When B2B buyers gear up after the lockdown, they’ll likely expand their online purchasing. If your clients have been used to selling face-​to-​face in the past and expect that norm to return, they may be in for a surprise. They may find that prospects aren’t in any rush to have in-​person meetings. To ensure that they can revive sales, your clients should be adjusting their marketing messages and optimizing their websites.

We’ve all adapted quickly to doing more business digitally in the past couple of months. B2B sellers are getting the picture that they need to offer a seamless online shopping experience. The 2020 B2B Digital Experience Report from Episerver took the COVID-​19 crisis into account as it asked 600 B2B decision-​makers their opinions about how and why they buy. In addition, the researchers found that 41% “of respondents said selling directly to customers online is the most significant opportunity for their business in the next year.”

Marketing Impact

Before a customer buys, they typically check out a business online. Currently, 31% of B2B sellers feel they are differentiated through content marketing and 37% believe they shine in their social media presence. B2B operators also say the following marketing channels are most effective in helping them connect with customers:

• Paid search 16%
• Organic search 13%
• Paid social media 30%
• Organic social media 6%
• Email marketing 15%
• Paid media placement like native advertising 4%
• Website 7%

B2B Buyers

In our Selling to SMBs survey, 26% of B2B buyers said a credible testimonial would influence their decision positively. 30% of buyers also check out the seller's website. Buyers look for seller information on social media as well. 58% are active on Facebook and 34% are active on LinkedIn. In addition, 39% want to see the seller’s insights that speak to business problems they are having. These are all details your clients should be optimizing.

Expand Online Purchasing

The Episerver data show the majority of B2B operators, over 70%, expect nearly 41% of revenue to be generated through the corporate website within five years. This year, 43% will invest in their ecommerce platforms and 45% will spend more on marketing their online business channels.

Talk with your B2B clients about how to expand online purchasing on their sites and about their digital presence. You can run a Digital Audit on AdMall from SalesFuel to give them an idea of how they are appearing in searches and how their core audiences use digital tools to find them.