Years before I began working with B2B clients, I wrote resumes. Unfortunately, I let my clients guide me in the early days. As a result, I wouldn’t show you most of my work from that time. I still face the same issue today. Should I allow my client to guide me, or should I be the guide?
To show why it’s important I play a clear role as a guide, let me share a client response to a 300-word bio I sent for approval.
“I have a vision of something shorter and more of a qualification statement. I think two short paragraphs is about the right length. That should be a guide for all. I don’t think we did a good job of guiding you. I will send an example, based on myself, of what we have in mind. Then you can repair what I have written.”
At this point, I could capitulate and just do what the customer wants. However, there are reasons I won’t. Let me share them.
Working with B2B Clients as a Guide
I’m not surprised that I have a different vision. I haven’t been his business for 30+ years. I’m quite new to writing B2B content. However, I do know I trained under a very successful B2B writer. The information I have on what works is current. Thus, I have confidence that guiding my client is appropriate.
B2B Strategies: Show Value.
The traditional approach to company bios is to emphasize qualifications. However, what truly differentiates this man’s business from the competition are the values upon which he’s built the business. This means I want to find a way to cover both. Here’s why.
The company’s mission statement clearly reflected its values. However, you can never assume visitors will make it to the mission statement page. Thus, incorporating some aspect of a B2B company’s culture into every bio becomes an inbound marketing asset.
To accomplish this, I traded the traditional qualification statement for an opening quote that shows what it’s like to work with this individual. This has more power. It draws people into wanting to “hear” more.
The traditional approach only says what he’s qualified to do. I want who he is as a person to become a value-added asset. If I only pump up his qualifications, that doesn’t happen. In fact, the opposite may occur. Readers may see all that as bragging.
B2B Strategies: Make Google Happy without Offending Visitors
There’s another strategy behind my approach. Google measures how long people stay on a page. If what I write gets them to stay longer, ranking goes up.
That’s why I like a feature that’s very common on websites now, especially in WordPress. The expand/collapse module.
You begin showing only a short opening paragraph designed to get them hungering to know more. Additional paragraphs complete a picture of who this person is and what the benefits of their experience are. However, these paragraphs are hidden until visitors respond to the invitation to “read more” or “learn more.” With a click, the module expands to show the rest of the bio.
Visitors appreciate the clean layout behind this approach. It’s easy to get an info overview. And when something peaks interest, a simple click accesses additional information easily.
Everyone knows, “No one reads anymore.” However, it’s not true. People read—when it matters. Including a longer bio that’s rich with latent semantic indexable (LSI) content helps both Google and those who prefer reading to gather knowledge. So even if most visitors don’t care to know more, Google will read the text inside the expansion module. That helps search engine optimization (SEO).
Working with B2B Clients as a Guide and Collaborator
No, I’m not surprised I have a different vision. Yet, my role as a collaborator is also important.
My role is to share what I know, and the strategies behind my approach. Then the collaboration begins.
Getting the message 100% on target in the first draft doesn’t happen often. Rather it initiates a creative flow. A better, stronger message forms.
If Rondalis Tandy were a B2B writer today, he might have written:
No writer is an island,
No writer stands alone.
Each business’ success is success to me,
Each business’ struggle is my own.
We need one another,
So I will commend,
Each idea from another,
Each input as a friend.
Working with B2B clients requires a balance where my expertise as a B2B writer complements my client’s knowledge of their business and customers. Thus, my answer to the question of whether I should be the guide or allow myself to be guided is, “Yes and no.” It’s a disservice if I don’t present the reasons behind my choices. However, it’s also a disservice if I don’t listen and find a way to incorporate my client’s ideas. My clients see enough dog-eat-dog from their competition. They don’t need it from me.
Working together produces the best marketing collateral, whether that’s a website bio or a direct marketing piece. When I’m hired to write, I join your team.
To learn additional strategies for developing content read the blog, The 5 Steps I Use to Develop Your Content Strategy.