{grow} » How to sell stuff on your B2B blog without being annoying

Mar 12 2010

How to sell stuff on your B2B blog without being annoying

I’m hoping by now the “selling is bad” phase of the social media mantra is passe and we can all freely embrace our inner capitalist. Right?

Earlier this week I wrote about a growing trend toward sponsored posts and outright selling on blogs. Frankly I think this defeats the community-building aspect of a blog. Why read it when you know the author is taking money to pimp stuff? I personally think this is a trend that will run its course. One day, sponsors will figure out nobody is reading the blog when it is obviously nothing more than an advertisement. People will self-Tivo.

However, I think there are some appropriate and customer-friendly ways to sell things on a blog. I’m going to focus on the tricky world of B2B …

Feature blog-only special offers and discounts — This can also build readership if you can condition customers and prospects to look to the blog site for exclusive deals.
Post product ads somewhere on your blog — This doesn’t have to be in your face and ugly. For example SAP routinely offers ads for their training programs on their blog. Why not? That’s a smart thing to do and also helpful.
Involve sales in the blog chats and comments — Why not use the engagement in the comment section of the blog to let your sales folks build connections?
Give away something away that requires an opt-in — Many blogs feature product samples, or eBooks that allow the site to collect info for the company CRM.
Add a feature for customers to opt-in for specials and eNewsletter — Do you have other communication touch points customers might like to know about it? An opt-in for newsletters creates a sales lead.
Write blog topics that feature helpful uses for your products and services that encourage people to buy more stuff. That’s what we want them to do. “Grow” … remember?

Any other ideas? Have you seen any great best practices out there?

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Filed in B2B and social media, Blogging best practices, economics of social media | Mark

18 Comments

By Shannon Boudjema, March 12, 2010 @ 8:17 am

Hey Mark,

Sound advice and perhaps relevant for both B2B2C. There is probably some merit in providing a variation of these ideas in the form of a Blogger Kit offered to relevant key influencers so they too are enabled to easily share their opinion about your while getting some benefit from the activities as well. Eg. traffic, visibility, new connections, inside track on the next big launch before anyone else.

Smart post Mark.
By Joseph Fiore, March 12, 2010 @ 8:17 am

Mark,

I’ve seen number six really flourish with companies publishing “eco-smart” practices. Aside from the monetary benefit, it provides a “growing” sense of urgency and consumers feel as though they are, albeit in a fractional sense, taking active part in something that will help ensure a sustainable environmental future.

Joseph
@RepuTrack
By Joan Damico, March 12, 2010 @ 8:38 am

Most of your points bring out the need to make ads relevant and contextual, which is important in making ads more effective. Unfortunately, most advertisers still practice disruptive, noise-based ads when a quieter, more relevant ad would likely convert much better.
By Mark, March 12, 2010 @ 8:43 am

Great points! Thanks!
By Jamie Lee Wallace, March 12, 2010 @ 9:28 am

Happy Friday, Mark!
I agree with all six of your points, but think that there is another opportunity for the savvy brand – B2B or otherwise.

Much as you’ve done here on {grow}, some corporate blogs can actually evolve into user communities. I’m not talking about your typical FAQ/Help/Support forum-type community (though those have value as well). I’m talking about a more free-form and idea-based community. If the company is servicing a very specific vertical, the competitive nature of their readers would discourage this, but if the company targets a broader audience (like an office supply store targeting small business owners, for instance) the blog can be an excellent place for people to network, exchange ideas, and make possibly profitable connections.

Though I think that all your points are excellent ones, I think the list should include some tips on how to mine the reader engagement for important insights about customer needs, encourage “vibrant” participation in the comments section, and facilitate conversations and connections between readers/community members.

There are hundreds of business blogs to choose from. The reason that {grow} is consistently the first link I click in my reader is as much about the community here as it is about your insights. For me, {grow} was never a 1-dimensional experience, and it’s not even just a 2-dimensional experience. It’s a 3-dimensional experience where I can interact in meaningful ways with you – the publisher – and the other members of your community. If a company can create that kind of real camaraderie within their blog community, it will absolutely lead to the kind of loyalty that far outweighs coupons, special offers, or any other price-based tactics.

So, without brown-nosing, a corporate blog should aim to accomplish what you’ve done with {grow}.

