Experts say a renewed focus on customer relationships and B2B video content is one of the most commonly cited aspects of marketing that lead to success.
B2B marketing is booming. The challenge of the current environment is that it sparks debate about what works and what doesn’t in B2B marketing.
While such debates can provoke heated responses, I wanted to know what B2B marketing people are currently doing that works. So I posed this question to Peter Shankman’s Source of Sources, a free PR resource that emails questions from reporters and bloggers every day.
I received about 24 responses and narrowed it down to the seven that I thought were actionable, which I’ve listed below. Note that I haven’t listed these ideas in order of value or ranking.
1. Livestream Video – Then Repurpose
Kristina Witmer, president of The Witmer Group, says she sees results with B2B video content, especially livestream video. Then she breaks down the video and repurposes it for other mediums like podcasts, social media, and email.
How does she know it works? “About a month ago, I was on a call with a new client and one of them said, ‘Oh, I saw you on a LinkedIn live stream.’ I only saw a snippet, but it looked interesting,” she says. “Whether he attended or not, just the fact that he saw that level of activity and engagement was instrumental in closing this sale for our company.”
She adds, “As with all marketing, it’s all about consistency.”
2. Free advice with custom videos
K2 Global Communications researched potential clients’ websites and provided them with custom videos with constructive criticism. The company calls this a “communication check.”
“We do a one- to two-minute audit of our prospects’ public communications — their website and their LinkedIn activity,” says Amy Kenigsberg, COO and co-founder of the Israeli company.
She says the company has generated new business meetings and customers with this approach. They implemented that idea into a systematic process, which made producing the videos efficient.
Her agency is a HubSpot shop, so at my request, she provided me with a sample video that constructively criticizes HubSpot’s website. Watch the video here and see a screenshot from the video below.
I noticed that the company uses Vidyard for sharing videos, which also provides forms, an easy way to respond to prospects.
3. Don’t forget that there are people behind the data
Too many B2B marketers “forget that at the heart of every interaction is a relationship,” says Hilan Berger, COO of SmartenUp, a Johannesburg-based consulting firm that helps companies get the most out of Salesforce.
While his company relies on “data and performance metrics to drive outreach and marketing campaigns,” it’s important to remember that “there are people behind the data.”
“We try to use relationship building as much as possible when marketing ourselves, and it works surprisingly well,” he adds. “People want to feel valued as individuals, regardless of their industry or specialty.”
4. Put your audience’s value above all else
“One thing that works for me is really good content,” says Cathy Bryan, EVP, head of marketing at Electives, which creates learning and development (L&D) platforms. “And by really good content, I mean content that your audience really thinks is good.”
More specifically, “This is content that prioritizes value to my audience over SEO results, conversions, and so on. It’s content my audience needs right now. They’ll search for it, they’ll consume it, and they’ll share it.”
5. Get active on LinkedIn
“To find B2B leaders, you need to be on LinkedIn,” says Paige Arnouffen, founder and CEO of Mavens & Moguls. “It adds credibility and transparency when you know that the people you meet or work with know each other. LinkedIn has become more than an online resume or address book; it has become the foundation for building trust in the digital economy. ”
It’s important to make sure your profile is complete and up to date. “You only get one chance to make a great first impression, so make sure every section of your LinkedIn profile is complete and has no spaces or gaps,” she added. Key tasks she suggests include a professional headshot, a headline, and a summary of your work history.
“To present yourself as an industry expert, post interesting and educational content by sharing a great article you recently read. If you want to build valuable connections and present yourself as a talented thought leader in your industry, consider writing your own articles on LinkedIn.”
6. Build customer relationships for personalization
DesignRush, a B2B marketplace for creative assistance, found it beneficial to focus on strengthening customer relationships, says the company’s managing director, Gianluca Ferruggia. He said his team works to understand the “specific needs of each customer” to “better tailor our offerings” to those needs.
“This may seem like a back-to-basics tactic, but in a digital-first landscape, the human touch is more important than ever,” he said. “We’ve found that taking the extra step to understand our customers and their goals builds trust, fosters collaboration, and ultimately drives business results.”
He says his company has the data to prove it: “Customers for whom we’ve personalized their offerings are more satisfied and spend more time on our platform. They also refer us to other companies, which has led to increased customer numbers.”
7. Landing page optimization and A/B testing
Joe Amaral claims that email automation and A/B testing have been crucial to their success. He is in charge of Anthem Software, a digital marketing firm. Landing page optimization increased outcomes by 63%, according to an A/B test conducted for a SaaS client.
“One client had a 34% increase in free trial signups by triggering an email sequence when someone downloaded their ebook,” he added, referring to his company’s efforts to align email automation, notably drip campaigns, with behavior. “Personalization and timing are crucial.”
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