For most people in industrial marketing, when we think “content,” we think written words.
Blogs, white papers, website text, brochures… you name it, it probably has words on it.
This thinking relegates images and videos to the sidelines, when you should be bringing them back into the limelight.
Michael Brenner of B2B Marketing Insider explains how you can use visual content to capture more leads in his post, How To Take Advantage Of Visual Storytelling.
We’ve all heard the saying that “a picture is worth a thousand words” but that is easier said than done for many businesses. The cavemen knew this when they created the first visual stories over 10,000 years ago. It is in our DNA to be able to tell visual stories that convey important pieces of information.
There are a variety of ways marketers can incorporate visual content into their campaigns, including:
- Images and pictures
- Videos
- Slideshows
- Infographics
- Comics
- Memes (Example: Grumpy Cat)
- Infodoodles (Here’s an Infodoodle on ideas for visual content)
Are you ready to start telling better visual stories? Here are three tips that can help you get started:
1. Become a voracious consumer and student of visual content.
Follow the top photos, videos and presentations on a regular basis and try to understand what makes them so popular.
2. Tell stories that inspire emotion.
It is not about “going viral.” The best visual content evokes an emotional response and comes from a ton of practice and an expected amount of trial of error.
3. Measure your results.
You cannot just focus on the creation. Look at how movies are marketed. Often, 50% or more of the budget on a movie is set aside for marketing and promotion. Production is just half the battle … even great content needs a little push.
Every business faces the challenge of reaching new customers and growing their business. In today’s digital, mobile and social world, your customers have more choices than ever before. They are tuning out promotional messages and rewarding the brands that have demonstrated the ability to provide useful information.
But while content has become a strategic weapon in the battle for customer attention, the businesses who know how to tell visual stories are the ones who will stand apart.
I couldn’t agree more. B2B buyers are behaving more and more like consumers, and as such, need to be marketed to like B2C buyers. This includes upping the game when it comes to visual content.
In industrial marketing, it may be easy to dismiss your industry as “boring” or “unsexy.” However, you’re selling a product or service that solves problems for your customers. You have success stories. You have more to say than you think.
Don’t be afraid to share your stories. Potential prospects will find you. And if they like what you have to say, they’ll buy from you. It all starts with giving them a reason to think you can solve their problem.
photo credit: Robbert van der Steeg via photopin cc
