Are you ready to dive into the world of B2B marketing and learn how to navigate the ever-changing landscape of technology and strategies? In today’s ever changing digital age, it’s essential for businesses to stay up-to-date with the latest B2B marketing channels to remain competitive and successful.
In this blog, we’ll cover the different types of B2B marketing platforms available and how they can be used to navigate the changing B2B marketing channels. We’ll also discuss the importance of content marketing, messaging, and account-based marketing in B2B marketing strategies. Additionally, we’ll explore the role of technology in B2B marketing and the latest trends in marketing automation, artificial intelligence, and data analysis.
Interested so far? Let’s first begin by defining what B2B marketing is.
What is B2B marketing?
B2B marketing, or business-to-business marketing, refers to the promotion of goods and services from one business to another. This type of marketing involves selling products or services to other businesses, rather than to individual consumers. B2B marketing is crucial for companies that operate in the business-to-business space, as it helps them build relationships with other businesses and generate revenue.
How is B2B marketing different from B2C marketing?
B2B marketing differs from B2C marketing, or business-to-consumer marketing, in several ways:
- B2B marketing focuses on building relationships with other businesses, rather than with individual consumers. This means that B2B marketing is often more complex and requires a longer sales cycle than B2C marketing.
- It’s typically more focused on the product or service itself than on the emotional benefits that it provides to the consumer.
- It is often more data-driven than B2C, as it involves targeting specific businesses based on their size, location, industry, and other key criteria.
The marketing funnel
Before you start writing your B2B marketing plan, it’s important to understand your marketing funnel first. The marketing funnel is a model that describes the different stages that a potential customer goes through before making a purchase. The funnel is divided into several stages, including awareness, consideration, and decision. In B2B, the funnel is often longer and more complex than in B2C, as it involves building relationships with other businesses over time.
Lifecycle marketing
“Lifecycle marketing” refers to the process of building and maintaining relationships with customers throughout their entire journey with a business. In B2B marketing, this often involves identifying key touchpoints in the customer’s journey, such as when they first become aware of the business, when they make a purchase, and when they become a loyal customer. By focusing on each stage of the customer’s journey, businesses can build stronger relationships with their customers and generate more revenue over time.
Demand generation and lead generation
Demand generation and lead generation, or B2B marketing lead generation, are two key components of B2B marketing. Demand generation refers to the process of generating interest in a product or service among potential customers. This can involve a variety of tactics, including content marketing, email marketing, and social media marketing. B2B lead generation, on the other hand, involves identifying potential businesses that have expressed interest in a product or service, and collecting their contact information for further follow-up.
Lead nurturing and lead management
Once leads have been generated, it’s important to nurture them and guide them through the marketing funnel and your B2B lead generation campaigns. This involves providing them with valuable content, addressing their questions and concerns, and providing them with personalised experiences that address their specific needs. Lead management is the process of tracking and managing leads throughout the funnel, and ensuring that they receive the right information and support at each stage.
How marketing and sales work together in B2B
In B2B marketing, the marketing and sales teams need to work closely together to generate leads and close deals. Marketing teams are responsible for generating demand and nurturing leads, while sales teams are responsible for closing deals and building relationships with customers. By working together effectively, marketing and sales teams can ensure that potential customers are provided with a seamless and personalised experience throughout the entire buying journey.
Navigating the Changing B2B Marketing Landscape
B2B marketing has undergone significant changes. As more businesses move towards digitization, B2B buyers have become more discerning, and their expectations have shifted.
What are B2B buyers’ expectations today?
B2B buyers today have different expectations than they did just a few years ago. Today, they expect personalised and relevant content, quick and easy purchasing experiences, and a high level of customer service. Additionally, they are more likely to conduct extensive research before making a purchase, which means that businesses need to have a strong online presence and a well-thought-out content marketing strategy to attract and engage potential buyers.
What does the all-digital customer mean for B2B marketing?
The rise of the all-digital customer has had a significant impact on B2B marketing. Businesses need to have a strong digital presence and use a variety of B2B marketing channels to reach potential customers. This includes everything from social media and content marketing to search engine optimization (SEO) and paid advertising. Additionally, businesses need to be able to track and analyse their digital marketing efforts to ensure they are reaching the right audience and achieving their desired results.
How can B2B marketing benefit from data, artificial intelligence, and marketing automation?
Data, artificial intelligence (AI), and marketing automation can revolutionise B2B marketing. With the help of data collection and analysis, businesses can gain valuable insights into their customers and their buying habits. This information can then be used to create personalised and relevant marketing campaigns that speak directly to the needs and interests of potential buyers, improving the effectiveness of B2B marketing services.
Additionally, marketing automation can help businesses streamline their marketing processes and improve their efficiency, while AI can be used to create predictive models that can help businesses anticipate customer needs and behaviours.
Strategizing for B2B Content Marketing, Channels, and Messaging
What is B2B content marketing, and why is it important for businesses?
