George Khoshtaria, B2B Marketing Strategist

Let's explore how you can create an effective MVP marketing plan for 2025 with 7 simple steps that delivers results without overwhelming your team or budget. STEP 1 - Answer 7 Strategic Questions STEP 2 - Build Your Value Proposition STEP 3 - Follow these 15 Key Points STEP 4 - Get Insights STEP 5 - Define Your Marketing Tactics STEP 6 - Develop Your Content Strategy STEP 7 - Use a Marketer 19-tool Stack Building an MVP marketing strategy for 2025 doesn't have to be complicated. By following these seven steps and maintaining a focused approach, you can create a solid foundation for your B2B marketing efforts. Remember, the goal is to start with the minimum needed to effectively reach and engage your target audience, then scale based on what works. P.S. My B2B Content Marketing Course is Launched! 🔥 Turn confusing theories into proven systems - book your spot now! PS, Follow me on LinkedIn  for B2B marketing tips, frameworks, & insights. Happy Growing, George Khoshtaria / B2B Marketing Strategist

👋 Welcome to the 2nd edition of B2B Marketing Newsletter by George Khoshtaria. Follow me on LinkedIn   and be the first to enjoy a regular dose of B2B marketing frameworks and formulas, delivered to your inbox. I will answer 4 key questions: How to understand the buying stages? What are the B2B buyer’s touchpoints? What is a three-stage model? How to use an expanded customer buying journey? Understand the Buying Stages B2B marketers need to understand the buying journey: Awareness : Recognizing the need Consideration : Evaluating options Decision : Making the purchase Understanding this process helps you: Create a targeted marketing strategy Align your messaging with buyer needs Plan content for each stage Let's break it down: 1️⃣ Awareness: This is when the buyer realizes they have a problem or opportunity: Is it a pain point they need to fix? Are they seeking a specific gain? Are they embarking on a new project? 2️⃣ Consideration: Buyers explore solutions to address their needs: What specific capabilities are they seeking? Are there technical features they require? What benefits are most important to them? 3️⃣ Decision: The final stage where buyers choose a solution: What's on their buying checklist? Who are the key decision-makers involved? What's their typical timeframe for purchasing? Note: This process is specific to your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) Don't make the mistake of targeting everyone. You need a clear ICP to: Understand their unique buying journey Craft specific messaging that resonates Attract high-quality leads who are more likely to convert Specific ICP → Specific buying journey → Targeted strategy = Better results Example of B2B Customer Buying Journey : Step 1. ABC Manufacturing, facing rising production costs, realizes their outdated supply chain software is the culprit → it's an awareness. Step 2. They research cloud-based SCM solutions, comparing features and reviews → it's a consideration. Step 3. After demos and internal discussions, they choose a vendor and finalize the purchase → it's a decision. Three-stage Model in B2B Customer Buying Journey Awareness:  This is where the buyer recognizes they have a problem or opportunity. They might be experiencing inefficiencies, facing new regulations, or looking to improve a specific aspect of their business. During this stage, they'll actively seek information to understand the issue better. Common actions include browsing the web, reading industry publications, or attending industry events. Consideration:  In this stage, the buyer defines their problem more clearly and researches potential solutions. They'll compare different options, read reviews, and shortlist vendors. Content marketing, webinars, and case studies are crucial touchpoints at this stage. Decision:  Here, the buyer selects a solution and finalizes the purchase. This often involves demos, proposals, negotiations, and securing internal buy-in from various stakeholders. B2B Buyer’s Touchpoints Touchpoints = Interactions between buyer and your content. They guide potential customers from awareness to purchase. Each stage needs specific content: Awareness: Blog posts Social media content Website copy Consideration: Webinars Email campaigns White papers Decision: Product reviews Case studies Free trials Why is this important? It helps you create targeted content It aligns marketing with the buyer's needs It increases conversion rates So, how can you improve? Map out your buyer's journey Identify key touchpoints at each stage Create content specifically for those touchpoints Measure and optimize based on results Remember: Understanding marketing touchpoints is crucial for your B2B success. Expanded Customer Buying Journey in B2B Marketing Most companies focus on obvious interactions like blog posts for awareness, product demos for consideration, and case studies for decision-making. But they're missing the full picture of the buyer's journey: 1️⃣ Awareness:  This is where the customer isn't even aware they have a problem yet. They might be facing challenges but haven't connected the dots to a specific need. 2️⃣ Problem Aware:  Now the customer recognizes a problem or inefficiency and starts looking for ways to address it. 3️⃣ Finding Solutions:  They actively research potential solutions, which is a great chance for your B2B company to enter the picture through targeted marketing. 4️⃣ Comparing Options:  The customer narrows down their choices and compares different vendors like yours, considering features, benefits, and pricing. 