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When searching for B2B marketing tactics, it’s common to come across articles that merely list the basic marketing strategies we already know about: SEO, PPC, email, social media, referral marketing, loyalty programs, and so on. And many of the themes built on top of these tactics are the same: know your target audience, customize your message, and make good use of your data.
Now that doesn’t mean that we won’t touch on those strategies mentioned above, or that they are bad tactics (we dive into all of the above in our 2022 Marketing Trends post) but the goal here is to dive deeper and look at a fresh approach to target your buyer personas.
It’s important to note that marketing to businesses is not the same as marketing to individual customers. Where target audiences vary the most is between individual consumers and businesses. Some companies serve individual shoppers, while others cater to companies and organizations. That is why there is a whole distinct marketing strategy – B2B marketing — and why we’re revealing our expertise today.
By the end of this article, you’ll have a greater grasp of B2B marketing, the most effective B2B marketing methods, and how to reach and convert your business audience. Keep reading for the top five B2B marketing tips that our team of experts curated to generate more leads and sales this year.
1.Prioritize First-Party Data
With the release of iOS 14 and Google’s eventual move away from cookies, precision targeting will become more difficult. Since identifying your audience is the first step in any form of marketing (you can learn more about how to create accurate buyer personas with our Free Buyer Persona Guide), first-party-data-friendly marketing initiatives are critical.
To clarify, first-party data refers to the data directly collected by the organization (in this case, your business), while second and third-party data is gathered from supplemental sources.
There are a variety of ways to collect first-party data, including:
- Lead gen campaigns
- Testing out various ad platforms
- Utilizing custom questions (see Facebook/Meta example below)
- A/B testing in ads and email campaigns
Image sourced from Wordstream
2.Cater To A Longer Buying Cycle
B2B marketing has always been considered to have a lengthier buying cycle than B2C marketing. According to a study released by McKinsey at the end of 2020, the buying cycle for B2B enterprises has gotten even longer since the pandemic.
With budgets still tightened post-pandemic, B2B buyers are spending more time researching products and services and calculating ROI in advance. As a result, it’s critical to offer information that will aid rather than hinder buyer research, as well as focus on ROI-centered language and analytics in your messaging. Some examples of this could be:
- Setting proper expectations
- Creating long-term relationships
- Having collateral on hand (well at least digitally)
- Positioning your business as the expert
- Building your presence on multiple channels
3.Let AI Optimize Your Sales Process
Data is big business, and the value it holds for B2B marketers will only increase in 2022. Artificial Intelligence (AI) aids marketers in gaining a better understanding of their prospects and clients. AI also helps teams evaluate ROI by acquiring, organizing, analyzing, and segmenting consumer data in a scalable fashion at every point of the buyer experience, from awareness to conversion.
Because of developments in targeting tools and tracking technology, AI will continue to be a trend in 2022 and beyond. B2B marketers will be able to learn more about their clients and produce more targeted communications and marketing solutions through channels like email and social media with the help of AI.
You may take advantage of the trend by using AI marketing technologies like Google AI or TensorFlow to provide the best possible client experience. In fact, according to Google, 85% of executives believe AI will allow their companies to obtain or sustain a competitive advantage. These technologies can assist your team in making accurate consumer predictions, creating timely messaging, and increasing overall productivity.
4.Take A B2C Approach
The distinction between B2B and B2C marketing is becoming blurred. This is due to the increasingly competitive nature of the digital market, as well as the growing number of millennials among B2B buyers (the next section will dive into this a little more.) At their core, all businesses sell to people – not other businesses. According to the 2021 B2B Buyer Insights Report from Foleon, 80 percent of B2B buyers now demand a B2C experience.
B2C approaches are required to stand out above the noise and to appeal to Millennials and Gen Z, such as:
- Personalization
- Emotional Marketing
- Thought leading content
- Transparency (in pricing and processes)
5.Tap Into Millennials + Gen Z
They’re the generations who value experiences over possessions, and trends show that they’re willing to spend. Both generations experienced interruptions in every aspect of their life during the epidemic, including education and employment opportunities, mental stability, and well-being.
Millennials will account for 75% of the global workforce by 2025. According to Merit’s B2B Millennials Report, 73% of millennials are involved in product or service purchase decision-making at their companies, and 30% of them are the sole decision-makers.
This means that you will see greater success by catering to Millennial and Gen Z preferences and purchasing traits. Some of which include:
- Speed of response
- Easy mobile experience
- Value-based products, services, and content
- Ties to environmental, political, or socio-economic problems
- Social media engagement (We have an entire book on how to best tackle social media for your business in 2022. Check it out here.)
Key Takeaways For B2B Marketing In 2022
2022 will be a pivotal year for B2B marketing trends, so make sure you’re ready and prepared early on. Because many businesses lack the resources to staff an internal workforce, they turn to outsourced firms to help them maximize their lead generation efforts and convert leads into long-term customers. Envision Creative can assist you with any of these marketing requirements. Whatever the case may be, we have a solution that will meet your long-term objectives.
Are you ready for fresh business opportunities that increase leads and sales in 2022? Contact us today to get started!
