The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we do business and interact with customers. It's important to evolve your marketing strategy so that you reach potential customers and stay ahead of the competition. Below are some of the B2B marketing changes you should prepare for.
Better Video Marketing
Did you know that 78% of people watch videos online each week? It’s no wonder that 86% of businesses use videos for marketing.
There is no doubt that video marketing has been the go-to marketing strategy for a while now. But considering that by 2022, it will make up 82% of all online traffic, you must take your videos a notch higher. If you don’t do so, you risk fading into the background because competition for clients will be fierce.
You can make your videos better in various ways.
- Strive to make your videos 90 seconds or shorter. It’s important to note that video length will depend on what platform you are using as well as the intent of the content.
- Create entertaining videos and share them via your business website and social media business pages.
- Focus on producing product demos, explainers, how-to’s, training, and webinars, and social videos, which are popular for a reason.
Mobile Will Be the Dominant Marketing Channel
By 2022, there will be twice as many mobile devices as there are human beings in the world. And the number of these devices will continue to increase. It’s also worth noting that people spend an average of 11.1 hours each day on their mobile devices. That’s noteworthy.
Therefore, companies have no choice but to adapt to suit the needs of mobile users.
Below are some of the ways you can do that.
- It would help if you create an app for your business audience since 92% of mobile device users spend their time on native mobile apps. So, that means partnering with Google or Apple to create a platform that Android and iOS users can easily access.
- Considering that the U.S. will have an estimated 160.7 million smartphone gamers per month by 2022, you need to consider gamification as a worthy marketing strategy. And then, you could incorporate gaming elements within your business app to persuade your target B2B audience to take specific actions, such as providing contact details, subscribing or paying a one-time fee for your products, and bringing in more customers via referrals.
- WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger apps are popular among internet users because people enjoy having conversations with others. So, you may want to draw inspiration from that to build chatbots using existing tools to enhance your conversations with mobile customers. These bots will then handle standard queries from mobile device users who reach out to your business via those channels, your mobile-friendly website, and your mobile business app.
Customers Will Prioritize Personalized Marketing Messages
It is worth noting that businesses using advanced personalization techniques will get back $20 for every $1 they spend. But that is not surprising when at least 88% of companies that utilize it reports that personalization leads to measurable improvements, with the majority reporting improvements of 10% or more.
Therefore, it’s safe to say that today’s customers do not want to be faceless people within your target audience. Instead, they want businesses to focus on getting to know them and provide personalized marketing messages. Unfortunately, less than 10% of companies globally have incorporated personalization as a core business strategy. But that gives you the chance to shine.
Here are some strategies you can use to personalize your marketing messages.
- You should start by collecting data about your clients in legal ways. However, with the number of data protection and consumer privacy laws increasing, it will be more challenging to do so. Luckily, at least 60% of people will offer their private information in exchange for personalization. So, you may want to advertise a webinar, offer free how-to guides, or promote discounts for existing products to collect that information first. You can also request your target clients to participate in your industry surveys in exchange for free market insights.
- Generally, segmented emails experience 14.31% higher open rates compared to their non-segmented counterparts. So, you should start with email marketing. And one way to do that is to use the company decision-makers' names in the subject lines of your business emails. They are 26% more likely to be opened. In addition, you could begin sending celebratory messages to congratulate businesses on their work anniversaries or if they have accomplished notable milestones within their industries.
- Paid ads are worth exploring, especially considering that the search terms, "near me" and "where to buy,” have been increasing over the years. So, you may want to invest in robust analytical tools, personalize and automate your ads based on the season, the leadership level, actions decision-makers take, search terms and intent, device use, cost considerations, customer profile information, and current location of your target clients.
- Also, include Google remarketing ads to reach out to your potential customers, offer them an incentive or two, and try to get them to buy your products, especially if they showed serious interest the last time they visited your sites. It would be easier to do because your site cookies help you personalize the marketing messages based on their previous behavior.
- In addition to video, you should create other types of content that your business clients may find interesting. These include PR and news items, listicles, and newsletters. If you have multiple customer segments, determine what kind of content will work best for each of the sales cycles, and create it to provide relevant information.
Expect the Rise of Omnichannel Marketing
Customer experience has always been important. But it will become even more crucial in the coming years as omnichannel marketing continues to gain popularity.
Not only do 86 percent of customers want excellent customer service, they are also willing to pay a premium price of up to 18 percent more to get it. Therefore, you must provide it in whichever manner your clients want it.
The hybrid method of communication to meet the unique needs of decision-makers within the pandemic era will work best. Since 90% of B2B decision-makers expect the remote and digital model to remain in a post-pandemic world, you must use relevant digital and offline events to market products to different customer bases.
So, focus on providing value to your clients by personalizing digital and non-digital marketing messages for each step of the buying process. For example, you could use webinars to reach out to clients abroad and direct mail for those within the country.
Also, when necessary, let them see salespeople in person. But also ensure you provide digital self-service portals, such as knowledge bases, comprehensive product catalogs, and support information, since many prefer them.
And at the same time, provide real-time interactions via multiple platforms, such as phone, online chats, social media, and email, for the 80% of business clients who will require them at some point.
Life is generally unpredictable. But it helps to be prepared. Therefore, when you understand what demands people will make within the B2B world in 2022, you will be more prepared for them. And that will enable you to tailor your marketing messages to meet the needs of your customers.
But if you have no idea where to start, you should outsource your content marketing needs. Marketing professionals are better positioned to help you reach out to your target audience effectively.