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- 05 Jun
What B2B Buyers Want From Vendors Right Now
by Ayaz Nanji
We all know that COVID-19 has had a disruptive influence on consumer buying. But the impact the B2B buyer hasn’t been discussed much. And, as it turns out, there has been impact there as well.When In Doubt, Ask for Answers
To rectify that situation, LeadMD conducted a survey [download available] in April, at the beginning of the COVID-19 business impact period. They focused their study on nearly 200 buyers of B2B technology products and services. And, the insights gained are extremely instructive.
Rather than a product focus, buyers of B2B technology products and services want to understand how to get the most out of the solutions they already own. And one-fourth say what they want most is information about how vendors are supporting their customers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
While not surprising, the deeper you look at the numbers, the more they reveal. And to read the full article and to download the original study results, read the full article at MarketingProfs.com
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- 26 May
LinkedIn Stories Is Almost Here: Will It Reinvent the B2B Social Media Landscape?
Storytelling is an essential element of selling and marketing. It something that is an increasingly popular tool for B2B marketing. And so, its only natural that LinkedIn would introduce a new conversational format.
LinkedIn Stories – Are To Be Released “Soon.”
LinkedIn is designed to support members by facilitating networking. And, for years, members have used it successfully to open conversations and build new relationships. So this new concept of LinkedIn Stories fits right in.
But, really, what is LinkedIn Stories? And, how can it be used to grab attention? Will it “kickstart conversations”? And will it actually help “nurture relationships,”? All good questions and to find out, read the full article at MarketingProfs.com
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- 19 May
7 Email Cadence Best Practices for Better Email Marketing Campaigns
by Jay Fuchs
According to a study by the Radicati Group, Inc., by 2022, an estimated 330 billion emails will be sent and received each day. That will make email one of the largest digital communication channels. And, through the years, email has become one of the most effective ways for businesses to convert leads into buyers.Old Adage: “If It Ain’t Broke, Don’t Fix It”
And by now, we all know that an email campaign is an effective strategy for turning a prospect’s interest into hard sales. These campaigns can be massive assets. But they shouldn’t be structured arbitrarily.
There’s much more to the email campaign process than drafting up an email and hitting send. And, one of the most crucial and often overlooked components of the email campaign process is email cadence of your emails. Surprisingly the success of an email campaign can hinge upon the effectiveness of its cadence. And to learn how to build out a successful email campaign cadence, read the full article at the HubSpot Blog.
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- 05 May
B2B Buyers Rely on Vendor Websites for Content
from Marketing Charts
Repeated studies indicate that, on average, B2B buyers consume 13 pieces of content before making a buying decision. And it’s clear that content plays a vital role in the buyer’s journey.The Top Content Source May Come as a Surprise
So, where are buyers finding the content they need? For most B2B buyers, vendor websites have proven to be an important source of content throughout each stage of their journey. This conclusion comes to us thanks to recent research from FocusVision.
Of the average 13 pieces of content buyers reported consuming, an average of 8 came directly from the vendor, with the remaining 5 being from third-party sources. More importantly, the study revealed that 7 in 10 buyers surveyed said the content they relied upon most came directly through vendor websites. To learn even more, read the full article at MarketingCharts.com.
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- 01 May
How to Increase B2B Sales With Email Marketing
by Angela White
If your organization focuses on B2B sales and you haven’t yet used email as a tool for marketing, you’re probably missing out on a lot. Regardless of technological advancements, emails still rule the roost. Email is ubiquitous. It is easy to work with. And it can readily contribute significantly to your firm’s revenue.Even Now, The Numbers are Impressive
Statistics show that the average ROI of emails stands at $38 for every $1 spent. This proves why email is still the preferred choice of most businesses. In fact, email marketing is one of the best B2B sales strategies that can help you reach out to your potential customers, build a better bond with them and convince them to choose your brand over others.
With endless strategies out there to help you with lead generation and sales, why would you opt for emails? To find the answer to this question and even more, read the full article on Jeff Bullas’s Blog.
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- 19 Mar
How to Implement B2B Content Personalization to Generate More Customers
Content personalization is unarguably one of the current biggest trends happening in content marketing. After all, every business wants to acquire more leads and generate customers. And to accomplish that, today they need to provide personalized content.
It Works Great in B2C Markets. But . . . ?
You’ve likely heard about how mega-companies like Amazon and Netflix provide personalized content to their customers. But what if your business provides services to other businesses rather than individual consumers?
The short answer is that personalization is just as effective for B2B businesses. In a study by Seismic and Demand Metric, B2B enterprise stakeholders claim they use content marketing to generate leads, support sales teams, improve thought leadership, and generate web traffic. So, how effective has B2B content personalization been to these efforts? To find out read the full article on Jeff Bullas’s Blog.
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- 18 Mar
How to Effectively Use Marketing Content in the Mid-Funnel
Most people familiar with acquisition know there must always be a start to the customer journey. And there is the all-important end – that would be the sale. However, placing your reliance on these two points alone is a sure-fire way to decrease conversions.
Start – Got it. Finish – Nailed. Middle, Not So Much
Now, your sales cycle may just look like the path from A to B. But what goes on between the intrigue and conversion stages can make or break a company.
That is why it is important to harness the potential of content in this often-overlooked gap in the “purchase funnel”. And to find out how you can use your content more effectively in the mid-funnel, read the full article at ChiefMarketer.com
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- 12 Mar
Content Marketing is a Dialogue, Not a Monologue
What does the phrase “content marketing” mean to you? If you’re like most B2B marketers, when you hear it, you may think of some combination of email campaigns and educational content. And today, most brands use this tandem with gated content as a way to build their email list. And then they tend to deploy an email drip campaign to stay connected with the prospect until they are ready to buy. For most, that works well.But one of the biggest challenges with content marketing is that all too often, we treat it like traditional marketing. We think of it as a monologue, as a one way conversation. We send out broadcast emails. We produce a blog and turn off the comments. We create an e-book. All effective but not for encouraging conversation. With our content, we have an opportunity to actually use our marketing to connect with a prospect or customer who is willing to actually engage with us. But that opportunity is lost because we dont engage in a real two-way conversation through out content.
In this post, Drew Mc takes a look at one of the three key takeaways from the content marketing trends report from Content Marketing Institute. He gives us his unique insights on this at the McLellan Marketing Group Blog.
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- 04 Mar
B2B Companies See Purpose As A Path to Success
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
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
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
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
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?
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
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
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
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
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
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
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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