Beyond the Data: 6 Ways to Create Content That Actually Influences Buyers

1. Relevance Beats More Touchpoints

We've all received the "just checking in" email. As Andrew pointed out, it may technically be another touchpoint, but there's usually nothing in it for the recipient. Instead of communicating simply because a certain number of days have passed, marketers should use the information buyers are giving us to make the next interaction more relevant. What content did they engage with? What problem are they trying to solve? Where are they in the buying process? What has changed since the last interaction? Andrew put it well: fewer touchpoints, sharper touchpoints. That's especially important in B2B, where buyers don't need more messages. They need information that helps them make a decision.

2. Let Your Audience Tell You What They Care About

Marketers spend a lot of time trying to determine what buyers want. Sometimes, we simply need to pay closer attention to what they're already telling us. Andrew described using multi-step email sequences in which each interaction helps inform the next message. Instead of sending everyone down the same path, their behavior gradually reveals what interests them and what may be motivating their decision. I particularly liked this because the value works both ways. You're providing useful information to the prospect, but they're also providing information back through their behavior. That's when data becomes more than a targeting tool. It becomes part of an ongoing conversation with the buyer.

3. Great Content Needs Relevance AND Consistency

When I asked Andrew what separates content that actually influences buying decisions from content that simply fills an editorial calendar, his first answer was simple: relevance. But relevance alone isn't enough. Consistency matters because most B2B buyers aren't ready to act the first time they encounter your company. I've seen this firsthand at OMI. We've had clients tell us that our monthly newsletter kept us top of mind, and when they eventually needed data for a campaign, they remembered us. That's the job content can do remarkably well. You don't need to push for a sale every time. Provide something useful, stay visible, and continue building familiarity so when the buyer's need becomes immediate – you are the first one they think of.

4. AI Works Best as a Partner, Not a Replacement

Of course, we couldn't talk about content today without discussing AI. Andrew's perspective was refreshingly practical. He doesn't think marketers should obsess over whether every piece of content was created with AI. The more important question is whether the content is useful, relevant and interesting enough to make someone want to know more. He uses AI himself, but primarily as an editorial partner. That's a distinction marketers need to understand. AI can make us faster and more efficient. But if we're using it simply to produce more generic content, we're solving the wrong problem. The goal isn't more content. It's better content.

5. Don't Confuse Marketing Metrics with Business Results

This was another part of the conversation that really resonated with me. Andrew separates measurement into two categories: process metrics and business metrics. Opens, clicks, impressions and engagement matter. They tell us whether people are interacting with our marketing and can provide useful leading indicators. But they're not the end goal. If I'm talking to someone responsible for revenue, telling them a campaign generated a lot of impressions isn't enough. They want to know what happened next. Did we generate better leads? Did pipeline increase? Did sales improve? Andrew's advice is to look for connections between the two. If certain engagement patterns consistently precede stronger lead generation or sales activity, marketers can begin understanding which process metrics actually matter to the business. That's much more valuable than celebrating a metric simply because the number went up.

6. Use Data to Improve, Not Just Report

One of my favorite ideas from Andrew was that marketers should think in terms of "moving pictures," not snapshots. Looking at one campaign or one piece of content in isolation only tells you so much. How did it perform compared with previous content? Does this topic consistently outperform another? Does a particular audience respond differently? Are the results improving over time? That's where measurement becomes useful. Andrew shared an example of a client trying to communicate financial performance and social impact simultaneously. After an trying out multiple formats, they found that if they separating the content to focus on one idea at a time, performance improved significantly. They wouldn't have learned that without a testing process. And that's ultimately the point. Data shouldn't just tell us what happened. It should help us decide what to do next.

Better Marketing Is Iterative

Andrew and I both use the word iterative frequently with clients, and there's a reason for that. There usually isn't one perfect audience, message or piece of content that suddenly changes everything. Good marketing gets better over time. Listen to what your audience is telling you. Test different approaches. Look for trends rather than reacting to every individual result. Keep refining your audience, messaging and content based on what you learn. And don't forget Andrew's final reminder: creating great content is only part of the job. You also need a plan to distribute and promote it so the right people actually see it. Data can tell us an enormous amount. The competitive advantage comes from knowing what to do with it.

Listen to the full B2B Influence Podcast conversation with Andrew Schulkind for more insights on audience data, content strategy, personalization, AI and measuring the business impact of your marketing.