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- 18 Jun
Best Practices for Identifying, Developing and Engaging Your Target Audience
by Josh Baez
As B2B marketers, understanding our target audience is essential to every single thing we do. And yet all too often we lack the necessary details around our target audience. Without those details, we are unable to actually do anything meaningful.
It All Boils Down To One Common Problem
There is one common mistake that organizations make when it comes to identifying their target audience. They tend to assume that these people want to hear about the product. When, in fact, a majority of them probably don’t. And successful marketing requires a gap to be bridged. That gap that exists between those people who want to hear about the product and those who don’t. And that doesn’t even take into consideration those who aren’t even aware they have a problem that requires a solution to begin with.
How can organizations begin to bridge those gaps?
Here are three key areas to help you better identify, develop, and engage your target audience at Heinz Marketing. Then, you can more effectively and consistently drive pipeline for your organization.
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- 17 Jun
B2B Brands Need to Step It Up to Reach Millennial Buyers
by
Recently UPS released this year’s UPS Industrial Buying Dynamics survey. And what they found should be a wake up call to every B2B marketer. It seems that there is an increasing level of influence by Millennials in the B2B buyer process.Know the Trend: The Rise of a New Generation of B2B Buyer
This year’s study found a 10 percent increase over 2017. And that means that, if you haven’t already begun to adjust your tactics you need to. According to Brooke Yamini, VP of marketing operations at UPS, “the rise of Millennials ushers in a new era that challenges long-standing industry norms.”
This new generation of B2B buyers start their buying process online. And they do their initial research with social media and their peers. So, if we are going to successfully market to this emerging generation of B2B buyers, we need to begin to adjust our tactics. To gain more insights into the findings of this report, read the full article at Chief Marketer.
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- 04 Jun
Testimonials Are B2B Companies’ Most Important Marketing Tool
In today’s hyper-competitive world customers don’t want marketing spiel. Your B2B customers can smell a sales pitch a mile away. And they are skeptical.
But, What is it That Customers Want . . . ?
Studies show us that what customers want is balanced and unbiased information. And they want it from people they can relate to. Plus, they want concrete figures and results not buzz words and slogans. And well executed customer testimonials can do exactly that.
Testimonials build trust between the company and its users. And they help customers overcome any skepticism they might have. So, how can you start developing a solid customer testimonial program? You can start by reading the full article at MarketingProfs.com.
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- 30 May
New Research: How Are Email Response Rates Trending?
from Marketing Charts
We know that for businesses, email remains one of the central tools of the trade. That fact was brought out by some research by Ascend2 earlier this year. In that they found that while email marketers not only name increasing engagement as their top priority, they also say it is their greatest challenge.But in new research from Epsilon, there are some even more worrisom trends. It seems that email click-through rates have declined for business-as-usual emails. And, this decline is beeing seen across a broad range of industry segments and both B2B and B2C markets. This is according to their latest email and benchmark trends report [download page].
To see the highlights of the report and for an opportunity to see the origical report, read the full article at MarketingCharts.com.
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- 21 May
How to Launch a Successful Online Community: A Step-by-Step Guide
It’s no secret that the way people buy has fundamentally changed over the years. These days, people are conducting their own research, reading product reviews, and seeking out recommendations before making a decision. And online communities are beginning to play an increasingly important role in this process.This is Not Just A B2C Game Anymore
As of 2018, according to the B2B Buyers Survey Report, B2B buyers are increasing their use of buyers’ forums. In fact, the survey found that 45% of business buyers spent more time and resources researching purchases than they did the previous year. There are some great examples of B2B communities like G2Crowd or GetApp that can be used to educate prospective customers and help them make better buying decisions.
But how can you start? What platform is best? To walk you through the process of setting up an online community in more detail, read the full article at HubSpot.com
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- 20 May
B2B Buyers Want More Data and Research in Vendor Content
from Marketing Charts
If you are selling to other companies and you work to develop a thought leadership position, then content is a core tool. And that content is a critical building block for your success. But, what you think is valuable content may not be what your buyers think is valuable content. Wouldn’t it would be great to be able to know exactly what content buyers value in their purchase journey?Well, Now You Can
Thanks to a recent study [access page] by Demand Gen Report and ON24 we can now better understand what our B2B buyers value in content as they make their purchase decisions. One thing the report does bring out is that an extremely high percentage of B2B buyers say they currently have less time to devote to reading and research durring their purchase journey.
So how can vendors make content more valuable when time is limited? To find out, gain additional insights and to learn a few actionable points using data from the study, read the full article at MarketingCharts.com
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- 17 May
4 Ways to Target B2B Audiences on Social Media
by Ellie Buckle
For B2C brands, social media is a great place to engage with your existing audience. And, for most, its also a great place to target new potential customers to grow your business.But, Can Social Media Work for B2B?
For some B2B businesses, on the other hand, social media audience targeting can be a challenge. It can be tricky to know how or where to find your audience on social media. Now, it may seem logical to start with customer personas. But, that’s just the beginning. How do you actually target your key customer segments? How do those personas change on social media platforms? How do you know you’re targeting the right potential customers?
