B2B Marketing Part 3: Marketing Media for B2B

Michelle FarabaughTitle title title, Cognitive Data

Carol Worthington-LevyCreative Director, Worthington-Levy Creative

What’s up for this session?• B2B has its own challenges to address:

– How do you get customers?• Mail: direct mail or catalogs?• Space advertising?• Email with affiliate relationships?• Web search methodology: SEO and organic?• Web features such as video?

– How do you maintain relationships?• Mail?• Email?• Calls to customers/prospects?

Proven tactics and strategies that help B2B businesses

cultivate customers

Contact strategies used to be fairly simplistic

Order

Months

0 3 6 9 12

Catalog m

ailing

Catalog rem

ail

Thank you letter

Bounce back catalog

With new tools, capability and frequency of contact has skyrocketed

Weeks Pre-order 0 1 2 3 Period

Order

Emails• Order

confirmation• Shipping confirm• 1 to 3 promotionsPackage with Bounceback offer

Phone• Thank

you callEmails• 3

weeklies• Tweets?

Emails• 3 weekly• Segment special• Web

special

Email sign-up• Thank youRegular emails• 3 weeklyBanners adsWeb promos

Customers are hard to get, relationships fleeting

Tailor communications to the relationship timeline —Make sure you never let them go for even a week

If you don’t keep talking with them, someone else will…

Win BackThank You Nothing?

Renewal/Statement

Cross-sell

Different contact methods should be designed and written in a particular way to do its job well

• Space ads: must be visual, a fast read, w/some kind of clear offer

• Email: same rules, but also need killer subject lines. Goal: get them to a landing page, PRONTO.

• Web: provide reasons to drill down quickly. Designed with eye flow and behavior studies. Feature some offers and specials

• Direct mail: great teasers on the outside. Personal message. Strong call to action and at least two ways to respond. Writing that’s not dry – instead, aspirational and compelling – yes, even in B2B

• Catalog: Powerful visuals to arrest attention, great teasers with offers, paginated to pull reader quickly to what they want

• Telemarketing: Great script with well-trained team; longer term follow-up relationship with customer list will increase lifetime

While DM print media (catalog, direct mail, or print advertising) is good for…

Acquisition/lead generation Romancing an offer Product introduction and trial Direct selling Longer shelf life, better pass-along Good deliverability Better perceived credibility, reliability

Direct Marketing electronic media is good for…

Cost-effectively maintaining relationships Communicating product or program information,

changes Direct selling High degree of urgency Interactivity Extremely accurate targeting (to house list) Dynamic personalization

Space advertising tips• Space advertising:

– Prospect where you know they are reading articles– it must be measurable (Don’t forget to include an offer) – – print and online — and even outdoor!– Communicate instantly – clever or convoluted always

fails

Space advertising tactics• The most successful ads

are very straightforward• Clear communication is

always better than something symbolic

• What NOT to do

• Such clever creative. That nobody understands. These run in airports all over the world. What are they selling?

• What in heaven’s name…?? Oh well, they say that sex sells… but does this make you believe they have a truly unique selling proposition? Nah.

• Online ad that really works

Online ads must invite interaction

• So many things wrong with this aside from the headline– Meaningless image– All caps headline– Copy set too wide– This does not invite any

interaction or decision

‘Shoulds’ and mandates turn off your customers

• Who would take the time to read this?

Quick easy reading is mandatory

• Who would take the time to read this?

• All caps heads• Copy reversed out of tan• Nondescript photo: what

would tell this story better for a business airline?

This ad will be ignored

• Chest beating bores your prospect: make it about them• Emotional grabs attention and

highlights customer concerns

Focus on your prospect and their needs

• Everyone wants to look – smarter to their boss –– neater to their clients –– more successful to

their peers

There are basic human needs and reactions

• They can see they’ll never regret their decision

People love knowing you’re providing them options for the future

• Professionals who want a ‘sure thing’ look to their respected colleagues for suggestions

• Keep testimonials pared down to the real ‘meat’

Testimonials clarify who you are to this

audience

Catalog tips

• Communicate a range of products positioned for their success

• Boring doesn’t get opened no matter how much you think it will

• Don’t just “land” on their desk…The first time you arrive, include a letter and a kickoff offer

• Subsequent ones: don’t forget the offer — More on offers later

25

Typical B2B catalog — just facts, impersonal

The original catalog: • Just the facts,

not very visual or inspiring or even engaging

• No sales language — the assumption that the prospect understands the product.

26

This beat it by almost double the sales

The replacement catalog:• Includes a

demonstration that puts you in the driver’s seat

• Explanation of the product with emphasis on successful use and comparison

Demo - using OUR paper vs. using THEIR paper

Is one catalog title enough? Best known: the Pigalog, their annual resource book The small one is called Leak & Spill, and is positioned as

“NOW” — sent monthly

Tightly target your audience: it pays!