Nicely done, captain. ;)
By Dale Underwood, March 12, 2010 @ 10:03 am

If you are going to sell anything on a B2B blog, I think it should be the “sales conversation”, not the actual product or service. Far too many B2B companies try to use their blogs and websites to sell the product via detailed webinars, product demos, etc. instead of connecting the visitor with the sales team.

Let sales do the selling.

Dale – EchoQuote
By Mark, March 12, 2010 @ 10:17 am

@Jamie First, thanks for your very kind comments. Very flattering and humbling!

This is funny — I have been thinking the exact OPPOSITE of you. As I have been looking at some really great B2B blogs, I see there are hardly any comments in most cases. The companies are doing great work but there really is no engagement. My theory is that it is because there is no face attached to the blog. It is penned by a team and it’s hard to connect to a faceless team. Yet that is a reality for nearly every company.

People like to interact on {grow} because I’m a goofball and the other people in what has become an intellectual his community all look forward to “seeing” each other and sharing and debating. It is our modern day salon. It’s rewarding to see people who love this forum connecting here and becoming friends.

I’m of a mind to recommend to my B2B clients to forget blog engagement. Just not going to happen except in maybe the rare cases you mention. I know that seems like a radical idea but that’s what I’m concluding. Probably write a post about it soon. : )

Forget about engagement? That is a big scary idea so I would appreciate people poking holes in my new theory!

Thanks for provoking this thought process Jamie! You are so awesome.
By Mark, March 12, 2010 @ 10:20 am

@Dale — I appreciate the dissenting view and certainly a valid point. Thank you!

It gets me thinking about actually INVOLVING sales people in a blog and it’s content. Integrating social media with traditional sales. A lot to think about!
By Jamie Lee Wallace, March 12, 2010 @ 11:22 am

@Mark,

Great insight about engagement waning when a blog is lacking a “face.” Your comment hits the proverbial nail on the head for me as I run through the list of blogs I routinely read and realize that each and every one of them is written by a single individual with a strong and unique personality – people who not only informative, but (as you called out in a recent post), ENTERTAINING.

I agree that if a company is unable or unwilling to build a blog on that kind of foundation, blogging may not be the right tactic for them. A blog is a lot of work, you don’t want to see that effort wasted. A more traditional newsletter format might be a better fit for B2B companies that don’t look like good candidates for actual, social interaction on a blog.

As always – plenty to chew on at {grow}. Tks for the Fri AM brain cell jump start. ;)

TGIF!
By Jon Buscall, March 12, 2010 @ 2:40 pm

@Mark, Forget engagement ! That made me jump out of my seat. But in many respects you are right. There are a lot of B2B bloggers out there talking about engaging but not really commenting themselves.

I still think the mechanics of comment sign-ups are the problem. Just filling out forms is a hassle.

But great comments can win you friends and grow you business over time.
By Mark, March 12, 2010 @ 3:23 pm

Well then my post next week will make you have a heart attack. : )
By Doug Kessler, March 15, 2010 @ 4:17 pm

Good one. For me, it’s about maintaining credibility. If you believe in your products, why wouldn’t you get that into your blog? Just don’t be crass about it and make sure there’s plenty of stuff that’s a service to the reader, not just the sales team.
By Joan Damico, March 15, 2010 @ 4:47 pm

If there’s one thing about social media I’ve learned from @jonbuscall, it’s the importance of connecting and actually reaching out to real people through comments, @replies, etc. That’s why I enjoy your blog so much, Mark. You provide more than good, relevant content, you provide context and conversation. That’s the real power of social media and is more effective at selling stuff than overt messages. Can’t wait for your next “heart-attack-evoking” post! :-D
By Mark, March 16, 2010 @ 8:56 am

@ Joan — It’s so great that you took the time to pass that along. I learn from Jon too but would never tell him so. : )

@Doug — Excellent observation. Put the reader first. And that just might include helpful selling tools, too! Why not? Personally, I love it when Amazon says “you might also like …”
By Mike Smith, April 9, 2010 @ 7:21 pm

Mark, I’ll give you a copy of Deluxe Scrabble (it’s on a lazy susan!) if you promote my blog. Wait, was your point that I am not supposed to do that?

In all seriousness, I do like options 4 and 5. Those are valid ways to communicate. Opt In strategy is the way to go and that is a great method.
By Mark, April 11, 2010 @ 7:57 am

Hey, I love Scrabble! What the heck? : )
By Brian Ellis, May 18, 2010 @ 2:05 pm

If we do the work to build real relationships and stay away from billboard/shouting type advertising, then sales will follow.