You're falling behind in B2B marketing tactics. How will you catch up with evolving industry trends?

The real question is how much you need to change. While chasing new trends and tactics might seem cool and refreshing, you need identify whether these new ways actually work in your industry. All marketing is driven by buyer behaviour. And the knowledge of how they buy today must be the foundation of your marketing strategy. You don't always need new tactics or channels. Maybe you just need to change your approach to the ones you already have.

Most B2B service providers acquire new clients through referrals from others in their network. Using platforms like LinkedIn and targeted email marketing to stay top of mind with that network is critical to success. Use your CRM (or even a simple spreadsheet) to keep track of these people and reach out on a regular basis. This can be as simple as tagging people on a post or article and asking for their input. AND... we all need content. My advice is to hop on Zoom with someone who has referred you business and interview them about an area of expertise. Record it and share it on your social channels (and of course tag them). A little bit of social love goes a long way!

Embracing changes in B2B go-to-market strategy requires courage. Letting go of old methods can be tough under pressure for results. Many B2B marketers revert to old ways when lead generation declines, instead of adopting new technologies. Focus on building and measuring account engagement on your site. When you embrace new strategies, results will follow. Trust in the new methods and collaborate with your sales counterparts, especially SDRs/BDRs. Their outreach to engaged accounts drives outcomes. Focus on positive conversations with your sales team rather than just leads. Moving deeper into the funnel will calibrate your activities for impactful results. Engaged accounts lead to productive conversations with SDRs/BDRs.

To catch up with evolving industry trends in B2B marketing, start by dedicating time to continuous learning through industry blogs, webinars, and conferences. Follow thought leaders and join relevant professional networks to stay informed. Implement agile practices by testing new tactics on a small scale before full implementation. Analyze industry reports and competitor strategies to identify emerging trends. Invest in training and development for yourself and your team to build new skills. By staying proactive and adaptable, you can effectively align your tactics with the latest industry advancements.

Don't be afraid to test new tactics. Whether it’s a new social media platform, an innovative content format, or an emerging technology, give it a shot. Some experiments will fail...and that’s okay. It’s all about learning and iterating.

Your current data holds the answers to your next move. Look at engagement rates, customer behavior, and conversion patterns. This insight helps you pinpoint what's working and what's not.

Data has always formed the basis of sales and marketing campaigns. Advances in predictive analytics, persona development, and industry research have all played a part in making buyer intent easier to discern. Behavioral, first and third-party intent data allows for the creation of targeted strategies and personalized campaigns. More significantly, it increases the efficacy of sales teams, helps identify new ABM targets and markets, and is a critical component of any B2B marketing strategy.

In today's hyper-competitive B2B landscape, data is the untapped goldmine. By meticulously analyzing customer behavior, engagement metrics, and conversion rates, businesses can transform insights into actionable strategies. Analytics tools are the modern-day prospector's pickaxe, unearthing valuable nuggets about target audiences. Remember, data isn't just information; it's a roadmap to personalized, effective marketing campaigns that drive tangible results.

We also use conversion data to evaluate Meta & Google Ad campaigns. We also tend to use a deeper funnel KPI to inform our decisions. Here’s a short example. I’m using Meta Ads to get leads for a property management client. The ads’ was to get contact info, a marketing lead, but the real KPI was to have sales qualified meetings. If we used the front-end cost per lead data, we would have kept running campaigns going that didn’t actually turn into meetings. Since we tracked deeper KPIs, we were able to get more qualified leads and spend less time filtering.

Evaluate your current tools and platforms to identify areas where advancements could enhance efficiency and effectiveness. This might involve adopting advanced analytics software for deeper insights, implementing CRM systems for better client management or exploring automation tools to streamline repetitive tasks. Upgrading your tech infrastructure boosts productivity and provides a competitive edge by enabling more personalized and data-driven marketing strategies.

n today's hyper-competitive B2B landscape, technology isn't a luxury, it's a necessity. Marketing automation, CRM, and analytics are no longer optional; they're essential weapons in a marketer's arsenal. By harnessing the power of these tools, businesses can streamline operations, personalize experiences, and gain invaluable customer insights. Ignoring technological advancements is akin to fighting a war with outdated weaponry. It's time to upgrade or get left behind.