– Specific market-appropriate works better than generalized

– Your customer has personality. Tap into that

– Show added value by highlighting your unique services throughout.

Test lead generation for your catalog or website using mail

• Use the power of mail databases to find your customers

• Any online customer you capture this way will also be a good prospect for catalog mailings

But don’t assume they know who you are

– We have no idea of what Jameco is, and why we’d even want their catalog

Think “Campaign”

– …by updating the site regularly to match the catalog and mailings

Direct Mail Tips

• You can’t be subtle

• Don’t try to be too clever, either

• Highlight a product that may be lost in your catalog

• Announce new products

• Use personalization to highlight their needs based on your data about them

For maximum effectiveness, highlight one product

– Especially if you have many products, choose one strong product to represent your line and generate interest

– Make sure your list is highly targeted for that one product– Choose a product that has either very little competition,

OR you can make a point that yours will do the job better– No chest-beating. Prospects are not impressed with ‘we

are the best’ messaging …and are often turned off– They care about one thing ONLY: what’s in it for THEM?

Use direct mail not just to tell… but engage!

– Patient literature is sold to doctor’s offices as ‘handouts’ to patients

– Asking doctors to review samples and give us their opinion gave them a new control

– Old package

B2B mail can be colorful and interesting– As long as it has a clear point, you can

do many things with B2B mail that may surprise you… and your prospect

This is for a small company that makes sophisticated research portals

This was to generate leads who have substantial traffic- get this on more sites

Play on emotions – fear and need for success– People don’t stop being human when they’re in the workplace– Acknowledge what the data on them says is the biggest

concern they have – and address it

Use your real estate wisely– If your envelope is interesting on the front, they’ll probably turn it

over to tear it open– Use that space to highlight another reason for them to go inside

Get attention quickly with a postcard

– This proofreading service has sent many postcards with typos on them, getting my attention!

Generate web traffic: good postcards get big ROI– It doesn’t replace a catalog – a great action generator – very inexpensive– Highlight a specialty product

For ‘pureplays’ postcards are a boon to traffic

– Many ordered directly from these cards

If a sale is worth a lot, think dimensional

– You can make a box pkg a a lead generator

– Break your list into layers:

– C-level people in a company get dimensional, others get flat mail

Use it to land a big contract– Remington Arms’ B2B division – – This is a product that gets an

industrial kiln working again fast, by cleaning it out with one big blast!

– Plant supervisors got boxing gloves, plant CFOs got stopwatch

– Payoff: sent to 400 highly qualified prospects in 200 biggest kiln-operated businesses

– Cost $10K total, brought in 5 new contracts for average of $350,000/ea in equipment and materials – ($1.7 million) plus ongoing fulfillment of materials needed for operation

It’s easy to screw up dimensional!To be effective it needs solid DM ingredients.

“Why did they send this to me?”

No letter!! Strange and

disconnected concept doesn’t meet any campaign

Gift arrived not working, and it requires 6 no.10 batteries –

This went in the trash

B2B Email tips• eMail to those who have requested information

• Send them what they asked for – and ask them to opt in for more

• Show them that you listen to them and care what they think

• eMail to existing customers and your opt-ins

• Announce new products, Invitations to events, Inform of special offers

• Keep it interesting with stuff that is helpful to them like real webinars (not just the ones promoting your business)

• eMail Affiliate contacts: choose your affiliates with care, ride on their customer loyalty and recognition

B2B email Single-minded works better than generalized You can’t just talk ‘sale/special deal’ – it

degrades the relationship quickly You must test, test, test to find out where it pays

off to send more, where you must send less Variation of messaging is essential

Use personalization Don’t miss out on

one of the most powerful ways to get and keep their attention

Keep your data clean

If I get an email that’s personalized it had better be MY name… which is NOT Audrey

PS: Get a proofreader (plural vs. possessive)

Test … subject lines, offers, messaging• Here’s where knowing your audience can really

make a difference• Some audiences don’t respond to discounts and

remain loyal• Measure the responder behavior - to determine

lifetime value• Don’t assume you know the answer already –

even the most seasoned pros get fooled by their perception vs. reality

Offer Test — it may surprise you– Scale it for what you want them

to do– Be clear WHAT you want them

to do, and tell them– Give them rules by which they

can get the offer– Keep in mind: many companies

won’t allow an employee to accept anything of value over, say, $20-25

– At left: one of two test emails: lead generation. We offer-tested a webinar about their topic versus a chance to win a Tablet PC.

Work on more interesting subject lines Don’t let subject lines become something an inexperienced

helper does This will make a difference of whether they ignore you or

open your email

Work on more interesting subject lines Too repetitive – training us to ignore you

Keep their attention with different kinds of promos

– Giveaways– Sweeps– Offers

Develop a few different formats

Keep your readers’ interest through variety

Make some more promotional

Make others more informational

Build a “triggered” system for emails

• Whatever the customer does, or doesn’t do, there should be some triggered emails to re-contact them…– Shopping cart reminders– Notices that backordered item is in– Refill and renewal/upgrade reminders– New product that may be compatible with what they have– Local events related to their business

“Triggered” emails: shopping cart reminder

Test using VIDEO in your emails

Some fascinating statistics for B2B market…• More than 75 percent of business executives

regularly view online video content, according to Interactive Media Strategies' "Enterprise Video Communications Survey," Q1 2011.

