Marketing Communications Essentials: Best Practices Business to Business Marketing May 2013
I. B2B Marketing Focus Agenda II. III. Consumer vs. B2B Decision Makers Messaging: Rational or Emotional? IV. Key Steps: Developing a B2B Program V. B2B Sales Approach VI. Discussion
What is B2B Marketing? The process by which one company sells goods or services to another company.
B2B is more than selling
B2B Marketing is Proactive Design products and service customers desire Constantly improve the product or service to make it more appealing and distinct Sell benefits not features Measure progress and fine-tune offering
Consumer vs. B2B Decision Makers
Consumer Decisions: How People Buy Brand Awareness Quality Check Perceived Value Sales/Promotions Comparison/Trial Preference or Acceptance Loyalty Advocate
Business Decisions: How Companies Buy Brand Awareness Quality Check Perceived Value Sales/Promotions Comparison/Trial Preference or Acceptance Loyalty Advocates
Exercise: 5 Minutes Write down the different audiences you have to influence inside prospect companies Departments Seniority Where do you begin the conversation? With whom? What gets their attention? Do you tailor messages for different audiences? How?
B2B Messaging Emotional? Rational?
It s Both. Heart What do I feel? How do I justify how I feel? Mind
Layered Approach Emotional appeal Authentic story Differentiating Rational support Case studies Product features Performance Value
Appeal Emotional appeal Authentic story Differentiating Connection Rational support Case studies Product features Performance Value Justification
Appeal Emotional appeal Authentic story Differentiating Connection Rational support Case studies Product features Performance Value Justification
Exercise: 10 Minutes Do you organize your messages in a certain way? By audience? By content? General versus detailed? What are your emotional appeals? What are your rational support points?
Getting Started
Key Steps 1. Define your targets. Prioritize. 2. Understand. 3. Generate Ideas. 5. Measure. 6. Refine and launch. 7. Keep learning. 4. Build your first test.
1. Targets Who do you need to reach? At what level of the organization? Prioritize.
2. Understand What you believe may not be what your target perceives. Develop key messages.
Brand Story. Heart What do I feel? How do I justify how I feel? Mind
Define a Brand Story How did your business begin? What was the drive or inspiration for that beginning? What do current customers think is special and different about you?
FCEDA Brand We understand the decision making process: C-levels consider emotional factors such as lifestyle as much as rational facts
FCEDA Print
Brands Add Value Work across multiple audiences Differentiate Protect Are the air cover for sales
3. Generate Ideas Bring different disciplines together, early and often Involve people of different ages, backgrounds Share learning and new understanding Sort ideas based on some standard: Mission Brand Value Proposition
Prioritize Select ideas in terms of: Effectiveness in reaching targets Cost within budget Connection and consistency
4. Build Your First Test Create a test scenario that s measurable. Marketing tools tracked to URLs and other activity Set goals. Clicks Visits to website Attendance to a seminar Opt in email Sales leads Likes on Facebook Engagement on Facebook
5. Measure What worked? Build metrics Benchmarking ROI Analysis Sales Leads Digital Measures Tracking Studies
6. Refine and Launch Simplify Messages Tools Channels Launch with confidence
Change happens New competitors New products New media 7. Keep Learning Adapt Be open to new ideas and media
Test Learn Launch
Exercise: 10 Minutes How would you develop a brand story at your organization? Who would be involved? Who are your top prospect audiences? How would you tell the brand story? Show the facts? How would you test and measure ideas?
B2B Sales Approach
Fifth Third Bank Internal sales promotion within the Mortgage Division to increase sales 1700 employees Teams competed for top prizes Top Chef campaign Multiple phases on the theme over the summer 33% increase in mortgage loan originations
Discussion: Share Exercise Details
Thank you.