You may have heard that the B-to-B world is growing. Fast. By 2020, B-to-B online revenue is expected to hit $1.13 trillion worldwide. That’s a lot of coin. As the industry’s audience grows, it’s crucial that B-to-B marketers begin to think beyond traditional marketing tactics. Looking across the aisle to your B-to-C brethren is a good start. Here are some things every B-to-B marketer can learn from the B-to-C world. Let’s get to it.

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Branding MattersLead generation isn’t everything. Sixty percent of business decision makers say knowing what a business partner stands for is more important than their innovativeness or market dominance. B-to-B marketers must establish and promote a strong brand identity. B-to-C brands have been doing this for years. Through strategic event sponsorships and advertising, you can show the world the awesomeness of your brand.

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Make It PersonalDig into your data and figure out what drives your audience. Doing this allows you to personalize experiences for your buyers. How important is personalization? By 2018, it’s estimated that B-to-B companies with effective personalization on their e-commerce sites will outsell competitors without the same level of personalization by 30 percent.

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And Entertain ThemLast year, only 30 percent of B-to-B marketers felt their content was effective. While it’s important that your content has a purpose, it also must entertain the audience, the same way so many B-to-C ads do. Push a few different content types and topics out there, and see what grabs your audience’s attention. Once you know what they’re looking for, you’ll be able to knock them dead.

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Did you know 75 percent of B-to-B buyers study social media to make a purchase decision? The customer journey has drastically changed, and modern customers likely won’t reach out to a B-to-B business until they’re ready to buy. How do you ensure it’s yours? Easy! Use a data-as-a-service solutions provider to start getting your messaging in front of buyers’ eyes on social and elsewhere before they’re ready to buy. When you do this well, you’ll guide their business right into your waiting arms.

Guide the Customer Journey

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All content for this slideshow has been aggregated from the ANA’s Marketing Knowledge Center. Want to dig deeper? We’ve got you covered:

Beyond the Brand: Why Business Decision Makers Buy into Strong Cultures

Six Key Strategies to Ramp Up Your B-to-B Marketing Success

Enough with the Fluff

Data: The Key to B-to-B Marketing Lead Generation

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