I was reading "Waiting For Your Cat to Bark?" and came across that thought. It makes perfect sense for B2B websites with long sales cycles. With the added pressure for B2B marketers to produce measurable ROI, it seems that if each click is a conversion that builds relationships and trust, engagement and interest, then the content is doing what it's supposed to do.
The Eisenbergs's latest book is loaded with a wealth of information. I definitely urge anyone who is driving the marketing conversation at their company to go pick up a copy. Heck, if you're at all curious about persuasive scenarios and personas (which I've talked about a lot in the past) then you owe it to yourself to see what they have to say.
Back to the clicks as conversion idea. As I think about this, I wonder if the people who build B2B websites ever think about the site user's context? What happens when a user clicks on a link at their site? What scenario are you hoping to initiate?
Have you thought further than the one article you're posting? Like what happens after the user clicks to read the article? What else to they see? Are you building a path that escalates attention or are you only focused on that one click?
All the research shows that people spend an inordinate amount of time researching purchases on the web. Many B2B purchases are big enough to demand due diligence, but also big enough that the people charged with overcoming challenges need to develop a way to think about the possibilities available to them in finding a solution. Quite often this is daunting and leaves them floundering for a way to frame the conversation.
The opportunity to engage them by enabling the user to "see" the issues, obstacles, and possibilities they wouldn't think about on their own is huge. If your website provides content in a context that not only frames, but encourages, interaction and dialogue because it's focused on them and not you, then you're on your way to building a relationship.
This book discusses the perspectives and scenarios that are critical to consider when your goal is to create meaningful marketing interactions.
In case I've stirred your curiosity, John Jantsch at Duct Tape Marketing Blog interviewed the authors and posted the podcast.
Or just go buy the book and get started.
