"The concept of thinking that the old methods of direct marketing require a lot of time and the new ones don't is incorrect," says B2B consultant Mary Ann Kleinfelter. "You have to do them consistently."
Chief Marketer recently talked with Kleinfelter—who will be speaking at next week's New England Direct Marketing Association spring conference—for her thoughts on having a successful multichannel B2B marketing program.
Don't be casually social.
"A lot of people in business-to-business are approaching social media as a part time job for a junior staffer," says Kleinfelter. "And that doesn't work. You need to carefully consider which social media formats and networks are best for you."
Don't pull plug on a marketing program too soon.
"Buying cycles can be long‚ if you're buying something for business, there's going to be a lot of people involved in the decision and the process," Kleinfelter notes.
Remember the basics of marketing and test before you roll out—or ditch—any marketing initiatives. "That applies to new media as well as traditional," she says. "It doesn't have to be complex math, but you do need to keep track of how much you spent and the return you got back. You can't skip those steps."
Look at your market segment by segment.
There's no doubt about it—B2B marketing is a complex process. Small businesses don't buy the same amounts or types of products as larger enterprises. Different verticals buy different things in different ways. Break your tests down by each segment and market you cater to, and consider all the variables, Kleinfelter suggests.
Be relevant to your audience, and don't waste their time.
Whether your planning a simple email blast or a multi-session, multi-day live event, keep your audience's needs and wants in mind. Make your content relevant to the target customer, she says. If you're crafting an email message, make sure the landing page you're sending to ties in directly to that message. If you're scheduling an event, make sure it really is worth your customers' time.
"It can be a big challenge, but you need to tailor to your segments," she says.
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