Overview
Marketing is all about change and it’s time to take a look at what trends can’t be ignored as we take strides to strategically move forward while accounting for the lasting impact of COVID. A pattern from recent years has been that B2B marketing will continue to evolve, with more influence of B2C making a big impact. In an effort to ensure marketing budgets see maximum returns here are five B2B marketing trends for 2021 that businesses should acknowledge and embrace.
Acceleration of Digital Marketing
Marketing is not just a digital thing anymore. Brands are now adapting to the new world in which we live and as such, have been focusing on creating better strategies for marketing themselves digitally rather than only using traditional methods of advertising. Digital consumption has become more popular among users worldwide due to factors like generational changes within today’s workplaces along with rapid advancements in technology that make it easier for people everywhere to enjoy connecting and interacting online 24/7 from their computers or mobile devices all over the globe.
For this reason, 2021 will be the year that B2B firms adopt a truly digital-first and digital-centric approach to marketing. And they will see it as their responsibility for pushing digital strategies harder and with greater focus on using data better in order to accelerate growth.
Three areas where digital acceleration is sure to play out are as follows.
Video Content
Because it’s no longer a novelty, B2B firms are now gravitating towards video content and use of videos will increase in order to make marketing more effective. Ultimately, the focus should be on supplying helpful and captivating content that your would-be customers could engage with to learn more about how your company can directly solve their business challenges.
Virtual Events
The conference and trade show business are on it’s heels and it will be awhile before anything that resembles the past takes shape. Therefore, if you’ve relied on tradeshows before you need to take a concerted effort to shift to a more digital event strategy. Leveraging webinars and livestreams is a great way to achieve this. This is becoming a noiser space so if you want your webinar or virtual event to be noticed you’re likely going to have to take a more creative approach.
Intent-Based SEO & SEM
Organic and paid search are not new to B2B marketers, but the rise of digital consumption has pushed these marketing professionals into investing more heavily in Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Search Engine Marketing (SEM). However, it is more important than ever before to move from a “key-word” based approach to a more intent-focused approach. Get in your prospects’ heads and think about how they might approach a google search relative to the problems your products and services solve, and create content around that.
Artificial Intelligence and Marketing
Artificial intelligence has a future in the marketing world. Companies are now using it to develop new messages to offer more personalized content, messages that will resonate with their target audiences. In 2021 artificial intelligence will play an important role in marketing as the technology continues to get smarter and smarter. It is not so much about having a chatbot talk to users but rather about having AI help companies reach out to prospects by learning from the data that they have and applying those learnings to create new messages for them.
Artificial intelligence can seem a bit like “snake oil” from days gone by, but it is something companies who wish to be a leader in their domain must focus on. There are a growing number of companies showing up that promise to put the power of artificial intelligence to work for you to help make your life easier, uncover hidden insights, help you prioritize your leads, and so on. It is best to explore these companies while still exercising a sizable amount of caution relative to the promises they purport to bring.
Here is a brief list of more notable vendors offering artificial intelligence powered solutions to marketers.
Chorus – a transcript and audio analysis company that derives insights as to how messaging can be improved
Crystal – integrates DISC personality insights into sales processes
6sense – AI powered predictive analytics and lead scoring
Customer Centric Marketing
There’s a bit of a paradox when dealing with current customers in terms of sales and marketing. On one hand selling to current customers is quite a bit easier (given there is a good relationship) because there already is a basis of trust, there is an existing relationship, and the contractual thresholds have been established which offers a much fewer “red-tape” based sales impediments. This is all wonderful because it puts the prospect of generating revenue well within reach. However, marketing to current customers is far more challenging than marketing to net-new prospects because of the additional elements to the equation. For example if you’re going to market to your current customers and minimize the chance of pissing them off or looking foolish you must factor in elements such as how long they’ve been a customer, are they currently happy with your products or services, what is it exactly that they own, how many support calls have they been placing, etc.
There certainly is gold in terms of revenue generating opportunity within your existing customer base, but it can be a risky endeavour that should not be entered into without careful thought and planning. If we all agree that customer experience is king then the last thing we want to do is risk harming that because of an easy bone-headed mistake.
Move Beyond Traditional Marketing Strategies
Combined with the blistering speed at which we experience change in this digital world with the game-changing aspects of the pandemic we have a new basis to operate when it comes to b2b marketing strategies. “Tried and true” marketing strategies may not be enough to cut through the noise and make an impact on your target audience in this new world we’re operating within. Successful companies will need to follow a mix of traditional and new marketing strategies, while placing greater emphasis on the daring and creative. Marketing teams should be given greater creative license to experiment in an effort to reach and make an impact on your target audience. Creativity and risk is quickly becoming the new standard in terms of marketing strategy at successful companies.