• Forrester Research reports two to three times higher email clickthrough rates when video content is embedded. …

More on video in emails…• Online viewers spend an average of 1.5 minutes

with video compared with an average of eight to 10 seconds on static graphic email messages, according to MarketingSherpa.

• Video ads generate four- to seven-times higher engagement and response rates compared to static ads, according to DoubleClick.

Guidelines for video in your ads and emails…• 1. Invest in Engaging Content

Adding audio to your latest PowerPoint presentation isn't engaging and isn't going to generate a response. You only have five to eight seconds to capture viewers' attention

• 2. Create Viewer InteractivityAn effective online video message for lead generation needs to combine engaging video with interactive multimedia content and calls to action

• 3. Make It MobileMake sure your video marketing message can be accessed on Smart Phones and tablets, which are commanding an ever-increasing share of online video viewing.

• 4. Keep it small, and make it easy to turn off if the viewer needs to move onYou lose a potential customer if you frustrate them

• 5. Have Actionable TrackingGood metrics are essential to understanding the success of sales or marketing initiatives. Requires offers, interaction opportunities, and technology improvements

Video that helps to open dialogue with prospects

The SAS company has video on their website that helps the visitor to understand their core proposition and strengths

• http://www.sas.com/technologies/analytics/

5.11 Tactical — the premier developer of gear and apparel for law enforcement, firefighters, emergency techs and more — uses video to explain the complex construction and high standards that these customers need and want. Their videos measurably increase sales and reduce time spent with a phone representative

• http://videos.511tactical.com/videos/28/taclite-pro-pants-and-shorts

B2B Website Tips

• For the most effective website: • Legibility is a priority• How to add value: Video, Content

Websites: know best practices and use them

• Hold your own feet to the fire• According to a study by iBiz…consumers say…

– Only 54% of the sites had legible text– Only 51% got the consumer where they wanted to

go in two clicks or less– Only 48% had essential content– Only 45% of sites were technically reliable all the time– Only 38% of all visited sites have efficient page layout– Only 25% had easy-to-find customer service– Only 17% have useful ‘search’ function

A little change does you good

• This site keeps my attention just long enough• http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/jsp/index.do?

ref=r0302ECb3Q&OVMTC=Broad&site=&creative=5846031192&OVKEY=epson%20USA&url_id=99103275&gclid=CPeCkez7s6sCFUkbQgodynEdgA

A little change does you good

• Visual variation helps keep me here

Expand into new markets with microsites

• Cook’s Direct was looking for a way to get more customers

• Their core business is cooking tools and equipment for large institutions – in particular, prisons.

• Along with their custom-developed prison equipment, they also have a lot of general cooking equipment…

Reach those loyal niche markets

• Customers in the new market use the same tools and supplies that Cooks direct has already!

• Share fulfillment, but developed a whole new look and feel, logo, etc. to create a site for a niche market

The Multichannel approach

Customer contact through multiple entry points

A choice of how customers can respond and view

The more the merrier: increased channels = increased response and increased continued relationships

Xerox: mail and email hit the ball back and forth. Brand is unified.Mail has a sweepstakes

to win MacBook Air A later email has sweeps to win an iPad; Landing page shows me how to enter

So, now I’ve opted in for email about their products…

After the opt-in, what else do we see?

Alternate emails are used to keep my attention

Office Advisor provides tips and templates for the business printing and promos

Purely a trade-in offer

‘Thank you’ seems stark, out of character. P.S. – would I follow them on Twitter?? Nah!

Summary• Use the right media for the job: understand the strength of each• Variation trumps perfect brand look and feel. If your brand is

consistent you can make changes that keep their interest• The most responsive campaign shares elements of all “siblings” —

mail, email, website, catalog should share:– Offers, response drivers– Guarantees and policies – Core message: USP, mission, purpose, the 1 key thing you want

them to remember about this effort and about YOU• Integrated programs work best in terms of customer recognition,

longevity of relationships, and even response if there is consistency

A final note: Leo Burnette’s 3 principles of the creative process — and how

to make B2B compelling and successful

1. There is an inherent drama in every product. Our No.1 job is to dig for it and capitalize on it.

2. When you reach for the stars, you may not quite get one, but you won’t come up with a handful of mud either.

3. Steep yourself in your subject, work like hell, and love, honor and obey your hunches.

Contact Us

Carol Worthington-Levy

Creative Director

CWL@Worthington-Levy.com

Michelle Farabaugh

Title title title

mfarabaugh@cognitivedata.com