5️⃣ Choosing Your Solution:  Ideally, your B2B offering stands out, and the customer selects you as their partner. ➕   Bonus Lesson: The B2B buyer journey isn't a linear path with a magic " buy now " button. It's more like a winding road with potential customers circling back and forth between stages. With your marketing system, you can significantly increase your chances of being the preferred solution when a potential customer prioritizes their buying journey. It's a marathon, not a sprint, so consistent and valuable engagement is key. Example: 1. Imagine a manufacturing company facing production delays: → Problem Aware 2. They might have seen your blog posts about optimizing workflow months ago: → Awareness Stage 3. Now, prioritizing a solution, they'll be more receptive if your social media presence is strong (staying visible) and they recall your helpful content: → Top of Mind That’s the end, you made it! I hope this was helpful to you.  P.S. No one goes to school for B2B marketing. That’s why I decided to put together this guide to help you level up your vision and marketing expertise. Meanwhile, you can download a free B2B Marketing Playbook: “12 Lessons I Wish I Knew As A B2B Marketer ” Until next time,   Happy growing, George Khoshtaria / B2B Marketing Strategist

👋 Hey, this is your weekly go-to marketer's newsletter. I help you grow faster (and better) with proven marketing systems. Most marketers build their roadmap backward: - Jump straight to tactics - Run operations without systems - Chase growth without clear goals Here's a framework I use to ensure marketing success from the ground up: 🪐 MASTER these 4 layers of marketing roadmap: 1/ Marketing Goals Focus on the big picture & define your North Star: 2/ Marketing Strategy  Who you're targeting, how you position & unique value you deliver: 3/ Marketing Systems: Build infrastructure & tools to power MarTech operations: 4/ Marketing Tactics: Be creative and consistent. Experiment with different tactics to drive results: 💡 You never fix tactical problems with tactical solutions when the issue is strategic. → Most marketing failures happen when teams rush to tactics (Layer 4); without building strong foundations in the first three layers. What Layers are you struggling with? PS, Follow me on LinkedIn for daily marketing tips, frameworks, & insights. Happy Growing, George Khoshtaria / Growth Marketer & Strategist

👋 Welcome to the 1st edition of B2B Marketing Newsletter by George Khoshtaria. Follow me on LinkedIn and be the first to enjoy a regular dose of B2B marketing frameworks and formulas, delivered to your inbox. I will answer 5 key questions: How to identify B2B audience? How to understand the problems of my audience? What is the SSTP framework? How to avoid the Shiny Object Syndrome? How to get insights for content? Understand Your B2B Target Audience Most B2B marketers struggle with understanding their audience: They create generic content They use vague messaging They focus on product features, not customer problems This leads to weak market perception and poor results. But here's the truth: Understanding your audience is the foundation of effective B2B marketing. Here's why it matters: It shapes your entire strategy It helps you create resonant content It positions you as a solution provider So how do you truly understand your B2B audience? Follow this 4-step content framework: Define your ideal customer profile (ICP) Identify their specific pain points Understand their buying process Create content that addresses their problems Let's break it down: 1. Define your ICP Who are they? What industry? Company size? 2. Identify pain points What keeps them up at night? What's holding their business back? 3. Understand the buying process Who's involved in decisions? What are their evaluation criteria? 4. Create problem-solving content Offer practical solutions Share case studies Provide actionable insights → Here's a key principle: If your content is medicine, you need to understand the illness (audience pain points) before developing the cure (your solution). Consider this example: Company A: Writes generic posts about automation benefits. Company B: Creates targeted content on lead nurturing for small businesses. Who resonates more? Company B , of course. Defining your target audience's problems is the foundation for effective B2B content marketing. It unlocks powerful content creation, builds trust, and positions you as the go-to solution provider in your niche. SSTP Framework for B2B Marketers SSTP framework breaks down like this: S: Segmentation S: Segmentation+ (narrow) T: Targeting P: Positioning Let's dive in: Segmentation →  Divide your market into broad categories and by general niche, such as FinTech, Marketing Agencies, Automotive, etc. Segmentation+ →  Get more specific such as revenue, company size, job title, firmographics, behavior and etc. T (Targeting) →  This is where you focus: Double-segmentation allows you to focus on the specific B2B audience with your ideal solution. Positioning →  Now set yourself apart: How do you want your brand to be perceived? What makes you unique in the market? Why this matters: You understand each segment's needs You craft targeted marketing messages You stand out from the competition Remember: If you target everyone, you target no one. 