycle."

 

How often have you repeated a "good story" you heard? Now compare this to how often you forward something you read as "content about a product or service". Content is over rated in the marketing world, however, if you wrap solid information about how to "use your products and services within the power of story to satisfy the customers needs", the odds go up it will resonate and be shared.

 

Read on for Karen Dietz's ideas around this article.

 

I've said this before -- biz storytelling is about engagement, not simply broadcasting messages. This is the first article I've found that actually tries to break down the different types of conversations you want your biz stories to spark or serve.

 

I disagree with the distinction between dialogue and conversation. I think a better distinction to make is between messaging and conversation. And stories are often shared within a conversation. Conversations are not necessarily storytelling. So that is my nit-pick for today.

 

I really wish the author, Stephanie Tilton, would have included examples for each type of conversation mentioned. She tries to explain the different conversations but I need examples this morning in order to get ideas for how to apply her advice. Or maybe I'm just too tired this morning!

 

So there are 2 lessons here -- 1) target your storytelling to the conversations you want to promote and help along; and 2) make sure when you write content you give examples so you don't make it so hard for your readers to apply your insights.

 

I also really like the point the author makes about shifting from talking to listening, and shifting to serial storytelling in your business. OK -- I'm heading into the kitchen for some more coffee!

 

Full article:

http://www.mpdailyfix.com/is-your-content-sourcing-conversations-b2b-forum-coverage/

Via Karen Dietz, streetsmartprof

In this example, a single customer interview netted more than 38 pieces of content. And here are the essentials on how to get your customers to help you.

 

Love this very clear how-to article for gathering customer stories. The author provides very clear steps on how to get this done. Yeah!

 

Her best piece of advice is to not do the interviews yourself -- find someone else who is a good listener, maybe even someone outside your company. Excellent tip. Asking customers for their stories is sometimes hard to do. Maybe the story the business wants to hear is not the story your customer wants to tell -- and I don't mean that customers want to complain. I just mean that businesses need to be open to all kinds of stories a customer may want to share. Sometimes it is a lot easier for a neutral party to gather these stories for you.

 

My only other comment is that the author focuses on case studies. But case studies are not the only kind of customer narrative to write. Case studies are not the only effective kind of customer story to share. Better to just collect the stories and then determine what form to use.

 

It is fabulous that the author shares how a single story can parley into 38 pieces of content. That is a content creator's dream come true! 

 

Read the article for the author's process, great tips, and a free downloadable book. 

 

Thanks Giuseppe Mauriello @pinomauriello for suggesting this article to me!

 

This review was written by Karen Dietz for her curated content on business storytelling at www.scoop.it/t/just-story-it ;

Via Karen Dietz

"Admit it – you’re sick to death of being forced to sit through boring Power Point pitches, given by drab salespeople in stifling conference rooms. The real problem is that it isn’t just you that feels this way!"

 

"Your prospective customers are just as burned out on these traditional marketing methods as you are – which means that you’ve got to bring something new to the table if you want to be an effective B2B salesperson."

 

"One particular model to consider is the visual story. In this approach, marketing messages are conveyed in a way that is easiest for the brain to process. A voice narrates your message as the visual images supports it."

 

Read the full article on ideas of how to use visual story telling to help your sales and marketing personal connect and inspire your customers.

 

Customer experience is not about death by Power Point. Help them create a vision of a solution using your products and services based on value with visual stories.

http://blog.truscribe.com/blog/bid/187756/Why-Visual-Storytelling-Works-for-B2B-Marketing

Via streetsmartprof, Ken Jondahl

"Admit it – you’re sick to death of being forced to sit through boring Power Point pitches, given by drab salespeople in stifling conference rooms. The real problem is that it isn’t just you that feels this way! Your prospective customers are just as burned out on these traditional marketing methods as you are – which means that you’ve got to bring something new to the table if you want to be an effective B2B salesperson."

 

"One particular model to consider is the visual story. In this approach, marketing messages are conveyed in a way that is easiest for the brain to process. A voice narrates your message as the visual images supports it."

 

"At TruScribe, we leverage storytelling through the use whiteboard scribe videos, though there are plenty of other visual storytelling techniques that can be used as part of an effective sales process."

 

Read on to learn more why story telling works so well in B2B marketing:

 

1. Visual Storytelling is Engaging

 

2. Visual Storytelling is Disarming

 

3. Visual Storytelling is Effective

 

With increasing retention rates, it’s easy to see why visual storytelling makes such an effective B2B marketing tool.