10 top tips for b2b marketers to make 2014 a success
DESCRIPTION
Need some inspiration for your B2B marketing in 2014? B2B International have compiled 10 Top Tips for B2B marketing success. Everything from building long-lasting customer loyalty to dealing with shorter attention spans is included. So, if you want to get 2014 off to the best possible start, these tips are the perfect solution.TRANSCRIPT
10 Top Tips For B2B Marketers To Make 2014 A SuccessB2B International
1. Keep a close eye on your markets needs through market researchIt’s a well-known fact that b2b buyers are demanding. Therefore,
it’s vital that you can both meet and exceed the needs and
expectations of the target audience. This means every component
of your product and service offering needs to be tailored to your
customer’s specific requirements.
However, the job of b2b marketers is made easier by the fact that
b2b buyers are typically more predictable than consumer buyers.
Good quality market intelligence and keeping a close eye on the
needs of the target market can ensure you’re always in the position
to meet the needs of your market.
P A G E 2
2. Ensure your b2b market sample represents the entire marketB2b research is concerned with populations of organisations, not of
individuals. When looking at b2b markets, the distribution of
companies typically fits the 80:20 (Pareto) rule, where 20% of
organisations account for 80% of the market.
Therefore, it’s vital that your b2b market sample includes these
large companies in order to get a true representation of the
market. A potential strategy might be to carry out a census of the
largest companies, and a sample of the rest.
P A G E 3
3. Ensure your research surveys are as effective as possibleStart with the crucial information first, and make sure the
research survey is set out logically. If you wait till the end of a
survey to ask the crucial questions that can make or break a
research study, there’s a good chance the respondent has lost
interest already (especially if the survey is long) and will not
provide an accurate or reliable response.
Likewise, don’t rush headlong into the important and sometimes
sensitive questions straight away as you might scare respondents
off! It’s important to make sure the survey flows naturally, with
questions leading naturally into the next.
P A G E 4
4. Ensure your market research findings deliver insightFocus on the needs of the client, and communicate your findings in
a way they can understand. It’s an all-too common question at the
end of a research study – “So what does this mean for us and how
can we use it?”
It’s important to remember it’s not the data that solves the client’s
problem; it’s the insights from the market research that emerge
from the data to provide clear, actionable steps that the client can
move forward with.
P A G E 5
5. Get the most from your market intelligenceFocus on the fundamentals and the finer details. The fundamentals
of market intelligence can help with what to do, and the finer
details can help with how to do it.
For example, the decision whether or not to enter a market is
determined by higher level findings such as market size and
growth, and barriers and incentives to entry. How to enter a new
market will be based on more specific details such as transport
channels and human resource availability.
P A G E 6
6. Use your insight to build long-lasting customer loyaltyMake sure the basics are right. To build customer loyalty, you have
to start from the bottom; there is no point asking the NPS question
(likelihood to recommend) and then sitting back hoping customers
will automatically become promoters (it takes hard work!).
First of all, making sure the quality of your product or service is as
high as possible and in tandem offering the very best customer
service are crucial building blocks of customer loyalty. Only when
the basics are covered can you start looking upwards and at the
rest of your operations to create true advocacy.
P A G E 7
7. Maximise engagement from your staffCustomer loyalty starts from within and starts from the top of any
company. Listen, inform and show commitment to your staff and
they will express this outwardly.
Firstly, always make sure employees have the opportunity to feed
their views upwards and be heard. Secondly, keep employees
informed and in-the-loop about what is going on in the
organisation. Lastly, always show your passion and commitment to
moving the organisation forward and achieving goals.
P A G E 8
8. Keep your stakeholders on-sideMake stakeholder consultation a priority. Developing constructive
and productive relationships with your stakeholders over the long
term requires a focus on stakeholder consultation.
Listening to concerns and acting on feedback can result in a
mutually beneficial relationship that can also form the basis of
successful collaborations and partnerships in the future. Keeping
your stakeholders on-side can lead to more informed decision
making, greater stakeholder satisfaction and a greater chance of
project/initiative success.
P A G E 9
9. Make your b2b content relevant, compelling and shareableWhen using your market intelligence in any marketing
communications, make sure it’s relatable and solves their
problems. In b2b marketing, it’s important to ensure the content
you produce isn’t just a sales pitch. The best way to engage your
audience is to show you understand their problems and can offer
real solutions.
So, stop trying to sell your products and services, and start solving
your audience’s problems. If you do that you will be the first port of
call that people turn to for information and advice. Stronger,
deeper relationships in b2b markets are built on trust and mutual
benefits. If you can become the resource of choice for all their
needs – you’ll build trust and keep them coming back for more.
B2B BlogP A G E 1 0
10. Make your content reflect shorter attention spansIn b2b markets especially, attention spans are getting shorter.
Therefore, your content advertising and customer research need to
reflect this. The best way to grab attention is using visuals, and the
best way to use visuals in b2b is infographics.
Turning your blog posts, articles and research papers into visually
compelling infographics will ensure your readers take in your
message before attention spans run out. The same also applies
with your surveys – ditch your large annual survey in favour of
smaller, focused surveys throughout the year to keep respondents
engaged.
P A G E 1 1
M A N C H E S T E R L O N D O N N E W Y O R K C H I C A G O B R U S S E L S B E I J I N G S H A N G H A I
B2B InternationalBramhall House, 14 Ack Lane East, Bramhall, Stockport, Manchester SK7 2BY
Tel: +44 (0)161 440 6000 Fax: +44 (0)161 440 6006E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.b2binternational.com