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- 04 Mar
B2B Companies See Purpose As A Path to Success
- Mar 04, 2020
- Dan Hoff
- 0
- B2B Marketing, Cause Marketing, Loyalty Marketing
from Marketing Charts
For some time now, purpose has been an important factor when it comes to consumers’ connection to a company. And this sense of purpose has been a driving factor for many B2C businesses.
The Power is in The Purpose, Even for B2B Companies
But now, according to a report [download page] from the ANA, B2Bs are also recognizing the role purpose plays in setting them apart from the pack. And, they are beginning to recognize that their corporate purpose is important to their business success.
The study found that B2B companies are embracing purpose because, according to their customers, it shows values and character in action, drives business growth and deepens their customer relationships. All important factors in their business and market growth. Although the majority of B2B companies acknowledge the importance of purpose to business, only one-quarter. So, to see more insights into the study and to download the original report, read the full article at MarketingCharts.com
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- 03 Mar
New Research: Using B2B Video to Drive Results
- Mar 03, 2020
- Dan Hoff
- 0
- B2B Marketing, Digital Media Trends, Video Marketing
by Lisa Heay
Video in the B2B landscape has exploded. It is becoming a staple in today’s modern marketing toolkit. Yet, as more companies invest in video, the gaps between execution and performance are widening.
So Many Questions. Now for Some Answers . . .
While sales and marketing professionals may understand the value of video, what are they doing to actually act on it? And, for those who are investing more time, money, and resources in online video than ever before, are they generating the return on investment (ROI) required to sustain it?
How are today’s most successful companies using video to drive results? To answer these questions, Heinz Marketing teamed up with Vidyard to conduct a research study. And if you’d like to learn more, and download the full research report, see the full article at Heinz Marketing.
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- 21 Feb
Power Up Your LinkedIn Presance
- Feb 21, 2020
- Dan Hoff
- 0
- B2B Marketing, LinkedIn, Social Media
When business people tend to talk about social media, they immediately default to one of the “big 4”. Most think about networks like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram. But the true powerhouse network for business, LinkedIn, is rarely mentioned.
Don’t Miss The Obvious Low Hanging Digital Fruit
If you live in the B2B world and you’re not spending time on LinkedIn every week – you’re missing out on an incredible opportunity. For most LinkedIn users, it’s nothing more than a digital Rolodex. But that misses it’s actual power as an incredible brand building, SEO increasing and prospecting/business development tool. But only when used well.
In our feature article today, Drew McLellan brings us some great best practices and tips for really leveraging LinkedIn to your full advantage. Fair warning though. This is going to require an investment of time on your part. But the rewards will far outweigh the costs, so read the full article on the McLellan Marketing Group blog.
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- 11 Feb
2019 Email Benchmarks Study: What Works Now
- Feb 11, 2020
- Dan Hoff
- 0
- B2B Marketing, Digital Media Trends, Email Marketing
rom Marketing Charts
Today there is a growing sentiment among marketers that email effectiveness is on a downward slope. But, nothing could be further from the truth. The fact is that the channel remains a digital workhorse.
But that doesn’t mean that it is an easy space to win. More and more brands are battling for attention in the inbox. Most are doing this with an increasing focus on increasing engagement. And that makes its worth taking a look a new email benchmarks from 2019 offered in a new report from Campaign Monitor.
Open Rate
One glaring point of the study is that the average email open rate in the US, across all industries, was 17%. This comes from Campaign Monitor’s analysis of more than 30 billion emails sent globally by its customers. To see all of the data, some probing insights and to see the original report, read the full article at MarketingCharts.com.
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- 05 Feb
10 Great B2B Lead Generation Strategy Ideas
- Feb 05, 2020
- Dan Hoff
- 0
- B2B Marketing, Content Marketing, Lead Generation
by Lisa Smith
According to research from the Content Marketing Institute, 85% of B2B marketers say lead generation is a top priority for their content marketing. But, by that same token, 44% rate their lead generation of their content marketing efforts as lacking effectiveness.
There’s More Than One Arrow in Your Quiver
That’s not to say content marketing isn’t a valuable tactic. It is. However, it’s certainly not the only one at B2B marketers’ disposal. There are a number of additional tactics that can be leveraged.
In this article from WordStream.com, Lisa Smith takes a look at 10 B2B lead generation strategies. She takes a look at the realitive value of content marketing, LinkedIn, Google Ads, Facebook Ads and more. Then she goes on to explains how you can add these to your marketing plan and make sure your hard work and effort is effective.
Read the full article at WordStream.com
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- 03 Feb
What Do B2B Buyers Want From Sellers, and Why Do They Go Elsewhere?
