If the saying, “Man cannot live by bread alone” were adapted to comment on an effective business-to-business (B2B) marketing plan it might read, “A business cannot succeed on one marketing tactic alone.” Just as a well-balanced diet is important to the health our bodies, a well-balanced marketing plan is essential for optimal company growth.
Unfortunately, B2B marketers don’t have standards like the food pyramid to guide them. There is no magic formula that determines the right mix of tactics your company needs for a healthy marketing plan. And sometimes even when you’ve devised a smart plan to follow, changes in the marketplace make it necessary to adjust the amount of emphasis you give to each tactic or force you to change your key messages.
Just like our bodies need certain nutrients to help others work efficiently, one marketing tactic can boost the success of another. A pre-show direct mail piece drives traffic to your booth. Your Web address in your trade ad drives traffic to your site. Synergies between tactics give you multiple opportunities to touch prospects using more than one tactic.
Here are some tactics you should consider putting on your marketing plate:
Trade advertising: Build mindshare among your customers and prospects. A well thought out media plan includes both horizontal (i.e. food ingredients) and vertical (i.e. natural food ingredients) trade publications. Don’t try to say too much in your ads. Practice the five C’s: clear, concise, coherent consistent and (strong) call-to-action.
Web site/electronic communication: Your site shouldn’t be an electronic version of your brochure. It should be dynamic with new information that encourages visitors to check back often. Post news releases, white papers and articles to keep content fresh and raise your search engine listings. Send e-newsletters to visitors who opt-in to build your e-mail database and inexpensively communicate with customers and prospects on a regular basis.
Trade shows: The main reason that trade shows aren’t successful for companies is they just show up. Have a plan for choosing which shows to exhibit at and know your goals for each show. Most importantly, make sure your booth staff knows your goals. Having the right people with the right mindset working your booth is a must to ensure that you qualify prospects that are most likely to turn into a sale after the show.
Print materials: While the role of collateral materials is changing, it is still an essential tool in B2B sales. Even though prospects may do their research on the Web, there comes a point when they want something that they can hold in their hand and share with others. Literature is a key fulfillment tool for Web site requests and tradeshow prospects as well as an effective leave-behind for face-to-face meetings.
Direct response: This isn’t “junk mail”. When done right, direct mail is still one of the most effective marketing tactics. Start with a well-refined mailing list that targets only the audience that meets your demographics parameters. Create a mailer that will cut through the clutter and standout. Build in a strong call-to-action and most importantly, follow up with phone calls. One mailing with no follow up is doomed to fail.
Public relations: You can say what you want in your ads but you can’t put words in a customer’s mouth. Third party endorsements in case studies go a long way towards building the credibility of your messages. At tradeshows, set one-on-one appointments with trade editors to share your news. Proactively contact them throughout the year to discuss editorial opportunities. Be available to help make their jobs easier in anyway you can to make them more likely to call you to contribute for upcoming articles. Ongoing communication is essential to ensure you take advantage of editorial coverage opportunities.
Promotions/premiums: Don’t overlook the power of this touch point. Remember how you felt the last time you saw a clock sitting on your prospect’s desk with your competitor’s logo beaming back at you? Items imprinted with your brand have the potential to be a part of your customers’ and prospects’ everyday lives. They can increase the effectiveness of a direct response piece and leave a lasting impression after a trade show. Be sure your sales staff has access to a wide variety of items for wearing and sharing.
Just as each ingredient in food formulations provides a specific functionality, each of these tactics has a unique function in brand development. Because all customers are different and vertical segments have different sales cycles, your marketing mix may look totally different from year to year. The mix also depends on your specific company goals for that year. Perhaps you want to focus more internationally. Maybe you have anew product to roll out. Be flexible but always have a plan to follow.
There is no cookie cutter way of using these tools. But your goal is to move prospects and customers along a sales continuum from awareness to interest to desire to action. And the best way to accomplish this is to evaluate the health of your current marketing plan and develop a balanced mix of the right communication ingredients.
Topics: B2B marketing, direct mail, marketing plan, Public Relations, Trade Shows, web site
