B2B Dynamics Are Changing, Here’s How to Adapt

The landscape of Business to Business (B2B) is changing rapidly. Interactions between companies are taking far more personalized and less corporate tones than they did 10-15 years ago (even 5 years ago for that matter) and we have to evolve with those changes. So then what are some key insights that we can pay attention to in this ever-shifting landscape of B2B marketing?

Contemporary B2B interactions are rooted in personalization and human interaction. These exchanges no longer take the form of two austere conglomerates stiffly making trades and pricing services. In many ways corporations now are like individual customers–they want to be approached personally in a targeted way, just like consumers. Content that we create and curate has to be polished to a high level of personalization, keeping this in mind. 

This personalization and channeled targeting boils down in many ways to the content that we’re releasing online–this is our primary mode in B2B communication. Content marketing has to be specialized in the realm of B2B. Funneling key messaging, personalized offers and products through the medium of content will allow us to reach businesses and retain relationships as the work of marketing changes. Now let’s look at some of the truth behind the content we release in the constantly changing environment of B2B.

Blogging: A Universal Constant

The Content Marketing Institute said that:

“79% of all B2B companies have a blog. In the B2B Marketing Zone study, every responding company had an active blog.”

Blogging has been one of the most consistent forms of media and channels proved to reach B2B and B2C. This cornerstone channel and form of media is directly correlated to an increase in engagement and sales. Look at the statistics:

• “Regularly blogging B2B companies generate 97% more inbound links to their websites, leading to higher search engine ranking and a higher probability of being found.”
• “B2B companies that regularly blog generate 67% more sales leads than non-blogging companies.”

It’s a universal truth, that in the world of marketing clients are drawn to blogging content like moths to a lamp. Your blogs can be used to release press releases, new partnerships, product updates and tips for your industry. Use blogging as a medium to increase personalization to clients in your industry. 

Everything is Human Interaction

As we’ve already mentioned, marketing and sales in the world of B2B have become targeted and personalized, in the same way, that we create individual relationships with customers. Forbes reported that:

“On average, B2B customers are significantly more emotionally connected to their vendors and service providers than consumers.”

Monotone legal jargon delivered to corporate overlords won’t work anymore. Forbes goes on to explain that traditionally B2B has made facts and information prominent, whereas now we are moving into a new forefront. The new medium for communicating with businesses is stories. And get this:

We live in an age where corporations are human too.

We live in an age where, yes, even corporations want to hear stories of how your products have revolutionized industries or changed lives. They don’t want to see “automation and optimization” as features but see how the automation and optimization of your product helped Joe Dan down the street. That’s an all too generic example, but you get the idea. Corporations are no longer corporations when we address them–they are humans, they want stories.

Diversify Your Content 

As you expand your business, you build out your product to multiple audiences. In the same way that you diversify your audiences, too you must diversify your content. Plan and curate targeted content that reaches specific audiences. Take this example. Let’s say your company optimizes contact centers. One of your clients is a contact center and the other client is a gamification company working in partnership with you. Communicate with those clients individual in stylized and personal manners. When you send EDMs out to your clients and partners in the B2B sector, create segments that address each client individually. Create and plan for personality in every message. Don’t fly blind–have a strategy.

Envision a B2B Strategy

To be truly successful in B2B content marketing and client interaction you need to have a plan set in stone. It’s hard to move forward with personalized messaging for each of your clients if you haven’t already devised a strategy. Robotic Marketer specializes in strategy creation. If you work in the B2B world and need a strategy, we can create a 12-month guide with 30-40 pages of insights in only a matter of hours. Don’t fall behind as the landscape of marketing adapts. Evolve with trends and develop your plan today.