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Effective B2B Marketing Strategies
The decision making process is more complex in B2B markets, as the target audiences for B2B communications are made up of constantly changing groups with different motivations and interests. We explore some effective strategies that can be employed.
Business-to-business marketing is a discipline in its own right, differing largely from business-to-consumer marketing. Whilst B2C marketing aims to cater to the needs of customers, the purpose of B2B marketing is to meet the needs of other businesses, although ultimately consumers drive the products these businesses offer. The decision-making process is more complex in B2B markets, as the target audiences for B2B communications are made up of constantly changing groups with different motivations and interests.
Below we have described 5 popular marketing strategies that all B2B businesses should implement to help gain a market advantage.
Develop a B2B Strategy
51% of businesses haven't developed a strategy. Revise carefully and develop a strategy that will offer a serious competitive advantage, to get started:- Clear target audience: only 51% of marketers align content company characteristics.
- Priorities: Develop a detailed SWOT analysis of your marketing so far.
- Structured Plan: Use frameworks like RACE, the 5Ps or the 5Ss to structure your thinking.
Effective eCommerce Website
B2B businesses must have an effective online eCommerce solution like WebShop in order to professionally present and gain trust publicly as a business. A website and online catalogue were rated #1 decision marketing touch-point by B2B customers.- Review lead generation devices, on average marketers, use 8 different content marketing tactics to achieve their goals.
- Optimise customer journeys.
- Get the sell-inform-entertain balance correct.
- Set up Google Analytics goals.
Search Marketing
Statistically, search volumes are lower in B2B, using certain strategies can help you tightly target. 30% of B2B marketers spend no time on SEO each week, while 55% spend no time on pay-per-click. Some of the best strategies to avoid missing out on potential search marketing for B2B are:- Use methods of PR to build quality backlinks.
- Set geographical targets and use local metadata for international marketing.
- Group target keyphrases.
- Define key brand messages for search engine results page (SERP).
Social Media
57% of inbound marketers have obtained leads from Linkedin, 52% from Facebook and 44% from Twitter:- Create content that is relevant and shareable.
- Interact by using the social media platform that works best for you.
- Use all the relevant features on LinkedIn.
- Try using Assisted Conversions on Google Analytic to show what works.
Lead Generation
Only 27% of leads are sales-ready when first generated, so lead nurturing is essential, but only 35% of B2B marketers have leads nurturing campaigns and of this only 45 % are effective.- Clearly indicate call-to-action across the site.
- Use appealing landing pages to maximise your inbound campaigns.
- Use welcome emails and profiles to build relationships.