Nick Nelson

Two Years In: How B2B Marketers Are Optimizing & Elevating Remote Work Experiences

Nick Nelson on Apr 25th, 2022
B2B Marketing

I always enjoy those dystopian movies about remnants of humanity persisting in a bleak future where some natural disaster or other catastrophe has dramatically altered the state of the planet.

Particularly, I like when we as viewers are dropped into these worlds, and able to see how their inhabitants have learned to acclimate and even thrive under extraordinary circumstances.

In the book and film I Am Legend, for example, Dr. Robert Neville is already a self-sufficient “omega man” by the time we meet him, living a lonely life in New York City where everyone else has died or transformed into a nocturnal mutant zombie.

Two Years In: How B2B Marketers Are Optimizing & Elevating Remote Work Experiences

Winning B2B Calls to Action That Get Responses & Convert Browsers into Buyers

Nick Nelson on Mar 11th, 2022
B2B Marketing

Calls to action (CTAs) are often treated as an afterthought in content creation, which is odd since they are arguably the most consequential element.

Digital marketers and their campaigns are evaluated through a great many factors, which are growing more deep and nuanced as analytics evolve, but conversions are still the name of the game. It’s the easiest thing to measure and the surest sign that your content made an impact.

With this in mind, it’s probably worth taking a step back and rethinking your CTA strategy. If you’re cruising on autopilot and running a generic “Download guide” or “Request demo” at the end of every content piece, you are probably leaving opportunities on the table to better engage (and convert!) your audience.

Winning B2B Calls to Action That Get Responses & Convert Browsers into Buyers

B2B Marketers: It’s Time to Make Inclusive Language a Priority. Here’s How.

Nick Nelson on Jan 19th, 2022
B2B Marketing

If you’re in the business of marketing, I don’t need to tell you that words have power.

They have the power to influence. The power to endear. The power to alienate.

If you’re in the business of marketing, I don’t need to tell you how undesirable that last effect is.

It’s the risk today’s brands are running if they fail to make inclusive language a priority. The words used in content and communications speak volumes about a company’s values.

Following a few simple guiding principles can make a big difference in projecting a brand culture and community that are welcoming to all, both externally and internally.

B2B Marketers: It’s Time to Make Inclusive Language a Priority. Here’s How.

Broadcast Your B2B Marketing with a Brand Voice that Rings True

Nick Nelson on Jan 3rd, 2022
B2B Marketing

Last month, the sports world mourned the loss of John Madden, an iconic broadcaster who – for many of us – became the voice of NFL football.

Overshadowing his illustrious career as a head coach, which included a Super Bowl victory, Madden is best known as a legendary color commentator – likely the most recognizable and beloved in the history of football, if not all of professional sports.

What is it about Madden that made his voice and narration so resonant with fans? If you read through some of the various tributes to emerge since his passing, a few recurring themes stand out.

He made things simple for his audience, while still managing to educate them on the nuances of the game.

Broadcast Your B2B Marketing with a Brand Voice that Rings True

Boosting B2B Marketing Credibility with Social Proof and Influencers: 4 Tips

Nick Nelson on Oct 5th, 2021
B2B Marketing

This is gonna be the greatest blog post EVER.

Did you believe me there? You probably didn’t.

Sure, I might think it’s an awesome piece of content. But I’m not exactly an objective source. Now, if you were to come across a post on social media from someone you know and trust, linking to this blog post and saying it’s the best thing they’ve read all year? That’s a different story.

Therein lies the immense value of social proof, which is only growing more impactful as businesses and society evolve into a new era. A survey from Kantar Media last year found that 93% of people trust brand recommendations from family and friends, while only 38% trust information from advertisers. Meanwhile, 84% of people say they trust online reviews as much as their friends.

Boosting B2B Marketing Credibility with Social Proof and Influencers: 4 Tips

Fuel Your Passion for B2B Marketing with These Famous Baseball Quotes

Nick Nelson on Sep 1st, 2021
B2B Marketing

A few weeks ago, Major League Baseball enjoyed a historic moment with its Field of Dreams Game, played at the cornfield-surrounded site in Iowa where the legendary movie was based.

Naturally, this event brought on waves of nostalgia among those who cherish the 1989 classic and its many memorable quotes.

“If you build it, he will come.”

“Hey dad, you wanna have a catch?”

“This field, this game: it’s a part of our past, Ray. It reminds us of all that once was good and it could be again.”

via GIPHY

Baseball is a complex and strategically sophisticated game that has evoked many wise and thought-provoking words over the years — often with applicability beyond the ballpark. I’ve noted in the past baseball’s parallels to marketing: methodical and rhythmic pursuits driven by patience, sequencing, and learning from failure.

Fuel Your Passion for B2B Marketing with These Famous Baseball Quotes

How to Accelerate Reach and Engagement of B2B Content Through Co-Creation

Nick Nelson on May 12th, 2021
B2B Marketing, Content Marketing

“Look, I made this!”

