B2B companies hoping to add small businesses as clients are missing the mark in reaching this audience. According to a recent survey conducted by Inc. and Cargo, 43 percent of small business owners feel as though larger companies do not understand their needs.
Many of the respondents said that their perception of big brands stemmed from exposure to marketing campaigns that did not address their interests or concerns. Moreover, many SMBs are increasingly frustrated because they’ve been in the market for certain products or services for some time, but finding a vendor that understands their pain points has proven increasingly difficult. Forty-five percent said they believe larger companies do not even try to understand them.
Ultimately, content marketing that explains optimal use of services or discusses the benefits SMBs can gain from certain products may be the best way to appeal to these prospects. The survey found that 46 percent of respondents said they felt companies were selling too much, rather than talking to them.
Additionally, using content marketing to elaborate on industry trends can help companies come off as thought leaders in their markets. Overt selling language is becoming less attractive, especially to small business owners.
Including this content in different web marketing channels can help B2B companies appeal to their prospects. Brafton recently reported that email marketing campaigns that include links to original, relevant website content are more likely to result in click-throughs and conversions.
