The B2B marketing rulebook is constantly changing.
Shifts in buyer behaviors, coupled with new technological advancements, force marketers and content creators to always be quick on their feet.
Do you sometimes feel inundated by all of these trends and changes? Here are some of the standout articles and reports from the week that focus on some new rules, realities and best practices we find important:
- What’s that smell?: There’s nothing more foul than the stench of poor B2B marketing practices. If your company has ever been guilty of sending personalized emails with incorrect information, you need to check yo’self before you wreck yo’self! This article from Direct Marketing News forces you to take a hard look at some of the worst marketing offenses and whether your organization has committed them.
- Goals first, metrics second: Have you ever had a team member — or even a manager — who was extremely gung-ho over numbers? Before you even start planning a campaign or developing content, they just want to know how you’ll measure success? Well, tell them to put the brakes on, already! This article from MarketingProfs indicates that to be more effective and efficient with your content, you need to take a step back and think about your goals first. Once you identify your goals and know which phase of the buyer’s journey your content will focus on — awareness, engagement or business value — you can identify which metrics you should track.
- Start to think like a B2C marketer: Don’t get me wrong, I understand that a woman shopping for a new dress may browse completely differently than a woman researching a new technology solution. But at the end of the day, B2B buyers tap into certain emotions or mindsets even when they’re considering a business purchase. This article from Business2Community uncovers the consumer behavior secrets that B2B marketers need to know, including some of the top motivators for buying decisions.
- Tell better stories with your data: Content4Demand understands the power of data. We coach our clients on how they can use data to develop holistic, multi-channel campaigns. We ourselves even use survey data to create fun and compelling content. If you think survey data automatically takes your buyers on a trip to Snoozeville, this article from Harvard Business Review is a great wakeup call. (No pun intended.) The first, most important step, is finding your story. Then, you develop your hard-hitting headline, build your key messaging points and set a plan for content creation.
That’s all, folks! Have something to say or share? Drop us a line in the comments section below!
