The Virtual CMO

The Key to Marketing Technical Products and Services

• Eric Dickmann • Season 9 • Episode 1

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For many marketers, it can be a challenge knowing how to market technical products and services when the assumption is often that for content to resonate, it must speak in very technical terms. Today, we'll discuss the secrets behind effective communication in this experimental episode of The Virtual CMO Podcast. For this episode, host Eric Dickman leveraged Google's NotebookLM AI voices to bring insights from his recent blog article to life with surprisingly realistic results!

The AI narrators discuss why focusing solely on technical specifications can limit your audience reach, and they explore strategies to engage diverse audiences throughout their buyer's journey. From capturing attention with blog posts and infographics to building credibility with webinars and case studies, this episode offers a treasure trove of techniques for marketers looking to enhance their storytelling prowess.

In his article, Eric Dickman shares a paradigm-shifting approach to marketing technical products, known as the "wider net approach." Learn how to tailor your content to meet the needs of novices and experts, ensuring no potential customer is left behind. As your audience progresses from awareness to consideration and decision, understand the importance of providing product downloads, comparison guides, and compelling testimonials to instill confidence. With suggestions on repurposing content for greater impact and the art of storytelling, this episode promises insights into the challenging task of marketing technical products and services.

Article: Why Fishing with a Net (Not Just a Pole) is the Key to Marketing Technical Products and Services

Detailed Show Notes: https://fiveechelon.com/marketing-technical-products-services-s9e1/

A fractional CMO can help build out a comprehensive marketing strategy and execute targeted campaigns designed to increase awareness and generate demand for your business...without the expense of a full-time hire.

The Five Echelon Group - Fractional CMO and strategic marketing advisory services designed for SMBs looking to grow. Learn more at: 

https://fiveechelon.com


Eric Dickmann:

Welcome to the Virtual CMO Podcast. I'm your host, eric Dickman. Today's episode is a bit different and, I must say, rather experimental. We're diving into the fascinating world of AI narration using Google's cutting-edge Notebook LM AI voices. Recently, I shared my thoughts about marketing technical products and services in an article on LinkedIn, and I thought it would be interesting to have this content interpreted by AI narrators. What you're about to hear is an AI-powered exploration of those ideas. The only information I provided to the AI was a link to the blog. Everything else the LM did on its own. Before we begin, I want to mention that while the narration is AI-generated, the content and ideas are very much human. Drawn from my own experiences and observations in the marketing world, I'm curious to hear what you think about this format, so feel free to contact me on LinkedIn or through our website. The links will be in the show notes. Let's dive in and explore this intersection of human insight and artificial intelligence.

AI Man:

All right, so we're diving deep into marketing technical products today.

AI Woman:

And we've got this great article called the Key to Marketing Technical Products and Services to help us.

AI Man:

Perfect, yeah, we're going to pull out all the best bits for you guys.

AI Woman:

The biggest takeaway, I think, is that, even though showing off your technical know-how is super important, focusing only on tech specs can actually make your reach smaller.

AI Man:

Kind of like trying to explain how awesome a symphony is by just talking about the frequencies of the notes.

AI Woman:

Exactly, you miss the emotional impact.

AI Man:

You lose the feeling.

AI Woman:

Yeah, the author Eric Dickman. He argues that a lot of companies get stuck there Thinking that a technical audience only wants super technical info.

AI Man:

So does that mean, we should like dumb it down?

AI Woman:

Not at all. It's more about realizing that people are coming to this with different levels of understanding.

AI Man:

Okay.

AI Woman:

Some people are already familiar with the tech and others are just starting to explore it.

AI Man:

So how do you create content that actually speaks to both of those groups?

AI Woman:

That's where this wider net approach comes in. Yeah, the article breaks down content into three stages that kind of mirror the buyer's journey. Yeah, awareness, consideration and decision.

AI Man:

Okay, I like it Break it down for me.

AI Woman:

All right. So awareness, that's the hook. You're trying to grab their attention. Get them interested without overwhelming them with jargon, got it? Imagine like blog posts about common industry problems or e-books that highlight emerging trends. You could even use infographics to break down those complex ideas.

