The world of B2B Marketing is awash with marketing consultancies, PR agencies and marketing gurus telling us how to do our jobs, what we have done wrong, what we are missing out on or mistakes we all make all the time.
The thing is the content published by these guys never really helps. Typically, it seems it is in the author’s interest to highlight a problem I didn’t know I had, make me feel anxious that I am not doing my job as a B2B marketer right. This appears to be an attempt to get me to download their eBook, in return for my email address. It seems the basic process for many inbound marketing programmes is as follows:
1. Attract reader (SEO/email/click-bait)
2. Make reader feel paranoid
3. Offer to resolve paranoia in return for email address
4. Give reader something that doesn’t resolve paranoia
5. Offer something else for more content
Eventually, pick up the phone, so a salesperson armed with my paranoid confessions can sell me a subscription to a software package that will cost me a lot and not solve the problem that I didn’t know I had.
Stop the madness.
There are, however, some bloggers and experts that genuinely inspire me and share their insight into what works from a B2B marketing and earned media perspective.
Here are my top 5 for your consideration, in no particular order whatsoever:
Mark My Words: Mark Borkowski
Mark describes himself as a “self-confessed university drop out and failed pork pie salesman.”
I once had lunch with Mark and cannot imagine him failing to sell anything. He is great company in person and even more engaging when you can just read his views on everything from Nigel Farage to Top Gear. Mark is a master of communications, and when I grow up, I would like to be a little bit like him.
Vuelio’s Blog: Vuelio
This blog is a great digest of all things going on in the PR and media industry. It covers B2B PR, consumer communications and media industry insight. Given that it is so broad, the reason it works for me is that the layout allows me to scan through quickly and easily, selecting stories of most relevance and of interest. I particularly like the Media Influencers profiles which gives me a snapshot into other PR Consultant’s lives.
PR Moment
Not only have these lovely people shortlisted Champion Communications for a PRCA DARE Award for best digital campaign, but they also publish a very handy blog. The great thing about this blog is, like Vuelio, the focus they have on my fellow B2B PR practitioners. Very UK focused.
The Future Buzz
The Future Buzz, run by Googler Adam Singer is “focused on digital marketing/PR strategies, building organic buzz and creating long-term visibility for brands, business, and art in a fragmented media society”. This may sound like quite a lot to focus on, but this blog works. When Google’s Analytics Advocate, a marketing, media and PR industry speaker, startup adviser and blogger decides something is worth blogging about, the chances are that Inbound B2B Marketing and PR pros should pay attention.
Danny Brown
We all have keyboards. It doesn’t mean we can all write. Danny Brown can. Irresistible.
Topics: blogging, PR, Inbound Marketing, b2b inbound marketing, b2b pr, blogs
