A new year is just around the corner and as B2B Marketers, we know that it’s going to bring new technology, new techniques, new ways to connect with our buyers and whole bunch of new ideas. And what better way to get excited about what a new year has to offer than to create some New Year’s Resolutions? Here are five to get you started:
1. Have more conversations. These days, a substantial part of the buying process is getting to know your prospects. Having more conversations is a great way to learn more about what’s most important to them and what you can do to better meet their needs, but it also helps position your business as one that genuinely cares about your customers. Whether you share anecdotes on social media or tips in a forum, offer your clients and prospects a few different ways to reach out to you (and vice versa!). Depending on your industry and your target audience, some platforms will work better than others, but keep trying until you’ve found a way to reach a good cross-section of current customers, prospects, and buyers in the top, middle and bottom of the funnel.
2. Embrace strategy evolution. Change can be a good thing, and as B2B marketers we know that our buyers needs are changing constantly. To give them what they need, we have to change too. Our marketing strategies can no longer be static. By adapting our techniques, tools and technologies to the evolving needs of our buyers, we can do more than just keep up. From spotting opportunities to turn trends into tactics, to creating the kind of marketing that generates buzz far beyond our target audience, allowing your strategy to change with the times is a must. Research and embrace new techniques, and look for ways to adapt what you do instead of overhauling your whole program. Get creative on a macro level to determine what types of technology and which tools will help you maximize your marketing team’s potential and revolutionize what you can do for your buyers.
3. Create customer evangelists. Customer evangelism is powerful tool for building trust, but it doesn’t come overnight. By carefully cultivating loyal customers and developing a deeper understanding of what drives your buyers (and working to meet their needs from the very beginning) you can slowly build up trust in your brand. The next step is getting out there and giving your fans a place to connect, share their reviews and tips and tricks, and help one another. The relationships you build with your buyers don’t have to end when the deal is closed. By offering them a space to be fans, you’ll be able to keep that relationship going.
4. Enable your sales team. In all the holiday hustle and bustle, don’t forget that your other target audience is your sales team. Work on ways to better enable sales with your marketing content and bring the goals of both teams in line to create shared objectives. Keep those lines of communication open and go into the new year ready to tackle some of sales’ biggest challenges from a marketing perspective. The better sales and marketing work together, the better the path through the buying cycle for your customers.
5. Have a great year! Ready? Set? Plan! Get ready to smash your goals and reach your targets – it’s gonna be a great year after all! If there’s anything you wanted to do different last year (and we know, there’s always one or two things that could’ve gone better) then make them goals for this year and knock them out of the park. Happy 2017!
What are your B2B marketing resolutions? Share them with us in the comments!