Although business practices and customer responses can often generate a collaborative trend that influences marketing trends, this same type of dialogue also exists in B2B marketing. However, in generating professional leads, individuals also find that there is an even greater collaboration of strategies, since both parties are approaching the concern from a similar perspective. While B2B clients are still consumers in relationships to one another, they can also provide important insight into strategies that work, based both on the experience of campaigning them and also on the experience of viewing the approach as a fellow owner.
These insights can also be especially important when navigating the rapidly changing influence of technology on marketing outlets. Although past B2B strategies have relied heavily on digital presence and mobile convenience, it appears as though 2015 B2B marketing is taking a slight return to value added and personal connection in order to retain clients on a professional level.
SEO and Content Marketing is Still Strong
In B2B marketing, the use of content and search engine rankings is still a powerful tool establishing leads. However, the focus for this type of channel is to offer meaningful and contextual information that encourages contact while also working within the parameters of newer search engine algorithms.
This includes:
- Searches that are concerned with keyword context
- Engines that rank results on pertinent content
- Location dictated searches
Although best practices for value driven content marketing should still be respected, these new search values can provide a greater quality of connection and leads, as well as a better ability to spark engagement through good communication.
B2B content should be specifically geared towards the professional client, with an overview of services, products, history, and mission statement to establish a common ground for contact. This is especially important as these leads are more in tune with campaigns that will read as blatant marketing tactics, versus ones that honestly present the company, their reputation, and what they can offer to professional leads.
Retargeting and Changing Perspectives
While re-targeting in B2B marketing is somewhat related to changes in approach to content and SEO campaigns, it also addresses how business needs may have grown from an initial encounter of engagement. One means of retargeting clients is in offering fresh content that has value added. This can be in the form of:
- Current portfolios
- Shared advice, experiences, and information
- Streamlined approaches to engagement
- Research
- Direct inquires for specific business leads
Although these tactics can be used in content campaigns, retargeting is also important in regards to asking for engagement. Many businesses are going over past client and lead lists and reviewing new ways of starting a dialogue based on a peer’s current professional needs. This manner of reaching out can go through digital channels, but can also take other marketing outlet approaches.
What can be particularly important when retargeting is to ensure that all information regarding the B2B contact and affiliations are correct. This also includes looking into public data regarding the business, so that specific points of engagement can be addressed in the process of retargeting. Refreshing an existing client list can become an ideal way to further grow a contact that has already been made.
Traditional Direct Mail with a Personal Touch
Just as changes in technology have trended B2B marketing into the digital age, these advances have also resulted in a return to more traditional strategies. Direct mailing remains an effective means of engagement, and can also be a good way to reinforce a client-centric reputation for the company. Personal attention to leads does not need to be solely promotional in appearance, but can also include individual attention, such as the acknowledgement of a promotion or work anniversary. This sends a clear message about business image, and also refreshes the impression of the company in the contact’s mind.
Along with direct mail, print campaigns, television adverts, and other campaigns can also be an effective tool. It should be noted that if a number of channels are being utilized to establish the personality of the company, then it is imperative that the message in all the campaigns remains clear and concise. While it is likely that a B2B contact may witness the marketing through several channels, promoters should not assume how the different versions will be interpreted, but should make certain that clarity and consistency are at the forefront of the message.
Social Commerce Networks
Social media marketing appears to remain a B2B marketing strategy for 2015, although this is as much due to the audience reach that these networks provide as it is to the recent changes that are expected on social sites. Both Facebook and Twitter will be adding a means of completing transactions through the social networks, and this means that social B2B marketing may see a faster turn-around time for engagement and conversion of leads through these channels.
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This will also mean that management of content for any online outlet, including Facebook and Twitter will also need to become more on point and personal with professional leads. Lag time in updates and posting could greatly affect outcomes, and a reduction of automated postings is also likely to be a result. However, these interactions can still prove to be some of the most valuable for growth, especially with commerce making its way to social B2B circles.
Productive Utilization of Big Data
Big data and analytics are also proving to be strong strategies for B2B marketing, although the presentation of these numbers is not confined to the company board room. Instead of evaluating this information to formulate a personal business plan, it is also being used to illustrate growth, productivity, client retention, and other important points to B2B contacts.
This final trend also relates back to the continued focus on SEO and content, since the current approach to big data change this information into a more public resource. Inclusion of analytics and infographics in blog posts and on the company website is proving to be particularly effective in engaging B2B leads.