B2B Marketing Trends to Help Generate Demand and Brand Awareness
It’s October already. That means it’s time to start thinking about how to scare the neighbor kids (if you’re into the upcoming holiday), stocking up on pumpkin spice-flavored everything, and, of course, developing your B2B marketing strategies (if you haven’t already) for 2019.
To help you meet your demand generation and brand awareness goals, here are four B2B marketing trends to help generate demand and brand awareness. Interesting thing is, the trends leading us into next year are pretty much the same as the past couple of years.
It just goes to show you that great ideas never go out of style.
1. Content. The Once and Future King.
As traditional advertising continues its hasty plummet down the list of preferred B2B marketing solutions, the ever-popular content marketing continues to rise. Compelling, relatable stories (i.e. content) are the heart of content marketing.
These stories provide useful information that connects with readers by providing solutions to problems and making lives easier. By bypassing the standard blatant sales pitch, potential customers are more willing to stop and focus on your message.
Your message is then distributed through content syndication as articles, white papers, videos, infographics, blogs, social media, and podcasts. The more you spread your message, the more impact it will have and the more potential customers will reach out to you.
2. Not Just Content. Creative Content.
Truly effective content marketing is more than just writing engaging messages. In order to be successful, it must grab and hold your audience’s attention in a unique and meaningful way. It must resonate with them.
This is where the talents of very creative writers and designers are worth the time and money. Work with individuals or teams who not only understand your company and products, but also know how to tailor content to connect with every segment of your potential customers.
3. Marketing. Sales. Working Together.
For far too long, marketing and sales have been working as separate departments. But in order to set and achieve goals for the year, they must work side-by-side as one entity. The most successful companies understand and follow this concept.
Not only is this vital for the company as a whole, it is especially important for focused initiatives like demand generation and account-based marketing. Sharing data and research, creating integrated strategies, and developing one unified process, marketing and sales need to operate on a one-team mentality in order to connect with prospects at every level of the buyer’s journey.
4. Bite-Sized Content. The Tapas of Marketing.
Speaking of October, Halloween candy isn’t the only thing that comes in bite-sized portions these days. So does marketing content. In the current Attention Economy, where people are bombarded by information and distractions (reportedly 100,000 words of information a day), attention is a scarce commodity.
How bad is it? Over the last eight years…
HEY! Are you paying attention?
Okay, good. Over the last eight years, attention spans have plummeted from 12% to 6%. With a lack of concentration that severe, how do you engage people more? By giving them less.
Instead of full-course meals, serve them the marketing equivalent of tapas.
One way is to market visually. Rather than long-winded articles or blogs, use simple infographics or 10-30 second videos. Get the heart of your message across quickly before readers or viewers get distracted and move away.
2019. New Year. Greater Success.
We feel next year is going to be full of incredible opportunities for companies and marketers. So many potential customers out there looking for the types of products you offer.
Need help connecting with them? Then contact us today.
We specialize in data-driven B2B demand generation, whether you need widespread campaigns or precision account-based marketing. We’re here to help you achieve greater success. In 2019 and beyond.
