So how come so many messages we receive aren’t?  The biggest problem we see is inward focused and/or myopic marketers.  They become so entranced by what is going on within the company or at a few of their customers that they fail to consider the whole market.  The objective of most marketing messages is to attract new customers—don’t rely on your current customers to learn what you need to know about new ones.

The central question then is how you attract new ones.  The first thing you have to do is identify your audience:
1.  Who are you talking to?
2.  What makes them click?
3.  What are their problems?
4.  How can you solve them?

Chances are, if you attempt to aggregate your prospects, you’ll lose out.  But if you take a disciplined approach to answering these four questions you’ll end up with a segmentation scheme that allows you to tailor your messaging to meet the prospects on their own turf.
And that is the essence of relevancy.

And I’m not alone—all your prospects and customers are in the same boat.  So the question for every marketer is how do I break through the clutter so that my message (which is, without doubt, the most important one that’s being sent that day) is read and more importantly acted upon?

Over the next few weeks, we’ll explore some methods we’ve found that work.  Check back often, but let’s start with the message.  It has to be succinct and compelling—the compelling part has always been a given, but the succinct part is becoming more and more important.  You have to be able to deliver your message quickly, visually and oh, BTW, it would be great if it fit onto a smart phone’s screen.

So how do you do that?  First, you have to have a clear idea of what you’re communicating—ask yourself, what’s in it for my prospect/customer?  Chances are very good that this should be your lead-in.  Next make sure it shows up, both in the subject line and above the fold.  Lastly, make sure your call to action is relevant and clear.  Better yet, make it a button that the reader can click to learn more!

A May 2010 report by White Horse found the segment of B2B firms utilizing social media has surpassed B2C operations: 86 percent compared to 82 percent. There’s a catch, however, and that catch is frequency of usage. Only 32 percent of the B2B segment reported using social media daily, compared to 52 percent of B2C marketers. [1] This begs to ask one question…

Why is B2B social marketing so challenging?

Until recently, social media had little – if anything – to do with B2B sales. Companies just couldn’t see the practicality in such marketing, and the reasons are multifold.

For starters, B2B sales cycles are not as short-lived as their B2C counterparts. Businesses selling products to other businesses require a continuous marketing approach which utilizes multiple channels, and surfing the Web is rarely one of these channels.

Secondly, when making purchasing decisions, companies often take longer than consumers. Multiple parties are involved – from sales to accounting – and on both sides of the table, buying and selling. The “quick sale” often made in B2C marketing via the Internet seems practically impossible in a B2B scenario.

And finally, there simply aren’t a lot of social-media tools tailored specifically to B2B marketing. Social media – by its very definition – is a tool used to promote people and initiate conversation; its primary purpose is not the direct promotion of products.

In a 2010 survey, Holger Schulze – marketing executive with Everything Technology Marketing – conducted a survey of B2B marketers, highlighting their most common challenges. Of the participants, 56 percent cited the measurement of results as their main concern. Forty-six percent had difficulty identifying where to participate in terms of platforms, forums, blogs, etc. Even when these Web sites are located, 45 percent admitted to not being able to connect with influencers of these communities. Forty percent of survey participants selected coordination of social media activities as a challenge, and 33 percent found keeping track of conversations is an issue. [2]

“I think we are experiencing nothing short of a major disruption in marketing today,” Schulze said.” New technologies and marketing automation are just one expression and a driver of this change, but it goes much deeper, affecting the way we organize marketing, engage with customers, find new business opportunities, and deliver value to the stakeholders inside and outside our organizations.”

These changes make it necessary for businesses to develop a social presence, or at the very least, look into doing so. The business landscape is changing, largely due to technology, and for this reason, many businesses are adapting their marketing techniques…despite the challenges.

Target your audience.

As with any form of marketing, the first step is to identify your target market, and find the Web sites they utilize. It’s for purposes such as this that channels such as LinkedIn soar in popularity, as many companies are registered with it. Run a search for businesses on Twitter and Facebook, and see if these companies have pages on either Web site. If so, connect with them, and begin to forge a relationship prior to pitching your product.

Pace yourself.

Once you’ve identified your market and found them online, engage them. Don’t immediately begin spamming press releases, but instead, join the conversation. Many Web sites (yes, LinkedIn) have groups or “communities” focused on specific interests, so join a few which deal with your company’s industry. Read and comment on blogs, forums, and other discussions before presenting your business and what it has to offer.

Always include a link.

