Part 1: B2B doesn’t have to be boring.
Over the past ten years, our agency client roster has shifted to include a significant number of Business-to-Business (B2B) partners. While there is a perception that B2B advertising is formulaic, predictable, and even boring, it doesn’t have to be. Yes, B2B is a different animal from Business-to-Consumer (B2C), but there are absolutely opportunities for creativity that can give your B2B marketing programs a kick in the pants.
Why is B2B different?
- eCommerce is not the norm in the B2B world. B2B marketers are often challenged with a more complex and lengthy customer acquisition process, influenced by:
- Multiple decision-makers
- Budgeting and procurement processes
- Longer purchase cycles
- Higher product/service price points
So, we must think differently. It is imperative the marketing programs combine top-of-funnel awareness and education, with lower-funnel tactics. Efforts must simultaneously address customer retention, former customer win-backs, and new customer acquisition.
Multipronged attack.
B2B marketing has evolved beyond the limitations of direct sales efforts, trade shows, association membership, and industry publications. We can transform certain aspects of B2C advertising into B2B efforts, capitalizing on first-party and third-party data to reach customers and prospects in targeted and unexpected ways.
Tried and true methods
- Direct sales from CRM database(s): email, direct mail
- Trade association membership
- Category publishers: website, print, e-newsletter, e-blast
- SEM/Search
New innovative options
- Social platform outreach from CRM database(s): LinkedIn, Facebook/Instagram, YouTube
- Programmatic Account Based Marketing (ABM) programs by prospect industry, company and title
- Programmatic campaigns from CRM database(s) and third-party data
- Display banners
- Video
- Native content
- Connected Television (CTV)
- Streaming audio: podcasts, internet radio
- Mobile device capture via geofencing and geoframing key industry events
Combining the old with the new ensures that your target audience receives messaging across multiple platforms. This omni-channel strategy increases message frequency, impact, and fosters brand credibility.
Bonus tips and tricks.
- Search/SEM is vital to capture prospects that are in-market for your product or service, but it requires broader awareness-building efforts that educate prospects and DRIVE search inquiry volume.
- Consumer behaviors do not translate to B2B targeting capabilities. Just because all your customers watch the Super Bowl doesn’t make advertising in the Super Bowl a viable B2B option! Subsequently, Lookalike (LAL) targeting is probably not valid since it relies on personal interests and consumer data.
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The Good Media Ideas name underlines our commitment to blend the infinite possibilities of digital with the very best of traditional media. Since 1994, we have been regarded as one of the Southeast's preeminent advertising agencies, serving both B2C and B2B brands. Our team relentlessly pursues unique, often unconventional solutions, and then flawlessly implements them.
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