B2B Lead Generation | Why your products and services are like your kids

Want to crank up sales and profits in your company? Then stop talking about your kids.

I adore my kids. Three boys - 18, 15, and 12. Great kids. Want to watch my videos or flip through our family photos?

Of course not. You don’t know them and you’re happy for me, but you could not care less.

Welcome to the real world of Business to Business sales and marketing. No one cares.  If you are looking to do B2B lead generation, stop thinking like a parent.

Comparing kids to a company’s products and services works.  When David Meerman Scott said to his boss at Thompson, “No one cares about our products and services.” what his boss actually heard is “Your kids are ugly.” David was fired.

No one likes to be told his kids are ugly. But David was right.

Herein lies the conundrum for business to business companies. They’re proud of their fine products and services. But no one wants to watch the videos or view the photo albums of their “kids” - products and services. Unfortunately, that is what 98% feature on their websites. “We’re the leading provider of ……………” “A multi award-winning search marketing firm.”

No one cares.

Look at it from the point of view of the buyer.

Let’s say I’m going on vacation and I need our lawn mowed. Your kids might be perfect, but I’m not looking for a kid - I’m looking for lawn mowing services.

This is why Ideal Customer Profiles, Buyer Personas and Mapping Content to the Buyer Variables (Title, Buying Stage, Industry) and Content Marketing are critical in business to business marketing today. Focus on what buyers need and not what you have to sell.

That’s the BEST way to do b2b lead generation.

You must take time to carefully plan your approach for success today.

Want a free comprehensive guide to this new world? Download the highly acclaimed and free white paper, How to Find New Customers by clicking the underlined words or the image.

What do you think? We love comments and people who share.

“If more companies listened to (Find New Customers) a lot more would be sold.” Dan McDade, Pointclear.