I was talking to the VP of large industrial supplier in West Michigan about the digital channel for B2B lead generation. My passion was bubbling over and I was expanding on the moat he could build around his business if he really embraces this idea of content or inbound marketing for industrial. I knew he trusted me, but he was a little like the deer in the headlights as I expounded on the benefits of the web and content marketing.
He retorted, “This whole industrial content marketing thing is going to take a lot of work, isn’t it Tom? We don’t have the right resources or staff to compete in this new world of content marketing for industrial. If we do this…it is going to take a lot of guts, isn’t it?”
Then it struck me.
It really does take a lot of guts to change the way you have gone to market for years…especially when it worked so well for years. For the industrial marketer there are so many unknowns when it comes to the brave new world of content or inbound marketing.
I live with this stuff every day. I see it work, and I think it is a no brainer for industrial companies to embrace a B2B lead generation machine.
But, then I need to put myself in the VPs’ shoes.
This is like asking a new soldier who has not even completed basic training to enter the Army’s grueling SERE training (Survival, Evasion, Resistance & Escape). It takes a vetting process, psychological profiling and lots of guts. There are many unknowns (Much of the training is classified) entering the rigorous training, but you come out a much, much better soldier.
If you have the guts to embrace a new channel to market, the digital channel, your industrial business will come out a lot stronger and more prosperous on the other side.
Do you have the guts?
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