If you think of your company’s Web site as a business card, you will realize its value. Web sites enable customers (both businesses and consumers) to acquaint themselves with your products and services, as well as learn other information about you such as address, phone number…anything a good, business card should have. For this reason, it’s paramount you include a link to your company’s Web site at the bottom of any Web content you submit. An article posted on Twitter won’t do you much good if it doesn’t lead readers back to you, which brings me to a quick side point…

If your Web site doesn’t have an option for customers to “subscribe” – also known as an RSS feed – get one. Not only does it look professional, but it enables you to keep constant contact with your market. Anything you update – from a blog to new video material – will be sent to subscribers via email, or more recently, mobile devices…

Mobile Marketing

In today’s fast-paced society, many users have gone mobile with applications for their cell phones. B2B mobile-marketing spending will quadruple over the next five years, rising from $26 million in 2009 to $106 million in 2014, according to Forrester Research. [1] Keeping up with this pace is essential for any business to survive.

When thinking mobile, think quick and easy. Keep content – from articles to audio – short and sweet, as users’ patience is limited.

Be patient.

Most importantly, be patient, and have reasonable expectations. Cyberspace is vast territory; it takes time and tact to navigate and get where you want your business to be. Regard social media as more of a lead-generator…not a deal-closer. Developing an online presence is a slow-growing process, but in the end, it bears the sweetest fruit.

Still, an April 2011 study by B2B showed an escalation in B2B marketing, as well as bullish predictions for its future usage.  According to this study of 577 respondents, 93% are using some form of social media in their overall marketing mix.  While this seems rather high, it does indicate that more B2B marketers are dipping their toes in the social media pool.

When it comes to marketing via “Web sites,” there seems to be a “holy trinity” of social-media channels most businesses turn to: LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

In that order.

The survey found virtually the same usage for LinkedIn and Facebook – 72 and 71 percent, respectively. Twitter came in third, with 67 percent of the segment surveyed. When it came to other social-media outlets, 48 percent reported using YouTube, 44 percent maintained regular blogs, and 22 percent participated in online communities. [1]

In that same study, 26 percent of participants cited LinkedIn as the social media platform they use most often, while only 13 percent named Twitter as their most favored channel.  LinkedIn’s value in delivering leads was the reason most marketers stated they favor it.

“This perhaps shows that Twitter is an important piece of the overall, social-marketing picture, but not the best channel for B2B marketers to find value,” said Adam Holden-Bache, writer for Social Media B2B. “Many marketers only see Twitter as a way to support Web site traffic and product or event promotions.”

What do you think?  Are you using social media now in your B2B marketing strategy?

Send us your comments on our look. Please follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Linked In.

At Click, we have an uncanny ability to push the numbers up for our clients. Just recently we were able to increase response rates over the control for a national business solutions brand by more than 8%. Unfortunately, there’s no magic formula that I can impart that will guarantee the same results for you. That’s because results like these follow from covering all your bases and creating a solid strategy for every program you’re running.

Creating tailored strategies that address each client’s unique challenges is Click’s forte. We do the pick and shovel work to understand the market and get inside the customer’s head. We isolate the drivers and then employ that knowledge to build direct response campaigns that motivate action.

Of course, these campaigns use our experience and understanding of printing, production and postal requirements to create programs that are extremely productive and cost effective.

As Jenny Plath, Vice President, Creative Services, at MBI, Inc., a consumer products direct response company with $400 million in sales annually attested, “Click has done a terrific job for MBI. The first package they created for us was a control beater, and now they’ve gone and done it again, beating another control with their strong package design. In just a short time they have become a go-to design team for our company.”

Contact us to put Click’s know-how to work on your next direct response campaign.

March 16, 2010 – ATLANTA  – Click Graphix, a full service strategic marketing agency, announced that it has been selected as a finalists for a 2010 AMY Award in the Visual Branding/Identity-B2B category.  Click is recognized for their outstanding work with Strategic Benefit Solutions(SBS), an employee benefits brokerage firm.  The Atlanta Marketer of the Year (AMY) Awards are presented annually to recognizing excellence and effectiveness in marketing programs created by Atlanta area agencies and businesses.

“With all the great agencies doing exceptional work in the Atlanta market, we are honored to be named a finalist,” said Tracy Winter, President.  “We strive for the perfect balance between solid strategy and creativity to meet our clients’ objectives, but to be recognized by your peers for this work is a real tribute. It really is exciting to receive this type of recognition.”

Click’s work on SBS’s identity illustrates the approach taken with clients.  It all began with an in- depth understanding of their business and market, which resulted in a unique positioning strategy for the company.  The visual identity was created to reinforce the brand positioning and differentiate SBS from the other insurance and benefits brokerage firms in the market.  The logo and tagline work together to create a compelling story.  It’s visually appealing and easily understood, helping to open doors to the C-suite, the ultimate decision makers for SBS’s services.

“Click is a very important partner to SBS as they really do understand our business and the value we bring to the market,” commented Guy Morrison, CEO of SBS. “They employ or have access to the industry’s best professionals, delivering creative, professional campaigns with the utmost integrity.  The new branding and logo have really set us apart in the marketplace, as have all the programs they’ve developed for us,” he added.

The AMY Awards will be presented at a Gala at the Fox Theater, Thursday, March 25, 2010.