Businesses are built on strong marketing that attracts most consumers. When it comes to B2B marketing, the biggest factor to keep in mind is that this audience is much more specific and could make or break the company.
B2B marketing refers to business-to-business marketing. Companies use the products and services of other companies to thrive, but they want to land the best ones to really make a difference.
The other form of marketing, business-to-consumer (B2C), focuses more on the emotions of the average consumer rather than the logical aspects of why a company’s product is most appealing.
B2B marketing is very important to a successful business, but it can be difficult. There are so many steps to ensure that this form of marketing is done correctly and effectively.
The 15 facts listed below are not only helpful for understanding what makes B2B marketing work. They could also boost your company’s marketing to a whole new level.
- The most impactful B2B marketing strategies come from detailed and feasible goals. Not having goals that are aligned with the priorities of the business is not the way to succeed. Before starting the process of marketing, it is important to have a goal in mind and keep track of what needs to be accomplished by specific deadlines.
- Updating a blog is one of the most successful ways B2B marketers are reaching consumers. Nowadays, people view blogs on a day-to-day basis, so they are a great platform to raise awareness of your business. Updating a blog daily with new content will keep potential or current costumers interested.
- Content marketing, in general, is one of the most beneficial strategies for saving money. Content marketing costs much less than some traditional forms of marketing. It is viewed much more often as well, increasing the leads that your company will gain.
- 90% of content marketers with successful B2B strategies put their audience’s needs first. They don’t focus too much on their own sales pitch or their need to make sales. Rather, according to Digital Authority Partners, they focus primarily on the buyer and what they need most.
- About half of B2B searches are done using smartphones, and the number is expected to go up drastically by 2020. So many people have access to smartphones that it is the primary method for searching for products and services. People looking for your content are likely using a smartphone, so it is important that your website is well-equipped for mobile browsing.
- The right content marketing tools can make a world of difference for your business. Email marketing is one of the strongest ways to reach out to the majority of customers. Social media analytics is useful to keep track of how well content is doing and what should be changed to make it better.
- Having strong relationships with customers is key to keeping them on board. While B2B marketing is much less based on the emotional appeal to customers, it is still important to connect with customers on some level. The customers need to trust your business through the content you provide in order to keep the relationship intact.
- Your website has a strong impact on attracting and maintaining buyers. A well-designed and user-friendly site is important when trying to appeal to buyers. If it is difficult to navigate or not pleasing to the eye, visitors are more likely to leave the site and continue their search elsewhere.
- Public figures and social media influencers can really make a difference in B2B marketing in modern times. Companies that use B2C marketing strategies have been using influencers with social media followers in the millions to market their products. B2B marketing should hop on this bandwagon to increase consumer use, though huge celebrities might not be the most effective.
Influencers with only a few thousand followers can talk about how your product or service has been personally helpful to them. They can still reach a large audience that is more focused than an influencer with millions of followers.
10. Using search engine optimization (SEO) in content drives a majority of consumers to what you post. Relevant keywords and informative links help you rank higher in Google searches, allowing more consumers to view your content. With the number of people online, optimizing your content is a great way to get on their radar.
11. Good customer service is an important piece of making sales. Being available to answer your consumers’ questions is important when you are trying to make a sale. If you pay more attention to them, they are more inclined to pay attention to you and what your business has to offer.
12. Using videos for B2B marketing is a good way to draw in an audience if it is done correctly. With the use of social media expanding, companies are utilizing video marketing to generate followers and create a demand.
It is important to note that 68% of viewers will watch through an entire video only if it is under one minute long. Keeping it short and sweet is the best method to market your business through a video.
13. B2B marketing doesn’t always have to be so serious but at the same time, you have to deliver clean content. Consumers do want to see that you are not all business and can have a little fun too. Make your business more interesting by getting a bit creative in your content rather than just sticking to data at all points. While doing this, do make sure that your content offers clarity. It is important to have a strong team that can keep the tone light but still professional. Measured humor doesn’t harm anybody.
14. Keep track of your strategy to better your company. If you remember where you started, you will know how to become better than you were in the past. That way, you can see what works and what doesn’t and you can grow from there. Performance analysis is key for any company.
15. Always keep the buyer’s journey in mind when you are marketing to your audience. B2B marketing is often a much larger investment than B2C marketing, so it is vital to keep the customers interested by building trust with them. Consider everything your buyer might need to know when coming up with the content you will make available to them.
B2B marketing is a tough thing to master, but knowing what makes it work can help you get on track. Your business could benefit from a strong B2B strategy, so remember these facts when developing the ways you can best market your services.
