Below are three ways you can increase the opt-ins for your demos and free software trials:

1. Show the Benefits

A “download now” button may not be enough to motivate potential customers to test drive your software. Your landing pages need to explain why someone should opt in. For example, what business benefits will they receive after using your software? How will your product make their lives easier? If you sell the same product to different audiences, you also may need to create separate landing pages that highlight the unique benefits each audience will receive.

2. Don’t Make it Complicated

Many software companies bury their opt-in links deep within their websites. This makes it hard for potential customers to take the next step in the sales cycle. If increasing your demo and free trial opt-ins is a key goal, your opt-in button should be located above the fold on all of your key web pages. You’ll also want to keep your registration form short. The longer your form, the fewer people will opt in.

3. Include a Video

According to the 2011 Social Media Marketing Industry Report, 77% of marketers plan to increase their use of video marketing. A video can give potential customers a good overview of your product and how it will benefit them. You may need different videos for leads in different stages of the buying cycle. For example, the video on your home page or main landing page should give prospects a 1-2 minute “commercial-style” overview of your software. As leads move through your sales cycle, they may be interested in videos that explain your software’s features in greater detail.

Keep in mind that not everyone who visits your website is ready to commit to a trial or demo. However, your website’s content should also serve these early-stage leads, as they may eventually become your customers. You can do this by offering resources that are geared toward their needs, such as helpful blog posts, white papers and videos. These offers can make great secondary calls to action – as they will generate more leads without distracting from your main goal of driving opt-ins for your demos and free trials.

What about you? What challenges do you face when trying to increase the opt-ins for your demos and free trials? Feel free to share your thoughts below.

© Rasà Messina Francesca | Dreamstime.com

One of the biggest challenges B2B marketers face when they develop a blog is maintaining its momentum. You may write a few posts, run out of ideas and let your blog sit empty as you devote your time to other projects. However, to realize benefits from a corporate blog, you must post engaging content on a regular basis.

Below are 18 topic suggestions for your B2B blog. If you used each of these ideas once a month, you would have enough posts to support an active blog that can bring lots of traffic to your website. You can also pick and choose the topics that would work best for your company.

1. Share your latest research or white papers.

2. Post educational information or “how to” tips.

3. Discuss a problem in your industry.

4. Tell readers about your upcoming events.

5. Comment on the latest news in your sector.

6. Reformat your press releases into blog posts to highlight your company’s latest news.

7. Profile a staff member. Share stories about their work and why they are involved with your company.

8. Interview your CEO or another leader or colleague in your industry about a hot topic.

9. Post case studies that show the value of your services.

10. Accept guest posts from your staff, customers or leaders in your industry.

11. Post photos and write short captions under them.

12. Share “how to” videos. You can also post videos of interviews, keynote speeches, product demos, events and staff shenanigans.

13. Report about an event or conference you have attended. You can even blog live from the event.

14. Review something (e.g. a book, program or event).

15. Develop a resource list. If customers regularly ask you for information on a specific topic, give them a list of online resources.

16. Link to a post on another blog and tell your readers why they should check it out.

17. If you’re active on Twitter, you can share your weekly “top tweets.” That way, readers who don’t use Twitter can keep up with your latest news, and readers who tweet will want to follow you.

18. Mention your other social networks. For example, you can highlight discussions you’re having on Facebook and encourage readers to join the conversation.

If you still need ideas, ask your customers what they want to read on your blog. They can provide you with insight into what topics are the most relevant to them.

What about you? What other topics make good B2B blog content? Feel free to share your thoughts below.

This article was originally published on B2Bbloggers.com. 

This is the question that Holger Schulze, Marketing Director for Safenet, asked LinkedIn’s B2B Technology Marketers group.

The thread currently contains over 1,000 responses. As you can see from this word cloud (designed by Adele Revella, Founder of the Buyer Persona Institute), one of the biggest B2B technology marketing challenges is content.

This isn’t surprising, as content marketing is a fairly new concept that many marketers are struggling to figure out. To achieve benefits from content marketing – such as increased brand awareness, web traffic, leads and sales – many technology marketers have to rethink most of what they were taught about marketing.

Here are 3 shifts in thinking that will help you compete with your content-marketing savvy competitors and increase your ROI:

1. Overcome the Desire to Sell

Overcoming the desire to sell can seem as unnatural as turning down chocolate on Valentine’s Day. However, it’s a key part of connecting with your super busy customers and succeeding with content marketing.

