B2B marketing has long been considered the buttoned-up counterpart to B2C—but, really, B2B content can be just as creative and engaging. No one knows that better than Block Club senior copywriter and content strategist Rachel Segal-Sklar, whose work for B2B tech clients is enriched by her experiences writing for the entertainment industry, the art world, and beauty and interior design brands, among other roles.
In this short interview, we chatted with Rachel about her writing process, how she keeps pace with an unpredictable tech environment, and how she keeps clients on track to meet their long-term goals.
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You have a lot of experience writing for the entertainment industry—comedy in particular. What skills from that world have you carried over into your writing for B2B tech?
There’s more overlap between comedy and B2B tech than you’d think, but one strong example is writing with a target audience in mind. With comedy, much of what’s funny is relatability, so getting specific helps your writing land. The same is true for B2B tech—you need to speak to the unique needs and experiences of your audience, or you grow irrelevant, and your content won’t convert. In both worlds, going broad is often the wrong choice.
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What tools or resources do you use to guide your strategy and writing process, and how do they help you create more exceptional content?
People are my greatest resource. I’m a collaborator at heart and love to bounce ideas off of others. It can help me break through writer’s block or provide a perspective that I hadn’t considered before, making my content more well-rounded. I also find that people are the most reliable resources to point me toward other vetted tools or research sources.
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How do you stay ahead of industry trends and keep your content fresh and relevant in a rapidly evolving tech market?
Read, read, read. I try to read everything. I subscribe to newsletters, follow interesting brands on LinkedIn, and monitor what’s trending in the trades. It’s also helpful to have conversations with folks in different marketing areas, like social media or digital, to discover what they’re seeing on the ground as they run their own campaigns. Basically, I try to keep an eye on as many sources as possible to figure out what the next big trend will be and get our clients out at the forefront.
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Why do you think it’s valuable for B2B tech companies to invest in a long-term content strategy?
When you’re getting into the content marketing game, you’ve got to be invested for the long-haul if you want to see meaningful results. Most brands start to see the first signs of ROI around the six-month mark, once SEO and other strategies have had a chance to gain traction. As time passes, their content marketing activities will compound and continue to drive results. But, as with all good strategies, consistency is key—use it or lose it.
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How do you collaborate with clients to ensure you’re meeting key business goals?
Open dialogue is essential to making sure you and your clients are on the same page and that the business objectives they’ve outlined are: a) the right aims for them at the right time and b) achievable with the strategy we’re building together. Then, I keep lines of communication open as campaigns and content assets launch to figure out what’s working, what isn’t, and how to adjust. With frequent alignment, you always have a north star guiding you to ensure you’re moving toward your goals.
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