When you define the word Consumer in a typical dictionary you see it means something like… the purchaser of products and services. This is just part of the equation and savvy marketers, business developers, entrepreneurs and influencers are much more likely to resonate with the science definition:
consumer. (kən-s ‘mər) A heterotrophic organism that feeds on other organisms in a food chain.
So think about this… with the rapid growth in influencer marketing through Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and blogging, we see so many examples of content producers punching way above their weight as their ‘consumers’ absorb and digest their every update.’
We are all aware that the traditional model of business development, marketing and sales is rapidly changing and the old school approach of selling by door knocking, direct mail and cold calls is dead. Those who already leverage the new way are creating, curating and documenting highly consumable content in words, infographics, images, podcasts and videos.
There’s no coincidence they see every one of their customers and audience as consumers. The Business to Business world contains ‘consumers’, people who will consumer your highly valuable content. As they consumer they are understanding the value you are adding to their world, personally as well as professionally. It’s all about consumption.
Forget the dated notion that you are marketing and selling to a business sector or market. You aren’t. You are communicating to consumers, consumers of your valuable content. They just happen to work in a specific/targeted role and they just happen to reside in a business. But they are still consuming your content and hence they are consumers.
Remember your consumers are real people, with their strengths and weaknesses, challenges and worries. Become professionally intimate with them by listening and playing back to them through your content, messages, guidance and ideas that they can consume and share with ease. It’s not about your products and services it’s about adding value to them and becoming a trusted advisor or hub of intelligence.
Figure out what content subjects your target personas want and need to consume and then feed them through the media and social networks they are already using.
