By Swatil Binte Mahmud, Blogger, Lava Protocols
Business-to-business (B2B), also called B-to-B, is a form of transaction between businesses, such as one involving a manufacturer and wholesaler, or a wholesaler and a retailer. Business-to-business refers to a business that is conducted between companies, rather than between a company and an individual consumer. B2B marketers now face challenges that simply did not exist a few years ago. Business buyers are savvier and more connected than ever, and they expect always-on, highly personalized buying experiences.
B2B marketing trends are changing and here are some new trends you should know about:
Increased Personalization
Business buyers are now expecting increased personalized communication and content. The Salesforce State of Connected Customer Report 2018 revealed that 72% of business buyers expect communication that’s tailored to their needs and deliver personalized experiences. Fortunately for B2B brands, business buyers are willing to help brands personalize their customer experiences by providing relevant data and information for use in future marketing initiatives. This data can help brands develop a more unified view of their customers.
High-Quality Content
According to research by Hubspot, 41% of marketing budgets were spent solely on content in 2019. Not all content is created equal and determining the type of content that will drive your visitors to engage should be a top priority. To increase conversions, to stay relevant, and to grow your brand, it’s imperative that marketers create content with purpose and substance. Clients expect as much value as possible for the least amount of effort. Therefore, B2B online content should reflect their industry expertise which gives other businesses valuable insights and information.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
B2B marketers are increasingly adopting AI to power the personalized, “Amazon-like” customer experiences now expected by business buyers. In the past year, AI usage amongst B2B marketers has grown 23%. Most of these marketers are using AI within their marketing platforms to optimize midcycle engagement. Also, AI chatbots can help to solve complex problems in a matter of seconds. Chatbots powered by artificial intelligence is becoming an increasingly practical option for many businesses that want to reduce their customer service team’s workload.
Alignment of Marketing Team and Sales Team
Account-based marketing (ABM) programs are collaborative efforts shared between the marketing and sales teams of a company. In 2020, more businesses will experiment with account-based marketing because the reported results are just too positive to ignore. However, success with this strategy hinges on a close relationship and synchronization between the sales and marketing teams. Collaboration among sales and marketing stakeholders can help marketers identify the best prospects within the target audience for an ABM strategy. This type of strategy and interconnectedness of sales and marketing teams is also ideal for small businesses. ABM helps small businesses better focus their marketing efforts and spend on top prospects.
Usage of Online Platforms
Currently, many B2Bs are using online advertisements, alongside digital events like webinars and Facebook lives to reach more people. Content including newsletters, blog posts, articles, and case studies are then leveraged to nurture and convert these prospects. Email is still an excellent means of nurturing leads because it allows you to deliver relevant information to your current and prospective customers. Email newsletters can also keep existing customers engaged and intrigued by your work.
Appealing Website
The first thing your prospective customer does to know more about you is to look you up on the internet. A well-designed, easy to use and unique website will help to showcase your services. A custom-designed website from scratch will invariably match your brand and help you stand out from your competitors.
Video Content
Video has been on the rise in the past few years as more and more companies are embracing this mode of communication. Previously, most video contents were uploaded on social media platforms like Facebook and YouTube. Now, applications like TikTok and Instagram are being used to deliver ads and messages in simple and attractive ways. Having videos on such platforms can allow you to offer in-depth demos of your products and services, create tutorials for your products, and even promote upcoming launches in a more engaging manner.
It is important to note that chasing random trends will not lead to success. The trends mentioned above are emerging and showing to be successful for many businesses. However, to truly succeed in 2020 and beyond, you will need an extensive and actionable B2B marketing plan which includes important components like branding, advertising, digital marketing, and alignment of your teams. If you want to learn more about using technology to build meaningful customer relationships, you can contact us on how Pardot by Salesforce can help you to automate marketing tasks and increase sales.
Pardot by Salesforce is a trailblazing marketing automation solution that helps companies create meaningful connections, generate more pipelines, and empower sales to close more deals.
Lava Protocols is an authorized Salesforce Partner in Malaysia. Want to learn more about Pardot by Salesforce? Drop us an email to schedule your demo: hello@lavaprotocols.com.