The old rules of B2B Industrial Marketing have changed. The no-fail strategies of direct mail and print which used to comprise the bulk of industrial advertising plans have been relegated to small pieces of an increasingly complex advertising puzzle. The explosion of media platforms available for advertising has forced the industrial marketing world to expand their marketing horizons.
Although these new marketing venues require B2B marketers to be more diligent than ever, their efforts are rewarded by the rich relationships and engaging conversations they are able to have with prospects. The critical feedback that marketers gain from their prospects throughout the buying cycle can be used to hone their marketing strategies and increase their effectiveness. Here are two key strategies B2B marketers can employ to maintain an engaging marketing strategy.
Prospect engagement and feedback have never before been so important or so easily accessed. These two critical components, which are instrumental in crafting an effective marketing message, can be readily accessed through social media outlets. This explains why 90% of B2B marketers utilize social media in their advertising strategies. According to the Content Marketing Institute, 69% of marketers use social media to promote brand awareness, while 67% use it for lead generation. The wide variety of social media tools available for scheduling content releases and analyzing data make it easy to integrate social media into an existing marketing strategy.
Mobile Marketing
According to Forrester Research’s interactive marketing forecast, by the year 2016, mobile’s efficacy as a marketing avenue is expected to increase by 51%. The trend to utilize marketing outlets such as social media, email and online search is shifting away from the PC to the increasingly available mobile device. This trend is unlikely to reverse for an obvious reason: people crave convenience. It is becoming less and less convenient to be reliant on a PC to get a job done. People today are busier than ever and they will take advantage of any available means to streamline their productivity. Staying relevant in today (and tomorrow’s) market means that B2B industrial marketing must include mobile advertising.
While it may be challenging to keep up to speed with constantly emerging advertising platforms, the long term benefits of utilizing social media and mobile advertising will make the effort worthwhile.
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Arik Benari
Owner, BenariLaw
Dan Stockmann
Owner, Stockmann Law
Jackson Madnick
CEO, Pearls Premium
Craig Rovere
VP Marketing, All Metals Forge Group
Todd M. Grant
Vice President of Marketing, LogicBay