AI Man:

So basically, you're showing them, you get their problems before you even mention your product.

AI Woman:

Exactly. You're establishing yourself as an expert, someone who can guide them. Okay, Makes sense, not just trying to make a sale.

AI Man:

So then, how do you move them into the consideration stage once you've got their attention?

AI Woman:

Then you can start bringing in some more technical details, but you still want to find the right balance. Things like webinars, case studies, white papers those are all good here.

AI Man:

So instead of just saying our software is amazing, you're showing them why it's amazing.

AI Woman:

Yeah, you're backing up your claims with data and real world results.

AI Man:

Nice, showing how it solves specific problems.

AI Woman:

All right, so they're considering it now. What do we do to get them to actually decide to go with us?

AI Man:

Time for the big finale, the decision stage. This is where you got to give them that extra boost of confidence. Okay, product downloads are great here, because people can actually see the product in action. Detailed comparison guides can be super helpful too.

AI Woman:

Right, so they can see how you stack up against the competition.

AI Man:

Yep and testimonials.

AI Woman:

Yeah, those are so powerful.

AI Man:

Those are key. Give them that social proof.

AI Woman:

It's like word of mouth on steroids.

AI Man:

Exactly, it makes a huge difference.

AI Woman:

This is great stuff but honestly it feels like a lot to manage it can be, but the article actually suggests repurposing content. Okay.

AI Man:

You know like if you have a really detailed white paper, break it down into a series of blog posts, each one focusing on a different part, or turn those blog posts into snippets for social media.

AI Woman:

Ah, so you're getting more mileage out of your work.

AI Man:

Exactly, and don't forget about storytelling. Storytelling, yeah, but we're talking about technical products.

AI Woman:

Even technical products solve human problems. Sure you can weave stories into your content, like case studies with specific customers or anecdotes about how your product has made a difference.

AI Man:

So you're making it more relatable and engaging.

AI Woman:

Exactly Stories help people connect with your brand on a deeper level.

AI Man:

Okay, I'm starting to see the bigger picture here.

Eric Dickmann:

Good.

AI Man:

This article also mentioned something called a fractional CMO. What is that?

AI Woman:

It's basically like a marketing expert who works with several businesses part time Interesting. They offer strategic guidance and support, kind of like having a CMO on demand.

AI Man:

So like if a company can't afford a full time CMO, they could use one of these.

AI Woman:

Yeah, exactly. The author, eric Dickman, actually describes himself as a fractional CMO and he mentions his company has a virtual CMO offering as well. Not totally sure what that is, but it probably involves the same kind of strategic marketing help.

AI Man:

Makes sense, but delivered online. This has been super helpful. I'm really starting to understand how to market technical products in a more effective way.

AI Woman:

It's not just about throwing a bunch of jargon at people.

AI Man:

Right.

AI Woman:

It's about creating content that connects with them where they are.

AI Man:

Okay, so we've covered the basics of this wider net approach. Yes, and different types of content for each stage.

AI Woman:

Uh-huh.

AI Man:

What should we tackle next?

AI Woman:

Let's dive into some more specific tactics and examples for creating that content.

AI Man:

Okay, let's do it.

AI Woman:

I think we can really make this actionable for people, perfect and help them take their marketing to the next level.

AI Man:

Love it.

AI Woman:

Okay, so let's get a little more practical.

AI Man:

Yeah, let's break this down.

AI Woman:

We've been talking about this wider net approach, right, but what does it actually look like to create good content for each stage of that buyer's journey?

AI Man:

Yeah, how do we hook people in the awareness stage without getting too technical?

AI Woman:

Okay, so think about your audience. What are their pain points? Okay, so let's say you're selling project management software. Maybe your audience is struggling with teams that are disorganized or they're missing deadlines.

AI Man:

That's similar.

AI Woman:

So you could write a blog post called something like five signs. Your team needs a project management overhaul.

AI Man:

Ooh, I like that.

AI Woman:

It speaks directly to their problems without even mentioning your software.

