B2B marketing is challenging, even for the savviest marketers. Whether it’s manufacturing, distribution, professional services, technology, or healthcare, B2B buyers demand the same level of sophistication and polish that consumers do. Not only are B2B buyers sensitive to marketing tactics, they also tend to perform a lot of research prior to buying and expect engaging personalized human experiences.
That’s why B2B marketers must work harder than ever to differentiate their brand, drive lead generation, and build long-term trust and loyalty with their target audience. But how? There are many answers, but successful strategies all have one thing in common: They didn’t happen by accident. Whether you’re just getting started or looking for fresh ideas for your next growth phase, here are six essential marketing strategies that will guide you to success.
1. Build a Brand People Love
A brand people love is one that resonates with its customers at an emotional level. It’s a brand that engages customers, makes them feel an instant connection, and inspires them to take action. Marty Neuemier writes in his book The Brand Gap, “a brand is not what you say it is, it’s what they say it is”. You must steward your brand or risk losing control of it. Here are several key elements to keep in mind during the process of building a new brand or strengthening an existing one:
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- What is your brand’s promise? What problem does your product or service solve for your customers? Why are you in business?
- Who and what does your brand represent? What are your core values and how is that communicated through your brand?
- Who are your customers? What are their needs, concerns, motivations, and aspirations?
- What do your brand assets, logo, color scheme, and tone of voice say about your business? What feelings do these elements inspire? How can you best translate these core elements into your marketing campaigns? What words are the most effective?
2. Leverage a High-Performing Website
One of the best ways to show B2B buyers that you’ve got what it takes to deliver amazing results is by creating a high-performing website that showcases your expertise and inspires action. The elements of your site include its design, content, navigation, user experience, and search engine optimization (SEO). These elements work in tandem to build trust, generate leads, and position your company as an industry leader. A site’s design is important, but it’s not everything. You can have a site that looks amazing but lacks the substance that draws leads and converts customers. On the other hand, you can have a site that looks average at best but has compelling content that educates your audience and prompts action. Ultimately, it’s the combination of these elements that will contribute to building an exceptional and effective website.
3. Write Great Content for Authority and SEO
B2B buyers are sophisticated and well-informed. They’re also busy and have a lot on their plate. That’s why, above all else, B2B customers want quality content that helps them make smarter decisions. Great content will increase organic traffic and drive more qualified prospects to your website. Whether you’re blogging, creating social media posts, or curating content on your website, quality content has the power to steer leads in your direction and keep them engaged once they’re there. That’s why B2B marketers must prioritize creating high-quality content that adds value to their buyers’ lives. When you consistently publish high-quality content that informs, educates, and engages your audience, search engines will notice and reward you with higher rankings.
4. Combine Paid and Owned Strategies
Paid advertising channels like Google Ads, Facebook Ads, and LinkedIn Ads can help you reach new audiences and boost the performance of your owned assets. At the same time, paid advertising channels are constantly evolving. As such, it’s important to stay on top of trends and experiment with new strategies to discover what works best for your business. For example, you might try experimenting with different ad creative, targeting specific audience segments for more personalized content, or expanding your budget to grow your audience. Whatever you do, don’t let paid marketing channels become a silo. Instead, integrate these strategies with your owned channels like your website, social media profiles, and blogs to create a cohesive and strategic marketing approach.
5. Employ Marketing Automation, CRM, and Lead Nurturing
Marketing automation tools like HubSpot and Marketo help you automate many of your marketing processes and improve your customer experience. You can set up automated emails to send at certain milestones like when someone signs up for your email list or when they download an asset from your website. This type of automation can streamline and simplify the way your team manages leads. It can also help you nurture leads who aren’t ready to buy yet, which is especially useful when selling to B2B audiences. Marketing automation is a great way to get closer to your audience and inform them about sales, product updates, and industry trends. It also helps you scale your efforts and deliver more efficiently.
6. Utilize Analytics and Reporting
Finally, you must track everything. You want to know who your customers are, how they’re finding you, what they’re doing once they’re on your site, and where they’re dropping off. Without tracking these metrics, it’s impossible to know whether your efforts are paying off and how you can improve. You can use tools like Google Analytics, HotJar, or HubSpot’s reporting and analytics tools to track everything from your site traffic and conversion rates to your marketing ROI. With this data in hand, you can create a B2B marketing strategy that works and delivers results every time.
Takeway
B2B marketing is challenging, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. By following these six essential B2B marketing strategies, you can strengthen your brand, build trust, and position your company as an industry leader. Remember, it won’t happen overnight. Building a brand, driving leads, and strengthening your reputation takes time. But it’s worth it. When you deliver on your promise to your customers, they’ll trust you more, buy from you again and again, and recommend you to others.
