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Digitalization blurred the lines between B2B and B2C. COVID-19 has erased it further.

Read about the evolution of B2B marketing

B2B marketing has changed with the impact of digitalization accelerated by the global pandemic. With most of these changes here to stay, marketers need to adjust their strategy. Keep reading to understand how.

What is B2B marketing and how was it traditionally different from B2C?

  • Selling to a business person or a team, by converting targeted leads
  • The sales consultant acts as a gateway, supplying information to buyers
  • Long sales cycles mandated the use of a mix of marketing channels

Why the shift towards digital in the “new normal” is here to stay

  • Decision makers are younger, and 84% of millennials don’t trust traditional advertising
  • Customers progress more than 70% through the decision-making process before engaging a sales representative
  • B2B buyers spend only 17% of their purchase time meeting potential suppliers

3 stages in the new B2B buyer’s journey

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Awareness

Solutions to problems are researched on Google 72% of the time

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Consideration

70% of buyers return to Google at least 2-3 times during their research

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Decision

98% will only buy if you have gained their trust by this point

Having a website is no longer enough. What should be your B2B marketing strategy?

Content marketing

  • 47% of buyers consume 3-5 pieces of content from a company before engaging with a sales representative
  • Content should be easy to consume, personalized and relevant to the stage in the buyer’s journey
  • Chance to achieve virality, word-of-mouth publicity and be seen as knowledgeable

Email marketing

  • Automated data-driven nurture campaigns can connect with the buyer, build trust and loyalty
  • Track results with stats on number of emails received, open rates, bounce rates

Search engine and social media marketing

  • Use the right keywords for Google Ads and SEO content in the form of blogs and articles
  • Leverage social media platforms to showcase products using audio, video and interactive content
  • Retarget website visitors based on which stage of the sales funnel they are in

Our
handpicked quote

We think customers buy based on price, features and functions. In reality it’s emotions, cognitive biases, and engagement experience. We need to use the latter first.

Bridget Kendrick

CMO, ICIS

For B2B marketing services that take care of all aspects from lead capturing to nurture to conversion, click here.

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