The Content Marketing Institute’s definition of content marketing states, “The essence of this content strategy is the belief that if we, as businesses, deliver consistent, ongoing valuable information to buyers, they ultimately reward us with their business and loyalty.”

This means that you need to create content that isn’t focused on your products or services. Instead, you can develop videos, white papers, blog posts or other materials that help your target audience overcome one of their key challenges or reach one of their goals. Once you’ve gained your audience’s trust and they grow to see you as a helpful advisor, they will take the next step in your sales cycle. That’s when they may be interested in your specific offers.

2. Redefine “Marketing Collateral”

Many technology marketers rely on basics such as white papers, product demos and other documentation. However, these pieces can often come across as dry and boring – not something you’d want to share with your Twitter followers.

Since social media is a huge part of content marketing, you should think of ways to make all your content more social. You can start by writing in a conversational tone. You can also experiment with social-friendly formats such as blogs, videos and webinars. White papers can also deliver a strong ROI if they address one of your customers’ biggest concerns and are not simply a 10-page sales pitch.

You may also want to read 3 Ways to Break Out of a Content Marketing Rut for ideas on how to take your marketing off autopilot and make it fresh and engaging.

3. Remember that Your Audience is More than Just Techies

Technology companies have a tendency to gear their materials towards one audience – the technical user. However, the B2B buying process includes many stages and stakeholders. TechTarget’s 2011 Media Consumption Report stated that “corporate IT buying is a team decision-making process with 95% of IT buying teams having more than two members. The majority work in teams of two to seven with a significant amount of teams having ten or more members.”

The first person who interacts with your content may be a researcher, mid-level manager or assistant who needs information to pass along. If they don’t understand what you’re talking about, they won’t know how to refer you to the person with the buying power.

You should create content for all your audiences and speak to their business, technical and even personal needs. The more you can align your content with your audience, the greater your chances of success.

Content marketing is about thinking like a publisher who delivers educational and entertaining content. Once you’ve shifted your thinking to that of a publisher – rather than a traditional marketer – you will be ready to take the next steps with your marketing and achieve greater ROI.

What about you? Has the popularity of content marketing caused you to change the way you think about marketing? Feel free to share your thoughts below.

Many marketing professionals work with several copywriters before they find the best fit. You can make your search easier by looking for the following 3 qualities in a freelance copywriter:

Experience in Your Industry

Some copywriters are generalists,  which means they write about everything from cosmetics to automotive parts. Generalists can be a good choice for agencies that work in a variety of sectors and need writers who can take on anything. However, a generalist may not be the best option for businesses with complex or highly technical offers.

If your product or service has a steep learning curve, you’ll need a writer who has prior experience in your industry. I’ve had several clients come to me after working with generalists who didn’t understand their industry. This caused delays as the copywriters missed deadlines, dropped out of the project or handed in copy that couldn’t be used.

Working with someone who has experience in your industry can decrease the amount of time you spend briefing the writer and providing feedback on drafts. This can also make your projects run more smoothly and bring you better results.

You can find a freelance copywriter with experience in your industry by asking for referrals or searching online for “copywriter” plus your industry.

Reliability

One of the biggest concerns that marketers have when they hire a freelance copywriter is if they will get their copy on time. After all, the freelancer isn’t located in your office where you can keep an eye on them! Plus, American Writers & Artists once revealed that 75% of copywriters miss their deadlines.

One way to determine if a copywriter will meet your deadlines is by asking for testimonials or references that speak to their reliability. You can even ask the copywriter to put the project deadline in their contract, which should increase your chances of receiving your copy on time.

You can also help your copywriter by sending them all your background info and quickly responding to any questions. If you don’t give them the info they need until the day before the project is due, your copywriter may not be able to meet your deadline.

A Proven Process

Your project will flow much more smoothly if your copywriter has a process for completing projects successfully. This process can include asking you the right questions, providing you with a creative brief if you don’t have one and keeping in touch throughout the project.

Your copywriter should also have a system for handling revisions, as this can greatly affect your project timelines. For example, how many rounds of revisions do you need your copywriter to provide at no extra charge? How long does it typically take them to turn around edits?

