It’s 2018! We’ve made it – and I’m so excited about what this (even) year has to offer that I’m kicking it off in a spirit of adventure. What better way to ring in the new year than with some out-of-the-box thinking? After all, it’s only going to be new once!
These marketing techniques aren’t new per say, but they’re not the usual B2B marketing fare. They’re daring – and they might not work for everyone or every project, but if you’re considering infusing your marketing with a little derring do in the new year, look no further. So with that: onwards to adventure!
Emotional Marketing
Emotional marketing has been around forever – in the B2C space. We all just came through the holiday season full of ads that pulled on our heartstrings, and made us remember our childhoods, pets and relatives in order to drive our purchasing decisions, and they were probably pretty successful. But that’s not just true for B2C businesses – according to Thinkwithgoogle.com, “B2B purchasers are almost 50% more likely to buy a product or service when they see personal value — such as opportunity for career advancement or confidence and pride in their choice — in their business purchase decision. They are 8x more likely to pay a premium for comparable products and services when personal value is present.”
Whoa whoa whoa. You’re telling me puppies work on B2B buyers? Well, yes…
but, B2B marketing is all about trust and confidence as ThinkWithGoogle pointed out. Our prospects want to feel like they did the right thing by going with us over their other options. To make that emotional call, focus on demonstrating how your product is going to make the prospect feel like they’ve made the right choice. Whether it’s your customer service that will always be there to support them, or your amazingly knowledgeable sales reps, maximize your strong points to tug your prospects heartstrings.
Start Socializing
This is an adventurous strategy for B2B marketers because to be really good at social, you can’t focus on conversions. Instead, the goal is to grow your audience and increase their engagement with influencers, magnetic content, and the emotional draw of being the best choice and the coolest.
It’s a tough one, but if you set out to become really, really good at social media you’ll see the benefit in increased engagement, customers choosing you first, and customer evangelists. The idea is to engage with customers on a 1:1 basis (so having a live person at one end of your social media is going to be important) as well as curated and customized experiences across your feed to grow your following and give your stand-out customers a place to interact with one another and share their own stories.
Host the Main Event
What makes events adventurous marketing? Simple: they’re BIG! There’s planning and content galore, and at the end of the day your customers will hopefully have had the kind of experience that they remember for fiscal years to come. They’re also a big bet – events are pricey, so treat them like investments and pull out all the stops – for your biggest customers. Hosting events is also a good way to add a little account-based marketing to your marketing strategy. You can do a customized event for your largest target accounts, say, a dinner, where you create content that addresses their specific pain-points. Or, you could host a panel, or a group discussion that focuses on topics and verticals pertinent to them. The options are endless, but your budget won’t be, so it’s important to take a calculated risk and go for the accounts most likely to close.
So are you ready for a little adventure this year? Look out for our Guide to Your Most Creative Quarterly Planning Meeting Ever and get ready to supercharge your 2018!