B2B, otherwise known as business-to-business, is defined as a commercial transaction between businesses, hence the name. Such a transaction can involve anything from physical goods to services performed by one or all parties. Unlike B2C, or business-to-consumer, B2B focuses on retailers, wholesalers, and other such entities working together so that everyone benefits. Over the past several years, B2B marketing companies have been laser-focused on helping businesses form relationships with other establishments via digital media.
In fact, B2B marketing continues to grow with time. For context, consider the following statistics. Did you know that over 75 percent of all B2B companies have some form of marketing plan in place? Such a marketing plan can include search engine marketing, social media advertising, and email blast marketing, just to name a few key marketing services. Additionally, 38 percent of all businesses cite email marketing as their main method of generating leads, from a B2B marketing standpoint; other methods include SEO and social media. Simply put, B2B is here to stay.
If you’re the owner or proprietor of a B2B company – in other words, a company that provides products and services primarily to other companies – your marketing efforts must be built around this. By doing so, not only will your conversions increase, but you’ll be better able to forge long-lasting business relationships. You can also navigate a competitive market more efficiently, no matter the industry you’re involved in. When it comes to B2B marketing, here are some of the do’s and don’ts that will lead to success.
When discussing the ways to do B2B marketing properly, start by considering the various platforms at your disposal. As mentioned earlier, email marketing and SEO are among the most viable lead generation platforms. Investing in these services should be a no-brainer. However, social media plays just as pivotal a role, if not more depending on how it’s utilized. LinkedIn, for example, is regarded as one of the most effective social media platforms for B2B purposes, as it helps connect professionals. This can lead to discussions that eventually blossom into business opportunities in which all parties benefit. Simply put, consider all possibilities for B2B marketing success.
Next, build a high-quality website that functions well on all fronts. More than anything else, a website will be a company’s greatest reflection of itself, meaning that it should be designed with as few, if any, hiccups as possible. One of the ways that this is done is by ensuring its responsiveness; if it fails to perform similarly on one device as it does on another, it creates a less rewarding user experience, resulting in not only lost leads but higher bounce rates. It’s also integral that a company’s website provides user-focused content, from information about products and services offered to blog posts that provide insight relevant to their interests. The importance of a website, from a B2B marketing standpoint or otherwise, can’t be ignored.
Though B2B marketing efforts are often designed with lead generation in mind, above all else, it’s essential that they’re nurtured. It isn’t enough to simply click on a user’s profile or send them an introductory message. This is where lead nurturing comes into the picture. Email marketing campaigns can be especially effective here, keeping users inundated with newsletters, promotions, and other such content. The more targeted an email marketing campaign, the greater its efficacy will become. Instead of allowing potential leads to go cold, continue to reach out to them, especially if they seem receptive to initial outreach efforts.
Customer service is another level of the bigger B2B marketing picture. Long gone are the days when the only methods a customer had when expressing dissatisfaction or asking general consumer questions were face-to-face interaction and phone calls. Now, with digital media playing a key part in the lives of many, other options can be used. Chief among these is live chat, which allows customers to receive information in real-time without having to leave their homes or make phone calls. Due to its speediness and comfort, live chat is a tool any business would be wise to invest in.
Lastly, understand the importance of research, not only before a B2B marketing campaign kicks off but when it’s ongoing. One of the most important details regarding digital advertising is that it’s a constantly evolving practice. Nothing remains as is forever, especially given how quickly digital media changes, which means that researching everything from trends to social media platforms and beyond works to one’s benefit. What type of content should be created? Does it benefit a business to place more advertising revenue into one social media platform than another? Keep points such as these in mind when conducting research.
About fishbat: fishbat is a full-service social media marketing company that takes a holistic business approach to their clients’ digital marketing programs. The fishbat team understands the importance of business principles just as well as the nuances of the latest digital technologies. fishbat offers every digital marketing service available from digital marketing research and planning to brand development to website and asset creation through social media management and search engine optimization programs – all custom calibrated for both B2B and B2C businesses.
