building a segmentation strategy & communicating with buyer profiles in relevant ways
Post on 21-Oct-2014
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Content Connection Points
Building a Segmentation Strategy & Communicating with Buyer Profiles
Ruth P. Stevens [email protected]
@RuthPStevens
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Conference
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What is a customer segment? A group with similar wants and needs. – Dis$nct from other segments (different segments have different needs)
– Homogeneous within the segment (common needs)
– Responds similarly to market s>mulus – Stable enough to market to – Ac$onable. Can be reached by communica>ons and distribu>on channels
– Substan$al enough to be profitable
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Why segment? • Efficient use of limited resources. – Choose the most profitable groups to target
• Develop effec>ve marke>ng strategies. – Speak to customer needs in a relevant way
• Monitor success and re-‐segment as needed. – Con>nuous improvement
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The segmenta>on process 1. Iden>fying segments within the target
audience. 2. Selec>ng target segments. 3. Crea>ng product mix and communica>ons
mix for each target segment. • Posi$oning products to serve the segment • Profiling segment to develop impacNul messaging
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Segmenta>on variables for B-‐to-‐B from Bonoma, Shapiro, “How to Segment Industrial Markets, HBR
• Demographics – industry, company size, customer loca>on
• Opera>ng variables – company technology, product/brand use status, customer capabili>es
• Purchasing approaches – purchasing func>on, buyer-‐seller rela>onships, purchasing policies, purchasing criteria
• Situa>onal factors – urgency of order, product applica>on, size of order
• Buyers’ personal characteris>cs – character, approach
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Defining your target customers for prospec>ng
Characterize your target, by key variables: – Industry – Company size – Job >tle/func>on – Other (but make sure it’s ac#onable).
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Understand the needs of your target Sources of insight: • Talk to sales people and customer service staff • Primary research – Online – Focus groups or one-‐on-‐one interviews – Surveys
• Advisory board
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NEEDS: Examples • Solve a problem • Gain recogni>on • Save >me, money • Increase produc>vity
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Create “personas” • Persona: A fic>onal character represen>ng a target segment. – Aka “profile.”
• Useful in cracing relevant messaging and mo>va>onal offers.
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Meet Joe. He's owner and CEO of a growing, mid-‐sized stock brokerage company. Joe is a gregarious guy, married, with two children. His wife works, so there’s always more to get done in the day than they can handle. Joe wears a suit to the office, but is actually more comfortable in casual clothes. He drives a roomy 4-‐door. In the downturn, his company took quite a hit, so he’s looking for ways to get back on track and run the business more efficiently, using technology.
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Tech influencer persona
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Meet Stan. He's database administrator at a large manufacturing company in suburban Illinois. Stan is single, and lives in a rental apartment with his two dogs. On weekends, he favors day hiking and watching his favorite sports teams on Internet television. He’s a gadget-‐lover, and early adopter of consumer electronics. He never wears a suit to the office. He drives a late-‐model SUV. Stan appreciates how people in his company are always asking him for tech advice. His company understands the value of technology in gaining a compe##ve manufacturing edge.
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Talking their language
Tech buyer Easy to install. No downtime. End-users won’t complain. I can look like a hero. “Spend less.”
Business buyer
Easy to use. Will save us time and money. Help me get the job done. I can look smart. “Sell more.”
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Example: Relevant messaging Tech buyer Business buyer
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Strategic applica>ons of content by marke>ng objec>ve
1. Thought leadership 2. Lead genera>on 3. Rela>onship management
#B2BContentEvent Case study in thought leadership
Maddock Douglas in conversa>on
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Blog is promoted by Twiier
#B2BContentEvent Case study in lead genera>on Box targets mid-‐market business managers
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Case study in rela>onship management
HP delivers dynamic newsleier content
Results: • 18% overall traffic • Open rate + 300% • CTR +600%
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Thank you
@RuthPStevens Visit MaximizingLeadGenera>on.com for a free sample chapter.
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Buyers rely on content more than ever
Source: Eccolo Media 2011 B2B Technology Collateral Survey
“Very” or “extremely” influen>al over final purchase decision.
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