Sharing things we create is a human compulsion that traces back to childhood. Whether you’re showing your mom a drawing so she can pin it up on the fridge, or linking social media followers to your latest blog post, it’s natural for people of all ages to proudly broadcast their creative output.

Therein lies the power of co-creation for content amplification. “If you want your content reach to be great, ask your community to participate.”

Let’s explore this approach to content collaboration from a B2B marketing perspective.

Why Co-create Content for B2B Marketing?

There are many benefits to collaborative content creation. TopRank Marketing CEO Lee Odden covered several in his writeup last year on winning at B2B influence with the magic of content co-creation. Among them:

How to Accelerate Reach and Engagement of B2B Content Through Co-Creation

Brave New World: The Model for B2B Marketing Success, Post-Pandemic

Nick Nelson on Apr 15th, 2021
B2B Marketing

“The new normal.”

I believe that’s what we would call the opposite of a compelling lede. Nobody wants to hear that phrase anymore, I know it. While that may be the case, it’s an unavoidable truth that our world does, and will, look different in many ways following a globally disruptive pandemic.

Savvy business and marketing leaders are already planning proactively for what lies ahead. They’re assessing what’s changed in the past year, analyzing trends and indicators, and optimizing their strategies to thrive within an altered economic and social environment.

We’re here to help. Read on for research and recommendations that will help you equip your B2B organization for maximum success going forward.

Brave New World: The Model for B2B Marketing Success, Post-Pandemic

4 Ways B2B Marketers Can Spring Forward And Grow Content Marketing Success

Nick Nelson on Mar 16th, 2021
Online Marketing

We’re more than a year into the pandemic, and things are looking up. Vaccines are rapidly rolling out, states are dialing back restrictions, and a massive government stimulus is about to be distributed across the country. There is a hope, if not an expectation, that the economy will get on a roll this summer.

Nothing can be taken for granted, but the outlook is bright. Numerous industries may experience rises in demand during the months ahead. This is a good time for companies serving those industries to be positioning themselves with smart growth strategies and ambitious marketing plans.

With that in mind, here are some ideas and recommendations to springboard your B2B marketing into the summer months:

Spring Ahead: 4 Tips to Drive Fast Marketing Growth

#1. Let your raving fans guide you forward

4 Ways B2B Marketers Can Spring Forward And Grow Content Marketing Success

Problem Solved: Increase B2B Content Marketing Success by Conquering 4 Conundrums

Nick Nelson on Feb 23rd, 2021
B2B Marketing, Content Marketing

In his recently-published book, What’s Your Problem: Become a Better B2B Marketer by Enhancing Your Problem-Solving Skills, Steve Goldhaber argues that the discipline of content marketing boils down to a simple consistent objective: solving problems.

It’s a reasonable framing. Almost every piece of marketing content is essentially aimed at solving a problem. This really gets to the fundamental intent of B2B content marketing as a practice: by helping our audience solve day-to-day problems and overcome business challenges, we hope that they’ll eventually consider using our product or service to solve a bigger problem.

But content marketers can’t focus solely on solving problems for customers. We also need to look inward and address key challenges that threaten the value and impact of our problem-solving content. The old saying about “getting your own house in order” comes to mind.

Problem Solved: Increase B2B Content Marketing Success by Conquering 4 Conundrums

6 Eye-Opening B2B Content Marketing Statistics for 2021

Nick Nelson on Feb 16th, 2021
B2B Marketing, Content Marketing

“You can come up with statistics to prove anything, Kent. Forty percent of all people know that.” – Homer Simpson

Homer might be right, generally speaking. But I still maintain that good, accurate, timely statistics from trusted sources can serve as vital guideposts and benchmarking tools, especially when it comes to business strategy.

This certainly applies in my own corner of the business world: the fast-changing and critically important field of B2B content marketing.

Trends in content marketing tend to reflect broader truths, since we’re talking about the ways in which companies and customers interact and communicate. Because of this, I like to keep a close eye on new research and data as it surfaces, filing away nuggets that strike me as especially telling.

6 Eye-Opening B2B Content Marketing Statistics for 2021

5 Standout Traits of the Best B2B Content Marketers

Nick Nelson on Jan 24th, 2021
B2B Marketing, Content Marketing

My favorite part of playing a sports video game is the “Create a Player” function. It gives me the opportunity to set realism aside and dream up the most legendary, dominant athletic specimen imaginable. On the basketball court, no real-life point guard would be able to match up against “Dimes McGee,” my customized 7-foot-10 wunderkind with 99 ratings for shooting, passing, ball-handling, speed, and defense. Talk about optimization!

What if you could “create a player” in B2B content marketing? Which attributes would you want to max out in order to fabricate the most successful practitioner possible? It’s a fun and interesting question to contemplate, in large part because the answers now are different than even a few years ago.

Which traits and characteristics define the most effective B2B content marketers in 2021?

5 Standout Traits of the Best B2B Content Marketers