Webinars continue to be a staple in many B2B demand gen strategies, with studies show that webinars are one of the most useful content formats for generating positive engagement with prospective customers. Findings from Demand Gen Report’s annual Content Preferences Survey show that close to half (47%) of respondents find webinars valuable at the early and mid-stage of their buying process. Also, close to two-thirds (64%) of B2B buyers are willing to spend 20 to 60 minutes watching a webinar — more than any other content format.

There is an endless amount of content in the B2B atmosphere, so it’s critical for marketers to ensure theirs stands out above the crowd. One way to do that is by telling a story. But oftentimes, B2B marketers aren’t equipped with the right information to do so. This is where buyer personas can have a significant impact on targeted messaging.

Lead generation remains a primary focus of B2B marketers, but many prospects fall through the cracks before they can even be qualified as a lead for the sales team. In a recent webinar titled: 3 Ways To Convert More Prospects Into Leads, speakers outlined the steps that B2B marketers need to take to properly nurture leads: relevant content, timely follow-up and effective lead scoring.

According to Craig Elias, creator of Trigger Event Selling and Chief Catalyst of SHiFT Selling, B2B marketers need to align their content with the events that trigger a purchase.

Content superstars such as Joe Pulizzi, Founder of the Content Marketing Institute, and Ardath Albee, CEO of Marketing Interactions, are slated to speak at this year’s Content2Conversion Conference, presented by Demand Gen Report. The event will be held April 22 to 23, 2013, at the Times Center in New York City.

During the two-day event, thought leaders will share their expertise with organizations striving to stand out in the emerging world of content marketing. Touted as a must-attend event for education and networking, B2B and channel executives attending C2C will learn the ins and out of mapping, developing and utilizing content marketing to nurture buyer relationships and enhance conversations with clients and prospects.

By Ardath Albee, BtoB Marketing Strategist, Marketing Interactions

Newsletters delivered via email are a staple for many BtoB companies. These e-newsletters usually contain titles, descriptions and links to several articles, perhaps an executive column, a customer spotlight, an invitation to a webinar or a white paper download and any product or company news at hand.