Creating content is the #1 reason website projects and blogging efforts are stalled and never move forward. We’ve all heard how important content is yet we really struggle to write. That’s hard to believe too because Americans work more hours than any other country in the world. Yet, for all the time we spend working, we just can’t seem to write about what we do and how we help our target customers.

Every day we’re solving problems, we’re learning, we’re thinking and we’re teaching. All of these actions take a lot of energy and they produce valuable results. Assuming our employers aren’t just overly kind, the work we do must have value because they’re paying us to do it. So if we’ve already done the hard work, why wouldn’t we put in a bit more effort and create content that can help others too?

Here’s what I mean by that…

If I work to solve one customer’s problem, the chances of that being a one-off situation is pretty remote. So why not take that experience and turn it into a blog or a video blog for others to read or view?

How often have you spent time creating that perfect email or great presentation? Why not repurpose that work? Every business has existing assets that can be dusted off, updated and repurposed. If you’ve written a white paper on the “7 Most Important Factors For An Ergonomic Workplace,” why not turn that into seven individual blog posts? Get more bang for your buck!

Website content should solve target customers’ problems.

We like to buy stuff, we just don’t like to be sold to. If you believe that your website is the digital face of your company (and face it, your website really is the face of your company, so we can actually remove the word digital), are you engaging with your target audience? Or are you selling them “speed and feed” and telling them how your products are cutting edge or how great you are?

We need to position content that solves our customers’ problems and makes their jobs easier. If I come across a source that is helpful and provides value to me, that source becomes part of my toolbox. When it comes time to buy something, I’m going to start with my go-to sources.

In the B2B world, we like case studies and testimonials because they’re proof that the solution we’re considering actually works. A good sales person knows well that they’ll need proof statements. So actual examples speak volumes to your solutions effectiveness.

Speak to be understood.

Sometimes we get too close to our own business. We know what we call our products and services very well. Our target audience doesn’t know our business to the same level and may have different terminologies in mind. We need to keep ourselves in check as we’re writing to assure that we’re not using technical terminology that our target customers are not familiar with.

Know your customer personas.

If you talk the way your audience talks, then you are more likely to be heard, understood and remembered. But it goes beyond that. We have to know what makes them tick. We have to know what they are looking for in order to get their job done and then we need to give them that information in the form and medium they chose to consume it in. And in most B2B cases, there is more than one customer type that we have to reach.

Customer personas are fictitious archetypes. They are the types of people that you have to influence to make a sale.

Let’s consider “Joe the Engineer “and “Jackie the Buyer” as two examples. Joe and Jackie both work for Panasonic. Panasonic is going to release a new flat screen TV. It’s going to be thinner and consequently there is going to be increased heat within the framework. Joe the Engineer is charged with evaluating and selecting components that will withstand the increased heat. Joe will be looking for an electronic solder to hold the components in place. If you’re an electronic solder manufacturer and Joe finds his way to your website, he’s going to be looking for case studies, he’ll want to get a sample of your solder products, and will definitely want to have a conversation with your engineers. As Joe completes his requirements document and narrows down the vendor options, he’s going to hand the process over to Jackie the Buyer. Jackie is going to want to see terms and conditions, testimonials, understand your warranty terms and be assured of on-time delivery. She’s interested in speed and getting the best product for the best price. If you are the solder manufacturer, the question becomes: do you have the information and content on your website that Joe needs?

• Can he find your case studies?
• Does he have access to your engineers?
• Can he request samples?

How about Jackie’s needs? You didn’t forget about her I hope. If you did, that oversight may have cost you a very big order.

Understanding your buyer personas is key to preparing your website and your website’s content in the right way that makes visitors turn into customers. Turn your most important information into web content to help with your online marketing initiatives and drive the right people to your site.