Why Should Managed Service Providers Embrace Content Marketing?

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The answer to this question is easy.  To increase brand awareness, drive inbound marketing, engage and educate buyers and of course, fuel the sales pipeline.

So how can content marketing do all of this?  Well, as no doubt you have read, heard or experienced yourself, we as consumers are conducting much more self-awareness and education ourselves through Google, Bing, and Yahoo searches than ever before.  So why is it any different for organizations that are looking for local or specialized Managed Service Providers who can help them with a myriad of needs whether it is IT Outsourcing, Remote Monitoring, Security Services, Managed Print Services, Backup Services, etc.  The first place these organizations are going to start the research phase of their buyer journey is to conduct an online search.

Now when they start self-educating themselves on the potential solutions available, the search results that will be delivered will no doubt be for the Managed Services Providers who have search engine optimized their websites.  However, once these buyers click and go to these sites, they are going to be looking for content that can help educate themselves on the services available, why they should outsource to a Managed Services Provider, what they should look for when choosing a Provider, etc.  And if they cannot find these educational pieces of content on your website, they may quickly mouse click to another website in search of this type of information and what happens if that other website is your competitor.

Content marketing enables you to educate and engage with potential buyers – even when you do not know who the buyer is.  Every second of the day there are potential buyers of your services searching the internet for companies like yours that offer Managed Services – can they find you?  The more informative content that you have available on your website and third party websites will increase the likelihood of your brand being found and buyers engaging with you.

Tom Martin, the author of The Invisible Sale, explains how to digitally power your marketing and sales efforts to increase your brand propinquity.  I have had the opportunity to hear Tom speak a few times, I would encourage you to watch one of his webinars to learn more.

I would also encourage you or the Marketing professional within your organization to subscribe to the Content Marketing Institute for insights on how to start planning your content marketing strategy or to hear how others are implementing content marketing.

Buyers are looking to be educated.  They want to self-educate before ever talking to the vendor or being pulled into high pressure sales conversation.  Content marketing can help you differentiate among your competitors, while being positioned as a thought leader within the market by educating potential buyers on information that will enable them to make better business decisions.  Content marketing can also lead to richer pipelines.

At Asigra, we provide our partners with content in the form of data sheets, guides, white papers, infographics, and executive briefs that they can co-brand and use on their websites to educate buyers and be found.  Just one of the value adds provided through our extensive Hybrid Partner Program.

For more information about the power of content marketing, check out these resources: