Interactive White Paper Webcast: Increase content marketing effectiveness

Connecting Despite Information Overload:

Driving More High Quality Leads with Interactive White Papers

TOM PISELLO, Chairman & Founder

Blog: http://tompiselloroiguy.blogspot.com/

Twitter: @tpisello

http://www.alinean.comhttp://www.fightfrugalnomics.com

http://tompiselloroiguy.blogspot.com/

http://www.alinean.com/

http://www.fightfrugalnomics.com/

© 2011 Alinean, Inc.2

Today’s B2B Buyer and Marketing Trends

http://www.fightfrugalnomics.com



The Economic-Focused Buyer

• Size


Information Overload Rising / Effectiveness Declining

4

50%

28%

10%6%

3% 3%

37%40%

6%3%

11%

3%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

1 to 10 11 to 25 26 to 40 21 to 50 51 to 75 75+

Campaigns Received Per Week

2006 2010

Average 2006: 15.4 campaigns

Average 2010: 20.3 campaigns

32% increase

62% of B2B vendors need more leads in

order to generate the same amount of

sales

Source: SiriusDecisions 2010


Who do Buyers Trust for Decision Support Content?

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

Early Middle Late

Internal events/triggers

Peers

Industry analysts

Trade publications

Search engine results

VARs/Partners

Consultants

Vendors

Most often

selected


3rd Party sources such as Peers, Analysts & Trade Pubs Impart Most Influence

Direct vendor sources yield the least influence


Which Content is Most Effective?

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Early Middle Late

White papers

Peer referrals

Webinars

Email

User Events

Analyst reports

Case Studies

Most often

selected


White Papers Remain King of Decision Support Content


• > 84 % buyers use white papers during the buying journey (most used)

• Average of 3.2 white paper downloads per month (very active)

• Leveraged throughout the buying lifecycle:

– Discovery

• 35% for awareness and finding ideas to challenge status-quo

• 33% for finding solution options

– Consideration -23% for creating a short list of vendors and vendor evaluation

– Decision - 10% for making a final decision

BUT, utilization and frequency of use are DOWN year over year…

Need something newer, more personalized / dynamic to break through the clutter and renew relevance to more skeptical / frugal buyers ….

Will White Papers Retain The Content King Crown?

Source: Ziff-Davis Enterprise


Marketing Strategies for 2011 and Beyond




Fight Frugalnomics with Value Marketing

Value Focus

Discussion:

• Prescriptive & Quantified

• Discover… Is customer

aware of issue?

• Diagnose… How bad is it?

• Quantify … Value of change

• Compare … Value vs. Status

Quo / Competition

Drive: Diagnostics-Driven:

What is issue & outcome /

value of change?

Product Focus

Discussion:

• Customer knows issue

• Tie features / functions to needs

• Compares product alternatives

• Feature • Function • Price

Drive: Product Driven

Solution Focus

Discussion:

• Customer knows issues &

desired outcome

• Questions to discover pain

points

• Recommend solution to

solve pain

Drive: Pain-Point Driven

Solution

ProviderTrusted AdvisorVendor


Buying Lifecycle: How Companies Buy vs. How to Market / Sell

SiriusDecisions Buying Cycle

Loosening

of the

Status Quo

Committing to

Change

Exploring

Possible

Solutions

Justifying

the

Decision

Making

the

Selection

Committing

to a Solution

Decision

Consideration

Discovery

Lead

Prospect

Marketing Qualified

Lead

Sales Qualified Lead

Opportunity

Close

Traditional Marketing Cycle


Content Marketing Strategy and the Buying Lifecycle

Create awareness around a

new problem,

new paradigm

Illuminate problem &

drive urgency

Help buyer identify

solutions to the problem

Align proposed solution

with decision criteria

Demonstrate financial value

/ technical competence to solve problem

Validate/reinforce you are correct choice vs.

alternatives

Loosening of the

status quo

Committing to change

Exploring possible solutions

Committing to a

solution

Justifying the

decision

Making the selection

Education Solution

Vendor Selection

BUYING CYCLENEW CONCEPT

NEW PARADIGMESTABLISHED MARKET

Content Marketing Strategy

Reputation Demand Creation Sales Enablement

Source: SiriusDecisions


Value Marketing and the Buying Lifecycle

Loosening

of the

Status Quo

Committing to

Change

Exploring

Possible

Solutions

Justifying

the

Decision

Making

the

Selection

Committing

to a Solution

Decision

Consideration

Discovery

Help buyer diagnose / illuminate issues

Benchmark / comparison proof that peers

/ leaders are solving issues faster / better

Recommend roadmap for solving issues

Make issues you solve a priority vs. other

issues

Quantify the “cost of doing nothing”

Make the “case for change”

Quantify rewards vs. risks

Make your proposed project a priority vs.

other projects

Need to prove solution is best value

Total cost of ownership (TCO)

comparisons can help

Make your solution a priority vs. all other

solutions


• Engaging “Buyer-Frugalnomicus”

– How do you stand out from the 100 other marketing emails / campaigns buyer receives each day?

