In a traditional sense, there used to be some pretty simple “ABCs of Marketing.” For instance, Advertising, Branding, and Communication. However, in recent years, marketing isn’t as straightforward and has become increasingly complex as the attention spans of B2B consumers have shortened, and competition has increased exponentially.
In this post, the marketing experts at YGL Enterprises will examine the new ABCs of B2B Marketing.
Do You Know Your B2B Marketing ABCs?
- A is for Attitude: Your approach to marketing matters. If you think it is a tedious, once-in-a-blue-moon endeavor—then it will be. And your results will reflect a lack of interest or a distracted mindset.
- B is for Buyer Persona: To do marketing efforts correctly, you must first know your audience and what is important to them. This is where developing a buyer persona comes into play. This persona is fictional but based on deep research into your desired audience and what your existing customers look like.
- C is for Content. In today’s multimedia, 24/7 world, Content is King. However, you must not write for yourself. Your content is for your clients and prospects. Seek to educate, solve a problem, and create content that inspires and educates your reader.
- D is for Discipline. Ultimately, it takes discipline to experience results—there are no quick fixes. A half-baked marketing idea without follow-up or evaluation is a waste of time and money.
- E is for Evaluate. Every marketing campaign or initiative must be evaluated for effectiveness. Marketing cannot be set in motion and left alone; instead, it requires constant review, evaluation, and adjustment to suit the needs of a company and the wants of your buyers.
- F is for Feeling. When done right, marketing appeals to a customer’s feelings, emotions, and desires. It spurs affinity in the form of loyalty and creates a sense of “I want that” by a consumer.
- G is for Google. Search engines like Google are especially powerful and must be part of any marketing plan. Think SEO optimization. Understanding how your customers, targeted audience members, and referral sources seek information online about your product or service, the keywords they use, and how they qualify a potential partner is necessary.
- H is for H1 and H2. These are the attention-getting headlines of your company’s website or blog. They draw a reader in and encourage them to keep reading. Remember, most people skim content when qualifying a B2B business. So make sure your website is optimized with H1s and H2s so web pages, landing pages, blog posts, and the like are easy to read by busy website visitors.
- I is for It Isn’t About You. Remove the “I” from your marketing approach. It isn’t about you. Your customers are the heroes of your brand.
- J is for Jargon. These are the unique words or expressions used by a particular profession or group that may be difficult for others to understand. Sometimes, in professional services fields, such as legal, these words can confuse consumers or non-industry members. Therefore, remove the jargon from your marketing writing to appeal to a broader audience.
- K is for Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). A KPI measures how your company’s marketing efforts perform when measured against a specific goal or objective. Some KPIs in marketing include conversion rates, leads and qualified leads, and the number of visitors to your site.
- L is for Leads. A lead is someone who shows an interest in a company’s product or service. To generate leads, your company’s marketing efforts must guide prospects through the sales funnel and inspire them to take action.
- M is for Marketing Consultant. A marketing consultant has the power to help you see the forest from the trees and typically brings a unique skill set and unparalleled expertise. As an objective adviser, a marketing consultant can assist in creating a detailed marketing plan designed to fit your specific goals.
- N is for No. Just because a marketing tactic exists—whether social media, printed collateral, signage, and the like—doesn’t mean your company has to use or invest in it. It is perfectly fine to say “no” to an approach.
- O is for Optimization. This is the process of improving your company’s marketing effort to maximize potential outcomes. For example, marketing optimization could relate to changing up a mobile ad strategy, modifying the timing of when social posts are displayed, or even improving your website’s content to better connect with an audience member.
- P is for Personalization. Any marketing endeavor should be personalized and communicate your brand’s mission and vision. Build connections with the people seeking you out—and expand business.
- Q is for Quality. Your marketing efforts should not feel “thrown together” or only half-thought-out. Instead, ensure quality in all you do if you want to realize a return on investment and build affinity with your customers.
- R is for Referral. Your marketing strategy should not only generate new business but should encourage your customers to introduce you to new leads. Word of mouth and referral marketing is a significant revenue generator.
- S is for Social Media. Every B2B organization must have a social media strategy. Now, you don’t have to be on every platform, but you must select the relevant platforms to your business, create targeted content, and show regular activity. Remember, consumers typically head to social media as one of their first areas to research a company.
- T is for Testimonial. Your business should regularly ask for testimonials from your satisfied customers—and then showcase this feedback on your website, in marketing collateral, and on social media. Consumers trust the insights of others, and if you have numerous glowing reviews, it is likely you will have more prospects heading your way, also seeking to be a satisfied customer.
- U is for Unsubscribe Rate. An unsubscribe rate with your newsletter or amongst social media followers is something you want to avoid. It means a user cannot find any value in the content or material you are communicating—and they opt out. High unsubscribe rates can hurt your bottom line.
- V is for Viral Content. The opposite of an unsubscribe rate, viral content is writing that elicits an emotional response and resonates deeply with your audience. When content goes viral, new website traffic is generated, brand awareness is expanded, and your business’s marketing efforts attract more eyeballs.
- W is for Website. Every B2B company needs a high-quality website that is accessible on various devices and easy to navigate. Google, in particular, consistently updates its algorithms to determine optimal page experience. If you haven’t invested in an update recently, now is the time.
- X is for X-Post. Short for cross-post, this is content or collateral that can be recycled and reused multiple times in more than one location. For instance, developing content that can be used on social media, repurposed in a newsletter, and posted on a blog is especially valuable.
- Y is for YouTube. People are visual, and YouTube is one of the world’s largest search engines, with over one billion daily views. So, if your B2B firm hasn’t yet developed a video marketing strategy, now’s the time.
- Z is for Zero Cost Strategy. This term relates to strategies that say how you can market your product with low or no cost. Examples include social media marketing, email marketing, networking, and blogging.
Now You Know Your ABCs
We hope you have enjoyed following along! However, one thing to note is that the ABCs of Marketing are constantly evolving and changing, so don’t get stuck in the same tired routine.
Of course, that is where YGL Enterprises excels. We remain up-to-date and aware of marketing changes, so you don’t have to. We would love to chat about how you can get the most out of the “Letter M”… by working with a Marketing Consultant who only partners with B2B professional services firms like yours. So, we invite you to reach out today to discuss your specific goals.
Yvonne Levine, president of YGL Enterprises, Inc., is a strategic marketing consultant who collaborates with professional services and small and mid-sized businesses to develop and execute successful marketing strategies, branding initiatives, content creation, and digital marketing plans. By helping businesses devise a targeted strategy first, this approach creates a strong foundation for tactical decisions, which drives brand awareness and positive results. Follow Yvonne on LinkedIn and Facebook.
