What Is Content Marketing? Oh, You’re Already Doing it—Now Plan on Making Money from it!

You know that rabbit hole you go down each time you read an article online and then click on one link, only to click on another, which has you reading an article about the pros and cons of this and that, eventually taking you to a product page? From there, you start clicking down the customer reviews—some of which may even redirect you to another product entirely? Which takes you down that rabbit hole all over again?

That zig and zag through the content marketing minefield is just how business is done these days—both for B2C and B2B endeavors, whether you realize it or not. But wait! The good news is that it’s mining gold … and it can for your industrial manufacturing business when you get on the other side of it. 

Because Your B2B Brand Strategy May Still Need Fixin’

We hear all too often the strains of, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” reasoning for not updating brand messaging or revising outdated websites. What you aren’t doing, in reality, is adhering to a consistent and congruent brand development strategy. But do you really know how many opportunities you may be missing out on by not making these changes? What is your gauge for broken? If you don’t remain relevant and contemporary, prospects may be passing you by because you look “broke” to them. Your assumptions may be shortsighted and costly. 

Have a Healthy, Heart-Hitting Company Brand

Why is Walt Disney World® magical? Why are Volvos safe? Why are Jeeps® adventurous? Each of these answers boils down to one thing: brand essence. It is the emotion your brand conveys. In other words, it is the emotional heart—some would say, soul—of your brand. So, Disney World, Volvos, and Jeeps evoke feelings of magic, safety, and adventure, respectively, among their customers. Better yet, these characteristics are associated with these companies even by people who don’t buy Jeeps, Volvos, or go to Disney. Well done.

Google’s Coming to Get You!

Mobilegeddon is upon us … and you’re still here! Congratulations! But will you be in a year? While this asteroid may have already hit, it’s possible that its after-effects will not be felt immediately. You may think that you are doing all you need to do with your B2B marketing strategies, but we want you to know—that may not be so. As we talked about in our most recent blog post, the Google mobile algorithm is already at work crawling the web in real-time, and the ranking results may take time to show tangible drops, or rises, in SEO ranking. But this does not mean you have time to spare.

The Lowdown on the Latest SEO SmackDown

Let’s put it on the table up front: small businesses are particularly vulnerable with the latest Google algorithm. Grant Marketing specializes in comprehensive B2B marketing for small to mid-size companies. The irony isn’t lost on us that all the efforts and success people and businesses have made towards strengthing local economies, while trying to become global players, may rest in the hands (aka algorithm) of one of the biggest players of them all—Google. Keep reading, though. We’re here to makes sense of it for you, and give you the tools to make the necessary adjustments to stay in Google’s global game.

As Opposed to Being Shot Down by It 

To people of a certain generation, their first introduction to “branding” had more to do with the etched insignia on the rump of a cow than the brand promise of, say, their favorite frosty beverage. Jump forward a few decades and today’s average consumer is, at least subconsciously, educated on what the brand promise is for each of the products that they depend on.

Your Brand Development Strategy Could Use a Shot of This! 

Own Your Brand Development Strategy

Brands seep into our consciousness, support our lifestyle activities, and influence our spending. Heck, they help shape it all. You don’t have to be a specialist in brand strategy development to get a sense of what I’m talking about. Whether you are a company head worried about B2B brand strategy or a mom looking for the right educational toys for her tots, brand messaging is at the heart of your purchasing decisions. Often because brand consultants have managed to get to your heart.

Ready, Set, Check This List!

You probably know your company’s inbound marketing campaign strategy and you have your marketing campaign protocols down pat. You know what you are marketing and who all your players are: a new product release you want to promote; which customers have their niche needs or preferences; who on your content team likes writing eBlasts over blogs; your designer’s penchant for creating fluorescent CTA buttons—all those big and little details. 

Build Your Brand Development Muscles

You know what your company does, but does the average person? When you’re at a barbeque and someone asks what you do for work, what do you say? Can you describe it in a simple 60-second elevator pitch?