I recently met with a business owner for drinks. Inevitably the conversation turned to his business and his lead generation and marketing efforts. He clearly understood his customers and was puzzled why none of his efforts seemed to be working.

He pulled out some marketing pieces for me to look at and loaded the website on his smartphone. Within a few seconds it was clear - they were 100% about the company. Like so much other B2B marketing I have seen; his was filled with jargon and packed from margin to margin with features. It was as if the customer he knew so well no longer existed.

Looking at the marketing in front of me, I asked how he envisioned it would generate leads. I pointed out there was no denying the information was interesting, especially if you were familiar with his industry but it wasn't terribly engaging.

Interest is about you. Engagement is about them.

I suggested that simply re-working some of the materials with a focus on the customer and what's in it for them would go a long way. Humans are self interested and so while the features and benefits of any given solution are interesting - we aren't engaged until it is personal.

Engaged prospects are much more likely to become good leads.

By keeping the customer in mind when creating marketing material, you significantly improve your chances of attracting the right prospects. These prospects will then be more likely to become good leads and, if nurtured properly, good customers.