Clarity & Enablement
Your clients are assaulted nearly every second of every day by companies looking to grab their attention. One of the best ways to stand out is to have an intentional focus on clarity. It can be tempting for marketers to become a bit more “cute” with their marketing content, but do so at your peril. The harder you make it for your prospects to understand what you do relative to the business challenges they have, the less effective your company will be in terms of generating revenue opportunities. Embrace the “less is more” ethos in terms of creating your content. “Call the thing what the thing is” when you’re trying to convey a message to your prospect. Be direct, clear, and concise. This is one of the most basic yet most challenging principles in marketing because the prospect of “adding more”, or using whimsical turns of phrase seem fun, fresh, and new. However, keep in mind that “more is not more”, rather “less is more”. Create your message, and then strip it down to the bare essentials letting anything unnecessary hit the cutting room floor. When it comes to clarity, be ruthless when it comes to stripping down your messaging.
Conclusion
It is inevitable that as the world around us changes, so will marketing. The five b2b marketing trends for 2021 we’ve discussed are just a starting point for what you can expect to see in b2b marketing over the coming years. Keep your eye on these evolving trends and build effective digital strategies accordingly. However, always remember that you are marketing to people. People are at their core fickle emotional beings, and that will likely not change anytime too soon.
Market Muse – AI powered content research and writing
Chorus – a transcript and audio analysis company that derives insights as to how messaging can be improved
Crystal – integrates DISC personality insights into sales processes
6sense – AI powered predictive analytics and lead scoring
Customer Centric Marketing
There’s a bit of a paradox when dealing with current customers in terms of sales and marketing. On one hand selling to current customers is quite a bit easier (given there is a good relationship) because there already is a basis of trust, there is an existing relationship, and the contractual thresholds have been established which offers a much fewer “red-tape” based sales impediments. This is all wonderful because it puts the prospect of generating revenue well within reach. However, marketing to current customers is far more challenging than marketing to net-new prospects because of the additional elements to the equation. For example if you’re going to market to your current customers and minimize the chance of pissing them off or looking foolish you must factor in elements such as how long they’ve been a customer, are they currently happy with your products or services, what is it exactly that they own, how many support calls have they been placing, etc.
There certainly is gold in terms of revenue generating opportunity within your existing customer base, but it can be a risky endeavour that should not be entered into without careful thought and planning. If we all agree that customer experience is king then the last thing we want to do is risk harming that because of an easy bone-headed mistake.
Move Beyond Traditional Marketing Strategies
Combined with the blistering speed at which we experience change in this digital world with the game-changing aspects of the pandemic we have a new basis to operate when it comes to b2b marketing strategies. “Tried and true” marketing strategies may not be enough to cut through the noise and make an impact on your target audience in this new world we’re operating within. Successful companies will need to follow a mix of traditional and new marketing strategies, while placing greater emphasis on the daring and creative. Marketing teams should be given greater creative license to experiment in an effort to reach and make an impact on your target audience. Creativity and risk is quickly becoming the new standard in terms of marketing strategy at successful companies.
Clarity & Enablement
Your clients are assaulted nearly every second of every day by companies looking to grab their attention. One of the best ways to stand out is to have an intentional focus on clarity. It can be tempting for marketers to become a bit more “cute” with their marketing content, but do so at your peril. The harder you make it for your prospects to understand what you do relative to the business challenges they have, the less effective your company will be in terms of generating revenue opportunities. Embrace the “less is more” ethos in terms of creating your content. “Call the thing what the thing is” when you’re trying to convey a message to your prospect. Be direct, clear, and concise. This is one of the most basic yet most challenging principles in marketing because the prospect of “adding more”, or using whimsical turns of phrase seem fun, fresh, and new. However, keep in mind that “more is not more”, rather “less is more”. Create your message, and then strip it down to the bare essentials letting anything unnecessary hit the cutting room floor. When it comes to clarity, be ruthless when it comes to stripping down your messaging.
Conclusion
It is inevitable that as the world around us changes, so will marketing. The five b2b marketing trends for 2021 we’ve discussed are just a starting point for what you can expect to see in b2b marketing over the coming years. Keep your eye on these evolving trends and build effective digital strategies accordingly. However, always remember that you are marketing to people. People are at their core fickle emotional beings, and that will likely not change anytime too soon.
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]Jarvis.ai (formerly Conversion.ai) – an AI powered content writing tool
Market Muse – AI powered content research and writing
Chorus – a transcript and audio analysis company that derives insights as to how messaging can be improved
Crystal – integrates DISC personality insights into sales processes
6sense – AI powered predictive analytics and lead scoring
Customer Centric Marketing
There’s a bit of a paradox when dealing with current customers in terms of sales and marketing. On one hand selling to current customers is quite a bit easier (given there is a good relationship) because there already is a basis of trust, there is an existing relationship, and the contractual thresholds have been established which offers a much fewer “red-tape” based sales impediments. This is all wonderful because it puts the prospect of generating revenue well within reach. However, marketing to current customers is far more challenging than marketing to net-new prospects because of the additional elements to the equation. For example if you’re going to market to your current customers and minimize the chance of pissing them off or looking foolish you must factor in elements such as how long they’ve been a customer, are they currently happy with your products or services, what is it exactly that they own, how many support calls have they been placing, etc.
There certainly is gold in terms of revenue generating opportunity within your existing customer base, but it can be a risky endeavour that should not be entered into without careful thought and planning. If we all agree that customer experience is king then the last thing we want to do is risk harming that because of an easy bone-headed mistake.
