So You're Building Awareness, But Of What?

By Perry Rearick, Chief Editor, Follow Your Buyer

I’ve lost count of the companies who have told me the objective of their marketing campaigns is to build awareness. Using “awareness” to describe marketing is as inevitable as the US female gymnastics team having a group hug after Simone Biles’ floor routine.   

But my question is always, awareness of what? And this is where B2B solution providers often describe an ineffective approach intended to generate sales and grow their business.   

The early stages of the sales process is often defined when a buyer recognizes they have a need. And while that is debatable, I’ll agree for now.

But too many marketers extend this meaning beyond the sales process, they apply it to the buyer’s journey, and they align all their marketing content to communicate to a subset of their target audience who understands the problem they have and the solution they need.

The very early stages of the real buyer’s journey is when the buyer becomes aware of a problem they have.

So, if you want to build awareness in the most effective and efficient way, your content should help your target audience become aware of a problem they have that you can solve for them as a business partner. This is the very early stages of the buyer’s journey and that is when you want the business relationship to begin.

It builds awareness of your brand in the minds of your target audience when they become aware of an issue they have that may waste money, time, and other resources. And it puts you on the fast track to being a valued long-term business partner.

Would you rather be known as a provider of a finite group of products or services, or a trustworthy problem solver they can turn to every time they have an issue.

I hope you have a great week!