If you can’t go big, in customer reference programs, do you go home?

This year and last, one of our clients has generously invited me to speak to their annual sales meeting on the topic of customer reference programs. My mission is to evangelize the power of customer references as a core element of highly successful B2B influencer relations campaigns. One of the misconceptions I’m there to dispell – that I hear from sales pros and marketers alike –  is some version of the following:

“Our audiences only care about big, brand-name customers, and those customers won’t let us use them as media references. Therefore, there’s no point to pursuing customers for references.”

I like to call this the customer reference dilemma. And like most dilemmas, it’s based on some false assumptions. We’ve had the opportunity to devise and collaborate with customer reference programs (CRPs) for clients across many industries, and whether we’re owning the CRP from end-to-end or just leveraging those customer references in outbound communications programs, what we’ve learned is that the size or name recognition of a customer isn’t the most important measure of its value as a customer reference. In fact, for most businesses, I wouldn’t even place it in the top five. Customer references get their value from how they align with your go-to-market strategies and core messages, and how they clearly demonstrate the business impact of your products or services. With that in mind, here are the five criteria I think are most important in evaluating a customer’s potential value as a reference for your communications efforts:

1)   Market alignment: Are you heavily targeting a specific market segment or vertical in your marketing efforts? Customer references that match the profile of that market provide valuable reinforcement for those marketing messages;

2)   Product alignment: Customer success stories for your legacy offerings may be very compelling, but if your sales force is focused on selling the new generation, case studies, news announcements or media coverage of customers who demonstrate the value of your new products or services will provide better air cover;

3)   A great narrative: You’ll get great customer reference value from a company no one has ever heard of if their success story is particularly novel or compelling. A great before-and-after story – especially if you can name a key competitor as the “before” scenario – will leave a strong impression as to how your company can transform a customer’s business;

4)   Great quantitative results: Numbers-driven customers who can deliver the hard data that demonstrate vast improvements in the metrics that matter most to them – and most likely, to your prospective customers – are extremely attractive as customer references;

5)   ROI: Customers who diligently track the impact of your products or services in the form of return on investment, and will sign up to extoll those results publicly, can be tough to come by. When you find one, you’ve found an unbeatable opportunity to quantify the true impact your company can deliver.

Are there criteria would you add to this list? Please use the Comment field below, or don’t hesitate to contact me at james@mcbru.com.

You’ve heard of Curata’s “Feeding the Content Beast: The good news and the bad news is that it’s always hungry.” So how do you feed the content beast, and why do we care about that in tech B2B marketing?

At McBru we’ve known for years that content marketing is just as important, if not more, for B2B markets than for B2C. Our CEO, Kerry McClenahan was quoted in BtoB Magazine saying “engineers hate to be marketed to” but they love information and peer discussion on how to better craft their work.

And online engagement is not just for B2C shoppers. According to Forrester Research, “B2B buyers are online, in social channels, going to events, and evaluating options on mobile devices.”

Get more of the latest insights in this B2B content marketing infographic.

We’re now helping our clients navigate the sometimes choppy waters of a busy tradeshow season toward flawless execution. We find that some of the same questions invariably come up, year after year. Here are five of the most frequently asked:

• Do we really need to have giveaways at our booth? The short answer is yes! The right give-away is more than just a tchotchke that an attendee passes on to their kid. It can act as a conversation starter and be used as a bargaining chip in exchange for a coveted business card.

• How important is it to stay active on social media while at an event? It’s very important. A good social media strategy will generate buzz pre-event, capture exciting interactions during an event and maintain connections with new contacts post event.

• Are lead-capturing devices worth the extra cost? Most of the time – especially at larger events where you are likely to get heavy traffic to your booth. Many lead capture devices let you do more than just scan an attendee’s business card. You can also add extra fields to further qualify that lead (e.g. size of company). The best part is that, at the end of a show, you may receive that information in a ready-to-use spreadsheet. That certainly beats having to input all that information manually!

• Should I add a speaking opportunity to my sponsorship? It depends. If you are cultivating yourself and your company as thought leaders in a specific area, and you have compelling, useful information to share with your tradeshow audience, it is a worthy investment. However, please refrain from a presentation that skews heavily toward marketing your product and services – that will annoy your audience. Plan instead to share practical, useful information.

• How quickly do I need to follow up with leads after an event? Faster is better. In general, follow up within two weeks after an event. The event, and your value to their work, is still fresh in their memory.

What questions do you have about tech B2B event marketing? Let me know in the comments below.

BtoB Magazine recently covered a case study on an effective tech B2B advertising and lead nurturing campaign for a McBru client, ON Semiconductor. Gary Malmberg, the manager of global advertising and marketing, provided a great quote about how content energizes his advertising and demand generation initiatives.

