In today’s B2B landscape, buyers are skeptical, and independent distributors like you have to work twice as hard to instill confidence. As Melanie Deziel explained in her episode of the Marketing Smarts Live Show, trust is your most important currency—and evidence is how you earn it.
Why Evidence Needs to Be Your “Sriracha”
Think of evidence as a powerful, trust-building “topping” for your content—it enhances everything you create and makes it more compelling. It doesn’t replace your existing strategy, it elevates it.
What Counts as Evidence for Independent Distributors?
-
Demonstration Videos: Show behind‑the‑scenes footage—say, your inspection process or a hydraulic pump being serviced. Real, unfiltered lookalikes go a long way in proving capability and reliability.
-
Expert Voices: Feature your in-house pros—technicians who have fixed dozens of systems—or even trusted suppliers speaking to your precision and service standards.
-
Data & Case Stories: Share before-and-after stats—like “20% increase in uptime after maintenance”—or customer anecdotes that show how your work made a measurable difference.
-
Customer Testimonials: Short, authentic quotes or videos from clients—even small, local partners—carry real weight in building credibility.
How to Infuse Evidence Into Existing Content
You don’t need a total content overhaul—just “sprinkle” evidence into what’s already working:
-
Add a short customer quote under a blog post.
-
Embed a 60-second technician walkthrough in your email newsletter.
-
Include a quick “case insight” callout in service updates.
Real-World Application: A Quick Scenario
Blog Post Before: “We offer reliable inventory management and fast delivery.”
With Evidence: “We offer reliable inventory management and fast delivery. Within the past quarter, X client reduced stockouts by 30% and improved fulfillment time to under 48 hours.”
With Evidence: “We offer reliable inventory management and fast delivery. Within the past quarter, X client reduced stockouts by 30% and improved fulfillment time to under 48 hours.”
Next Steps for Independent Distributors
-
Audit what’s working—identify your top-performing content (one-pagers, emails, product sheets).
-
Add evidence toppings—video snippets, testimonials, metrics.
-
Track the impact—monitor engagement (e.g., download rates, time on page) to see what resonates most.
As Melanie Deziel put it: “Your content needs to earn trust so you then have the privilege to ask for that secondary call to action.” For independent distributors looking to strengthen relationships with OEMs, service shops, and end-users—evidence isn’t just an enhancement; it’s essential.
Let us know if you’d like help brainstorming specific content formats or tools to capture evidence quickly!
Source: Marketing Profs
