The B2B landscape has changed dramatically as a result of the pandemic, which means we have to rethink our marketing and sales tactics. The sales journey is shifting to include more interactions, as well as a desire for creative storytelling, digital touchpoints and human interaction.
Buying interactions have increased
In a recent study by Forrester, they reported that the average number of B2B buying interactions has jumped nearly 60% since the pandemic!
When we say interaction, we mean anyway a B2B customer interacts with your brand. This could be anything from researching online and visiting your website, to seeing a digital ad, to driving past your office and seeing a sign.
In 2019, the avg number of interactions before a B2B sale was 19, but this has increased to 27 touchpoints. Factors driving this change are attributed to consumers having more time to conduct research and perhaps practising greater scrutiny when making financial decisions.
So what does this mean for marketing and sales? We really need to rethink our tactics and develop strategic content for each stage of the sales funnel.
Marketing and sales tactics for each stage of the B2B funnel
Top of the Funnel B2B Tactics
The top of the funnel is where our potential B2B customers are first learning about our business. This is like a first date — you want to make a great first impression and draw their attention, but you don’t know exactly who you are talking to so you can’t be too pushy.
Top of the funnel marketing objectives are generally to drive brand awareness, increase traffic to your website and establish general relevance in your target market. Here are the marketing and sales tactics we recommend at this stage:
- SEO – Driving low-intent traffic to you website that you can then nurture and remarket to.
- Social Media Posts – Sharing tips and engaging content to drive interaction with your brand.
- Infographics – Content that educates the market on a problem (that they may or may not know they have) is a great way to attract top of funnel users to your website
- Blog Posts – Draft articles here that address a question or pain point your potential customers need to be solved. By providing the solution, you initiate the relationship.
Middle of the Funnel B2B Tactics
The middle of the funnel is where you generate interest and position yourself as a trustworthy partner that can help solve your customers’ pain points.
Middle of the funnel marketing objectives are generally to grow your email list and build purchase intent through educational content. Here are the marketing and sales tactics we recommend at this stage:
- Email Newsletters – You are on their radar, but they are not ready to buy yet. Monthly email newsletters are a great way to keep in touch and continue to educate them towards a point of sale.
- How-To Content – Sharing how-to articles and videos with your leads at this stage of the funnel is a great way to build trust and establish yourself as an expert.
- Gated Content – Sharing gated long-form content such as an eBook, white paper or template that requires them to provide their email address to download is a great way to build your email list.
- Webinars and Events– Hosting a webinar or event is a great way to drive middle funnel interactions. They have a deadline which creates urgency, they foster engagement and networking and they are a fantastic way to educate your leads.
Bottom of the Funnel B2B Tactics
The bottom of the funnel is where you want to get the conversion. You’ve put a lot of work in to get your prospects here, so it’s important to be direct with strong calls to action.
Bottom of the funnel marketing objectives are generally to drive action whether that means booking a meeting, making a sale or starting a conversation. Here are the marketing and sales tactics we recommend at this stage:
- Landing Pages – A landing page has one specific traffic source (i.e. PPC, email, social)and one specific goal (i.e. book a meeting, email signups, sign up for a free trial, request a demo)
- Service Pages on Your Website – Your service pages are where a lot of the magic happens. They are responsible for doing a lot. From answering your top sales questions to enticing call-to-actions.
- Testimonials – Testimonials are a great way to establish credibly and build social proof amongst your prospects.
- Case Studies– Beyond testimonials, an in-depth case study is a great way to highlight common problems your prospects are experiencing and showcase how your solutions can drive impactful outcomes.
- Free Trial, Consult or Demo – Giving away a bit of your product or service for free in the beginning is a great way to get a foot in the door.
If you need help rethinking your B2B sales journey, consider conducting a journey mapping workshop or developing a strategic content strategy to help boost your sales in 2023. Contact us below for more information.
