By Jackie, for Koble –
Coming up with an effective marketing strategy is all about what works for you and what does not. Whether you are a big or small business owner, you have to come up with a plan that will suit your needs and budget.
The first step to doing so is learning the market trends. We are in a competitive world, especially in the B2B market, and that is why you have to do all you can to stay up-to-date with the trends. It helps you maximize your selling power and stay ahead of competitors.
We take a look at the leading B2B marketing trends to look out for this year to help your business grow and optimize leads.
Account-based B2B marketing
This marketing strategy has been in existence for years, but with the rise of digital marketing channels, most B2B companies are now shifting back to account-based marketing. Time changes are making it hard and super expensive for businesses to market and reach their target customers on digital marketing platforms.
It is getting even harder for the small and mid-sized B2B companies. That is why most of them have already shifted to account-centric marketing models in their sales and client success. This is a trend to look out for this year. You should make the right choice and implement this mode of marketing in your business.
Integration of automation, artificial intelligence, and machine learning
Technology is taking over, and B2B marketing has not been left behind. Today, companies are incorporating email automation, artificial intelligence-driven solutions and data analytics in their marketing endeavors. Chatbots and live chat have become a significant marketing component which has profoundly helped in increasing conversion rates. It is also a great way of enhancing accuracy and effectiveness when reaching buyers.
Personalization in all your content
Marketing automation has made it possible for B2B businesses to incorporate personalization. This is one of those trends that you should not risk missing. Every marketer should start segmenting their prospect and customer bases. Marketing in this day and age is not one-size-fits-all, and marketers need to get to know their audience in order to increase engagement. Try segmenting by industry, by role and by their place in the customer journey (are they just browsing for information, have they made an enquiry or downloaded any of your resources). Sending different kinds of email to different types of groups will in return increase the chances of landing a higher interest and conversion rate.
The rise of video marketing
Content plays a huge role in marketing, and while text content is still essential, videos are taking over and becoming the most preferred mode of B2B content creation. According to a study by Forbes, 65% of executives visit the marketer’s website and 39% call a vendor after viewing a video. Reports have shown that people now prefer watching a short clip to reading the same content on a blog. Video marketing gives you the freedom to be creative and create engaging content. Businesses are coming up with storytelling videos, tutorials, and podcasts to help them convince their target audience.
These are some of the top B2B marketing trends to watch for in 2019. Do not be left behind — join the others in being different and unique in your marketing campaign. This will help you stay ahead of competitors.