That’s right! Here at East Anglia’s leading B2B marketing agency, we’ve now written and published 49 blogs on B2B marketing over the last 5 years.

To mark this milestone, we thought blog 50 should look back at the information and advice we’ve given and select some highlights.

So, here’s five of the key pieces of advice we’ve given over the last half decade to help businesses get the best results from their B2B marketing…

1. Adopt an integrated approach

One of the most frequent questions we’re asked – particularly at networking and businesses events – is ‘Which form of marketing will be most effective?’

Our answer is almost always ‘a mix’!

Sadly, there is rarely a single channel of marketing – digital, non-digital, creative or traditional – which alone will deliver the results businesses need.

(However, if there were, it would probably be content marketing. See Tip 3)

In the business-to-business world, companies buy from businesses and suppliers they trust, so it’s important to use marketing to establish awareness and faith in what you deliver.

Businesses, like consumers, do not often recognise or remember how they are exposed to a brand, product or service. Over time, various encounters begin to create familiarity and trust – especially if the message of your marketing is powerful and consistent.

So, rather than relying on a single channel, it’s important to use a mix of marketing to reach your potential customers wherever possible. The right mix depends on a number of variables including the level of competition, the commonality of what you deliver and whether businesses are actively seeking it.

However, there are some common forms of marketing which work well for B2B organisations, including direct marketing (e.g. email or mailers), trade events, social media, content marketing, website development, SEO and PPC.

2. Create a strategy (however basic)

As we’re led by a CIM Chartered Marketer, it’s no surprise we champion strategic marketing!

However, our advice is not always to go to great lengths to create a comprehensive strategy which analyses, considers and plots every element of your marketing – past, present and future.

Our advice is often to simply ‘have a plan’!

It may only be a side or two of A4 in length but having a physical strategy helps crystalise your thoughts and lays out a basic plan which everyone can stick to.

A simple plan should detail:

• Your organisation, what you do and what makes it different
• Typical characteristics of your clients and what they value most
• Marketing channels you are going to use, when and how (potentially including a Gannt chart of activities)
• Key and consistent messaging you want to communicate across all marketing

Having a written strategy and plan makes it more likely to become a reality and – whilst it is good to continually evaluate your approach – it gives you piece-of-mind you have made good decisions whilst you wait for results!

3. Understand your customer

We’re sometimes asked what the ‘secret to success’ is in B2B marketing. The answer is to place your customers at the centre of your marketing strategy!

Whilst every company has its own goals and aspirations, achieving them will mostly depend on providing a sustainable segment of target customers with the products or services they desire.

It’s important to take time to step outside your business and consider who your customers are (or who you would like them to be), how they are likely to discover what you deliver and what they value most.

Knowing your audience allows you to tailor your marketing messaging, methods and strategy to better meet their needs and stand out from competition.

Another effective tip can be to give your ‘average’ or ‘ideal’ customer a persona. Who is the typical decision maker in the businesses you target? What characteristics do they share? What are they preferences? What do they appreciate most?

By focusing on the needs and experiences of your customers, you can create more effective marketing and long-term and loyal relationships.

4. Content is king

‘Content is king’ said Bill Gates in 1996. Whilst the founder of Microsoft was referring to the then fledgling internet, his words are perhaps even more true today!

As mentioned, arguably the most effect method of B2B marketing is currently content marketing.

As the name suggests, content marketing is the creation of written or visual content which adds value to your customers. Value can mean news, information, advice and even entertainment.

This can be shared via your website, social media, through third party websites and magazines (like trade publications) and direct to customers, such as through a newsletter or email.

Content marketing has various benefits:

• Improves brand awareness of your organisation and what you deliver
• Keeps you in your customers’ minds, especially when they’re ready to buy
• Demonstrate your expertise, leadership and trusted status
• Drives people to your website and significantly improve SEO

Content such as blogs, whitepapers and case studies can attract leads, nurture relationships and help drive conversions.

Many trade and media websites and publications cry out for regular content to publish – which you can provide as press release and other updates – rapidly increasing your awareness of your brand and your SEO authority (via backlinks).

5. Consistency is key

Marketing can take time to deliver results, particularly when targeting other businesses or organisations (B2B). They can be bureaucratic, cautious, fastidious and relatively slow to make decisions.

However, that patience is well rewarded and the right mix of marketing, with the right message, can soon have transformational results!

This is where the consistency of your message is important. Consistency builds brand recognition and trust, ensuring that your audience has a clear and cohesive experience with your brand.

Whilst you need to continually evaluate your approach, it is also important to stick with the messaging you know to be correct. If (as described in Tip 2), you have analysed your customers and created messaging which meets their needs as part of your strategy and plan, then sticking to it will bring the best results.

Get greater results from your B2B marketing

In 50 blogs we’ve covered everything from account-based marketing to branding, technical SEO to writing press releases, powerful PPC to good graphic design.

In particular, there has been a strong focus on getting the best from B2B digital marketing. In today’s digital age, its crucial to ensure your website is optimised for search engines, your PPC campaigns target the right people and you use social media to build brand awareness and generate leads etc.

Regardless, the top 5 tips detailed in this blog continue to bear fruit for our many clients, regardless of whether they are in manufacturing, engineering, technology, logistics, construction, business services or any other B2B sector.

Need help with your B2B marketing? Contact us here