Your leads do research online, but they make some of their most important buying decisions in boardrooms and offices. How well you communicate with them there can make the difference between earning a sale and losing a valued lead to the competition. It’s especially important for B2B companies to integrate all their marketing channels because buying authority is often spread over a wider number of decision-makers, some of whom may need more persuasion than others.
Marketing automation coordinates multi-channel campaigns seamlessly to give key decision-makers the information they need to become buyers. Here’s how to fuse virtual marketing with the tangible marketplace and meet your prospects where they need you.
Take Trade Shows Digital
Trade Shows have long been a B2B staple, and they’re more powerful marketing tools than ever when you integrate digital marketing with in-person contact. Every trade show attendee gets a badge or pass; you can now scan these and automatically upload contact information directly to your central database. Offering an incentive to scan a card can also incorporate digital content such as a free white paper, e-book, or consultation for participating attendees.
Collecting email addresses at trade shows opens up a world of new possibilities. With the data you gather at the trade show and additional information you get from data enrichment services, you have everything you need to start sending customized, targeted messages that get your prospects’ attention. Emails are also easy to forward, earning you referrals and making it easier for leads to convince other decision-makers in their organization to choose you. Follow-up email campaigns build on the momentum you’ve created at the trade show.
Get Social
Social media marketing is huge for a reason: It works. Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter are the pillars of social media marketing, but they’re just the beginning of where your campaign can take you. Facebook’s support for Instagram Stories let you share more about your brand and the people behind it, giving followers a face to connect with the name. Pinterest is an under-explored option for B2B businesses, and it offers a unique platform for communicating visual information quickly.
Don’t forget YouTube, either – video marketing can transform written content into a whole new library of knowledge for your leads. It also positions you well for future webinars as you’re already talking with an audience that connects well with video content.
Go from Offline to Online Content
We tend to think of marketing as moving from the digital realm to the offline one, but you can move in the other direction too. Consider QR codes on direct mail as an on-ramp to the digital portion of the buying journey. Print media can also lead to digital platforms, and readers often perceive it as more authoritative or permanent. Getting your brand mentioned in a trade publication or journal sends a strong signal of quality, and it gives leads something to take back to the boardroom when it’s time to make buying decisions.
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