I don't tell stories. But I argue somethin' fierce.

When you're building a BtoC brand you're many times telling a story. Now many marketers have expounded on how the various "touch points" or elements of an integrated marketing program help to tell that story.

I get it. I just don't do it so much.

I spend most of that time arguing.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not an inherently argumentative person (much more of an inquisitive soul am I). I'm all supportive of make love not war and can't we all just get along.

But when it comes to BtoB marketing, especially when you're focused on a service-based, knowledge-based or expertise-based business, you're arguing. (With product-based BtoB marketing you're still battling it out but it's much more over "product benefits" or "lowering risk").

So, why all the arguing?

Because service-based businesses--be they in the industries of tech, management consulting, media, or advertising--are rooted in thought leadership. (Methodologies are their security blankets. And metaphors are the holy grail.)

And when you're building a thought leadership program, you best be poking lots of holes and picking many fights--within your own theory and those of competitors'.

Why?

Because what you seek is a bulletproof argument. Locked, loaded and armed for bear. You must, absolutely must, be as concerned with solid as you are with savvy.

Why?

Because, and this I promise, the recipient of your thought leadership platform--be it a client, prospect, partner, press or analyst--will love you either way.

They'll love the insights and clarity that you've shared.

Or they'll love tearing it, and you, to pieces.

You think it hurts when someone disagrees with one of your blog posts? Walk in the park. Try having an industry analyst who's not had his second cup of coffee in your face because you were off on one teensy-weensy competitive advantage. 1 little slide out of 100. But even if the following 50 slides are perfect, you've lost the argument and their attention.

(of course this has never happened to yours truly).

So get your foundation, grab a metaphor, build your methodologies, load up on supporting points--both quantitative and qualitative--but poke a lot of holes.

And then ask others to poke many more. It is our job to anticipate objections and, more to the point, squash them before they gain any power.

But here's the great (!) part: if you've done your homework, then it needn't come across like an argument. Depending upon industry + subject matter + competitive environment + audience + delivery vehicle (print, audio, video or in person), you can be very clever, not combative. You may even be able to fit in a story ;-).

Personally, I prefer the delivery to be as entertaining as possible...lord knows I've had my fill of dry arguments. Take Business School, while highly valuable, that was basically one very long, very dry argument. You literally fight for your degree.

I'll say it another way, so long as your platform is sound and solid, you can be creative and innovative.

But it's very easy to tell when a company is using creativity to compensate for a hollow or half-baked platform. And you want your audience laughing with you, not at you. All told, developing a thought leadership campaign is the best time you can have arguing.

(Save maybe a spirited political debate with friends over beer and burgers.)

Comments

[Cam Beck]

Much to the chagrin of my friends and family, I've never considered arguments to hold the negative connotations others see in them -- on any subject. Arguments are building blocks for a case. It stands to reason that if your goals are good, if your methodology is good, then the arguments that support your goals are good...

...Unless they are so dry and unconvincing that they don't sell the case for good sufficiently to initiate implementation, and something bad prevails instead.

It doesn't matter if your logic is perfect. It can be unconvincing and ineffective. It doesn't matter if your premises are not only wrong, but ridiculous, it can still be convincing enough to persuade influential people.

Persuasiveness is a skill and an art that is sadly not dependent on facts. The good news is, it can be learned by anyone. The bad news is, it can be learned by ANYONE.

[CK]

@Cam: Persuasion is a post all its own (and you should write it!). And Cialdini's Persuasion book is one, while old but a classic, that I really want to feature in Book Club. It is a discipline unto itself. The toughest is when you really trust the source and then find out it was the sizzle that got ya.

I love creative and most enjoy developing rich and fun programs. But if the "there ain't there" for me I can't move forward...I'm just waiting for that house o' cards to fall. Because when I go in front of the audience, it's gonna be my head on the chopping block. Now some audiences are far easier than others--but I've been fed to the sharks and those are the benchmarks you live by. At least for me.

But, here is one saving factor, without results--or sans fulfilling promises--persuasion has an expiration date. Can be lengthy or not. But it does eventually expire. Or maybe someone else persuades you differently ;-). And if I haven't told ya lately, thanks for your good arguments. I've learned much.

[Lewis Green]

CK,

So impressed am I with this post that I referenced it today at my place. You are right on! Readers visit us because of what we think; not to worship at our alter but to filter our ideas through their knowledge and experiences. They then choose to agree or disagree. Consultants such as you and I don't get hired or read because we agree with the status quo but because we have ideas that are innovative and provocative and because we are able to see things differently and willing to say so. Excellent post!

[CK]

@Lew: How very gracious of you. And on a day where I'm 'arguing' with my darn computer (tech issues, ah!). In BtoB it's just different, right? We can certainly get creative and we hit on benefits but it must be solid as B2B audiences aren't spending $5 on shampoo, they're spending 50k or 500k on a b2b service.
And if you want clients to come to the company, you need to attract them with savvy thought leadership. But in order for it to be solid, it's gotta win many arguments.

That's why I love b2b, so darn challenging (not that b2c isn't, it's just a different type of challenging since consumers are fickle).

OK, back to arguing with my computer to get my email. Thanks again.

[Tangerine Toad]

Too many of our clients get hung up on what they "can" or "cannot" say-- whether it's their legal department, their PR department or their own internal censor.

What comes out isn't something you can poke holes into. Why? Because they're not saying anything. Just a whole lot of air and common sense obvious statements gussied up in a halo of $25 words.

[Gavin Heaton]

Excellent post, CK ... got me thinking now!

One of the things I have had percolating away for a while is the "new B2C" -- brand 2 community. I think there is some cross-over here but need to think it through some more.