The core of every marketing program is content, and a pinnacle of content is developing proprietary research. Not every business can do this (well), and those who can will reap great benefits.
Businesses, consumers, analysts, and reporters all crave interesting information, and what better way than through data?
Proprietary research is one of the best tools a B2B business can leverage to:
- generate new leads,
- engage your existing customer base, and
- expand reputation as an expert or authority within the industry.
I’ll go so far as to say that every B2B business should be attempting to build their own authentic and reliable research report that would bring value to customers and prospects.
What is proprietary research?
It’s as it sounds – it’s research that your company owns. You use the data you have to conduct a study.
What types of research can I create?
It’s up to you to determine what data you have and what you can do with it. They can be elaborate (deep dives that involve data scientists) or simple (such as a survey).
What’s important is that it’s interesting for your intended audience.
Why does it work?
From the brand perspective, the coveted position of industry expert can only be established through having visible or differentiated POVs backed by substance – in this case, data. By establishing that your business has interesting and relevant data to share and a POV, you can be looked upon as a source for future expertise – as long as the data isn’t all self-serving.
From the demand gen perspective, not only can you create solid demand just by offering some value, but because of the nature of this content, it’s easy to repurpose and execute a rich and creative campaign.
What is involved in creating proproetary research?
You will absolutely need to have a clear narrative with purpose ( let’s be clear here, you’ll want this for demand too).
- What point is your research trying to make?
- What are the 3 key things you want the reader to take away?
- What should the reader expect next or more of? (Is this report a one-off, or will it be part of a series?)
Specifically for brand awareness, you’ll want to make a point as to why your research is different and why it matters.
How can I leverage it to meet my goals?
As mentioned, directly above, have a narrative. Next is, extending its lifespan – as developing research is often a resource (time and people) intensive project.
The best practices for leveraging research include:
- developing a cycle of expectation – if possible, make this a regular piece of content that reports, prospects, and customers alike will want to continually seek out in the future.
- ensuring content is branded – you want to ensure that it’s clear the data and research are “yours,” so determine the best way to brand it.
- developing a special branded measure or datapoint to stand out – this will differentiate your data from others and create an anchor to the content (an example may be similar to a “score” or rating.)
- get your entire company involved – you know your best channel mix (so I won’t go into that), but don’t forget your sales team and the rest of your company to amplify your reach.
The best outcome would be for prospects, customers, and press/analysts to actively ask for more information or ask “when the next report will be out.”
If you are actively pitching your content to journalists, you’ll have to:
- know your narrative – Is this unique? Why does this matter? Just because the data is special to you doesn’t mean it’s special in the grand scheme of things. Consult a PR pro for advice here if you’re not sure.
- be very clear on your methodology and what the data means – Journalists love data, but not all journalists know or understand data. (Let’s be real, a lot of people love data and don’t understand it.)
I absolutely love doing research and think it’s one of the best ways to generate genuine interest in your business. Being smart and planning thoughtfully is key if you want to reap the benefits of your research for months or even years to come!
Header Photo by Bernd Klutsch on Unsplash