- Feb 03, 2020
- Dan Hoff
- 0
- B2B Marketing, E-Commerce Strategies, Sales Enablement
from Marketing Charts
The B2B e-commerce market is set to account for at least one-eighth of global B2B sales next year. That will make it a huge business opportunity.
Risk VS Reward
But on the flip side, an Accenture Interactive survey [pdf] of more than 700 global buyers illustrates a significant risk. It seems that some 44% of B2B buyers say they have switched sellers in the past 12 months.
So, what are the reasons behind this and what can sellers do differently? To find out, what some key reasons are, read the full article at MarketingCharts.com.
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- 28 Jan
How to Become a LinkedIn Thought Leader in 9 Easy Steps
- Jan 28, 2020
- Dan Hoff
- 0
- B2B Marketing, LinkedIn, Thought Leadership
by Pamela Bump
Did you know that 40% of LinkedIn’s 500 million members visit the platform daily? And that means something, especially if you’re a professional who wants to branch out as a thought leader in your industry.
But Why Would You Want to be a LinkedIn Thought Leader?
LinkedIn has proven itself to be an excellent place to gain visibility, demonstrate credibility or expertise. Plus, it is a great place to create valuable, business-focused discussions within your industry’s community. And even if you aren’t a CEO, thought leadership and developing connections on LinkedIn can make companies you work for look great.
It might seem daunting. But building your social presence on LinkedIn is more accessible than you think. In this blog post from HubSpot, Pamela Bump shows us a few effective ways to build your presence on LinkedIn as a thought leader. Read the full article now.
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- 27 Jan
3 Ways to Make B2B Content Marketing More Engaging
- Jan 27, 2020
- Dan Hoff
- 0
- B2B Marketing, Content Marketing, Inbound Marketing
by Leah Wynalek
When it comes content, even with complex topics, your content is most effective when it’s simple to understand. Whether a website, a blog post, white papers, your content must deliver a clear, valuable message. And it must do so in an engaging way for potential buyers to pay attention.
“Momma Always Said, Simple is as Simple Does”
Recently at Content Marketing World 2019, a number of B2B marketers led sessions about how to craft more compelling brand stories and thought leadership content. And all of the speakers at that event stressed the need to simplify your message. Storytelling need not be complex. The simpler, the better was their mantra.
The Bottom line: Buyers are people. They don’t want to be bored, and they shouldn’t have to analyze your content to grasp its business value. To learn 3 ways to accomplish this, read the full article on the Publishing Executive blog
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- 20 Jan
More B2B Marketers Say Successful Content Generates Sales
- Jan 20, 2020
- Dan Hoff
- 0
- B2B Marketing, Content Marketing, Marketing Funnel Strategies
rom Marketing Charts
Almost two-thirds of B2B marketers believe that content marketing is an effective tactic for the top of the funnel. And yet it also is proving to be useful for activities further down the funnel. Indeed, it’s the bottom-of-the-funnel goals that are growing the most for B2B marketers in North America this year. This, according to a recent report from the Content Marketing Institute (CMI) and MarketingProfs.com.
Bottom of Funnel is Benefiting from Content as Well
The survey of more than 650 B2B marketers in North America reveals that more respondents achieved top-of-the-funnel goals such as creating brand awareness and generating demand or leads. However, the biggest improvement was with goals residing towards the bottom of the funnel.
To see more of the data, for additional insights into the report and to download a copy of the original report, read the full article at MarketingCharts.com
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- 07 Jan
How to Create the Right Amount of the Right Type of Content
- Jan 07, 2020
- Dan Hoff
- 0
- B2B Marketing, Content Marketing, Digital Media Trends
There is such a thing as too much content. And if you’re creating content for the sake of it (without a clear business need, strategy or to simply create something new), you’ve taken a wrong turn.
The Content Paradox: Not Enough or Too Much?
In today’s fast-paced, digital-first world, there is a glut of content available. And it’s a fine line between not having enough content and having too much content. On the one hand, you need enough content to satisfy various use cases. As an example, consider Forrester’s finding that a person on average consumes 11.4 pieces of content before buying.
On the other hand, having too much content creates challenges. When you have too much content, it becomes difficult to manage and volume can degrade the value of that content with both customers and your sales team. So where is the line between not enough and too much content? And how do you find the “just right” amount of content? Start with these six steps at MarketingProfs.com
NOTE: A Free Registration pop-up opens on this site. Registration may be required to read the article.
