Have you built an audience for your B2B company yet? If not, you might want to get started immediately.
It’s an inevitable part of your strategy!
Now you’re probably thinking, why would a B2B company that sells products need to – or want to – build an audience?
As illustrated by the rapid growth of the SaaS market, companies of all shapes and sizes are embracing the benefits of the recurring revenue stream afforded to them by a subscription business model.
Soon enough, many product companies will become service companies with growth driven by a recurring revenue stream.
Please check out the passage below from Kevin Kelly’s book The Inevitable.
Accessing, page 112-113
The switch from “ownership that you purchase” to “access that you subscribe to” overturns many conventions. Ownership is casual and fickle. If something better comes along, grab it. A subscription on the other hand, gushes a never-ending stream of updates, issues, and versions that force a constant interaction between the producer and the consumer. It is not a one time event; it’s an ongoing relationship. To access a service, a customer is often committing to it in a far stronger way than when he or she purchases an item… The longer you are with the service, the better it gets to know you; and the better it knows you, the harder it is to leave and start over again.”
This is why the SaaS model is so attractive…it’s an ongoing relationship…a true commitment.
But what if the SaaS model doesn’t work for our business, or it’s too far away?
Relationships Matter
You can get started on developing this ongoing relationship (subscription model) by using content to build an audience and develop a recurring revenue stream.
And, you may be farther along than you know.
The Case for Building an Audience
Beyond the scope of the actual product/service delivery and experience, content – delivered on a consistent basis – can support the ongoing use and retention of the product/service at scale.
This educational content, not only about the product/service, but also about the broader applications and industry dynamics, will also serve to attract new customers to the platform.
This new method of consistent communication from producer to consumer is effectively an audience building strategy.
This media-centric content approach is a no-brainer for your marketing team. They’re trained to operate with an extreme focus on audiences and relationships. These days, the marketing business model and media business model are exactly the same.
Companies that provide helpful, relevant and consistent content — to support the use of their service and drive profitable customer action – have unwittingly embraced a Content Marketing strategy and potentially a media business model that can be monetized in 10 different ways.
How to Get Started
The key here is to have a plan and stay consistent. If you need a roadmap, I’d be happy to share our B2B Showrunner 5P model.
- Plan
- Produce
- Publish
- Promote
- Performance
Contact me if you’d like to see the roadmap.