February is upon us already and we’re feeling a renewed sense of motivation. Even if some of us have left our New Year’s resolutions in January, February is a great time to take inventory of where we can make small improvements in life and work.

That’s why Our Favorite Headlines this week are all about making those small improvements, whether it means rethinking our approach to B2B marketing, adding more playtime into our days, or removing a few words from our vocabulary.

Check out this week’s roundup below!

 

How Emotional Marketing in B2B Drives Customers (Even If You Think It Doesn’t)

The Takeaway: In B2B marketing, the temptation is strong to think our audience only cares about features and practical benefits. But the reality is that we are still speaking to humans, who are (and always will be) driven by emotion – particularly those of the positive variety.

Instead of using your marketing to list the features your products or services have to offer, focus on getting to the emotions that would drive someone to work with you again and again. Do your products relieve their fears of failure? Do you make each customer feel inspired or empowered, or do you offer free ice cream sundaes at the end of each project (to make customers happy, of course)? Work directly with customers to learn what motivates them, and tailor your messaging and your brand to fit those emotional needs.

 

Direct Mail or Email? Stamp or Swoosh?

The Takeaway: Why choose? We’ve been saying for years now that the competition between direct mail and email should be more like a partnership. The two should work together (and with the other tactics in your marketing plan) to reach your audience where, when, and how they want to be reached.

In an age where people are constantly bombarded with marketing messages, we completely agree with what author Kim Davis has to say: “Rather than looking at a directly attributable ROI from direct mail, email, social, and display, it makes sense in 2018 to develop metrics which evaluate the extent to which channels reinforce each other.”

 

Why Play Should Be a Priority for Every Adult’s Life

The Takeaway: We shared an article a couple weeks ago that claimed the best way to come up with creative ideas on a deadline is to play with the stuff on your desk. This article takes things a step further, making the case that play of all kinds doesn’t just fuel creativity, but can help you feel happier, connect with others on a deeper level, and make you more productive overall. Plus, you just get to have more fun. Who wouldn’t want all of those things?

 

Six Verbs That Make You Sound Weak (No Matter Your Job Title)

The Takeaway: Whether you’re a leader, a young professional, or anywhere in between, we’re willing to bet that sounding weak is low on this list of things you want to do in the workplace. And even if you know your stuff, the language you use might be making you sound uncertain or disengaged. Take a mental inventory of how you speak with coworkers, subordinates, and managers. Are you guilty of using these six verbs? If so, don’t beat yourself up; instead, focus on using the suggestions this author provides to replace them. You might start to notice a difference in how people speak and respond to you.

 

Do you have articles to share that are particularly interesting or relevant? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter.