Now is the time to
futureproof your B2B marketing strategy

We’re right on the cusp of a new year and if 2020 is anything to go by, futureproofing your 2021 B2B marketing strategy should be high on your agenda. This means creating a plan that is risk-averse (pandemic-proof), but does not hinder creativity and innovation. So, how can you build this elusive future-proof strategy? Here’s what the experts recommend…

Build the right foundation

You should never start a campaign if you don’t have the right foundation – this means creating a plan that is built on…

Vigorous research – Utilise a stack of qualitative and quantitative research methodologies, combined with macro-economic industry research and competitor positioning.

The best buyer personas – Beyond job role, research your prospects’ pain points, values, information sources, personality types and personal interests using a combination of desk-based and primary research, like surveys.

A powerful in-house planning hub – Invest in a solution which has crunched millions of rows of live campaign data, so you can accurately forecast the results you can expect from your campaigns.

Value proposition mapping – Map out your prospects’ pain points and determine how they link to the benefits of your product or service.

Serious segmentation – Segment your audience by industry or decision-maker so you can create more targeted content streams that focus on the unique challenges suffered by your audience.

Now all you need to do is tie these insights together into a unified and effective customer journey, that’s designed to carry your prospect smoothly from their first interaction, to their first appointment.

Be prepared to pivot

Once you’ve built a watertight B2B marketing plan, you still need to leave room to pivot in the wake of market changes or significant events (like the pandemic). So, how can you achieve this? First, you need to cultivate the right attitude. This means remaining resilient in the face of challenges.

 

For example, the pandemic offered the perfect opportunity for brands to develop stronger relationships with their existing customers by offering additional support, whilst positioning themselves as calm, careful and caring partners. The key is to focus on the opportunities in the changing tide, as opposed to the adversities.

 

Next, you’ll need to consider how your prospects challenges have changed. This means undertaking a new body of research to determine how the latest market events have affected your prospects. Be prepared to invest in new data, commission a survey, hold a workshop with your client-facing teams, undertake a Google marathon, or all of the above, so you can get to grips with your prospects’ shifting pain points.

Finally, you must remember that in times of challenge, fortune favours the brave. This means ramping up your creativity, so you can cut through the noise and make your proposition stand out in a volatile marketplace. Fortunately, creativity doesn’t require a big budget. You just need to think differently. Whether you want to give a memorable pitch, create original content or send direct mails that blow your prospects’ socks off, originality is key – so forget ‘playing it safe.’

Future-proof your marketing strategy with ReallyB2B

At ReallyB2B, we can help you to identify sales-ready prospects for your organisation using our unrivalled expertise in prospect research & insight, as well as our in-house planning hub, Enigma 2.0, which has crunched over 14 million rows of live campaign data to accurately forecast the results you can expect. We will then deliver outstandingly creative campaigns that encourage these prospects to buy with your business. And best of all, in times of challenge, we can also help you to pivot your campaigns to maximise your results in a volatile marketplace.

Want to find out how we can help you? Simply give us a call on 0845 519 8517 or email info@reallyb2b.com today.