AI Man:

Right, you're giving them something useful up front. Exactly what about if you're selling cybersecurity software?

AI Woman:

Hmm, you could do an infographic.

AI Man:

Okay.

AI Woman:

Something like the Alarming Rise of Data Breaches in Healthcare.

AI Man:

People love visuals.

AI Woman:

And that title really taps into a fear.

AI Man:

For sure.

AI Woman:

And e-books are great for giving more in-depth information.

AI Man:

Okay.

AI Woman:

So say you're selling a CRM system. You could have an e-book called the Ultimate Guide to Optimizing your Sales Funnel.

AI Man:

I like it. So you're positioning yourself as a helpful resource, exactly, not just someone trying to make a sale, right Right, so they're aware of you and what you do. How do we move them into that consideration stage?

AI Woman:

That's when you want to bring out the case studies.

AI Man:

Oh yeah, People love those.

AI Woman:

They want to see how your product has helped other people.

AI Man:

Makes sense.

AI Woman:

But don't just list features. You got to tell a story.

AI Man:

OK, give me an example All right.

AI Woman:

So let's say you sell software that helps streamline manufacturing processes.

AI Man:

Okay.

AI Woman:

Find a customer who's gotten great results.

AI Man:

Okay.

AI Woman:

Maybe they reduced errors by like 50% or increased output by 20%, and then tell their story, talk about their challenges and how your software helped them overcome them.

AI Man:

That makes it feel real, you know.

AI Woman:

Yeah, exactly what about white papers?

AI Man:

Aren't those kind of boring?

AI Woman:

They can be if they're not done well. Right, the key is to share original research or insights that make you look like a thought leader.

AI Man:

Gotcha.

AI Woman:

So let's say you're selling AI-powered marketing automation software. You could write a white paper called the Future of Personalized Marketing how AI is Transforming Customer Engagement.

AI Man:

Ooh, that sounds interesting.

AI Woman:

Something like that.

AI Man:

Okay. So now we're at the decision stage. They're almost ready to buy. What do we do?

AI Woman:

It's time for a product demo. Let them actually see your software in action.

AI Man:

Like a test drive.

AI Woman:

Yeah, exactly.

AI Man:

I like it.

AI Woman:

And make sure the demo is tailored to their needs and pain points.

AI Man:

So they can really see how it would work for them Exactly pain points, so they can really see how it would work for them Exactly. What are comparison?

AI Woman:

guides, those are good too. If they're still thinking about other options, you can lay it all out and show them why you're the best choice.

AI Man:

And testimonials are super important here too right, absolutely.

AI Woman:

They want to know other people are happy with your product.

AI Man:

Right, it's like having a friend recommend something.

AI Woman:

Exactly, it gives them that extra reassurance.

AI Man:

Okay, so we've talked about creating all this content, but how do you manage it all?

AI Woman:

You got to repurpose it.

AI Man:

What does that mean?

AI Woman:

So remember that case study about the manufacturing company.

AI Man:

Yeah, the one who streamlined their process, exactly Okay.

AI Woman:

Don't just put it on your website and forget about it Right. Turn it into a blog post that highlights the main takeaways. You could even make a short video for social media with the customer's testimonial.

AI Man:

Oh, that's smart.

AI Woman:

And pull out some quotes and stats for graphics to share on LinkedIn.

AI Man:

So you're basically stretching that content as far as you can.

AI Woman:

Yep, you're maximizing its impact without having to start from scratch.

AI Man:

Okay, that's a good strategy.

AI Woman:

And impact without having to start from scratch. Okay, that's a good strategy, and you can do this with all kinds of content, like white papers, webinars. Even blog posts can be turned into social media posts or email newsletters.

AI Man:

It's like a content recycling program.

AI Woman:

More like a content amplifier.

AI Man:

Okay, I like that.

AI Woman:

And remember, even with all this digital stuff, the human touch is still important.

AI Man:

Right, we talked about storytelling earlier, exactly, but how do you actually do that with technical products?

AI Woman:

You got to remember that even the most complex technology serves a human purpose.

AI Man:

Okay.

