What do you do if you're struggling to generate creative B2B marketing ideas?

Coming up with a creative B2B idea is not really a challenge. The key challenge is sticking to a very rigid, pre-defined notion of B2B - of what B2B marketing is supposed to be like, and what the B2B audience may or may not like. This often makes us forget, that even if your audience is B2B, they are still people. Create for people. Not non-living, faceless entities. Relevance and creativity will come automatically.

Diving deep into your customer profiles and personas to understand what their pain points, needs, and challenges are, how and where they consume content. Understanding your audiences better might help come up with creative ideas that would reach your target audiences and resonate with them.

Boost brainstorming with hackathon-style sessions. While traditionally used by software developers, hackathon-style events can be incredibly effective for generating ideas in various contexts, such as B2B marketing. Dedicating a day or two allows for focused thinking and fosters an energetic atmosphere. Break the brainstorming session into smaller teams to encourage collaboration and diverse perspectives, and introduce a friendly competition between teams to add a fun element and inspire creative problem-solving. By incorporating these elements, you can transform your brainstorming sessions into engaging and productive experiences that yield innovative solutions.

Being creative does not have to equate to path breaking. Iterations on something done in the past, in order to make it more effective is far more beneficial to the organisation than for the idea to be eye-catching. More than anything, the litmus test for success of a campaign is revenue generated, unless we are working on contact acquisition or some other metric specifically. Never underestimate the wisdom of those who have been in the company for years. Understand what worked in the past, look to understand why it worked, whet the idea with select customers, add improvements (That's where your ideas come in) and launch!

When I hit a wall with B2B marketing ideas, I rally the team for a brainstorm sesh. We toss around everything, even the wild stuff, 'cause you never know what'll spark magic. It's all about that mix of perspectives, ya know? Sometimes, the craziest ideas turn into gold when we bounce 'em around together.

Talk to your ICPs (current customers & buyers) and ask one question: "How should vendors in [your category] market to you?" I've found this to be a powerful question as part of buyer journey research. Customers will tell you how you should be competing for (and winning) their attention and suggest ideas that you may not have thought of. This includes: * Content topics and platforms they turn to for insight * Influencer partnerships to consider * Email sequences that work (and don't work) * Social/community engagement opportunities * Associations or influencer groups to engage * Bespoke event ideas Also ask this 2nd question: "Are there any vendors in [your category] that are doing this well?" This gives you a competitor list to track.

Getting direct feedback from our clients is the single best way to understand their needs. From surveys to phone calls, your clients will identify their pain points. Only by actively seeking their input through various channels, can you get an authentic view of how they experience your services. This valuable information can serve as the foundation for crafting marketing campaigns that not only address their specific needs but also forge genuine relationships. Ultimately, by putting our customers at the heart of our marketing efforts, we can create strategies that are both authentic and highly effective.

Want to create compelling content that attracts your ICP? Make your clients the hero by featuring them in your content. Share their stories, walk a mile in their shoes, and give them a platform to shine. This content will be relatable, engaging and entertaining.

Absolutely! When it comes to cooking up fresh B2B marketing ideas, I always turn to the folks who matter most: our customers. They're the ones in the trenches, using our products and services day in and day out. Their feedback isn't just helpful; it's like a secret recipe for success, giving us the insights we need to whip up campaigns that really hit the spot.

Valuable customer intel can be used to develop your campaigns, and the customer can actually become your brand custodian/ambassador with interviews, case studies, video testimonials etc. As they say, the best marketing is word of mouth, and it's important to ensure that your strategy aligns with the same.

If you're struggling with your creative process, focusing on competitive analysis can be a valuable approach. By studying your competitors' strategies, campaigns, and messaging, you can gain insights into what works in your industry and identify areas where you can differentiate yourself. Analyzing competitor strengths and weaknesses can inspire new ideas and help you uncover untapped opportunities to position your brand uniquely in the market. Additionally, monitoring competitor activities can provide valuable benchmarks for evaluating the effectiveness of your own marketing efforts and guide strategic decision-making to stay ahead in the competitive landscape.

In my 20+ years working in the B2B space I have found that studying and understanding competitors' strategies, products, and market positioning, businesses helps identify gaps and opportunities. This insight inspires innovative approaches, differentiate offerings, and tailor messaging to better meet customer needs. Continuous monitoring of competitors ensures that marketing strategies remain relevant and effective in a dynamic marketplace.

Absolutely! When you're stuck on generating fresh B2B marketing ideas, peeking at what others are up to can spark some serious inspiration. It's not about copying them, but seeing what's working and what's not in your industry. By learning from their wins and losses, you can tweak your approach to fit your brand's vibe and goals.

It's useful to look at competitors to understand their messages as a source of inspiration - is there something you can do better than they are? What has worked for them in the past and why? I also like to take inspiration from other industries and brands that aren't competitors, but perhaps have a similar audience. Looking at other companies' creative ideas is a valuable way to begin get your brain thinking creatively and pushing yourself to think differently.

Despite relying on conventional methods such as brainstorming, research, and competitor analysis, growth can still stagnate. Drawing from my 17 years of experience in sales and marketing, I've learned that revitalizing progress often demands a new outlook. Here are some innovative approaches I've adopted : > Cross-Industry Inspiration: Look beyond your industry for inspiration. Explore successful marketing campaigns from other sectors. Adapt and apply innovative strategies to your B2B context. > Collaboration: Partner with other businesses or influencers in your industry for joint marketing initiatives. Their perspective and audience can bring fresh ideas to the table, will be helpful to expand the reach.