If you know in advance that you’ll need to outsource a lot of your marketing copy, you can “test” a new copywriter with a small project. If the project goes well, you can feel confident moving forward.

Since the report also stated that 69% of B2B marketers plan to increase their budgets for website design, management and optimization, I wanted to address how you can put your budget to good use and increase the conversion rates of your websiteʼs key pages.

1. Provide leads with multiple options and valuable content

One of the biggest mistakes B2B marketers make on their landing pages is to only give visitors one option – contact a sales representative to learn more. By doing this, you may drive away people who are interested in your offer but aren’t ready to speak with a sales representative at this point. You need to provide these early- or mid-stage leads with other options and a way to get on your list, so you can continue sending them information.

To do this, you should offer your leads valuable content that helps them understand their challenges – such as white papers, videos or other educational materials. You can also offer case studies, online demos, comparison charts and other materials that make it easier for your leads to make an informed purchasing decision.

2. Donʼt overwhelm your leads with too much information

Lots of B2B technology marketers love to discuss all of their productsʼ cool features. However, loading your pages with too much technical content up front can scare off leads who want to get a quick overview of how your product can help them solve a business challenge – as opposed to a technical challenge.

One way you can work around this problem is to break your product pages into sections. The first section can contain the high-level business benefits that would appeal to business owners and non-technical decision makers. Then, leads can click links or download spec sheets to learn more about the productʼs features. This allows you to give both your technical and non-technical leads all the information they need.

3. Understand your different audiences

In addition to creating content for technical and non-technical decision makers, you may also need to speak to different audiences. For example, are you selling a customer relationship management tool that both marketing and sales teams will use? If so, your product pages should contain content that addresses the needs and concerns of both marketing and sales. You may need to add tabs to your page for each separate audience. You can also create custom brochures, white papers, case studies and demo videos that leads can access through your product pages.

Also, always remember to check your analytics and see how your B2B landing pages are performing. This will let you know if you are engaging your visitors and getting them to take the next step or if you need to make changes to your website.

What About You?

How do you improve the conversion rates on your landing pages? Feel free to share your thoughts and comments below.

However, recent research has shown that white papers can still be a valuable part of your marketing mix. The B2B Content Marketing 2012 Benchmarks, Budgets and Trends report revealed that 60% of marketers find white papers effective. If you market technology products or services, white papers are even more important. According to the Eccolo 2010 B2B Technology Collateral Survey Report, 83% of technology buyers said “white papers were moderately to extremely influential in helping them make their final purchase decision.”

So, how can you create white papers that excite and influence your target audience?

One answer is to use technology to reimagine the classic white paper. My feature article in Chief Content Officer Magazine explores how interactive white papers and video white papers are reviving the reputation of the B2B marketing workhorse. You can click here to check out the article and learn how new white paper technology is helping marketers make their content more memorable and relevant – and in turn increase their ROI.

Also, feel free to share your thoughts about white papers below.

This white paper has been updated for 2012 and shows technology marketers new ways to generate leads and turn them into customers.

Fresh Perspective Copywriting today announced the release of their latest white paper, The Missed Opportunities of Technology Marketers: New Ways to Convert More Leads and Massively Multiply Your ROI. The white paper will show B2B marketers how to improve their conversion rates and attract customers.

Click here to download a free copy of the technology marketing white paper.

“Two years ago, I wrote the first version of this white paper,” says Rachel Foster, B2B copywriter. “Since that time, some important B2B marketing trends have developed. I wanted to update the white paper for 2012 and include new research, findings and information about how technology marketers can better understand their buyers and move them through the sales cycle.”

In the updated white paper, marketing professionals will discover:

•  The surprising reason why their websites’ current messaging may be driving up to 99% of their prospects away.
• How to send leads to a website and keep them coming back – using a method preferred by today’s technology buyers.
• The key traits of technology buyers throughout every stage of the sales cycle – and the exact types of content marketers should offer to turn them into customers.

The white paper also includes a Missed Opportunity Worksheet that shows exactly how much revenue businesses are losing with their current marketing strategy.

Click here to download a free copy of the technology marketing white paper.

About Rachel Foster and Fresh Perspective Copywriting
Rachel Foster is an award-winning B2B copywriter who helps technology marketers create content that drives action. She works with clients to improve their online response rates, clearly communicate complex messages and increase the opt-ins for their white papers and product demos. You can connect with Rachel on LinkedIn, follow her on Twitter @CopywriterTO or check out her B2B marketing blog and resources at www.freshperspectivewriting.com.

