Daniel Klein says, “Interactive content (i.e., online assessments, calculators, and quizzes) helps B2B marketers shift from explaining to conversing. As my colleague Laura Ramos explains, “Interactive tools…help to create an ‘across the table’ approach at scale.” Despite this obvious connection, only 44% of attendees at a recent webinar I hosted said they currently use interactive content on their website. So what should B2B marketers do to help close this gap between content delivery and buyer engagement? Interviews with over a dozen senior B2B marketing leaders reveal three... [...]

Ayaz Nanji says, “Some 7.5% of essential contact information in B2B sales databases become outdated within three months,according to recent research from Radius. The report was based on a Radius analysis of B2B database information, conducted between May and August, 2016. The researchers took the original customer relationship management (CRM) data for 10,000 B2B contacts and re-examined it three months later, using Web research and calls, to determine whether the information was still correct. For the database with 10,000 contacts, the researchers found that 757 of the entries were no longer... [...]

Jeffrey L. Cohen says, “Sometimes I think about changing famous movie quotes to include marketing terms. I will admit that I may need to get out more, but these can be instructive in drawing some analogies to the topic at hand. Since this post is about leads, here are a few: – May the leads be with you. – Show me the leads. – You can’t handle the leads. B2B marketing is often all about generating leads for sales. And in our demand-driven culture, where marketing is held accountable for having an impact on revenue, it has become even more prevalent. There are many ways... [...]

Colin Hogan says, “You market and sell to businesses, not to consumers. We’re talking real B2B stuff here. So, if you’re going to create marketing and sales material, which make no mistake your explainer video is, you should make sure to keep the type of business you’re selling to in mind, right? Sure, but what about the people who are going to be watching the video? The way you write your script needs to focus on the humans you’re crafting it for, not just on closing the deal or selling your offering to theirs. There needs to be a story. Your video should evoke some... [...]

Ann Handley says, “B2B content marketers are doing a great job, but they’re still up against some challenges, according to brand-new research. First, the good news: B2B marketers are indeed finding success with content marketing: 62% of B2B marketers in North America say their organization’s overall approach to content marketing has been much more or somewhat more successful than a year ago, according to B2B Content Marketing: 2017 Benchmarks, Budgets and Trends—North America. MarketingProfs and Content Marketing Institute, a UBM company, today released the seventh annual iteration... [...]

Lizette Louw says, “What do B2B buyers actually want from your website? What causes them to leave your website and not return? How many times do typical buyers return to your website before taking the next or final step in the buyer’s cycle? What kind of content is important to them? We looked at the results of the 2015 B2B Web Usability Survey and discovered what it would take for you as a B2B vendor to create credibility and trust. Spoiler alert: it’s not rocket science. 1) Buyers won’t give you a chance until they’ve seen legitimate identification Vendors beware: Buyers judge... [...]

Tony Messer says, “Do you offer services to other businesses in your area? Maybe you’re an Accountant, a Printer or a Training Company. If you do then I’m sure you don’t need me to tell you that it’s competitive out there. And that means that if you want a consistent flow of new inquiries coming into your business then one thing you need to be sure of is a high ranking website. But what exactly does it take to have a high ranking website? Well, recently we did some research on B2B websitesto identify what are the most important factors that determine a high ranking. So here are... [...]

Peter O’Neill says, “We are getting ever-closer to our first Forrester Forum for B2B marketing professionals. It is great to see so many of you registered for the event, and I look forward to seeing you in Miami. While Forrester does have another Forum for marketers, which is held in New York each spring and in which we cover some B2B topics, Miami is the one where we focus only on your needs. Why? Because B2B marketing is different! Of course, as the research director for the role that meets your needs, I get asked that question a lot — both within Forrester and by clients (especially... [...]

Renee Yeager says, “We all have that friend who was wild in their younger days. The one who would show up to the party, do some crazy things, then disappear without a trace — and without the memory of the craziness they had wrought. Amazingly, that friend grew up, matured, started realizing their potential and understanding their purpose. They’re still fun, but in a more attractive way, and suddenly they’re more popular than ever. That friend, of course, is Snapchat. In successful marketing, story is king. And Snapchat is great at telling stories quickly to an engaged audience.... [...]

Nikki Gilliland says, “When writing about customer experience we’re often guilty of neglecting B2B companies, believing that it is mainly a focus for large consumer brands. However we recently sat down with John Watton, EMEA Marketing Director at Adobe, who explained that CX is just as important for B2B marketers. You can watch what John said in the videos below, as well as read a summary of his points. Conversation with customers John states that content marketing is the key to a good customer experience, regardless of sector or industry. By content, he means creating a conversation... [...]