The challenges of B2B marketing are many. While your accounts must retain existing clients, they’re also focused on generating leads. But the B2B buyer journey is more complex than it’s ever been, and this situation requires a thoughtful advertising approach.

Unique Aspects of the B2B Buying Process

As your accounts sell to B2B buyers, they should learn the nuances of the decision-​making process. Louise Watson reminds sellers in her recent article on The Drum: B2B buyers are people, too.

They are facing very real problems in their business. In our B2B BuyerSCAN survey, decision-​makers reported they expect the following factors to impact them in the next year or two:

• Inflation 42%
• Unpredictable economy 31%
• Increased competition 28%

During their buying process, they’ll watch for solutions that address those factors. These very human decision-​makers will be on the lookout for something else – a sold investment.

B2B buyers differ from B2C buyers in one big way. If their purchase doesn’t truly solve the business problem, their job could be at risk. One way to avoid potential blame is to spread the risk across multiple decision-makers.

Today’s sellers, your clients, know they must satisfy an entire team of buyers. Each one of these buyers has unique needs and attitudes. Before we get into meeting buyer needs, let’s review the typical B2B marketing budget. 

How B2B Operators Spend Their Marketing Budgets

According to SageFrog, here are the top areas of marketing spend by B2B operators.

• In-​person trade shows/​events 21%
• Direct marketing 36%
• Content marketing 34%
• Print advertisements 8%
• Paid social 12%
• Email 11%

These media formats don’t completely align with what marketers believe is most effective in the B2B Buyer journey. They emphasize the power of in-​person events (45%), virtual events/​webinars (35%) and direct/​email marketing (29%) to generate leads. Each of these formats can play a unique role in the B2B buying process.

Upper Funnel Activity

Your accounts are likely experiencing sales cycles that run anywhere from two to ten months. The cycle often starts with the prospect becoming aware of a product of service. 

Running a branding campaign on social media or an industry trade publication will raise awareness. It can be a great first step to draw leads into the top of the sales funnel. Your accounts should also show up in search results as the B2B buyer journey often starts online.

To generate interest, your accounts must show their expertise on a topic of concern to buyers. 31% of potential buyers for a B2B product or service report that value delivered through a webinar will attract their attention.

Middle Funnel Nurturing

Potential leads must be nurtured through a marketing process. At this point, your account must attempt to engage a prospect. Prompting them to answer a question in a webinar or during a white paper download can result in obtaining information. For example, a prospect might note that they’re looking for a new hiring tool or security vendor.

Sell your digital marketing services to help your prospect organize this intelligence. They should be storing these data points in their CRM. This step will make their ongoing contact with prospects more personal. Using the prospect’s name and a stated goal in an email outreach shows buyers that sellers have done their homework.

Lower Funnel B2B Strategies

To remain in front of B2B decision-​makers, your clients should be promoting free product trials or limited-​time offers. Staying visible in the places frequented by these buyers helps. Retargeting ads can make a difference.

And remember that 49% of these buyers have checked their business email after 9:00 p.m. They might be more likely to notice your client’s outreach in the evening. To learn more about B2B buyer behavior, subscribe to AdMall from SalesFuel.

Your account can increase consideration from potential clients through reviews. Don’t make prospects work to find these reviews. Encourage your account to solicit feedback from their customers. Help them post positive reviews in prominent locations – on their websites and on social announcements about webinars.

Image by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.