“A lot of times engineers are caught up in the challenge of having done things for years, and thenâsuddenlyâthere is new technology or features they have to integrate into an end product. As much as they may try, they need some educationâjust a little push and help to become the resident expert. We want to remind these people we’re here and have a lot of knowledge to share, whether it’s via a video, webcast tutorial, app or white paper.â 

With strategic and tactical help from McBru, ON Semiconductor delivers a wide variety of content types to fit every geo and information need. Attracted by high-performing banners and a regular email nurturing campaign, engineers can download or view videos, white papers, data sheets, design guides, and more. McBru crafts the campaigns and localizes the demand gen components for North America, China, Germany and Japan. Read the case study for more details and results.

Want to talk further about putting together an effective content-driven advertising campaign for your company?  Find me at elise@mcbru.com.

It was once the most august distinction in journalism: the sharp divide between advertising and editorial sides of the business. Articles that appeared as news or under an editorial byline were written without sway from advertisers.

News was objective, advertising was promotional, and never the twain met, at least in theory.

But that was before “advertorials” and “curated contentâânewsy articles shaped by marketing and paid for by advertisersâbecame a standby in much of the media.

So it was a bit of a surprise when last month the New York Times breathlessly reported that “Sponsors Now Pay for Online Articles, Not Just Ads.” The article focused on how technology news articles at a number of major online media sources were paid for by advertisers, though in look and feel these articles appeared to be typical news stories written by journalists, and thereby (one assumes) unbiased and objective.

A result of the widespread use of branded content, says the Times, is “a media universe where it is increasingly difficult for readers to tell editorial content from advertising.”

Hunh? Apparently it’s news to the Times that most people today embrace many types and forms of content as they seek information, particularly on the Internet. Readers are capable of getting value out of an array of sources, including online user comments, crowd-sourced reviews, surveys, blogs, chat rooms, social media connections and branded contentâin addition to paid advertising and just-the-facts journalism. Their community-oriented preferences are shaping the new media landscapeâsuch as this strategic shift at UBM Techâmore than the advertisers are.

Here at McBru, we help our clients create content strategies that include curated content as well as more objective news sources such as analyst reports, white papers and straight-up news. Though it should never be misrepresented, branded content can be an important part of your content strategy blend, as it gives tech B2B marketers the opportunity to align messages to audiences in an upfront and often creative way.

First impressions count, especially in tech B2B press releases. Yet the headline can often be the most challenging part to write.

Your tech B2B company or client may have the most innovative technology product or service, but if you can’t express the excitement and value in a headline, your target audiences will completely miss it. Even worse, influencers may stop paying attention to your announcements if the headlines are vague or uninspiring.

So here’s a tip: make sure your headline answers the five W’s – Who, What, When, Where and Why. Seems like Media 101, I’m sure, but rarely do you see a headline that does this clearly and concisely. And perhaps the worst offense is burying the ‘who;’ isn’t your primary job to raise brand awareness for your client?

Consider this example: “A Unique New Business”

While it may be concise, this headline doesn’t tell the reader anything. What is the news? Why is the announcement important? Who is involved?

Now consider an example from one of McBru’s clients: “Reaction Design Enhances FORTÉ CFD Package with Engine Knock Prediction Capabilities”

This headline leads with the company issuing the announcement and tells the reader what the news is right away. With a product announcement such as this one, it’s important to include the name of the product and highlight its value proposition.  In this example, FORTÉ is the product and engine knock prediction is the benefit provided.

Regardless of the news you’re trying to promote, be thoughtful and put your best effort into your press release headline. For some writers, the headline may be the first part of the writing process, helping shape the rest of the announcement. For others, the headline is most easily formed after the announcement has been written.

Either way, make sure your press release starts out with a bang.

Your tech B2B ad campaign that’s got them clicking in Germany may not have any response in China. Since most B2B ad campaigns span various geographies, we thought it might be helpful to offer up a few insights we’ve learned about localizing your campaign.

1. Review your ad copy – When writing your copy, it’s important to think about how the message could be received in the regions where your ad will be running. More likely than not, you will need translation and localization services. In addition to that, pay attention to the idioms you’re using. A turn-of-phrase that makes perfect sense in your language may bear no meaning in another culture. How do you address this? Just ask someone who knows – a member of your team, or possible freelancer, residing in the region you’re trying to reach. Try running your copy by that resource and ask for their feedback. Chances are, there’s a phrase that may need some tweaking.
2. Research your imagery – In tech B2B marketing, many ads feature images of end market applications. Some images just don’t make resonate in other countries. For example, showing football on the screen of an LCD TV just won’t make sense to most Europeans. Well, at least not American football. So think about what types of end applications your audiences are using.
3. Set realistic performance goals – Impressions and click-thru rates (CTRs) are not also comparable region to region. Experience has taught us that you can expect to see some regions garner incredibly high impressions, or what feels like painfully low CTRs. Remember, the performance of an ad is frequently relative to industry standards for that region. So do your research, find out industry standards by geography and set your goals accordingly. Of course, that shouldn’t keep you from reaching for goals above and beyond the standards!

