While navigating the new B2B sales funnel, prospective customers devote a lot of time to consideration and research before ever making a purchase. It is the marketer’s job to find a way to move them from problem to solution in the form of a sale. The only way to do this, it seems, is by building trust. Prospects are more inclined to purchase when a sense of trust has been developed with a particular company. Marketers must consider whether or…
While we focus on ways to master the new B2B sales funnel, email cannot be ignored. In a time when inboxes are inundated with marketing ploys, approaching email thoughtfully is crucial to success. The most important part of email marketing is making sure that your message is opened. This is not always easy considering the number of emails the average person receives on a daily basis. The content of your email will not be useful unless your subject line is…
Last week, we discussed switching from lead generation to demand generation as a way to master marketing within the new B2B sales funnel. The problem is that many marketers still don’t understand the difference between the two approaches. This, of course, prevents them from using either approach successfully. Here’s what you need to know. Demand generation creates awareness Demand generation focuses on cultivating awareness surrounding a particular brand or company. This awareness eventually results in leads. Lead generation gathers actual…
In April, Twitter announced the latest development in their advertising platform: keyword targeting. The feature is available in all languages and markets where Twitter ads are supported. Though user experience did not noticeably change, ads appearing in timelines are now potentially based directly on a user’s recent tweets and retweets. B2B marketers should take advantage of this opportunity. Though most B2B companies use Twitter to engage their audience, fewer actually do paid advertising there. In the past, “promoted tweets” seemed…
The internet has radically changed the nature of the sales cycle. Traditionally, the B2B sales funnel was straightforward and looked like this: Today, it is more convoluted, like this: As this diagram shows, today’s sales funnel is full of questions, research, and answers. Endless comparisons are made from reviews that are written and repeatedly shared. Social media invites open discussion about a company’s strengths and weaknesses. Essential tools – the website, email marketing, and special events – are no longer…
Recent and continued shifts in the marketing industry have established content marketing as a core B2B marketing initiative. As marketers continue to learn and master this skill, its challenges evolve each year. According to a survey conducted by Curata in 2012, the greatest challenges faced by B2B content marketers are limited budget (27%), limited staff (25%), and creating enough new content (21%). Here are three ways to overcome these difficulties: Focus on quality over quantity Creating enough new, engaging content…
A popular, current discussion among B2B marketers is the fact that they are prioritizing social media and search and content marketing above all else. As summarized in this article, both have become vital tools in the digital age. While social media presents difficulty in measuring ROI, its ability to engage an audience and contribute to the total package, leading in the end to bottom line sales, is undeniable. Search and content marketing is easier to gauge but requires the development…
Unfortunately, B2B marketing has a reputation for being dry and boring. We all know that dry and boring is unacceptable in today’s world of social sharing and virality. In fact, engaging the customer with compelling content has become the essential path to getting a sale. Sometimes, this quest for fun and shareable seems easier for the B2C marketer. B2B marketers, in contrast, are faced with the challenges of highly complex products, educated prospects, and extended sales cycles. To solve this…
Here on our blog, April has been devoted almost entirely to Brand Empathy. We’ve been staying up-to-date on industry news, though, and now we’d like to share our favorite B2B Marketing posts from around the web. B2B Marketers Say Twitter is Now but Google + is the Future By Cynthia Boris, Marketing Pilgrim B2B Marketing and Circle Research recently produced a Social Media Benchmarking Report for B2B Marketing. An overwhelming 85% of marketers chose Twitter as their most effective social…
Throughout April, we have used this blog to share our philosophy that Brand Empathy is the next evolution for B2B marketers. We discussed why it’s important and shared the success stories of IBM and vAuto. Like many things, the internet has made Brand Empathy necessary, useful, and in some ways, easy to achieve. If you have found the Brand Empathy research helpful and want to incorporate it into your business, today’s post is for you. We invite you to download…