Robert BlyB2B marketing can fail when your copywriter doesn’t understand the six things they need to know to write the strongest copy:
1: The audience.
In B2B, the people creating the ads are often not members of the target market.
Therefore, the more specialized the audience you target, the more likely it is that some members of your marketing team have a less than solid — and possibly even weak — understanding of your prospects.
In particular: who they are … what they believe … what they desire … and what their emotional makeup and core feelings.
Also: their level of technical expertise, job responsibilities, and technology preferences and prejudices.
2: The problem your product solves for the buyer.
Accurately identifying the big problem your product solves for the buyer is critical to engaging them on both an emotional and logical level.
For instance, a mailer for AARP Medicare Supplement Insurance Plans leads with a clear, specific, and immediate problem statement the recipients can relate to:
Original Medicare only covers about 80% of Part B medical costs. So, if you’re 65 years old and enrolled in Original Medicare, you may not be totally covered.
3: You don’t understand the product.
This is often the case when the marketing team either has little or no technical background, or else may lack familiarity with the specific product or its applications.
4: You are not familiar with competitive products and alternative solutions.
For instance, you may be familiar with the trays your company manufactures for refinery distillation towers that separate crude into gasoline, diesel, heating oil, and other hydrocarbons.
But you may not understand how other types of tower internals — such as random packing, saddles, and rings — work … and the advantages of trays over these alternatives.
Can you clearly articulate the value proposition and unique selling proposition of your product vs. others? If not, you are at a disadvantage in trying to convince prospects that your solution is different and better.
5: You don’t possess enough facts to prove your case.
You have to dig deep. Reason: B2B buyers who are technical or from a niche industry know a lot about applications and equipment. And their success on the job depends in part on making the right purchase decisions.
So they know what they are looking for. The more proof you have that your product has superior performance, the more persuasive your copy will be.
Examples of proof include:
- Charts and graphs.
- Field performance.
- Third-party testing.
- Case studies.
- Specifications.
- Operating principles.
In addition, if you don’t know what you are talking about, and are faking your way through it, prospects will spot it. Your copy won’t ring true. And your credibility will evaporate.
6: You don’t have a clear and specific call to action (CTA).
A strong CTA tells readers:
- What they get when they respond.
- What they have to do to get it.
- Why they should want it.
- Why they should respond now instead of later.
The Medicare insurance mailer mentioned earlier has the following CTA covering three types of information potential insurance buyers may be seeking:
To learn more about AARP Medicare Supplement Insurance Plans.
In just one phone call, a licensed insurance agent may:
- Walk you through your options.
- Answer your questions.
- Enroll you over the phone.
Makes sense, right? When you are shopping for insurance, you want to know your coverage options, terms, premiums, rating of insurance carrier, and how to enroll.
