 |
 | Contact Us | Bulldog Europe |
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Now it's your turn. 
BtoB marketing professionals answer the question, "How is your organization adapting its lead-generation strategy to account for a possible economic downturn?"
| | Return to MWJ Home |
|
|
|
||
 |
February 2008, Issue 48 |
 |
Content Is Still Key for Successful Demand Generation
By Andrew Gaffney, Editor, DemandGen Report
|
While there are a growing number of marketers that clearly understand the value of content and are incorporating key industry topics into their early strategic planning, others clearly don't get it: They still view the content piece as an after-thought in their strategy.
Case in point: A marketer at a computer software vendor was telling me a few weeks back that they had a Webinar slated in their budget for Q1. The company had the expense budgeted for the Webinar, as well as 500 leads plugged into their sales pipeline, which they were expecting to generate from the Web event. But, they had no idea who their media partner would be, what analysts might be available to speak, or even an idea of the Webinar's topic.
Now, there is a chance that this company will still be able to pull together a hot topic, line up a great speaker and produce the quantity of leads they have budgeted. But I firmly believe that the content piece of the puzzle is as important to an integrated campaign as the marketing mix and the overall spend. Marketers have a better chance of generating quality leads by building topics, speakers and media partners into the mix early in the process.
The 3/30/3 Rule
Drawing the attention of prospective buyers is becoming more challenging every year, as the sheer volume of Web seminars, white papers and other thought leadership content offered continues to climb. There is a new rule of thumb among content providers called 3/30/3, which refers to the fact that you only have three seconds to attract a browser's attention, then 30 seconds to get them to read on—and finally, only three minutes for them to follow through with a white paper, case study or other thought leadership piece.Since content plays such a big role in the success of lead-generation campaigns, I strongly suggest that marketing departments hold quarterly content meetings where they focus on the most relevant topics to their customer and prospect base. And in order to make the most impact, these content discussions should also involve the sales force and perhaps even a customer advisory board.
The Role of Media
My other suggestion is for marketers to work more closely with their media partners. The role of publishers and other business media has clearly changed over the past five to ten years. Magazines, newsletters and events are expected to show results for the advertising and sponsorship by generating leads.This change makes sense, but I think it has forced marketers to leap-frog real opportunities to tap into the content of these partners, instead relying exclusively on lead guarantees and ROI measures. I would suggest that part of the real payout publishers and other thought leaders can provide is pointing marketers in the right content direction and then shaping new deliverables that will be valuable enough for prospects to raise their hand and start a discussion with a relevant solution provider.
I'm dating myself a bit here, but I can remember the days when the only lead-generation solutions business media provided were "bingo cards" on the back of a circulation renewal form. Readers would literally tear out these cards and circle a bunch of numbers that corresponded with advertisers in that issue they were interested in learning more about.
Clearly we have come a long way from those antiquated processes of lead generation, but some things never change: Readers are still searching for content that helps educate them about key business issues. I truly believe that those marketers that stay ahead of the curve on content will ultimately drive more leads—as well as better qualified leads—to their sales team.
Andrew Gaffney is editor and publisher of DemandGen Report, an e-media publication focusing exclusively on the strategies, tactics and measurements that are central to generating growth. For more information, visit www.demandgenreport.com.
Know colleagues who would be interested in this topic? Send them this newsletter, and if they subscribe, you could win Seth Godin's groundbreaking new book, Meatball Sundae: Is Your Marketing out of Synch?
Marketing Watchdog Journal is a monthly newsletter from Bulldog Solutions, a lead optimization and lead management company dedicated to helping our clients generate more, better leads and turn them into revenue. We welcome your feedback on this newsletter's content and design, and encourage you to share your ideas for topics you would like us to cover in future issues. Please send your comments or questions about Bulldog Solutions to Amy Bills, senior manager of Field Marketing.
 |
HOME | PRIVACY POLICY | CONTACT US © 2008 Bulldog Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved. |