B2B internet marketing is becoming increasingly prevalent in modernity, as the internet moves ever more rapidly into the forefront of venues where business, communications and most other things are conducted these days. While internet commerce and entertainment has pushed into obsolescence many brick and mortar establishments such as game stores, video rental establishments and, increasingly, second hand shops and yard sales, it’s also changing how we market between businesses as well.
B2B internet marketing calls for a slight change of mindset compared to other internet marketing strategies when dealing with the consumer, but not everything changes in this transition. Still, there are enough major differences to warrant taking a close look at how to successfully market online in a B2B context, regardless how much experience in standard on and offline marketing one might have going in.
#1 – Never, Ever Underestimate Email Marketing!
This is a rookie mistake I myself made starting out in B2B marketing, and I want to spare everyone the pain of this mistake from here on out. There’s a diminishing interest in email marketing when it comes to normal online marketing, and it’s a mistake there as well.
While social marketing, viral and buzz marketing and other strategies have removed a little bit of email’s thunder, the outreach potentials of email marketing are too immense to rule it out. This is far stronger with businesses. While businesses are establishing presences in social media and the like, outreach between two companies over email is taken more seriously, due to its no nonsense and direct approach.
Do not rule out email marketing in a B2B angle, or really, in any marketing situation just because other channels are gaining steam too.
#2 – Don’t Forget Emotions
It’s easy to assume that emotions don’t matter in B2B marketing unlike B2C marketing. This is untrue, because a corporation is composed individuals, and decision makers in a business are still governed by their emotions, even when making otherwise logical decisions.
Marketing online plays heavily, in B2C, to hooking to emotional response. This is true in B2B as well, just remember that different emotions (mainly financially-related) come into play. It’s not that emotions no longer matter, just different ones matter here.
#3 – There’s No Such Thing as Too Much Information
Information is valuable, and while b2B email marketing is about getting to the point before carrying on and edifying a product or service, other venues such as marketing pages, blogs and other materials used in internet marketing can’t have too much information.
Where customers are often impulsive and easily sold on basic but very touching subjects that move a service or product, in a B2B context, information is valuable. A company isn’t going to make a rash decision until they see every bit of information comparing you to competitors, along with case studies, white papers and so on.
So, B2B internet marketing isn’t a change of important aspects to address, or strategies to use. It’s all about shifting context within existing measures to appeal to a different type of intellect that has different concerns and expectations from the start. Bearing this in mind and following this bit of advice to its logical outcome will bring you success in B2B marketing both online and offline.