📈 Specific targeting → Specific positioning → Higher-quality leads Want to improve your B2B marketing? Start with SSTP. Characteristics of B2B Audience Characteristics of a B2B audience are unique: Smaller target pool than B2C Your solution? Part of a bigger process Clients have niche needs Longer buying cycles Multiple decision-makers involved You're not selling, you're solving pain points Forget B2C sales tactics, they don't work here 🔥 Now, here's the real power move: Use the SSTP formula (Segmentation, Segmentation+, Targeting, Positioning) Identify your audience's exact characteristics Uncover their specific problems Generic solutions = commodity Tailored solutions = perceived value Focus On One Market Vertical Focusing on one market vertical is the key to success. Why? You speak directly to specific pain points Your content becomes highly relevant You establish thought leadership in a niche Here's what happens when you choose a focus: Specific audience → Deeper understanding → Tailored strategy → Engaging content → Thought leadership status 👉 The result? You attract high-quality clients who resonate with your expertise. Avoid Shiny Object Syndrome (SOS) Shiny Object Syndrome (SOS) in B2B marketing refers to the tendency to get constantly distracted by the latest marketing fads and tactics, neglecting proven strategies that are already working. ⛔️ Marketers with SOS jump from one new idea to the next without giving anything enough time to show results. This approach leads to: Wasted resources Inconsistent messaging Poor ROI So, how do you overcome SOS and focus effectively? Choose your ideal customer profile (ICP) Research their unique challenges Develop a targeted strategy Create content that speaks directly to them Stick with it long enough to see results Remember: Consistency beats shiny new tactics every time. Understand The Problem Of Your B2B Audience You need to find the answers to the 3 questions: Why are they making this purchase? What are they buying to cover this 'why'? How are they buying to access this 'what'? With broad (and inefficient) targeting you will always find: "they want to boost revenue" "they want to 10x their growth" Because of that, you'll write platitudes in your headlines like "10x your revenue with our product" Do the opposite: Specific ICP → Specific answers → Specific Positioning → Specific Messaging → Attract high business IQ clients → More success 🎉 Solve the PUR Market Problem When you’re solving a problem for your target audience, the problem should be any of these 3: 1. Painful 2. Urgent 3. Recognized Painful → means that your audience really wants to solve this, because either they’re losing money or time, or any other operational thing that should improve performance for business. Urgent → means that it should be solved right now, ASAP. Recognized → means that it should be already recognized by your audience, otherwise you have to spend a lot of time, money, and energy to educate your market about the problem they’re not aware of yet. How to Get Insights [For B2B Marketing Strategy] You need insights for your strategy. But how do you get them? Here are 5 methods to fuel your marketing strategy: 1. Customer interviews & surveys: Ask about pain points Discover preferred content formats Uncover industry trends they care about 2. Social listening: Monitor industry conversations Track brand mentions Analyze competitor discussions 3. Industry reports & publications: Reveal trends and challenges Highlight new opportunities Provide analyst insights 4. Competitor content audit: Analyze their strategy Identify content gaps Find inspiration for your approach 5. Internal team insights: Tap into sales team knowledge Gather product owner perspectives Learn from developer experiences Checklist - how to get insights: ☑️ Run interviews for deep understanding ☑️ Use Semrush for keyword research ☑️ Analyze audience on LinkedIn ☑️ Apply Brand24 for social analysis ☑️ Record and review sales team calls ☑️ Gather insights from product and tech teams Use the WHY Technique to Understand the Problem Here's a powerful technique to gain deeper insights: The WHY Technique: Start with a broad statement Keep asking "Why?" to uncover specifics Continue until you reach actionable insights This insight reveals: The specific task causing issues ( payroll processing ) The root problem ( manual data entry ) The scale of the problem ( 500 employees ) Now you can craft targeted messaging: 🚀 "Automate payroll data entry for 500+ employees. Save HR managers 80% of their time." Benefits of the WHY Technique: Uncovers precise pain points Reveals scale and urgency of problems Informs product positioning Guides messaging and copywriting To use this technique effectively: Apply it during customer interviews Use it when talking to your sales team Repeat for different segments of your ICP Remember: Vague insights lead to vague marketing. Specific insights drive results. Checklist: Define your B2B target audience 1. Focus on One Ideal Customer → Don’t try to solve problems for everyone. 2. Listen to your Audience → Interviews, Social Listening, Insights, Keyword research, and Sales feedback. 3. Define a PUR of your Audience → Solve a PUR problem of your audience to become advantageous over your competitors. 4. Use the SSTP framework → D ivide your target market into distinct segments based on narrow niches and criteria. 5. Avoid Shiny Object Syndrome → Focus on one ideal customer profile and be consistent to meet your ROI. ➕ Bonus Lesson: Collect the Right Information for the Targeting Process That’s the end, you made it! I hope this was helpful to you.  P.S. No one goes to school for B2B marketing. That’s why I decided to put together this guide to help you level up your vision and marketing expertise. Looking for more in-depth proven marketing systems? Join the practical course with hundreds of B2B marketers around the world – Build your marketing strategy & grow your revenue. Until next time, Happy growing, George Khoshtaria / B2B Marketing Strategist