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- 12 Dec
4 Ways to Target B2B Audiences on Social Media
- Dec 12, 2019
- Dan Hoff
- 0
- B2B Marketing, Digital Marketing, 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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- 19 Nov
Banish The Boring: Use B2B Video to Entertain, Educate & Engage
- Nov 19, 2019
- Dan Hoff
- 0
- B2B Marketing, Digital Media Trends, Video Marketing
by Aljaz Fajmut
When we think of some of the B2B videos we have seen, we probably think to ourselves – BORING. Well, B2B videos don’t have to be boring anymore. No longer is it necessary for our customers to suffer thought a monologue of charts, facts and figures.
For B2B video marketing success today, those videos need to follow the Rule of the 3-E’s. They now need to entertain, educate and engage.
That Means It’s Time to Get Creative
We can no longer escape the fact that video is not a trend. It’s not a fad. In fact, it’s everywhere. And it has proven, time and again, to be a great way of connecting with clients, building leads and clinching sales. But, how relevant is it to the B2B sphere? Well, 73% of B2B marketers have already said that video positively affects their marketing ROI.
Today, there’s no reason why your next B2B video marketing campaign can’t hit a home run. And according to Aljaz Fajmut,as long as you use video to be entertaining, educational and informative, there is no reason to be boring. And to learn 7 of the best B2B video marketing techniques so that your own ROI grows and grows this year he shars, read the full article on Jeff Bullas’s Blog.
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- 12 Nov
5 Big Changes in B2B Buying Behavior You Need to Know
- Nov 12, 2019
- Dan Hoff
- 0
- B2B Marketing, Digital Media Trends, Generational Marketing
If you’re a B2B marketer, and especially if you work for a services provider, your environment is about to be upended. Your customers are changing. And so are the ways those customers buy.
The Winds of Change Are Upon Us
There is mounting evidence that B2B buyer behaviors are shifting due to a number of dynamic forces. While those forces are slowing moving the markets we work in, most have not noticed the shifts. And if we don’t move with those forces, we will be left in the dust.
In this article from Target Marketing Magazine, Ruth P. Stevens brings forward five glaring developments in business buying behavior that you need to know about. And once you know, you must consider how to adapt and, better yet, turn the changes to your advantage. To learn what those developments are, read the full article at Target Marketing Magazine Online.
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- 05 Nov
7 Ways B2Bs Can Use Social Media to Boost Conversion Rates and Lead Gen
- Nov 05, 2019
- Dan Hoff
- 0
- B2B Marketing, Lead Generation, Social Media
by Tessa Burg
Almost all companies recognize the importance of social media. But recognition isn’t the same as understanding. And there is a huge amount of confusion around its value as a B2B marketing opportunity. A lot of those companies tend to view social’s utility through a narrow and skeptical lens.
Most B2B companies don’t believe any B2C marketing strategies will work for them. And this attitude extends to the notion that B2C social strategies won’t work. Instead, they mistakenly use social platforms as real-time broadcast channels. So, they only post announcements or company updates.
That Strategy Misses One Vital Ingredient: Participation
Social media allows B2B companies an opportunity to show their expertise while participating in and adding value to a community. Done correctly, social can drive B2B lead generation and even conversions. To learn how you can begin to leverage social media, read the full article at MarketingProfs.com
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- 04 Nov
2018 B2B Video Completion Rates and Success Benchmarks
- Nov 04, 2019
- Dan Hoff
- 0
- B2B Marketing, Digital Media Trends, Video Marketing
from Marketing Charts
We know that in the B2C space, marketing videos have grown in popularity. But, this year B2B marketers have also named video as their top lead generation tactic.
But keeping B2B buyers engaged can sometimes be a struggle. Marketers are constantly challenged with the cold, hard reality of engagement. So, the question remains if they work and how they can work harder for our marketing. And, can video really help with that?
One measure of video marketing success is video completion rate. That means, people watching the complete video from start to finish. And a new video benchmarks from Vidyard [download page] offers insights into that very benchmark. And what they found for completion rates for business-related videos, and the results are encouraging.
But beyond just completion rates, the study offers other benchmarks for business-related videos on Vidyard’s platform in 2018. To see what those are and to learn just how effective B2B marketing videos can be, read the full article at MarketingCharts.com
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- 18 Oct
Creating LinkedIn Campaigns Efficiently and Effectively
- Oct 18, 2019
- Dan Hoff
- 0
- B2B Marketing, Lead Generation, LinkedIn
Brenna, as a Senior Marketing Consultant at Heinz Marketing, has worked on numerous LinkedIn campaigns. And that work has ranged from developing strategy and reviewing existing campaigns to improve performance. In fact, you could say she’s done it all. So with all of that, she thought that she might as well write a blog piece covering some of the ideas she has arrived at.
Just in Case You’re Playing Along at Home . . .
First, she willingly admits that she is, “by no means, an expert in digital marketing or LinkedIn campaigns.” But, rather, what she has to say is based on her solid experience and some rather impressive results and performance she’s seen.