– How do you create credible content that users will trust / believe?

– How do you engage without overload?

• Long and more comprehensive assets have value, but demand a lot of time and some information may not be relevant or may confuse buyer

• But, if you make it short, you may not have enough information to really engage the prospect and hit their specific pain points

– How do you deliver what buyers need based on their stage / role in the buying decision?

• Improving Marketing Effectiveness

– How do you increase the effectiveness of content marketing being created?

– How do you help drive higher quality sales ready leads to sales?

– How do you get more lead intelligence to directly assist sales in more successful calls and increased conversions?

Challenges for B2B Marketers


Connect and Engage with Interactive White Papers





• Break through the Noise!

• 3rd Party Credibility

• Improved Intelligence via Profile

PERSONALIZATION

•

CUSTOMIZATION

•

ONE-ON-ONE COMMUNICATION


Abstract and Simple Profile

Preview w/ Abstract

Pivot Points:• Industry

• Location

• Size

• Stage in Buying Cycle

• Role in Buying Cycle

• Pain Points

• AS IS: Asset / Service

Survey


User Provides Responses to Profile Questions

User Fills in Simple

Form

Tip Help Provided

Confirms Edits


Pain Point Profile Collects Additional Information

Pain Point Profile

Intelligence for:

• Personalized report

• Lead Nurturing

Weigh Value of Each

Question versus:

• User Time

• Personalization /

Intelligence Value

Once Questionnaire

Complete, Can

Download Report


Registration

Customized

Registration

Integrate with

Existing Registration

Rich Lead Nurturing

Integration

• Lead information

• Profile information

• Key results


Personalization

Qualitative

• Company Name

• Focus on Pain Points

• Case Studies by

Industry / Location /

Size

Quantitative

• Cost of Doing Nothing

• Quantify Value /

Benefits

• ROI / Payback

• TCO Advantages



• Break through the Noise!

• Generate More Leads vs.

Traditional White Papers

• Engage and Educate

• Reduce Sales Cycles

• Drive more Sales

• Engage

• Personalized

• One to One Dialogue

• Research Based

• 3rd Party Credibility

• Improved Intelligence via Profile


Interactive White Paper Development Process

Existing White Paper (2-4 wks)

– Week 1:• Receive original white paper content

• Collaboratively decide on pivot points

• Rapid prototype interface (questionnaire / abstract)

• Gather / author personalized content

– Week 2:• Finalize personalized content / reviews

• Program personalized content rules

• Integrate with lead intelligence system

• Post pilot

– Week 3• Incorporate pilot findings

• Post final

– Week 4 and On-going• Promote with marketing campaigns

• Verify lead quantity / quality meeting goals

Original White Paper (3-6wks)

– Week 1:• Outline goals and objectives

• Determine pivot points

• Identify research / sources

• Provide outline

– Week 2 – 3:• Gather research and 3rd party sources

• Write original content

• Conduct content reviews / editing

• Post Alpha (prototype)

– Week 4• Program personalized content rules

• Post Beta (working, but not finalized)

• Incorporate Beta findings

– Week 5• Post pilot

• Incorporate Pilot findings

– Week 6 and On-going• Promote with marketing campaigns

• Verify lead quantity / quality meeting goals


Partnerships for Complete Interactive White Paper Solution

Research / Content Reach

Intelligence Integration


Next Steps

Get a Free White Paper Assessment

• Examine existing white paper inventory for potential Interactive conversion

– Pivot points

– Content availability / content / research needed

• Examine new white paper potential

– Properly aligned with Demand Creation Spectrum?

– Help Buyers Journey along the Buying Lifecycle?

– Value Focused: Diagnostics / Justification / Competitive Value?


http://www.alinean.com/demand-gen/interactive_white_paper.aspx





Business

Interactive White Paper Webcast: Increase content marketing effectiveness