More than One Way to B2B Podcast - Part Two
Welcome to the second part of our previous blog, “More Than One Way to B2B Podcast.” We previously described how to leverage a B2B podcast within the marketing funnel, and we also explained the four different B2B podcast styles. For this blog, we spoke more in depth with Heather Quitos, who previously gave us insight into the application of podcasting within the marketing funnel.
After obtaining her degree in journalism, Heather started her career as a marketer for a SaaS company. Since then, she’s held different leadership marketing roles. Heather’s experiences in B2B marketing lend to the way she has been able to create innovative strategies through podcasting to help generate leads, build clients’ confidence, and successfully close highly sought-after prospects. Here we breakdown two podcasts she helped produce and host for one company and describe how each one accomplished specific goals within the top and bottom of the marketing funnel.
Demand Gen-Focused Podcast
At the very top of the marketing funnel, lead generation is key. Topics should engage relevant audiences. “We sourced a lot of topics from sales conversations,” explains Heather. “What were the questions that some of our prospective clients were asking us during sales conversations? We turned those questions into podcast episodes because if one person is asking that question, then most likely others are too.” This strategy proved successful because of its customer-centric approach. Leads were generated and Heather was able to grow her funnel.
Heather and the CEO of the company she worked at at the time hosted the demand gen podcast. “We’d discuss all things revenue and operations, and we’d talk about different problems that the industry was facing and how we felt they could be solved,” describes Heather.
Account-Based Marketing Podcast
Bottom of the funnel marketing generally involves more thorough strategies specific to a brand’s service or product. This can look a little different when using a podcast for this stage. “Account-based marketing [ABM] was more focused on creating a warm introduction,” continues Heather. “Sometimes a guest we had on could introduce us to somebody in the space that would be a good fit for our company as a customer, or the guests themselves at times were working for a company that could potentially use our solution.” Companies should focus on prospects or their prospects’ colleagues. Topics could vary widely depending on your brand and service, but should generally help solidify a prospect’s interest in a company by connecting a problem to a solution.
How Results-driven Podcasting Works
One of the most efficient ways to grow your funnel is by identifying specific goals and implementing strategies to reach them. For example, with demand gen podcasting, it’s essential to identify the type of information that can draw in new leads. Heather used common questions that came up in sales conversations. Companies can generate interest using a podcast by addressing similar questions or topics that come up when engaging with their customers. Other topics that could drive awareness and lead gen include industry-related current events and thought leadership content.
Middle of the funnel podcasts should focus on consideration. Interviews with satisfied clients who have adopted your company’s product or service are an efficient way to direct audiences to your brand. Podcasts like these can highlight the ways that your company brought value to your client; prospects should be able to relate to this to envision your business bringing them the same value.
When creating an ABM/bottom of the funnel podcast, “you have to be really intentional,” explains Heather. “The guests that you’re targeting may not be decision makers, but in our case they were, and that accelerated the conversations forward.” Much like any other strategic closing tactic, engagement is much more personalized and narrowed down.
At StudioPod, we guide clients through every step of the production process, and that includes identifying gaps in their marketing strategies that can help determine the best way to reach the right audiences. Whether your company needs to grow its funnel, build credibility, or close more prospects, we can show you how to accomplish your goals through a B2B podcast. Learn more about StudioPod by dropping us a line here and find out how we can set your brand up for success.