In the highly competitive digital space, it is more complex than ever for brands to stand out. In the B2B space, it can be even harder because marketing conversions can mean something completely different than just a sale. So how does a B2B company get found, seen and heard in a cluttered digital world? From paid, owned, earned and shared strategies to the best ways to make your content go further, this presentation will tell you what you need to know to build a visible brand in a highly competitive digital economy.

1. THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE
TO
B2B MARKETING
IN A DIGITAL ECONOMY

2. If you’re a small- to medium-sized business (SMB) –
especially if you’re in the business-to-business (B2B)
space – you’ll know how messy the digital revolution
has been for marketing and sales

3. Not long ago, a sale
needed some sort of
human interaction –
even with the web
Now, from fact-finding to
brand relationship building,
your customers rely on the
Internet to do it all

4. How can a small B2B-focused company get back
into the discussion in this age of digital selling?
Here’s a guide to help your SMB be found, seen
and heard online

5. Being found
THE WEBSITE:
Your digital kingdom
Most companies know they need to have a website but
don’t recognize just how critical it is. Your website is your
digital kingdom, a place where you can share your brand
story, connect people directly to your company, and make
that all-important first impression.

6. Being found
CONTENT:
What’s your story?
Most companies do a great job of explaining what they do,
but fail when it comes to using more dynamic content
(blogs, videos, infographics) to show how they can help.
Customers respond to relevant information and education;
products and services come later.

7. Being found
SEARCH BASICS:
What SMBs really need to know about search
Being found through search -- search engine optimization
(SEO) -- requires a regular stream of high-quality and
relevant content, as well as social media to boost authority
and visibility. Social media often gets pushed to the side,
but according to this study, seven of the top eight SEO
factors are tied directly to social activity.

8. Being found
SOCIAL LISTENING:
Figuring out your audience online
Strategic social media use starts by listening to your
competitors as much as your audience, so you have a
complete view of what’s going on in your industry. Watch
what industry players and influencers say and do online,
and pay attention to the tactics that engage thought
leaders, competitors and consumers.

9. Being seen
SOCIAL MEDIA:
Connecting your ideas with the world
There may be no better way to connect your ideas with the
world than through social media. It can be a terrific way to
boost your company’s visibility online. One of our strongest
recommendations: focus on sharing highly useful and
targeted content that’s of interest to the people you want to
connect with. Popular memes get attention, but they do little
to build a brand; don’t let them distract you.

10. Being seen
PAID MEDIA:
Placing content in the right spots
Paid AdWords and social media ads can have their place --
for potentially just a few dollars a day. If you narrow your
focus to a very specific keyword or phrase that your typical
client is looking for, an ad that sends them to a strategic
landing page can be well worth the investment.

11. Being seen
UPCYCLING CONTENT:
Increase visibility and your reach
Content is often written, shared and quickly forgotten.
Upcycling is a trend to reuse and rebuild previously
published information to extend shelf life and boost visibility.
For example, you can take a blog post you wrote six months
ago and expand it in these ways:
 Create a SlideShare
 Recap the article in a video and post it to YouTube
 Republish the article on LinkedIn
 Build an infographic for more visual viewers
 Expand it into a white paper
 Syndicate the content to industry trade publications

12. Being seen
SOCIAL SELLING:
Moving consumers through the funnel
Social selling is when sales professionals use social
channels to share your company’s content directly with
potential or current customers. It can be a terrific way to put
your brand on the radar — but it must be better than spam.
There has to be context for the information being shared,
and the focus should be on starting a discussion, not
pushing for a sale.

13. Being heard
BUILD COMMITMENT:
Like, Follow, Subscribe
The path doesn’t end when someone finds your company
online; your efforts are wasted if someone shows up then
leaves. Build commitment by making it easy to stay in touch.
 Make social links easy to spot, so people can Like, Follow or
share your content.
 Create a simple email subscription form for newsletter or blog post
distribution.
 Don’t forget to link to your RSS feed -- some people prefer it.
 For rich content like white papers or eBooks, consider gated
content -- a tactic that exchanges basic information for a
download. It can help you generate leads and measure your
investment, but use it sparingly.

14. Being heard
ONLINE ENGAGEMENT:
A one-to-one conversation
Digital marketing is about driving a better
customer experience, earning sales and
retention by focusing on the importance of
one-to-one marketing. Your end goal is to start
and continue discussions that lead to new
brand advocates, new customers, and long-
term clients that ultimately become referral
generators.

15. Competing in the digital
economy can seem
overwhelming, but in many
ways the web levels the playing
field. After all, the best content
doesn’t cost the most, it
connects the most effectively.
By focusing on the essentials of
being found, seen and heard
online, it’s possible to not only
succeed in the digital economy,
but to relish in growth and
visibility.

16. Dan Newman is the president of Broadsuite where he works side by side with
brands big and small to help them be found, seen and heard in a cluttered digital
world. A regular contributor to Forbes, Entrepreneur and Huffington Post, he is also
the author of two books, a business professor and a huge fan of watching his
daughters play soccer.
Dan Newman
President of Broadsuite
@danielnewmanuv dnewman@broadsuite.com