Content Marketing for B2B Companies: What to Do When Your Client’s Business Seems Boring

One of the unique challenges of content marketing for B2B companies is figuring out how to put together exciting digital marketing content on behalf of a client whose business maybe doesn’t excite you.

Whether you’re a digital marketer working within a large agency or you’re a freelancer striking out on your own, you may be wondering, How can I market effectively on behalf of a client when thinking about their business feels like watching paint dry?

I’m going to stop you right there, marketing friend. There is no such thing as a boring client! It’s all about your attitude and whether or not you’re willing to put in the time and effort necessary to develop the enthusiasm you’re currently lacking.

Remember: Your Client Isn’t Selling to You

We mean this in the nicest possible way, we promise. If you feel like you’re not effectively marketing for a client because their business is really boring, it’s time to remind yourself that you are not the focus here.

B2B marketing isn’t based on flash-in-the-pan trends or media-frenzy product releases. Most B2B companies are working on selling a high-quality, expertly crafted product that is designed to solve a particular problem or set of problems within one or two specific industries. 

The funny, sassy style used by the social media team at Wendy’s may work perfectly to pull in customers for a fast-food business, but odds are good it wouldn’t translate too well in B2B. A business that sells certain medical testing equipment to doctor’s offices, for instance, needs to embrace professionalism rather than sarcastic humor.

Effective marketing on behalf of B2B companies may just be a matter of changing your mindset! Spend some time really digging into your Buyer Personas and try to put yourself in the mindset not of a marketer, but of the qualified leads that your client is trying to reach.

Ask yourself: What interests the Buyer Persona and how can I show them right away that my client has the solution to their particular problem?

Sit Down With the Client and Ask Them, “Why?”

In a previous post on content marketing, I looked into the Golden Circle theory of marketing. The idea of the Golden Circle is that effective marketing is based on answering three questions on behalf of your client: What, How, and Why.

• What: What does your client do? What product or service do they provide, and to whom?
• How: How does your client provide that product or service?
• Why: This is where storytelling steps into view. To answer this, you must know why your client chose to provide this product or service.

If you’re having trouble marketing effectively because you just can’t see how your client’s business interests anyone, ask to schedule a call or even to visit in person. Sit down with your client and ask them why is it they do what they do.

You may find that a business that once seemed dull comes alive when you listen to your client talk about it!

A client you absolutely dread working with could quickly turn into one of your favorites once you realize how much they believe in their business and how much goes into their day-to-day. 

Take our earlier example of selling medical testing devices to doctors’ offices. Maybe the founder of the company has a deep interest in making sure certain medical testing equipment is affordable for doctors, helping them to close a serious gap in the availability of testing for a specific disease in underserved rural areas.

Maybe the business that provides commercial painting services is run by someone who can turn ‘watching paint dry’ into a fascinating story about how the company went from just getting off the ground to where they are today.

You won’t know if you never ask, so… go ask.

If All Else Fails: Ask for Help

No marketer should ever have to go it alone. If you just can’t seem to make your client’s business fun to work with, you may want to ask a coworker or fellow marketer for help.

They may be able to sit down and talk with you about the business, brainstorming ways to take dull content and turn it into compelling storytelling.

Your coworker might see something fascinating about your client that you never noticed before. 

In the end, if you’ve tried just about everything and you and the client just don’t ‘click’, ask around at work and see if anyone else could take over the client as part of a trade-off for a different client whose line of work you find more engaging. 

You may also find that you need to find a marketing agency that specifically works with B2B companies.

Searching for B2B Content Marketing in Greenville, SC? Your Search is Over.

Waypost Marketing provides Inbound Marketing and responsive design services out of our offices in Greenville, SC. We help our clients with every step of the process, from brand development onward. Learn how video marketing  and Inbound Marketing help our clients stand out from the crowd! Give us a call at (864) 288-6162 or contact us online at any time!