Since I spend a great deal of time thinking about both marketing and Lindy Hop, it’s not surprising that learning how to DJ reminds me of marketing. Some marketers are like inexperienced DJs. They blast out a message when their audience may want something completely different. However, if you don’t pay attention to your audience and give them what they want, they will ignore you and go to your competitors.

Here are 3 ways to play to your crowd:

• Do your homework. Before a DJ attends an event, they learn about the venue and who will be there. Before you put out any kind of message, you should also learn as much as possible about your crowd. Who are they? What are their key concerns? What types of content do they prefer (e.g. video, white papers, blogs)? How do they prefer to receive their messages (e.g. social media, email, direct mail, etc.)? Doing your research in advance will ensure that your messages are relevant to your audience and are more likely to get read, viewed or shared.

• Be flexible. When I DJ, I usually bring a short list of songs I’d like to play. However, if people aren’t dancing, I may need to switch to a completely different playlist. You’ll need to allow for the same flexibility in your marketing. Using analytics or marketing automation software can give you instant insight into what pages people are accessing on your website, how long they spend on each page and which campaigns are performing the best. Use your analytics as a guide and do what it takes to keep your conversion rates high – whether this means changing the header on a landing page or updating your social media strategy.

• Have fun. Your content must engage your target audience – which means it should be readable, enjoyable and educational. However, much B2B marketing content comes across as dry and complex. Marketing, like DJing, should be fun. Check out 3 Ways to Break Out of a Content Marketing Rut for ideas on how to make your content more creative and engaging. You can also read The Dos and Don’ts of Using Jargon in Your B2B Marketing Copy to learn if your content is scaring away your target audience.

Try some of these tips to make your marketing more relevant and keep your audience coming back for more. Plus, feel free to share your thoughts below.

Einstein defined insanity as “doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” If your content marketing is on autopilot and you’re not getting the results you want, I wouldn’t say you’re insane, but you could certainly use some fresh ideas.

Unremarkable content can also be a big problem if you’re in an industry, such as technology, that relies on innovation.  If your marketing does not reflect the innovation that goes into your products or services, it can put you at a disadvantage by making you look either boring or too complex.

Here are three tips to help you break out of your content marketing rut.

Look Outside Your Industry

One of my friends, Krister Shalm, works in quantum physics — a topic most people would say they don’t understand. However, Krister has a gift for making physics accessible and entertaining. He recently held a talk called, “Quantum Physics and the Magic of Harry Potter.” By showing how quantum physics was used in the popular series, he sold out his two-night show and educated people of all ages about his field. Krister even timed the talks to coincide with the release of the final Harry Potter movie,  which also helped increase his audience.

If you can relate your content to something that is popular or newsworthy, you may attract more publicity and a larger audience.

Try a Different Medium

Does your organization always publish data sheets when your audience really prefers white papers? If your content isn’t reaching your ideal audience, you may need to change your delivery method. Determine what kind of content works best for communicating with your audience. For example, if they are auditory learners, you may want to record podcasts; if they typically spend a lot of their time on YouTube, you can consider using your content as the basis of a video series.

You can also repurpose your content in ways that might attract an expanded audience. For example, you can turn one of your webinars into a white paper, video series, blog posts, or social media updates. This means that if people missed a live webinar you offered, they could still find the content through their favorite social media networks or other channels.

Try Something New Within an Existing Medium

I recently wrote an article for Chief Content Officer Magazine called “Reimaging the Tried-and-True White Paper.” The article explores how new technology, such as interactive white papers and video white papers, is helping marketers improve the ROI from their lead-generation campaigns.

Experimenting with newer content features and options is a great way to put a fresh spin on the content you offer through a reliable medium like print. For example, try adding interactive components to your next white paper such as video or custom content that is relevant to each reader’s industry or role. You can also make your existing content more social by encouraging comments and adding social sharing features. This can make your message more exciting or accessible while giving you an opportunity to share more information about your organization.

Remember: Although there are endless ways to make your message stand out, you must always keep your focus on creating content that is relevant to your buyers’ needs. If your content is not relevant, all the extras will be a waste of your marketing effort and budget.

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