Visit the industry events to see the most recent trends in on-site marketing. Check how the wider competition is doing on social media and see what gets the most engagement. Get your creative team (designers and copywriters) to courses on how to create specifically for your industry.

Keeping up with industry trends is crucial in B2B marketing. Attending events, reading trade mags, and following experts on social media keeps us sharp. By staying ahead, we show clients we're on the ball, boosting our rep as a savvy, forward-thinking brand.

Staying on top of industry trends is crucial. One can tailor their B2B marketing to capitalize on emerging opportunities and hot topics within their specific field.

Develop expertise, adapt, and build trust through tailored content — reputation is everything Your content should be succinct, well-structured, and tailored to the needs of a specific audience. ___ Forget universal solutions - each segment requires an individual approach. But always remain honest and transparent in your communications. ___ The market and technologies are changing at lightning speed. To remain an expert, constantly learn, research trends, and adapt your knowledge to new realities. ___ But never forget about trust - your reputation and relationships with clients are your most valuable assets. In a world where billions of people live, your reputation is your everything. Good Luck By Bohdan Luka ?

It's cognisant to understand what's hot and what so last year, but be careful not to 'wash' the most recent trends in everything you do. Remember a few years back when everything had the word 'Cloud' in it. It became such a passive term that everyone switched off from it. Yes, trends should be used to guide but shouldn't necessarily become front and centre for your marketing efforts. It's also worth noting that your customers are more than likely at different points of their journey's with you - what's a trend now maybe someway off for the vast majority of your audience.

Ask your agency. Since pivoting from brand-side to agency, I've been exposed to so many industry verticals, where tailored 'verticalised' marketing approaches can drive significant value in other industries. Think about brands like Patagonia with a focus on sustainability first, or Newcastle United with haptic clothing for the hearing impaired fans. Your customers engage with multiple industries in their personal lives, so why not extend your marketing to offer them value beyond just your own sector?

When I hit a wall with B2B marketing ideas, I always look beyond our industry bubble. It's like grabbing fresh air when you step outside for a moment. You find gems in unexpected places, like a cool campaign from a completely different field. It's about borrowing ideas, tweaking them to fit our vibe, and voilà – we're standing out in the crowd.

Think beyond the B2B bubble! One can find inspiration in successful marketing campaigns from completely different industries. See if you can adapt those ideas for a unique B2B twist.

Break free from conventional B2B marketing thinking! Seek inspiration from successful marketing campaigns in completely different industries. Can you adapt those ideas for a unique B2B twist and surprise your audience?

Sometimes, to find that game-changing idea, you need to look beyond your own field. Explore different industries to see how they handle marketing. You might come across some cool tactics or campaigns that, with a few tweaks, could make a big splash in your B2B space. This approach of drawing inspiration from other sectors is a great way to bring fresh air into your strategies and really set yourself apart from competitors who just recycle the same old ideas. It's like connecting dots between different worlds to create something unique that resonates strongly with your audience.

As an experienced B2B marketer, I've found that revamping old campaigns can be a goldmine. It's like finding hidden treasure in your own backyard. Sometimes, just a little tweak can make a big splash with your audience, saving time and effort while keeping things fresh and engaging.

As an Email Marketing expert a common challenge happens when I need to present something exceptional to my clients. I’ve found really helpful inspiration revamping previous campaigns or checking screenshots that I take when something calls my attention ??

Don't neglect past B2B marketing efforts. One can revisit them with fresh eyes. Consider revamping them with a new approach or repurposing elements to target a brand new audience.

Reusing successful campaigns is a smart strategy to save time and money. By creating new content pieces from an existing campaign and giving it a new look, you can capitalize on the old campaign's proven fundamentals. This approach saves resources and ensures that the previously successful elements are retained while giving them a fresh appeal.

Absolutely! Don't overlook the potential of your past marketing efforts. Take a look back at those old gems and think about how you can revamp or update them for today's market. This approach can save a lot of time and resources while still leveraging strategies that have proven effective with your audience. Sometimes, just a creative tweak to existing material can yield unexpectedly positive results. So, why not give a second life to those campaigns that already rocked once?

In my 12+ year in B2B marketing, my best, most creative marketing ideas have come from this process below: 1. Collect all the data you need to help you with a problem. 2. Read and process through all of that data. 3. Shut your computer, put it away, and go for a walk. No earphones, podcasts, or music. Why this works: Marketing is an art and science. The most creative ideas need to balance both. Your subconscious is where your best ideas originate. But your mind needs to be at rest for it to take over. By first priming your mind with all of the data, you've set it up for success. Now you just need to give it space to work (the walk). In my career, my best ideas have come this way. Give it a shot and let me know how you go!

Sometimes, we forget that when we talk about B2B, our audience and decision-makers are still individuals. What changes is the approach: we need to find insights for people who will make decisions from their most professional point of view. But professional doesn't mean boring. In B2B, when creativity is present, it's even more noticeable than in B2C, but it's necessary to move away from the cold corporate tone.

The best workshop ideas can come from a better look at customers and their needs. Revisit your customer profiles and personas, or create them if you don't have updated versions. Get into the mind of your whole buying committee - not just the decision makers who approve purchase, but the group of people who influence them. Their researchers, cross-functional stakeholders, etc. Knowing a broader angle of needs with a broader audience (vs. just one decision maker) can kick off new opportunities to position your value and brand, and engage as a trusted advisor.

Sometimes it helps to start with the desired result and work backward. The desired result(s) should be measurable. It also helps to look at what worked in the past when trying to creatively accomplish similar outcomes.