Do you focus your B2B content plan on prospects alone? Is that approach delivering the best ROI? What if you switched your primary focus to targeting content at existing customers instead?
We discuss a major flaw with the standard prospect focussed inbound marketing process elsewhere on this blog. Can switching focus to existing customers resolve many of those issues?
Improve Customer Retention
A focus on existing customers and retention:
- Improves engagement.
- Improves credibility.
- Improves competitive position.
Unlike prospects, customers are more likely to visit your site directly rather than use search. They already know who you are. If they are looking for a solution, they will often start with your website and those of your competitors. The search for prospects demands more investment in SEO.
As your sales team continually engages with existing customers. They should have an intimate understanding of their information needs. Hence, each piece of your content should have more impact. Over time your website will become a valuable resource centre for your existing clients. Increasing their time on-site and your credibility.
Content To Engage Existing B2B Customers
Working with sales, internal sales and anyone else who works with customers identify:
- Where are the customer pain points.
- What are common objections?
- How can we help them use our product or services?
- What are common questions?
- What smoothes the purchasing decisions.
- Help customers understand the shortcuts lower price competitors take and the implications.
It may seem like an overwhelming task but a significant amount of content may already exist. Many companies in B2B markets create a mass of content for internal consumption. With a little planning, editing and some design input, this can be repurposed.
Although the information needs of prospects will not be the same as established customers there will be significant overlap. Focus your B2B content plan on customers first, and prospects may come along for the ride.
B2B Content To Increase Credibility
Let’s imagine you and your competitors decide to take the same approach and target content at customers instead of prospects. Then what will make one business stand out from the rest? It is the business that publishes consistent thought leadership content that wins. Unlike writing for prospects, authoritative content is a distinguishing factor.
Thought leadership content addresses where markets are heading and the challenges that presents. It is based on a firm understanding of the market, research or innovative thinking.
Thought leadership content will bring customers back to read more. With that content comes credibility and an improved competitive position.
Your existing customers already buy from you (obviously). They already know you and are more likely to order from you again than any prospect. Why would you ignore them?
The marketing costs associated with delivering content to existing clients are significantly lower than those associated with converting new customers. Of course, new customers are the lifeblood of many businesses, but it is at least worth considering switching the focus of your B2B content plan to those you have already converted.
To learn more download our free B2B Content Marketing – A Different Approach guide
Should you need any help with your content strategy, content plan or content production please get in touch and we will be happy to help.