Got any more questions about global B2B advertising best practices? Just give McBru a call.

PS – Check out our take on lead gen and nurturing in a recent BtoB Magazine article.

A recent study by IDG Research Services unveils that 95% of B2B tech buyers watch tech-related videos. Two-thirds of them subsequently research the featured product, and almost half go to the vendor’s site for more information. Now that’s pull.

Tech B2B buyers leverage video, from IDG.

Want to make videos that connect with this audience? Here are a few tips from our experience:

Capture the details in the planning phase. What is the focus of your video? Will you use live on-camera talent or is animation a better choice? Is your messaging clear in the script? What is the call to action for your audience? Will you produce your video DIY style, or do you need to contract a production company? What is your budget (in dollars and time)? These are a few questions you’ll want to answer before you begin. The proof is in the planningâpoorly executed video will gain you attention, just not the type of attention you want for your brand!

Pay attention to quality. The Internet is overpopulated with bad video. Don’t let your project join the ranks of infamy. Whether you are developing a high production, big budget video or creating a simple one using your iPhone, the quality should be as high as you can make it. Limit background noise. Try to use a professional microphone. Ensure adequate light. Record in HD if possible. Garbled audio and pixilated images won’t drive buyers to your website.

Add spice with editing. Make as much impact as possible in three minutes or less. Longer video is harder to digest and runs the risk of boring the viewer. Also, use motion graphics and music to make your video more engaging. While a professional editor is definitely worth the investment, there are several easy to use video editing apps available online for the budget-constrained.

Have a distribution plan in place. There are more options available to tech b2b marketers than just posting your video to your website and blog. Take advantage of your social networks by using Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc. Start with a YouTube channel – it’s easy for your audience to find your content, and easy for you to share it. Check out McBru’s YouTube channel for an example of how we connect with tech professionals.

A successful video campaign calls for strategic thinking and careful planning – even more than a big budget. If you’re thinking about adding video to your content marketing plan, contact McBru for help. We’re experienced in creating targeted, high-quality video for tech B2B marketers that gets results.

To some, the Forbes article “LinkedIn is Preferred by Executives” may sound like news, but not to us. In fact, here’s a link to a book of LinkedIn case studies featuring a McBru project for a tech B2B company – from three years ago!

See this new McBru social media case study that shows how LinkedIn works as a powerful platform to create community and connections within a highly targeted, worldwide tech B2B audience. Let me point out a few of the story’s best practices:

1. Know the market: We’ve been working with Reaction Design for years: developing a clear brand, getting media coverage and developing written and video content. So, as we led the company into social media, we already knew a lot about its customers, prospects and marketplace – a benefit of being a focused tech B2B agency with a broad service portfolio.
2. Know the tools: With a few years under our belt, we have best practices for setting up LinkedIn groups and creating a flow of content and topics.
3. Know the content: McBru has created a wide range of content for our client, Reaction Design, from white papers to customer videos. So we already understood the topics and content to introduce to stimulate interest, sign-ups, engagement – and ultimately value for the members.
4. Know how to manage a community: This is where too many LinkedIn groups fail. They fill up with spammers, recruiters and product-pitchers. We manage social media communities for several tech B2B companies and know how to maintain order and value. For Reaction Design, that meant carefully culling the membership and the content for valuable peer-to-peer sharing and conversation.

Read the whole case study to get more details about how we have been able to attract and engage more than 1000 highly targeted tech professionals – out of a total global population of only a couple thousand.

P.S. You can also read about this program in our entry to 2013 Some Awards.

This recent study showed that a statement was considered to be more believable when shown in one typestyle than another. Baskerville, a classic style serif typeface was more believable than the more modern and ubiquitous sans-serif, Helvetica.
This is really not a surprise to any graphic designer or art director. Typefaces have personalities and voices. And you don’t have to know the history of type, or spent hours drawing Caslon “g”s in design school to be aware that the way a message is visually presented colors the viewer’s perception.

There is little inherent in the shapes of the letters of a particular typeface that make them more authoritative. The perception has more to do with the experience of the viewer. Most books, textbooks and newspapers were printed in serif faces like Baskerville, and the association gives that typeface authority. On the other hand, Helvetica and other sans-serif faces are more recent and have been widely used in signage, such as the Interstate Highway System, creating a more straight-forward, statement-of-fact, neutral association. Perhaps that is why Helvetica is also used for advertising as well.

We use Trade Gothic as our corporate typeface. It is clean and simple with just enough variety in shape to be distinctive, compared to the regularity of Helvetica. It is businesslike, yet has personality, which suits McBru well.

Today all major computers and smart phones use variants of Helvetica for their user interfaces. As more and more of our exposure to type comes through these devices, I’d bet that in 10 years sans faces may become more believable.

What does your company’s use of type say about your trustworthiness?