Have you ever wondered what we get up to at Isoline Communications on a daily basis? Maybe you are debating whether a career in B2B tech is for you and you want to know what it takes to be successful in the field? Well, this week’s blog explores exactly that from an agency perspective, looking at what a typical day looks like and what it takes to be the best of the best.
Breaking into the industry
As the header image suggests, passion is at the heart of what we do, and is often what leads us to a career path in B2B content marketing. We all share the passion to work with market leading brands, getting to the very core of their business offerings and sharing that information in a compelling, informative and creative way.
The industry by nature is flexible and there are many transferable skills that can be brought from other roles and industries. People can enter content marketing from all walks of life and the experience that is required is entirely dependent on the level at which you enter.
From an entry level perspective, an interest in B2B brands (particularly tech for us) and a flare for writing is critical, and essentially all you need to get started in your new content marketing career. At Isoline, our team has a whole host of backgrounds, ranging from au pairs to PR and even tech platforms. Whatever level you join at, a key benefit of working in an agency is how you can work your way up through the ranks. You can apply what you already know to your role and learn what you don’t from your peers, demonstrating that knowledge hands-on with client work.
How to upskill yourself while ‘in role’
Content marketing, in line with marketing as a whole is always evolving. With new technology and solutions becoming available to us, we are continually presented with new ways to do things and different, more efficient, routes to achieve results. By keeping your finger on the pulse of tech developments, you can keep ahead of the game and share any exciting developments with the wider team and client base.
Speaking of the wider team, a wealth of experience and expertise is likely sat right next to you – so tap into it! Ask your colleagues questions, get their viewpoints and collaborate. They are there for a reason and everyone brings a unique perspective.
Data is your best friend in content marketing. The more you understand and can interpret the information contained within platforms such as Google Analytics, the more accurately you will be able to communicate ROI to your clients. The overarching aim for any content marketer is to create high quality content designed to speak directly to the target audience and have the desired impact – whether it’s a click-through, download or lead generation.
Additionally, there are a whole host of courses and professional development opportunities to pursue. We recently created a post that covers the 3 areas of study content marketers should explore, which you can read here.
A typical day at Isoline
9am – Catch up on emails and then join an agency-wide skype call to discuss the weekly priorities – looking at upcoming client campaigns, new business pitches and company updates.
9.30am – A quick browse through the latest tech and marketing news stories, sending articles of interest to clients and scheduling tweets and LinkedIn posts for the Isoline channels.
10am – A client work in progress (WIP) call – running through the progress for all campaign deliverables and chasing down any outstanding approvals to keep campaign momentum.
11am – Reviewing animated video storyboards for an up-and-coming tech start-up that will take the industry by storm.
12.30-1.30pm – Lunch
1.30pm – Content creation for a new website landing page – curating the copy and briefing in the design team for graphics that will simplify an otherwise complicated telco solution.
3.30pm – Research and copy development for a client blog post – reading through relevant industry reports and whitepapers for key statistics, creating a story for the structure and fleshing out copy.
5.30pm – Home
Our advice to any fledgling B2B content marketers
- Be proactive – seize the day and volunteer to help if you see a project or campaign that you think is exciting or you know will challenge you.
- Ask questions – if you don’t understand a brief or client offering, neither will the person reading what you have written. Thoroughly immerse yourself in information, but never be afraid to ask in simple terms what something means to get that initial understanding.
- Read more than you write – educate yourself on your client’s industries and really take ownership of becoming a helm of knowledge that can add value to your clients’ work and conversations. What are their competitors doing, what are the current trends in the industry? Be the person that can answer these questions without hesitation.
So, there you have it, a behind the scenes look into the day of a B2B content marketer and hopefully some questions answered about how to enter the industry.
Like what you’ve heard? We are hiring! Be sure to follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn to hear of the latest opportunities available for bright, enthusiastic individuals that have a passion for writing and get excited by all things tech related. Alternatively, why not drop us an email at [email protected] with a speculative CV and tell us about what you are looking for in your career – it might be the start of something exciting!