AI Woman:

So don't be afraid to show that human side.

AI Man:

So instead of just listing the features of your cybersecurity software Right, you could tell a story about a business owner who got hit by a data breach.

AI Woman:

Exactly.

AI Man:

And how your software helped them get back on their feet.

AI Woman:

You're selling peace of mind, security, efficiency, all those emotional benefits.

AI Man:

That makes it more compelling.

AI Woman:

And when you connect with people on that emotional level, it makes a big difference.

AI Man:

This has been super helpful. I'm feeling much more confident about marketing technical products now.

AI Woman:

Good, I'm glad.

AI Man:

It's not just about being super techie Right. It's about understanding your audience and giving them what they need.

AI Woman:

Exactly, you got it.

AI Man:

Okay, so we've talked a lot about creating awesome content. We have, but how do we actually know if it's working?

AI Woman:

That's where measuring your results comes in. You don't want to just put it out there and hope for the best.

AI Man:

Right.

AI Woman:

You got to track key metrics to see what's resonating and what's not.

AI Man:

So what are some of those metrics? What should we be looking at?

AI Woman:

Well, website traffic is a good place to start.

AI Man:

Okay.

AI Woman:

You know, are people actually finding your content.

AI Man:

Makes sense.

AI Woman:

So look at things like page views, unique visitors, bounce rate.

AI Man:

Bounce rate. What's that?

AI Woman:

So that's how many people are leaving your site quickly, oh so like if they click on a page and immediately leave. Exactly, it might mean your content isn't grabbing them. Okay, so traffic is important, but but it's not the whole story, right, we also got to look at lead generation. Are people giving you their contact info?

AI Man:

So like downloading an ebook or signing up for a webinar.

AI Woman:

Yep, that means they're interested enough to take the next step.

AI Man:

So that's a good sign.

AI Woman:

And then, of course, we want to see how many of those leads actually become customers.

AI Man:

Right Because, at the end of the day, we want results.

AI Woman:

Exactly, it's all about driving business.

AI Man:

But that's not just about your website, right? Social media is important too.

AI Woman:

Oh for sure, Social media is huge.

AI Man:

So what are we tracking there?

AI Woman:

Well, you want to see people sharing your posts, liking them, commenting that kind of stuff.

AI Man:

Engagement basically.

AI Woman:

Yeah, exactly, it means your content is hitting the mark.

AI Man:

And helps get the word out.

AI Woman:

Exactly Builds awareness and credibility.

AI Man:

Okay, so we're looking at website traffic, leads, conversions, social media engagement. It's a lot. That is a lot of data. What do we do with all of it?

AI Woman:

Well, that's where the analysis comes in. You got to look for patterns, see what's working and what needs to be tweaked.

AI Man:

So like if a blog post is getting tons of traffic but no one's clicking on the call to action yeah. Maybe we need to change the call to action.

AI Woman:

Exactly, or if a certain type of social media post is killing it. You want to do more of that.

AI Man:

So the data helps us make better decisions.

AI Woman:

It's like a compass it guides you.

AI Man:

I like that because the world of marketing is constantly changing.

AI Woman:

Always.

AI Man:

You got to be able to adapt. That's the key. Well, this has been a really insightful deep dive.

AI Woman:

It has.

AI Man:

I feel like I have a much better understanding of how to market technical products Good. I'm glad it's not just about being super technical. It's about connecting with your audience and telling their story Exactly. So we've talked about the wider net approach, the buyer's journey, storytelling, repurposing content, using data to improve.

AI Woman:

All the essentials.

AI Man:

And even if you're dealing with the most complex technology, you can make it engaging if you focus on that human element.

AI Woman:

Couldn't have said it better myself.

AI Man:

Awesome. Well, thanks for joining us everyone.

AI Woman:

It's been a pleasure.

AI Man:

We hope you got some great takeaways to help you level up your marketing game.

AI Woman:

And remember, marketing doesn't have to be boring.

AI Man:

Keep it fun, keep it engaging.

AI Woman:

Keep pushing those boundaries.

AI Man:

Until next time.

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Eric Dickmann

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