In this article, she points out a few things to keep in mind when creating a campaign. And then brings up some solid best practices and tips she’s used along the way. So to learn more, read the full article, Creating LinkedIn Campaigns Efficiently and Effectively, at Heinze Marketing’s Blog.
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- 09 Oct
8 Ways to Improve Your LinkedIn Lead Generation Ads
- Oct 09, 2019
- Dan Hoff
- 0
- B2B Marketing, LinkedIn, Social Media Marketing
By most standards, LinkedIn is considered to be the best platform for B2B networking. But it is increasingly becoming a great platform for targeting in the PPC space.
The Right Kind of Social Sharing for Business
In recent years, LinkedIn has become a more popular destination for users to consume content. Rather than a pure “social,” social platform, LinkedIn permits you to see what your contacts and potential business relationships are up to. Plus, it helps you to gain insights into the topics that are trending in your industry.
But more importantly, for advertisers, the targeting options now allow you to zone in on just about any part of your audience’s profile. Since the platform also has many benefits for their users, it’s in their best interest to keep their profiles up to date. And that’s why LinkedIn is the place to be if you want to generate higher quality B2B leads. But, if that’s your goal, you need to know that not all strategies are created equal.
In this article, from WordStream’s blog, Michelle Morgan discusses LinkedIn Lead Generation Ads and some best practices and innovative strategies for you to leverage in your account. Read on to learn some tips to make your campaigns more efficient for you and more impactful for your customers and both sides will win. Read the Full Article Now
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- 07 Oct
New Research Reveals How to Accelerate the Buyer’s Journey with Content
- Oct 07, 2019
- Dan Hoff
- 0
- B2B Marketing, Content Marketing, Conversion Strategies, Digital Media Trends
by Josh Baez
It’s no secret today’s buyers are overwhelmed. And today, the average consumer experiences tremendous marketing fatigue. They are literally being bombarded from every angle with marketing messages. And, that experience isn’t always a positive one.
Are We Hindering or Helping?
70% of buying decisions are made before ever talking to a salesperson. And these days, for buyers, experience and information matters more than ever. So, now there is an even greater reliance upon content for marketing outcomes.
As marketers, Are We Enabling Those Decisions or Hindering Them?
But, what can be done? New research just released give us some great tips. The report gives us some intereting insights into how we can best use our content to accelerate our buyer’s journey. And not to hinder it. So to learn what they found, read the full article at Heinz Marketing’s Blog
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- 02 Oct
How Have B2B Buyers Purchase Processes Changed?
- Oct 02, 2019
- Dan Hoff
- 0
- B2B Marketing, Buyer Journey, Digital Media Trends
from Marketing Charts
Once again, there are indications of a shifting trends in the processes used for B2B purchases. Earlier research from Demand Gen Report and ON24 found that the majority of B2B buyers believe that content can be improved by adding more research and data.
News You Can Actually Use . . .
This years study, Demand Gen’s 2019 B2B Buyers Survey Report [download page], did uncover a number of new trends. It seems that the vast majority of senior-level B2B executives report that business needs and priorities have changed this year. They report that these have shifted their purchase timelines. Most indicated that these changes resulted in them either accelerating or postponing purchase decisions.
Additionally, B2B buyers are showing more diligence and caution in their purchases, spending more time researching their purchases. And this is significant information for those on the marketing and sales side as it means there is a need to provide the relevant, authoritative content that aids buyers in making their purchasing decision. For more of the data and insights, read the full article at MarketingCharts.com
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- 24 Sep
What is Intent Data and Why Should I Care?
- Sep 24, 2019
- Dan Hoff
- 0
- B2B Marketing, Conversion Strategies, Sales Enablement
by Kira Jerome, Intern at Heinz Marketing
As a marketer, you know how important it is to get in front of the right prospects at the right time. Your sales team may be asking for more leads, or maybe they have the volume, but not the low-hanging fruit—those prospects that fit your target audience and are ready to buy. A technology that could alert you when your ideal prospect was ready to buy sounds too good to be true, right? This is intent data. You may have heard about intent data, but maybe you’re not quite sure what that is or why its beneficial.
Now This May Sound Too Good to be True . . .
Intent data is important because it shows when “high-fit” accounts or leads have been researching solutions that your company specializes in. When they do this, they leave digital footprints that can be tracked. Utilizing this kind of information can drastically increase the number of qualified leads and new sales opportunities for your company. And that permits your sales team to focus its energy on the most fruitful prospects at the right time.
In the world of B2B marketing, intent data is still a relatively new resource. But with it, there is an opportunity for your company to stay ahead of the tech curve and your competitors. To learn what you need to do to get started, read the full article at Heinz Marketing Blog