10 Marketing Strategy Tools for B2B Marketers

            As the digital marketing landscape changes, B2B marketers need to ensure that they’re using the most up-to-date tools and strategies to succeed in their marketing efforts. With that in mind, here are ten of the most helpful and popular tools and platforms used by B2B marketers today when creating their marketing strategy.

1) White Papers

            While not a tool, per se, white papers are an essential part of any marketing strategy. You'll hear industry experts raving about them, saying they can help you grab prospects' attention, build trust and authority with your audience, and even spur conversions. But how can you write white papers that resonate with your target audience? Below are 10 marketing strategy tools for B2B marketers

2) Email Marketing

            Email is still a foundational pillar of any successful marketing strategy, but getting it right requires a bit more than pushing out an occasional email blast. By developing an actionable email marketing strategy and investing in a quality tool like MailChimp or HubSpot (one of my favorites), you can make sure your emails always meet their desired goals. Investing time in writing emails (whether they’re transactional or promotional) is essential to effective B2B marketing; so don’t be afraid to take some time off from social media every once in a while and send an old-fashioned newsletter! They're far from obsolete.

3) Analytics

            All digital marketers use analytics to gauge how content resonates and performs, but unlike their consumer marketing counterparts, many B2B marketers aren’t looking at all available analytics. Though more than 70% of respondents agreed that email is an important component of their overall marketing strategy, only 16% said they use Analytics. Also surprising: 32% said they don’t track any sort of customer behavioral data—not even basic information like whether a customer is a returning visitor or has purchased in the past. There are many free tools on Google and Microsoft that can help analyze basic usage trends as well as customer behavior.

4) Website Personalization

            50% of people begin their search on a search engine, while 40% start their search on a company website. This statistic clearly shows how important it is to make sure your content is relevant to your audience and helps you convert leads into customers. Website personalization allows you to tailor different elements of your site specifically towards different customer personas, meaning you’re giving each type of visitor what they want. So, create relevant messaging that speaks directly to each audience and offers personalized services that are likely to increase customer satisfaction. Integrating social media into your business also helps you stay one step ahead of customer needs so that you can better meet their expectations.

5) Revenue-Generating Content

            It's well known that content is king in marketing. But when it comes to generating leads, revenue, and profits, it's crucial to focus on several other key elements as well. In fact, successful businesses often use content that converts better than any other kind. Here are 10 of those elements

6) Learning Management Systems

            As a business person, you need to spend time developing and refining your skills. In today’s corporate world, a good chunk of that training takes place via digital platforms such as a learning management system (LMS). In fact, LMS platforms are on track to drive nearly $5 billion in business education revenue by 2020. There are several reasons why LMS tools have become so popular, including their ability to consolidate learning content across an organization; provide customized training paths and competency frameworks; provide analytics on course completion and retention rates; offer real-time grading of assignments with automated assessment; and more.

7) Ebooks

            The digital marketing landscape is evolving constantly, which means it’s difficult to keep up with all of its changes. Fortunately, there are numerous resources available to help marketers do just that, including ebooks. Ebooks from experts in their fields are a great way to gain a better understanding of certain aspects of digital marketing. This can be a great asset in your toolbox when you need some guidance on something specific or want to brush up on your skills overall. Here’s our list of ebooks that we recommend reading: Do you have any additional recommendations? Let us know by leaving them in a comment below!

8) Videos

            Depending on your niche, a video can be a great way to add some flavor to your content. Whether it’s a new product launch or an overview of an industry, adding videos can really engage your audience and establish yourself as an expert in your field. When used correctly, they also have extremely high engagement rates. But remember: creating great content isn’t just about reaching high numbers; it’s about creating quality content that provides value to others – not just promoting yourself and your business (click-bait anyone?). Don’t forget to use YouTube metrics such as watch time and average view duration so you know how well (or not) each video is doing! To learn more about creating compelling videos, check out our free e-book below.

9) Podcasts

            Podcasts are a great way to connect with your target audience in a relaxed environment. Pick a topic related to your brand and create some episodes about it. It’s best if you can interview influencers on your topic, or even bring in outside experts. For example, a SaaS company could bring in an account executive from another similar company as well as someone who is actually using their software to have an actual discussion on how it helps businesses grow—and sell! Podcasts are also great ways to offer exclusive deals and promotions while giving people behind-the-scenes access to your business (including yourself!). If you don’t want to record them yourself, outsource it—check out Fiverr for affordable services.

10) Multi-Channel Influencer Outreach

            Influencer marketing is not a new concept. It’s been around for years and has become a staple in any marketing campaign worth its salt. However, there are still many brands that approach influencer outreach as a way to give away free products in exchange for exposure. This might work in some cases, but brands that are serious about their influencer campaigns know that it takes more than just supplying products to get genuine engagement and buzz from real people with large audiences. The days of giving us your products, we’ll tell you how awesome they are! are over.