Well, fear not. here is a list of four quick ways to target your B2B audiences on social media today. To learn them all, read the full article at WordStream.com
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- 16 May
5 Signs Your Website Design Is Costing You B2B Leads
For over a decade, businesses have been attempting to achieve the promise of the internet. Admittedly we have all been chasing the promise for a more cost-effective, efficient marketing of our products and services that it can bring.
There is No Second Chance at a First Impression
But, even the best-conceived internet marketing campaigns can fail. And for all the reasons that my happen, it may come down to one simple fact. It may be your website’s design that is costing you the leads it should otherwise be generating.
There are many reasons that a website can turn away business-to-business visitors. But there are five of the most common reasons why website designs fail to bring home leads. And to learn what those are and how they can be fixed, read the full article on Jeff Bullas’s Blog.
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- 13 May
The No. 1 Rule and Four Essential Parts of High-Converting B2B Emails
There is a common human behavioral tendency called decisions paralysis. Simply stated, this is manifested when buyers are confronted with too many choices, the result, in most customers, is to not buy.To Decide, Or To Not Decide. That is The Question . . .
Decision paralysis also applies to your email marketing as well. If you give your subscribers too many options, they won’t know what you want them to do or where they should click. The best advice, in that case instead, is to focus on the Rule of One. This rule essentially states that every promotion must contain four essential elements for success.
To learn more, read the full article at MarketingProfs.com
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- 07 May
3 Tips on How to Create Branded Video on a Shoestring Budget
There is growing evidence that all businesses need to develop online video as a core part of their strategy. Consider these two points. First, nearly 50 percent of web users look for videos related to a product before visiting a bricks-and-mortar store. And, add to that, 70 percent of B2B buyers watch videos along their path to purchase. Now, those are certainly compelling arguments to use video, aren’t they. And this goes for businesses no matter which industry or size.
No Need for a Hollywood Production Team Here
The opportunity is real. Even if you are a small-to-medium-sized business with limited experience with online video. With modern digital platforms, even SMBs can effectively use video to increase sales and create brand awareness.
But how do you accomplish those goals without breaking the bank? To find out, here are three tips for ramping up your online video advertising and marketing on a shoestring budget on Chief Marketer.
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- 06 May
How to Integrate Purpose Into Your B2B Content Strategy
by Heather O
The notion that content is king has never been more valid than it is today. And that idea, that started early on as the exclusive domain of B2B companies, has even spread to the B2C mareting domain.This doesnt mean that you do the same types of content and structure it for the same reasons as you would for a B2B market. For B2C companies to reach their buyers and provide superior customer experiences every time, they need to deliver content that’s streamlined, simple, personal and purposeful.
What the Heck is Purposeful Content?
That means that they need to understand what’s important to their buyers. Why? Because a growing number of those buyers cite shared-purpose as a reason to buy from a company. And, as a result, companies need to be clear on their corporate purpose if they are going have a strong, evolving content strategy.
But, that purpose needs to be authentic and relatable. It also needs to inspire. Social purpose can be a powerful tool for your business. But how do you find that purpose? And, how can you wield that power? To find out, read the full article at MarketingProfs.com
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- 27 Apr
How to Create Response-Boosting Cold Emails
by Will Cannon
Forget what you have heard. Cold email is still an effective way of generating appointments and making new connections. B2B companies, in particular, can still send personalized, cold emails at scale.
No Mo’ Same-O, Same-O
But the same old “tried and true” will no longer work. Now buyers expect more. They respond differently. And by using segment-specific email copy, you’re going to have a much easier time getting your prospect’s attention and enticing them to open your email.
In this article, Will Cannon shares several cold email principles that you can use to create response-boosting outreach campaigns. So read on at MarketingProfs.com
NOTE: A Free Registration pop-up opens on this site. A Free MarkeitngProfs Registration may be required to read the full article.
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- 23 Apr
Why Your Content Needs to Focus on Expertise and Relevant Experience
Expertise and relevant experience now matter more than price and reputation when it comes to B2B marketing. That’s not to say that your B2B prospects are making decisions with a “hang the expense!” attitude. Nor will they ignore any evidence they find of you being difficult to work with or in any way suspect.They’re Simply Going to Focus on Expertise and Experience First
The latter two still matter, of course, but according to a recent study by Hinge Marketing, the old twin pillars of professional services buyers’ decision-making — price and reputation — have been replaced by expertise and relevant experience.
So how do you state your case in a world where buyers are ever more eager to eliminate you before they’re even willing to have a conversation with you? To find out, read the full article at TargetMarketingMag.com
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- 15 Apr
New Webinar Benchmarks Study Gives Clues for Success
from Marketing Charts
As countless studies have demonstrated, webinars are a highly valued content format. This is especially true with B2B buyers and at various points in their ‘buyer’s journey’.Once again, this year, ON24 has released its webinar benchmarks report [download page]. The report is based on an analysis of more than 22,000 webinars conducted on its platform in 2018.