As businesses move towards digital and remote work, creating and distributing valuable and relevant content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience has become a crucial aspect of B2B marketing. B2B content marketing is the practise of creating and sharing informative, educational, and engaging content to attract and engage potential customers and build a long-term relationship with them.
How should you approach messaging for B2B marketing?
Messaging is the cornerstone of any successful marketing strategy, and B2B marketing is no exception. To create an effective messaging strategy, B2B businesses should first identify their target audience, understand their pain points, and craft messaging that addresses those pain points in a clear, concise, and compelling way. The B2B marketing content should also align with the business’s value proposition, brand identity, and overall marketing goals.
“To create an effective messaging strategy, B2B businesses should first identify their target audience, understand their pain points, and craft messaging that addresses those pain points in a clear, concise, and compelling way.”
Using Account-Based Marketing for Targeted B2B Growth
What is account-based marketing, and how does it work?
Account-based marketing (ABM) is a highly targeted approach to B2B marketing that focuses on identifying and pursuing high-value accounts or customers. Instead of targeting a large audience, ABM allows businesses to create personalised marketing campaigns for specific accounts, which can improve conversion rates and revenue. ABM works by first identifying high-value accounts, then creating customised messaging and content, and finally targeting those accounts through a variety of channels, including email, social media, and advertising.
How is account-based marketing different from traditional marketing?
Traditional marketing is often focused on reaching a large audience and generating as many leads as possible. In contrast, ABM is more focused on quality over quantity, targeting a smaller number of high-value accounts with personalised messaging and content. ABM also requires a closer alignment between the sales and marketing teams to ensure that the messaging and targeting are aligned with the account’s needs and goals.
How can B2B businesses achieve success with account-based marketing?
To achieve success with ABM, B2B businesses should first identify their high-value accounts, then create a detailed account plan that outlines the specific goals and challenges for each account. From there, the business should craft personalised messaging and content that addresses the account’s unique pain points and needs.
Finally, the business should use a variety of targeted channels to reach and engage the account, including email, social media, and advertising. By focusing on high-value accounts and creating personalised campaigns, B2B businesses can improve their conversion rates, revenue, and customer loyalty.
Leveraging the Right B2B Marketing Technology
Marketing technology has become an essential component of modern B2B marketing strategies. As the B2B landscape evolves, businesses need to leverage the right marketing technology to stay ahead of the competition. In this section, we’ll discuss the different types of marketing technology and some of the top trends to watch out for.
What are the different types of marketing technology?
Marketing technology can be broadly classified into two categories: comprehensive solutions and specialized tools. Comprehensive solutions are all-in-one platforms that offer a wide range of marketing functionalities, while specialized tools are designed for specific marketing tasks.
Comprehensive Solutions
Comprehensive B2B marketing solutions offer businesses a broad array of features and capabilities, such as customer relationship management, email marketing, social media marketing, marketing automation, analytics, and much more. These integrated platforms are designed to help B2B companies manage their marketing efforts more effectively and efficiently. There are numerous popular comprehensive marketing solutions available, including Pardot, Marketo, HubSpot, and Eloqua.
Specialised Tools
Specialised marketing tools are designed to help businesses execute specific marketing tasks, such as SEO, PPC, content marketing, and social media management. These tools are typically more focused and specialised than comprehensive solutions. Some popular examples of specialised marketing tools include SEMrush, Ahrefs, Hootsuite, and Buffer.
What are some of today’s top marketing technology trends?
The marketing technology landscape is constantly evolving, and businesses need to keep up with the latest trends to stay ahead of the competition. Some of the top marketing technology trends to watch out for in 2023 include:
- Artificial intelligence and machine learning: AI and machine learning technologies are being integrated into marketing platforms to help businesses gain insights into their customers’ behaviour and preferences.
- Personalization: With the rise of data-driven marketing, businesses are increasingly focusing on delivering personalised experiences to their customers.
- Voice search optimization: As more people use voice search to find products and services online, businesses are starting to optimise their websites for voice search.
- Omnichannel marketing: With customers using multiple channels to interact with businesses, omnichannel marketing has become essential for delivering a seamless customer experience.
- Account-based marketing: Account-based marketing is a targeted approach to marketing that focuses on individual accounts rather than broad target audiences.
How the Ortus Club and Event Marketing Can Help
While marketing technology is critical for B2B marketing success, it’s not the only piece of the puzzle. Networking and events play a significant role in building relationships with potential customers and partners. This is where the Ortus Club comes in.
The Ortus Club is a specialised B2B marketing company. We are known for hosting networking events for C-level executives and business leaders. Through our virtual or in-person events and executive roundtables, we provide businesses with a platform to connect with potential customers, partners, and thought leaders in their industry.
Event marketing has become increasingly essential, and The Ortus Club’s events provide an excellent opportunity for businesses to network and build relationships with potential customers and partners. What’s more, The Ortus Club’s events are held in various locations around the world, making it easy for businesses to find networking events near them. Thinking of scaling your B2B marketing to a global audience? If you’ve reached this far into the blog then maybe this is your time to host an event with us. Message us today to find out more!
