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The New Way of Getting Customers in B2B Sales: Secrets from a Sales Veteran

The Five Ways to Acquire New Customers

In the world of B2B sales, the eternal question that plagues sales professionals is: “How do I acquire new customers? How do I get more customers?” The answer may surprise you, but the key lies in content. Yes, content is the new sales. There are only five ways to get new customers:
  • Cold outreach (cold calling, cold DMs, etc.)
  • Networking and events (conferences, trade shows, etc.)
  • Reselling and partnerships
  • Paid advertising and lead generation
  • Creating and sharing content
The first four methods are all “push” mechanisms – you’re actively pushing your message out to potential customers. But the fifth option, creating and sharing content, is the “pull” mechanism that can be far more effective in the long run.

The Limitations of Traditional Sales Tactics

Let’s take a closer look at the first four customer acquisition methods:

1. Cold Outreach

Cold calling, cold emailing, and cold DMs are the traditional bread and butter of sales. But they’re also incredibly time-consuming and have low success rates. Customers are inundated with these types of outreach, and they’ve become adept at tuning them out.

2. Networking and Events

Attending conferences, trade shows, and other industry events can be valuable for making connections and generating leads. However, these tactics are not easily scalable. You’re limited by the number of events you can attend and the people you can physically meet.

3. Reselling and Partnerships

Partnering with other companies to resell your products or services can be an effective way to reach new customers. But you’re still relying on someone else’s audience and network, which you have limited control over.

4. Paid Advertising and Lead Generation

Paid advertising and lead generation tactics like PPC, social media ads, and lead magnets can certainly drive new customers. But they require a significant upfront investment, and the results can be unpredictable.

The Power of Content-Driven Sales

Now, let’s explore the fifth and most powerful customer acquisition method: creating and sharing content. Content is the only “pull” mechanism on the list. Instead of pushing your message out to potential customers, you’re creating valuable, informative, and engaging content that draws them in. This approach has several key advantages:

1. Scalability

Unlike the other tactics, content creation and distribution can be highly scalable. Once you’ve created a piece of content, you can share it across multiple channels and platforms, reaching a much wider audience than you could through individual outreach or events.

2. Trust and Authority

When you provide genuinely helpful, educational, or inspirational content, you establish yourself as a trusted authority in your industry. This builds credibility and makes it much easier to convert those leads into customers, as they already see you as an expert they can rely on.

3. Passive Lead Generation

Content that ranks well in search engines or gets shared widely on social media can continue to generate leads and drive new customers to your business, even long after it’s been published. This passive lead generation is a powerful advantage over more active sales tactics.

4. Synergy with Other Tactics

Content can also be used to support and enhance the other customer acquisition methods. For example, you can use content to warm up leads before reaching out, or to provide valuable resources to attendees at your industry events.

The 80/20 Rule of Content Creation

So, how do you create the right kind of content to drive new customers? The key is to follow the 80/20 rule:
  • 80% of your content should be educational or inspirational – This type of content focuses on providing value to your audience, without directly promoting your products or services. Think how-to guides, industry insights, thought leadership pieces, and more.
  • 20% of your content can be about your products or services – This more promotional content should be used sparingly, as the trust you build through your educational and inspirational content will make these sales-focused pieces much more effective.
The reason for this 80/20 split is simple: customers are much more likely to trust and engage with content that doesn’t feel like a sales pitch. By leading with value and establishing yourself as an expert in your field, you’ll naturally attract the right customers who are primed and ready to do business with you.

Putting Content-Driven Sales into Practice

Now that you understand the power of content-driven sales, let’s look at some practical steps you can take to implement this strategy in your business:

1. Identify Your Ideal Customers

Start by clearly defining your target audience. Who are the customers you want to attract? What are their pain points, challenges, and goals? Understanding your ideal customer profile will help you create content that resonates with them.

2. Develop a Content Strategy

Outline the types of content you’ll create, the topics you’ll cover, and the channels you’ll use to distribute it. This could include blog posts, videos, podcasts, social media posts, and more. Aim to create a consistent, valuable content stream that positions you as an expert in your field.

3. Optimize for Search and Discoverability

Ensure your content is optimized for search engines so that potential customers can easily find it. This includes conducting keyword research, using relevant tags and metadata, and creating content that answers the questions your target audience is searching for.

4. Leverage Existing Platforms and Channels

In addition to your own website and social media channels, consider guest posting on industry blogs, appearing as a guest on relevant podcasts, or collaborating with complementary businesses to expand your reach.

5. Measure and Iterate

Continuously track the performance of your content, analyzing metrics like traffic, engagement, and conversions. Use these insights to refine your content strategy and ensure you’re creating the most effective pieces to attract and convert new customers.

Conclusion

In the ever-evolving world of B2B sales, the key to acquiring new customers lies in embracing the power of content. By shifting your focus from traditional “push” tactics to a content-driven “pull” approach, you can build trust, authority, and a steady stream of high-quality leads – all while scaling your customer acquisition efforts more effectively than ever before. So, if you’re ready to take your sales strategy to the next level, start creating and sharing the kind of content that will draw your ideal customers in and position you as the trusted expert they’re looking for. The future of B2B sales is content, and the time to get started is now.
Michael Humblet

Michael Humblet

Michael Humblet is obsessed with designing, building, training and scaling sales machines and founder of  Chaomatic and School of Sales , focused on accelerating revenue growth. Michael is the author of Nobody Knows You. The book that explains how to fix the most basic issue to scale your growth. He is also the host of The Sales Acceleration Show, a sales and marketing focused Q&A show on how to accelerate your business.