Flatten the Curve, Not Your Marketing Efforts
In the midst of the Coronavirus (COVID 19), and with high levels of social distancing measures in place, the business has taken a dark turn for B2B companies. This is because live events, conferences, and face to face interactions, something that B2B heavily relies on as their key acquisition channels, are no longer possible. But all is not lost, with it comes a huge opportunity to take advantage of the digital ecosystem that is driving immense demand to reach clients and grow business, even in this difficult situation.
Before we go ahead explaining why now is the perfect time for B2B’s to invest in going digital and restrategizing, here are some noteworthy stats to take a look at:
Now is the Perfect Time for Planning!
Since you’ve read the stats and the opportunities to take advantage of, are you now wondering what goals and planning can you focus on? Let us tell you!
1. Situational analysis & performance planning: Determine the key areas you can improve on, by identifying your present capabilities & analyze where you stand amongst competitors.
2. Plan SMART: It’s the harsh truth, but this is not the time to set unachievable expectations. Make sure, you have a plan from start to finish that is achievable, attainable, timely and keep monitoring the results you get from the activities you carry out.
3. Target audience: Customer’s perceptions have changed, so creating your buyer personas and selecting the best channels and communication strategy to reach them online needs to be planned accordingly.
4. Communication strategy & proposition: Curate communication that is persuasive, empathetic, helpful and figure out your core value propositions.
5. Digital channel strategy: Identify the best digital channels to invest in and set budgets for paid, owned and earned media in order to see an increase in online lead generation.
6. Customer retention planning: This would include other channels of communications where you work on customer relationships for retention like social media and email marketing.
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Best Practices to consider in the wake of the Crisis & to take control of your business
1. Garnering new customers & acquisitions requires a great online presence, something that a website can be the front-face of. This is necessary as a good online presence proves that you are a trustworthy business, something that individuals are highly careful about in the wake of the coronavirus situation, indicating that you’re a business that’s here to help and understands the value of technology in today’s digital world.
2. Customers finding you or your website online is the key factor. Investing in SEO and content is thus, the next decision you need to take to increase leads for your business.
3. There are times of uncertainty, which is why it becomes absolutely essential that your brand’s communication relates as well as reaches your customers in the right way, therefore helping with customer acquisition & retention.
4. Did you know that 95% of B2B’s use LinkedIn, and if you already are, now’s not the time to stop. Trade shows and meetings don’t have to be the only way you connect with potential clients, but communication here matters more than ever, especially in this time ( so avoiding something that looks like upselling is a big No-No) Remember, they might be going through the same thing as you!
5. Let your sales communication take a new turn- Not the old PowerPoint but in the form of videos. Videos will help your business drive engagement on social media and serve as an alternative to in-person sales communications and giving information about your products or services.
6. Now’s the time to leverage podcasts & webinars- Podcast is one of the most effective & fastest growing formats for content when it comes to B2B businesses and nearly 73% of B2B marketers say that webinars are the best way to achieve high-quality leads. Webinar platforms such as Crowdsource can be a great way. Connecting with potential leads remotely has never been easier than these two formats. Better than trade shows? We know, probably not, but with the current situation, a better option indeed!
7. Intuitive & Intelligent Chatbots on your website: Not all chat processes are created equal, 75% of people expect a quick response and if that’s not enough, the world is already moving towards customer interactions to take place without the need of a human. Why is this more important & worth mentioning now? Well, it’s as simple as chatbots can never get sick, they use artificial intelligence and help you keep your marketing & sales operations smoothly running 24/7.
Times are tough, future implications uncertain, and super unclear. It’s about time businesses initiate a game plan that moves smartly towards long term prospects. With so many statistical facts and online behavior proofs, it’s no doubt that digital is the need of the hour. Leveraging social media, content marketing, SEO approaches & tactics that can be used to target customers found online is the ultimate survival and lead generation strategy.