Move Beyond Traditional Marketing Strategies
Combined with the blistering speed at which we experience change in this digital world with the game-changing aspects of the pandemic we have a new basis to operate when it comes to b2b marketing strategies. “Tried and true” marketing strategies may not be enough to cut through the noise and make an impact on your target audience in this new world we’re operating within. Successful companies will need to follow a mix of traditional and new marketing strategies, while placing greater emphasis on the daring and creative. Marketing teams should be given greater creative license to experiment in an effort to reach and make an impact on your target audience. Creativity and risk is quickly becoming the new standard in terms of marketing strategy at successful companies.
Clarity & Enablement
Your clients are assaulted nearly every second of every day by companies looking to grab their attention. One of the best ways to stand out is to have an intentional focus on clarity. It can be tempting for marketers to become a bit more “cute” with their marketing content, but do so at your peril. The harder you make it for your prospects to understand what you do relative to the business challenges they have, the less effective your company will be in terms of generating revenue opportunities. Embrace the “less is more” ethos in terms of creating your content. “Call the thing what the thing is” when you’re trying to convey a message to your prospect. Be direct, clear, and concise. This is one of the most basic yet most challenging principles in marketing because the prospect of “adding more”, or using whimsical turns of phrase seem fun, fresh, and new. However, keep in mind that “more is not more”, rather “less is more”. Create your message, and then strip it down to the bare essentials letting anything unnecessary hit the cutting room floor. When it comes to clarity, be ruthless when it comes to stripping down your messaging.
Conclusion
It is inevitable that as the world around us changes, so will marketing. The five b2b marketing trends for 2021 we’ve discussed are just a starting point for what you can expect to see in b2b marketing over the coming years. Keep your eye on these evolving trends and build effective digital strategies accordingly. However, always remember that you are marketing to people. People are at their core fickle emotional beings, and that will likely not change anytime too soon.
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]Jarvis.ai (formerly Conversion.ai) – an AI powered content writing tool
Market Muse – AI powered content research and writing
Chorus – a transcript and audio analysis company that derives insights as to how messaging can be improved
Crystal – integrates DISC personality insights into sales processes
6sense – AI powered predictive analytics and lead scoring
Customer Centric Marketing
There’s a bit of a paradox when dealing with current customers in terms of sales and marketing. On one hand selling to current customers is quite a bit easier (given there is a good relationship) because there already is a basis of trust, there is an existing relationship, and the contractual thresholds have been established which offers a much fewer “red-tape” based sales impediments. This is all wonderful because it puts the prospect of generating revenue well within reach. However, marketing to current customers is far more challenging than marketing to net-new prospects because of the additional elements to the equation. For example if you’re going to market to your current customers and minimize the chance of pissing them off or looking foolish you must factor in elements such as how long they’ve been a customer, are they currently happy with your products or services, what is it exactly that they own, how many support calls have they been placing, etc.
There certainly is gold in terms of revenue generating opportunity within your existing customer base, but it can be a risky endeavour that should not be entered into without careful thought and planning. If we all agree that customer experience is king then the last thing we want to do is risk harming that because of an easy bone-headed mistake.
Move Beyond Traditional Marketing Strategies
Combined with the blistering speed at which we experience change in this digital world with the game-changing aspects of the pandemic we have a new basis to operate when it comes to b2b marketing strategies. “Tried and true” marketing strategies may not be enough to cut through the noise and make an impact on your target audience in this new world we’re operating within. Successful companies will need to follow a mix of traditional and new marketing strategies, while placing greater emphasis on the daring and creative. Marketing teams should be given greater creative license to experiment in an effort to reach and make an impact on your target audience. Creativity and risk is quickly becoming the new standard in terms of marketing strategy at successful companies.
Clarity & Enablement
Your clients are assaulted nearly every second of every day by companies looking to grab their attention. One of the best ways to stand out is to have an intentional focus on clarity. It can be tempting for marketers to become a bit more “cute” with their marketing content, but do so at your peril. The harder you make it for your prospects to understand what you do relative to the business challenges they have, the less effective your company will be in terms of generating revenue opportunities. Embrace the “less is more” ethos in terms of creating your content. “Call the thing what the thing is” when you’re trying to convey a message to your prospect. Be direct, clear, and concise. This is one of the most basic yet most challenging principles in marketing because the prospect of “adding more”, or using whimsical turns of phrase seem fun, fresh, and new. However, keep in mind that “more is not more”, rather “less is more”. Create your message, and then strip it down to the bare essentials letting anything unnecessary hit the cutting room floor. When it comes to clarity, be ruthless when it comes to stripping down your messaging.
Conclusion
It is inevitable that as the world around us changes, so will marketing. The five b2b marketing trends for 2021 we’ve discussed are just a starting point for what you can expect to see in b2b marketing over the coming years. Keep your eye on these evolving trends and build effective digital strategies accordingly. However, always remember that you are marketing to people. People are at their core fickle emotional beings, and that will likely not change anytime too soon.
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]