Technological shifts, new digital experiences and the rise of platforms will fuel a transformation in B2B marketing. New dynamics will emerge that place increased emphasis on digital engagement, personalization, consumer awareness, and brand loyalty. Various factors such as these make it difficult to predict what the B2B landscape will look like in 2023—but we do have some hints.
Today, the most successful B2B marketing campaigns are cross-channel and multi-touch. They engage with customers across social media, email, digital advertising, and apps. As the pace of the business world continues to accelerate, organizations will be looking for ways to weave these mixed experiences together through a single platform. But regardless of which technologies you use today, it’s important that you help guide customers along their journey through your brand touchpoints—while simultaneously generating valuable insights for each interaction. This helps you to gain better insight into what makes your business tick and helps you reshape your marketing as an ongoing process instead of an isolated idea.
B2B marketers will be challenged to create meaningful and lasting experiences that engage the buyer throughout their journey. Many of these efforts will focus on improving the B2B buyer experience—ensuring each stage is personalized, seamless and optimized for mobile. But most importantly, marketers need to build an intersection between technology and human connections.
Adapt to Changing Buyer Behaviour
With the shifting digital landscape, businesses must adapt to meet current buying behaviours. This includes an emphasis on data-driven technology that enables buyers to make more informed buying decisions, and a desire to simplify the purchasing process for the end user. A dramatic increase to B2B purchases through social media was captured by Forrester’s B2B Buying Survey1. Mobile and location-based commerce is on the rise with consumers looking for products and services at their fingertips. Social media can become an important marketing tool for B2B companies to direct buyers to find what they need.
Embody and Promote Social Responsibility
The marketing world is changing, and B2B marketing strategies are no exception. Now more than ever, organizations must focus on their corporate social responsibility to become leaders in the eyes of their customers. As the world becomes more connected, consumers are searching for brands who are socially aware and approachable. Brands that understand this and embody socially responsible business practices can increase loyalty and attract new business; thus, benefiting both themselves and their customers as well.
Post-Sale Engagement and Customer Retention
With consumers and businesses increasingly taking advantage of a multitude of marketing channels, B2B marketing strategies must keep up. Increasing post-sales customer engagement drives loyalty and substantially increases brand recall. Thoughtfully planned email strategies, loyalty promotions and programs, and value-based communications directly contribute to consistent and even increased CLV (Customer Lifetime Value).
Substantiate and Commit to a Budget – include some infographics/numeric elements
As businesses are confronted with the digital and data age and the need for more evidence-based marketing, it’s essential to continue investing in your B2B strategy to ensure relevancy in your market. In the 2022 B2B Marketing Survey2 conducted by Forrester, it was concluded that more than 50% of the companies that grew annual revenues by 20%+ had also invested 6-9% in marketing. A strategic approach to marketing is at the core of consumer and company growth.
1https://www.forrester.com/b2b-marketing/how-the-pandemic-transformed-b2b-buying/ | 2https://www.forrester.com/report/2022-marketing-investment-forecast-global/RES177171
