As with any industry, with B2B marketing, change is necessary.  The important part of change is to recognize what types of changes will work for the better and which ones to avoid.  Trends come and go, being able to identify which trends will have staying power is essential to the longevity of a B2B organization.  Marketing strategies have evolved dramatically over the last 10 years due to the digital revolution and social media.  Prospects now have more access to information prior to making a sales decision than ever before.  It’s important to know how, when and where to market to your prospects.  Below we outline a few of the B2B marketing trends that appear are here to stay.  Incorporating these into your marketing plan will be important in maintaining a successful B2B company.

Social

Although not all sales people have bought into the idea of social marketing and selling, those that have are already reaping the benefits.  Mapping out a strategy to optimize your company and personal social pages to increase sales is more important than ever.  Social media offers an opportunity to discover, nurture and sell prospects in a comfortable setting.  It also allows you to use dynamic content, videos, images and entertainment to entice prospects into your funnel. 

Data

With so many different marketing automation and CRM tools now available, the amount of data at a company’s disposal is almost infinite.  The challenge comes in developing a strategy to segment that data and determine what numbers are relevant to the marketing and sales process.  Data is essential in showing what techniques are effective and which ones are not.  This helps to increase productivity and ROI as less time is spent on tasks that don’t work towards the bottom line.

Mobile

Once thought to be a bit of an “extra”, mobile marketing is now a necessity.  Optimizing your website and content for mobile viewing is instrumental in maximizing your marketing reach.  About 25% of consumers use their mobile device as their primary form of business communication.  With the improvements made to mobile devices and operating systems, this number is only going to get higher.

Specialization

Focusing on a smaller, niche industry has become much more effective than broader reaching marketing campaigns.  Knowing who your ideal buyer persona is and focusing on those prospects increases your chances of success and eliminates costly marketing campaigns that target people who will not make good customers.  More than ever, companies are looking for people that specialize in their industry.  Being able to show your expertise in the industry your ideal customer belongs to gives you a significant advantage over a more generalized company.

Analytics

Analytics provides an important tool for marketers and salespeople alike.  Analytics allow for a more streamlined sales process, an increased ability to meet goals and a way to stay on the cutting edge of your industry.  Auditing your sales process based on relevant analytics will help you to be more efficient and provide your company with a better ROI.  Reviewing and quantifying past accomplishments provides sales and marketing individuals with a formula for future success.

Qualifying

With the emergence of inbound marketing, many marketers have focused primarily on volume of contacts and leads.  This is changing towards a more qualifying based approach.  Including questions on forms that instantly qualify a prospect without a sales person having to reach out to them is a time saver and eliminates costly overhead.  It also allows salespeople to have a great focus on your ideal customers, which increases the likelihood of making a sale.  Smart content, automation and social media allow sales people to identify the level of interest and qualifications of a prospect without ever making direct contact.

Winn Technology Group is a certified marketing agency that has been in business for over 25 years.  Showing the ability to change with the times, Winn Technology Group has moved from a purely outbound model to becoming experts in inbound marketing.  With in-house social media experts and bloggers, Winntech offers everything you need to market your company well into the future.  Click below to schedule your free inbound marketing assessment today.