Hi there! It’s Matt with MessageUp.
At a recent networking event, I was chit-chatting with the CEO of an early-stage fintech company. Her business had recently secured Series A investment and she was busy hiring for key positions and preparing to launch the next version of their software.
When I explained how MessageUp helps leaders to design and implement effective content marketing strategies, she nodded enthusiastically. As an accountant by training, she could immediately tell when a company had its financial affairs in order but, as she put it, “I’m not so sure about marketing.”
Based on our brief conversation, her company was doing a lot of things right. They were investing more—and more smartly—in marketing than similar businesses at the same stage, and it sounded like they were approaching content marketing in a structured way.
Then she asked, “Can you give me a quick list of things to check for?”
I gave her my 2-minute spiel on the MessageUp Content Marketing Framework, but after listening patiently, she shook her head. “I agree with all of that, but I meant a checklist on whether we’re publishing the right things. Do we have the basics covered?”
This was a different—and very astute—question.
The CEO understood that a minimum set of content is needed to attract and engage a prospect and then hold their attention throughout the purchasing and implementation process.
In this week’s post on the Framework blog, 3 Questions B2B Content Should Answer at Each Stage of the Buyer’s Journey, I explain the underlying challenge, using a bridge across a river as a metaphor for what your content marketing team needs to construct.
The bridge must support your target buyer as they make their way from one bank (initial awareness) to the other (loyal, repeat buyer and advocacy). If there are gaps in the bridge, the buyer will either turn around and give up or fall through a gap into the jaws of waiting competitors.
This isn’t a foolproof list, but I think it should serve as either a solid starting point (for those early in their content marketing implementation) or a sensible checklist when reviewing a more established company’s content.
If your content fails to cover any of the key topics I’ve listed, there’s a chance prospects and customers are falling through the gap and finding their answers elsewhere. Wherever they find the most helpful answers is where they will assign authority and place their trust—key factors in determining which solution provider is most likely to win their business.
The B2B Builders Community
A quick reminder that we’re currently accepting priority waitlist applications for the B2B Builders community, which will be a place where leaders at small/mid-sized B2B companies meet, exchange ideas and experiences, learn from one another, and gain actionable insights to help grow their business.
Those who join the community from that list will receive Founder Member status conferring discounts and VIP status throughout the life of their membership.
To learn more, please read this prospectus, and, if it sounds like something for you, click on one of the embedded links and complete a quick online application to help us weed out bots and timewasters.
We’re also running a private beta, where a small group will test the online experience and collaborate on a content roadmap. If you’d like to join the beta, sight-unseen, drop me a line at b2bbuilders@messageup.com and I’ll share the details.
Reading and Taking Action
This week, our What We’ve Been Reading collection includes articles on:
- Effective LinkedIn advertising.
- Ethical marketing practices.
- The value of independent, third-party content.
- The case for retention marketing.
In an election year, we’d be remiss not to highlight an article that emphasizes the importance of ethical practices. Surrounded by examples that blatantly cross the line, it’s easy to let our standards erode—even in the often prudish world of B2B marketing. If you take one thing away from this week’s missive, let it be a reminder to stick to the moral high ground and steer clear of anything that raises an ethical eyebrow.
To round out this edition, my One Step actionable tip returns to the core concept of this week’s blog post: Does your company’s content cover your target buyer’s journey from end to end, or are there gaps a prospect or customer might slip through?
Have a great week and I’ll see you back here next Wednesday.
Cheers!
~ Matt
