According to the quarterly Marketing Confidence Monitor report, B2B marketers feel growing confidence about their prospects for 2013. In fact, 42% of B2B marketers feel encouraged, while only 35% of B2C marketers report the same enthusiasm. Though concern surrounding consumer confidence remains, perhaps this growing stability among businesses will pave the way, through example, to more reliable, risk-taking consumers.
This rise in confidence among B2B marketers stems from many things, from increased marketing budgets to better economic performance. We suspect that it can also be attributed to a greater understanding of social media usage and analysis.
We all know that the digital revolution has changed the game for marketers. Suddenly, faced with countless new platforms for communication, industry professionals have been forced to stay on their toes and learn new skills on an almost daily basis. At first, the sheer magnitude of new tools and technologies was staggering, but the learning curve seems to have evened out recently. While there will always be more to learn, it seems that many of the B2B marketers we know have begun to truly master social media. Utilizing social media to its fullest potential leads to data that, while elusive, provides a valuable source of business confidence: customer knowledge.
That knowledge comes directly from the ever-evolving realm of social media analysis. Now, marketers have the chance to get to know their consumers more intimately than ever before. With more opportunities to listen and analyze consumer sentiment, businesses feel more confident in their ability to meet (or exceed) expectations.
While increased confidence among B2B marketers can be attributed to many factors, we’re convinced that a closer relationship with our customers is an important part of the puzzle.
Photo credit: Ivanpw
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