But, Exactly How Do Webinars Perform?
Even though we accept that webinars, as a B2B content tool, work, there are still lingering questions that we all have. Like, what days of the week are most effective? Or, how about the length of the session? And what should we expect as a registration-to-attendance rate?
To learn the answers, and see some of the highlights of this study, read the full article at MarketingCharts.com
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- 12 Apr
Should B2B Marketers Gate Their Content? Or Not
from Marketing Charts
This is a debate that never seems to die. To gate or not to gate your B2B content?As the argument goes, . . . “to gate content only serves as a barrier to prospects.” And the response . . . “yes, but the content needs to work for me and I want to gain contact information.”
To Gate or Not to Gate. . . . That is the Question
It seems that some 44% of B2B companies gate content. But why is that the case? While it’s a safe assumption that it’s about acquiring more leads, there are also other benefits. This, according to a recent report [download page] from Walker Sands.
While it’s true that close to two-thirds of the B2B marketers surveyed for the report who gate content cited earning qualified leads as their reason for doing so, more than half said they used gated content to add prospects into an automated marketing program.
To see more of the data and insights, read the full article at MarketingCharts.com
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- 10 Apr
Four B2B Marketing Trends to Watch This Year
from MarktingCharts
One of the promises of digital technology was to put an end to the dilema John Wanamaker faced almost a centry ago. He once mused that he knew that half of his marketing spend is wasted. But, he just didn’t know which half. So for B2B marketers, it’s not too much of a surprise that less than 4% of those surveyed for a report by Wpromote [download page] plan to reduce their digital budgets next year.But What Are The Factors in Play?
There are some significantt trends that surfaced from Wpromote’s study. Most of which connect with other themes as featured previously on MarketingCharts and show a clear picture of the four B2B marketing trends that merit watching.
To these trends and some probing insights, read the full article at MarketingCharts.com
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- 06 Apr
How to Measure Event Marketing Performance and ROI
by David Becker
Event marketing has consistently grown in popularity over the past few years. Why is that? Well, it’s becuase they work well for attendees, sponsors and vendors. But, for most companies, they are often one of the biggest marketing expenses they have.Why do so Few of us Actually Measure the Real Impact of Event Initiatives?
As is the case with accurately measuring any marketing program, it all begins with assigning the right metrics to your goals. But, before looking at the metrics and tools needed to measure success, you must have a clear vision on the outcome you want to achieve from your events.
In this article, David Becker from Marketo shares an ROI attribution model that will help you to more accurately measure the results from your events. So, to learn how it all works, read the full article on the Marketo Marketing Blog.
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- 05 Apr
Which Types of B2B Influencer Content Do Buyers Find Valuable?
from Marketing Charts
We know from previous research that B2B leaders say content spurs their buying processes. In fact, almost all respondents to a new survey [access page] by Demand Gen Report and ON24, say they are now placing an even higher emphasis on the trustworthiness of the source of information for the content.“TRUST” is Easy to Spell But Hard to Achieve
For those of us in the B2B content business, this means, using trusted influencers in a content campaign can prove fruitful. But what formats work best when running influencer campaigns? To see more of the data and to find out what works best, read the full article at MarketingCharts.com
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- 02 Apr
Most B2B Buyers Admit to Postponing Purchases. How Should Vendors Respond?
from MarketingCharts.com
It seems that content marketing still has a lot of power in the market. In fact, according to Aberdeen report [download page], content ,in one form or another, kick-starts buyer journeys for about half of B2B buyers. But, still, they found that a substantial number of purchasing decisions don’t go anywhere. A whopping 53% of B2B buyers saying they postpone decisions on at least half of their purchases.What is to Blame for These Stalled Decisions?
Many buyers appear to point the finger at the vendors, reporting that they cancelled or postponed a purchase because they saw no differentiation between solutions. And more than half claiming that no vendor met their needs. And, it also seems that buyers are not overwhelmingly confident that their needs have been clarified when they are involved in making a purchase.
The report suggests a number of remedies that vendors should consider to address this buying confusion. And to learn what they are and to download the original report, read the full article at MarketingCharts.com
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- 25 Mar
B2B Customer Experience: Why It Matters and Where to Start
Customer experience matters. And it does so to the tune of $1 billion a year for SaaS-based companies alone. And most CMOs know customer experience matters. But sadly, only 57% of them report marginal customer experience impact.
Good or Bad, Customer Experience Impacts Your Business’ Bottom Line
In support of that proposition is a recent study from the Temkin Group. They found that when faced with a positive customer experience customers actually spend more. They also found that 86% of buyers are willing to pay more for a great customer experience. And that 73% of buyers point to customer experience as an important factor in purchasing decisions. Plus they discovered that 65% of buyers find a positive experience with a brand to be more influential than great advertising.
So, customer service matters. We have long accepted that principle in B2C. But today it is even more important for B2B companies. And to learn exactly where to start, read the full article at Heinze Marketing’s Blog
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