Staying competitive in the B2B landscape requires constant technological upgrades. Implementing advanced marketing automation tools can streamline your processes, improve personalization, and provide deeper insights into customer interactions. Chatbots and AI-driven platforms, for example, can enhance lead generation and customer service, ensuring you stay ahead in the digital game. Adopting these technologies can significantly improve efficiency and enable more sophisticated marketing campaigns. Influential figures like Scott Brinker and Rand Fishkin often discuss the latest marketing technologies and trends.

Thought leaders are at the forefront of educating and influencing their audiences to drive conversions and contribute to building strong brand authority and image. Producing thought leadership content is an effective strategy for fueling lead nurturing campaigns and supplying sales teams with enablement materials to build trust and move leads towards conversion.

In the realm of B2B marketing, the emphasis on content quality and relevance cannot be overstated. High-quality content that addresses the specific pain points and needs of your target audience not only builds trust but also positions your brand as a thought leader. Leveraging data analytics to understand what content resonates most with your audience can significantly enhance engagement and conversion rates. Remember, in B2B marketing, content is not just king, it's the entire kingdom.

High-quality content remains a cornerstone of effective B2B marketing. The trend is moving towards creating content that not only informs but also engages and builds trust. This involves producing thought leadership pieces, in-depth reports, and interactive content that addresses specific industry challenges. The PESO (Paid, Earned, Shared, Owned) model is an effective approach to diversify your content types and distribution methods, ensuring that your content reaches the right audience and generates meaningful engagement. Resources like the Content Marketing Institute, led by Joe Pulizzi and Robert Rose, offer extensive insights on effective content strategies.

I completely agree that being “social savvy” is crucial in today’s B2B marketing landscape. What’s worked for me is consistently engaging with my network by sharing information that is valuable to me and being open to conversations. It’s not just about having a presence; it’s about being active and authentic. Using platforms like LinkedIn to share industry trends, success stories, and even challenges can significantly boost brand visibility. Building these connections has not only increased reach but also deepened relationships with potential partners and clients. How do you leverage social media? #B2BMarketing #SocialMedia #Engagement #BrandBuilding

The first thing to do is to stop thinking about your outreach in the traditional "B2B" vs. "B2C" funnels. With the tools and tactics - and data! - available today, turn B2B outreach into strategic, sophisticated and human-first content opportunities that are personalized, relevant, and add real value to each individual recipient.

Increasing personalization is key. In today's market, generic messaging often fails to engage sophisticated B2B clients. Utilize data analytics to gain deeper insights into your prospects' behaviors, preferences, and pain points. Tailor your content, emails and product recommendations to meet the specific needs and interests of each client segment. Personalization extends beyond just addressing someone by name; it involves crafting tailored solutions and communicating in a way that resonates on a personal level.

B2B marketing does not begin and end with generating leads, it is a journey that starts with identifying leads, qualifying and nurturing them, to finally drive conversions and brand loyalty. It is an ongoing activity that, with the right strategies in place, can establish a sustainable and predictable revenue pipeline.

While new B2B marketing tactics will come and go is important to evaluate what your business needs to grow, which areas need investment/innovation, and only then decide how new tactics and ways of approaching a strategy can support those goals. Data and assessing the potential impact of a new strategy should also be considered. Being ahead in your industry doesn't mean applying that latest trend but rather consistency, strategy, and creativity.

If your team is not structured to keep up with industry trends, you are going to fail. Period. This might look like overutilised employees, teams stuck on the task wheel versus having time for strategic initiatives, or too many layers of approvals for every little bit of marketing. Staying agile and keeping up with the world of marketing isn't something that happens overnight, so unless it's part of your team's strategy (where there is a designated allocation of effort towards market research, social listening, strategising), you will not be able to keep up.