When you’re pouring all of your budget into paid ads for your business, it can be exciting to get the notification in your inbox that tells you – yes! – you’ve got a lead. So you start paying more and more, feeling a thrill every time someone fills out a form and those lead numbers go up.

It looks great on paper, right?

However, on closer inspection, you realise that they’re either fake emails, random numbers instead of business phone numbers or people who simply aren’t ready to buy your product or service yet and are simply a waste of time.

That return on investment you’d hoped for just isn’t translating and the numbers aren’t looking good.

As for your blog? 

It’s stagnant. Either you haven’t got the skills in-house to write a great blog or you haven’t got the time to keep up a hub of great content that positions you as a trusted expert. No interested potential customers reading (or return on investment) there either.

If you aren’t getting the high-intent, high-quality leads you’re hoping for and you’re just caught up in converting sales, read on.

Are your potential customers really ready to buy?

According to research by Professor John Dawes of the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute, only 5% of B2B buyers are in-market to buy right now.

That means 95% of the buyers that you reach are out-of-market and won’t buy for months (or even years). Asking 95% of the people you reach to book a demo or jump on a discovery call?

If they’re not in the mindset to buy, they’re not going to convert. You’re already jumping way too far down the marketing funnel without focusing on those all-important earlier stages of the marketing funnel: awareness and engagement.

Are these people aware of the problem that you provide a solution for? Are you producing content that engages and educates them, to show them that there can be a better way?

This is where a great content marketing strategy can help nurture potential customers into sales. Here’s how strategic content creation can establish trust, build brand authority, and ultimately convert potential customers into loyal brand advocates.

1. Establishing trust through valuable content

First of all, you need to establish trust. It’s the reason we turn to certain brands knowing that we’ll get great quality and service.

One of the primary goals of content marketing is to establish trust with your audience. By delivering high-quality, valuable content, you position your brand as a trusted source of information within your industry. There’s a wealth of knowledge in your business – it’s why you do what you do. But without communicating that expertise and educating people, what reason are you giving them to trust you to solve their problems once you’ve got their attention? 

What reason are you giving them to choose you over your competitors?

By investing in content marketing, you can share your expertise and build trust as a voice of authority in your industry through blog posts, whitepapers, guides, ebooks, videos and podcasts.

Got a database of contacts for your newsletter? Send them valuable content to nurture them through email marketing over time. Got some ideas for blog posts or some hot takes on current industry trends? Get someone with content marketing and SEO copywriting skills to do the heavy lifting for you and put that knowledge onto your website. 

When potential buyers come across your informative and engaging content, they begin to perceive your brand as a reliable authority. By consistently providing value, you not only gain their trust but also demonstrate your commitment to their needs and interests. This lays the foundation for long-term relationships and sets the stage for future conversions.

Good news for your brand perception and your ROI.

2. Nurturing relationships and building brand authority

Nurturing relationships with potential customers takes time, particularly in B2B businesses. Buying cycles tend to be longer and decision-making units (DMUs) might be large.

By investing in a content marketer who can deliver a steady stream of valuable content, you can keep your brand at the forefront of potential customers’ minds and establish yourself as an industry leader. 

Think about the brands you love to follow on social media for their expertise or an engaging ‘brand voice’ (Duolingo, for example, are great at educating people in a way that’s so engaging, you forget you’re actually learning. Or Trainerroad, who have brilliantly informative blog posts and podcasts for people serious about cycling). 

Through regular blog posts, newsletters, and social media updates, you can engage with your audience, addressing their pain points, answering their questions, and offering solutions. This ongoing engagement builds credibility and fosters a sense of loyalty – meaning you’ll be top of the list when it comes to decision-making time.

3. Converting prospects into loyal customers

The true power of content marketing lies in its ability to convert prospects into loyal customers. Sure, it might take longer to see those prospects convert. But having high-quality prospects over a flurry of low-quality leads translates into true ROI rather than just vanity metrics. Paid advertising is an important part of your marketing strategy, but it shouldn’t be your only focus.

By delivering targeted content based on buyer personas and their specific stages in the buyer’s journey, you can guide potential customers through the sales funnel and positively impact the bottom-line.

Tailoring your content to address the needs and concerns of each stage, from awareness to consideration to decision-making, allows you to nurture leads and gradually build their trust over time. Investments in B2B tend to be more significant and considered than, say, buying a coffee where the consequences of making the wrong choice aren’t as damaging.

People want to know that they can trust you to deliver the right solution and provide the right level of support and expertise. 

By working with a content marketer who can help you provide the right information at the right time, you can help potential buyers overcome objections and make informed decisions.

Content marketing enables you to showcase your products or services subtly. By integrating calls-to-action, landing pages, and lead magnets within your content, you can gently guide prospects towards taking the next step in their buyer’s journey, such as subscribing to your newsletter or requesting a consultation. 

After all, they already know you and love the content you produce and value you share.

In conclusion…

Content marketing is no longer an optional strategy but an essential tool for securing future buyers who are not yet ready to buy (and trust me, that’s going to be most of them). By investing in strategic content creation, businesses like yours can establish trust, build brand authority, and convert potential customers into loyal advocates.

Remember, consistency is key. You want someone who can help you develop a content marketing strategy that aligns with your target audience’s needs and preferences. Create valuable content that resonates with your prospects and guides them through their buyer’s journey. 

By doing so, you can unlock a world of opportunities and lay the foundation for long-term business success.

Not sure where to start with your content marketing strategy, sorting a content calendar or just short on time and resources for producing regular, high-quality content? I’d be more than happy to chat and see if I can help you – just drop me a message and we can chat through your ideas.

You’re the expert. Now show your audience you know your stuff, too.