We all know how B2C companies have benefited from mobile marketing. You will hardly find anyone who hasn’t used the Amazon app for shopping, or Yelp for checking restaurant reviews. In fact, more than 50 percent of searches (worldwide) are now performed via mobile devices, according to Google.
But does mobile marketing affect B2B businesses in any way? The answer is a resounding ‘Yes.’ According to the ‘State of B2B Mobile Marketing 2015’ survey by Regalix Inc, “almost half of the surveyed marketers aren’t investing in mobile marketing.”
The same report also indicates that most B2B companies use mobile marketing strategies only to engage existing clients. They are not using it to expand their consumer base. While the world has gone mobile, B2B companies are yet to catch up with the technology curve.
If you own a B2B business and are looking forward to leveraging mobile marketing, here are three tips that will help you make your mobile marketing campaigns successful.
Your Way to a Successful B2B Mobile Marketing Strategy
Mobile has emerged as the most important element of any marketing strategy. So every B2B business must invest in mobile marketing. This is because B2B clients use their mobile devices (such as smartphones and tablets) as an extension of their desktop/laptops and expect a seamless journey across all devices. Why? Because B2B clients are, at other times, regular consumers. And regular consumers use mobile!
Some of the leading B2B companies such as FedEx Corp, Dell and others, are already using mobile marketing to its full potential to reach out to their clients and maximize their bottom line. ACCESS, for instance, is a publication launched by FedEx Corp. and is available on Kindle Fire, iPad and other Android devices. It offers numerous interactive features, which include videos and slideshows, designed specifically for Android smartphones and tablets.
If you are wondering how you can get started with mobile marketing for your B2B business, read on:
1. Make Your Website Mobile-Ready
Businesses that do not provide a seamless mobile experience to their clients often experience a drop in organic ranking. They may even see an increase in the bounce rate. This is because Google now prefers mobile-friendly websites. B2B companies must focus on creating mobile-friendly websites as they ensure increased customer loyalty and better engagement.
Here are a few more reasons why you should focus on optimizing your website for mobile:
- Apps account for 89 percent of mobile media time – Smart Insights
- 68 percent companies have already integrated mobile marketing into their marketing strategies – Salesforce
- 83 percent of B2B marketers said mobile apps were important for content marketing – eMarketer
The above statistics clearly indicate that B2B companies cannot afford to overlook mobile marketing. An excellent mobile experience will ensure better engagement and will help them interact with prospects effectively, leading to increased leads and sales.
Start-ups must take this very seriously, since they have to establish their brands from scratch. First impressions matter a lot, so every start-up business whether it a home-based business or a full-fledged company must start marketing their business by building a mobile friendly website.
This will help them track customer journeys and offer better experiences based on user behaviors. Remember, if you want to compete with the big brands, you need to think out-of-the box and provide something innovative and compelling; only then you can think of growing your business.
2. Marketing Automation
Nearly three-fourths (74%) of online consumers get frustrated with Websites when content (e.g., offers, ads, promotions) appears that has nothing to do with their interests. –Janrain
Marketing automation is the process of automating the various marketing processes – especially repetitive tasks such as sending out emails and posting social media updates. Marketing automation helps businesses offer personalized experiences to customers, while saving time and money.
Let’s take the example of the website Live Chat option that we find in most B2C eCommerce sites. From Amazon to eBay, almost all B2C eStores offer this facility; so there is no point for B2B companies to shy away from it. Think of it this way: Would you open an outlet and have no-one to talk to customers? No, right?
Similarly, you will have visitors to your website everyday, either making a purchase or doing some product research. If you have someone to talk to them, it means you are connecting directly with your potential buyers and have better chances to make a sell.
There are several Live Chat tools available today and some of them even allow you to convert chat conversations into emails, helping you to generate leads from your chat system.
Again, take the example of eCommerce giant, Amazon. When you log into their site, your name is displayed on top right corner of the page. And based on your browsing and purchase history, they display products that you may be interested in.
If you shop regularly on Amazon, you may also have received personalized emails with products that you have viewed or added to your wish-list. Marketing automation makes it possible for the eCommerce giant to offer such a personalized experience to every individual visiting its website.
B2B Marketing Automation
Amazon is a B2C company, but even B2B companies can use marketing automation to offer personalized experiences to their clients.
It is feasible not only for well-established enterprises. Even start-ups (both B2B and B2C) can now leverage marketing automation tools and make marketing easier than ever. Some of the most efficient marketing automation tools are Marketo, Pardot and Oracle Eloqua. The last 2 of those are specifically B2B marketing automation tools.
3. Leverage SMS and Email to Reach out to Clients
We know that B2C buyers use their mobile devices to research products, but did you know even decision makers use mobile to make important business choices? A study performed by Google in partnership with Millward Brown Digital reveals:
- 43 percent of researchers use their mobile devices during the purchase process.
- 49 percent B2B researchers use mobile devices for research while at work.
B2B customers and prospects are using mobile more frequently than ever, so it is wise to reach them through the channel they use the most. This is where email and SMS campaigns can be helpful.
For those who think email marketing is dead, think again. According to Campaign Monitor, “For every $1 spent, email marketing generates $38 in ROI.” Moreover, 53 percent of emails are opened on mobile devices. On the other hand, according to a Dynmark report, SMS boasts a whopping 98 percent open rate.
In fact, texts typically get read within 3 seconds. 80 percent people use SMS for business purposes and 15 percent said more than half the texts they receive are business-related, as per eWeek. So there is no reason why B2B marketers should be reluctant to use SMS to reach out to nurture their relationships with existing clients and prospects.
4. Enhance Brand Value with Apps
Mobile has encompassed every aspect of our life and has become an essential part of the modern-day business. By developing mobile apps, B2B businesses can improve brand awareness and highlight their value proposition. According to the State of B2B Marketing 2015 report by Regalix, 65 percent of B2B companies have mobile apps and consider it to be crucial to their overall marketing strategy.
B2B clients are customers too, and they crave convenience as well. By developing a mobile app, a B2B business can:
- Share information regarding important events such as upcoming conference, trade fairs or expos
- Deliver software updates
- Help with inventory and ordering supplies management
- Encourage industry-wide networking
In-app advertisements are also great for driving traffic and boosting revenue. So not only B2C, but B2B companies can also benefit immensely from mobile apps.
Final Takeaway
B2B and B2C customers behave in similar ways and have similar expectations (to some extent). The final aim is to offer value and make things easier for your customers. Because mobile has become an integral part of our personal and professional lives, companies should definitely invest in mobile marketing campaigns.
However, in order to make sure you gain a competitive advantage and grow your business at a fast pace, you need to know the tricks that will help you win at mobile marketing. To make things simpler, here is a quick rundown of the tips discussed above:
- Focus on creating a mobile-friendly website to offer the best possible experience to your customers
- Utilize email as well as SMS to reach out to clients (both existing and potential)
- Build intuitive mobile apps.
Want to add something more? Feel free to share your ideas!
Featured image credit: Pixabay
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- 4 Tips for a Successful B2B Mobile Marketing Campaign - April 26, 2017