{"id":2235,"date":"2015-02-11T10:51:14","date_gmt":"2015-02-11T15:51:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thatwhitepaperguy.com\/?p=2235"},"modified":"2021-01-26T12:51:17","modified_gmt":"2021-01-26T17:51:17","slug":"moving-from-journalist-to-b2b-content-writer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thatwhitepaperguy.com\/moving-from-journalist-to-b2b-content-writer\/","title":{"rendered":"Moving from journalist to B2B content writer"},"content":{"rendered":"
Then you\u2019ve got what it takes to move into the lucrative field of B2B content writing.<\/strong><\/p>\n After all, you know\u00a0how to write fast and tell a compelling story to your audience.<\/p>\n Your interview skills are top-notch.<\/p>\n And, you\u2019ve likely\u00a0scanned through mountains of reports to find the perfect nugget for\u00a0a\u00a0story.<\/p>\n So why not take advantage of the biggest boom in writing that’s come along in years?<\/p>\n It’s called B2B content marketing and any journalist is ideally positioned to move into it.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n B2B content includes blog posts, case studies, e-newsletters, press releases, slide decks, video scripts, white papers\u2026<\/p>\n In fact, B2B content includes any piece of writing that helps a company rise in Google\u2019s search results and attract prospective buyers.<\/p>\n But it\u2019s not sales copy. And there are never any\u00a0\u201cBuy now\u201d buttons in the margins.<\/p>\n B2B content is designed\u00a0to help business people understand an issue, solve a problem, or make a decision.<\/p>\n It’s a lot like service journalism.<\/p>\n And there\u2019s a desperate shortage of good writers who can produce it.\u00a0That\u2019s where you come in, as an experienced journalist.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s take a look at the skills you already have:<\/p>\n All these could\u00a0be very helpful to you as a B2B content writer.<\/p>\n Despite all those\u00a0great skills, most journalists will\u00a0need to learn a few new things.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s take a look at the new skills\u00a0you may need to develop:<\/p>\n And you probably picked up a few attitudes in the newsroom that will hinder your success as a B2B content writer, including:<\/p>\n These three beliefs\u00a0will hinder your success as a B2B content writer. And here’s why…<\/p>\n Remember: Journalists’ salaries have been either subsidized or paid outright, for nearly 200 years, by advertisers.<\/p>\n Close to 50,000 journalists have been\u00a0laid off in the United States simply because billions of advertising dollars moved from newspapers to the web.<\/p>\n Sure, there are dishonest marketers. There are misleading ads. But as a journalist, you’ve navigated ethically murky waters before.<\/p>\n And as a B2B content writer, no one is going to ask you to lie, cheat, or steal.<\/p>\n You can find organizations that\u00a0respect your ethics.<\/p>\n You can avoid any industry that you despise, whether that’s\u00a0tobacco, or arms dealers, or fur, or whatever.<\/p>\n Most “content” is sponsored by somebody, whether that’s the advertisers on a TV show or the client who hires you to write\u00a0B2B content.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Forget telling both sides of the story. In B2B content, there\u2019s only one side of the story: your client\u2019s.<\/p>\n You can no longer resort to those journalistic cliches: “On the other hand…” or “But some critics say…” There is no “other hand” in these stories. It’s up to the critics to put out their own disputing content.<\/p>\n When you produce B2B content, your job is to tell your client’s story and help them reach their audience.<\/p>\n You don\u2019t have to lie or distort the facts. But you do have to keep the focus on your client\u2019s story.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n In B2B content, you don’t have to worry about getting the scoop. Accuracy is more important than speed. There\u2019s no second edition where you can\u00a0correct any mistakes.<\/p>\n Sure, you can upload a new version of your\u00a0piece. But all those business buyers who saw the mistakes have already formed a poor impression of the company.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Your top priority will be to explain and persuade with facts and logic.<\/p>\n Take your time, check and recheck, polish and re-polish, and build a thoughtful piece that gets results.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Don’t be ground down by the state of journalism these days.<\/p>\n The B2B content market needs your skills and companies will pay well\u00a0for them. You’ll be respected and well-treated: a welcome change from most newsrooms today.<\/p>\n You can use this opportunity to make the money you need and put some aside to subsidize a truly great piece of journalism.<\/p>\n Plus, having your skills in demand for well-paying work gives you power and confidence to negotiate in\u00a0any market.<\/p>\n Worried that you don’t know the first thing about B2B content?<\/p>\nWhat is B2B content?<\/h3>\n
The skills you already have<\/h3>\n
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Some new skills you may need<\/h3>\n
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Three things\u00a0you may need to “unlearn”<\/h3>\n
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1. Sales & marketing is not evil<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n
2. There\u2019s only one side to the story<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n
3. Slow down and get it right<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n
A market that appreciates journalists<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n
Need more help getting started?<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n