Do you sell aircraft engines? Then you probably know that your customers’ buying process is completely different from that of dog kibble. Yet 99% of digital agencies still offer you exactly the same services that they offer to e-shops selling sweaters and coffee (nothing against coffee). In this article, we will introduce you to the 7 hottest online trends that will keep your foreign competition one step ahead of you.
Right at the beginning, I emphasize the word ONLINE again. B2B marketing, of course, consists of many tools – from events, through PR, loyalty programs or contact strategies, to personal sales. I am definitely not reducing any of them, I am only defining the boundaries of the field on which we play. If I have to highlight one specific aspect of why it is necessary to work with other methodologies for B2B, it is primarily the length of the purchasing process . It often ranges in months and therefore it is important to base the entire online communication on this fact.
A few numbers to start with
The numbers are clear: 70% of B2B deals today are closed before the first personal meeting (source: Google). The place where purchasing decisions are made is not flyers or roadside billboards. That place is the internet .
All this is complemented by absolutely precise targeting and, above all, the possibility of perfect evaluation , all here and now, in real time. At the same time, the costs of online marketing are marginal compared to other tools. In other words, for the price of a weekend presentation at a trade fair, you can have a comprehensive strategy for the whole year.
TOP trends in B2B online marketing
Let’s leave the theorizing aside and focus on the top trends in online B2B marketing. Of course, there are many tools and methodologies, but let’s pick out the ones that are currently making the most progress.
1. Responsive design of corporate websites
Your website is the foundation. Gone are the days when users only visited your website during working hours from their company PCs. Thanks to the availability of smartphones, traffic from these devices is now around 20% and still rising. In addition, user behavior is changing completely – they no longer look for you in the office during the day, new zealand email list but in front of the TV in the evening.
Responsive website design that adapts to every device is therefore an absolute must. (For exporters: especially in Asia, chat2desk updates: january 2023 the percentage of use of these devices is over 30%).
2. Active lead collection
” I’ll give you more – for contact.” The basis of online communication of all successful B2B companies is active collection of leads. Lead management is becoming an integral part of online communication. The reason is clear – for services or products with a longer purchasing process, it is necessary to capture specific “prospects” and work with them. A typical strategy is to offer information value (instructions, case studies, business to consumer reviews etc.) in exchange for contact details. In combination with marketing automation tools, you will get an incredibly powerful weapon for accelerating purchasing processes and monitoring the behavior of potential customers.
3. Videos
According to the latest research, embedded videos are the most frequently viewed content on websites. Here too, the reason is obvious – what would take up two A4 pages in text, you can say in one minute. Especially for presenting references or specific services, there is no more effective medium. Everything that moves and talks is an added value for your customers and sets you apart from the competition.
4. Corporate presentations on tablets
Currently, there is no more effective tool for direct sales support than interactive applications for and tablets, combining texts, animations, videos or graphs into one whole. The time of salespeople with leaflets in the trunk of a used Felicia is irretrievably gone. Modern applications can be connected to your CRM, updated at any time and continuously supplemented with new data. The factor of instant update is extremely important. While with brochures, even if a single phone number changes, you can send the entire shipment to collection, you can edit salespeople’s presentations with a single click.
Moreover, they also contain two important psychological elements – the “wow effect” (no one else has it) and breaking down barriers. Sitting at a table with a tablet is simply different from opening a laptop and creating a “wall”.
