Once upon a time, going Digital was an option. In today’s world, fostering digital technologies for B2B marketing, sales, and literally every aspect of business is the norm. Businesses can no longer afford to stay away from the digital transformation and need to adapt to ways and means of reaching out to customers through the internet to enable effective B2B marketing.
While COVID-19 and the ensuring pandemic surely haven’t been the cause of digital transformation, they have been catalysts and have considerably accelerated the transformation.
Here are some transformations in Digital Marketing, and how technology has enabled them.
Staying Relevant Through the Pandemic And Beyond B2B marketing
In the past, most B2B organisations relied on a handful of customers to generate revenues owing to volumes. However, with the pandemic and lockdowns changing, reducing sometimes even completely eliminating the customer base of B2C industries, it becomes difficult for the b2C industry companies to place orders for products from B2B companies.
In such a scenario, B2B organisations and establishments need to reach out to other enterprises. Augmented Reality helps them go a long way in gaining new customers through B2B marketing. AR enabled pamphlets, brochures and demonstrations are the first step towards helping organisations connect with other organisations.
Making the B2B marketing Funnel More Effective
In the past marketing involved reaching out to as many potential customers as possible and hoping they will shift to being paid customers. In today’s world, that doesn’t necessarily work as customers are so busy trying to ramp up their business’ growth owing to the economic downturn.
In such a time, offering resellers and retailers AR enabled videos, ready reckoners and support helps increase the rate of conversion (by improving their awareness in a passive manner).
Enabling a Seamless Digital Experience
70-80% of Businesses Prefer to Interact With Businesses that Offer Seamless Remote or Digital Transaction Experiences.
In the pre-Covid era, B2B customers preferred to meet representatives of other B2B organisations in person as it helped them see the face of the brand, experience demonstrations and make a thought-out purchase decision. Unfortunately, with the pandemic making traveling and even commuting within towns difficult, organisations now prefer having seamless digital experiences.
This trend of providing them service that involves no face-to-face contact will most likely outlast the pandemic, as organisations are understanding the benefits of reduced logistics, transportation, and service costs.
An Augmented Reality based digital experience that offers visuals, virtual demonstrations and connections to payment gateways is the need of the hour. Customers can now have demonstrations of multiple products, experience their functionalities, and even make purchases without ever having to meet a salesperson from the organisation they are buying from.
Digitally Enabled Post-Sales Support
Marketing does not end once the purchase decision is made. It extends even beyond the life of the product. Offering Digital or Remote post sales support is of utmost importance to ensure that the customer remains loyal to the brand and becomes a repeat customer.
AR based installation manuals and support helps customers install products, without any external assistance. Additionally, offering AR based troubleshooting for small problems (through demo videos) and remote troubleshooting (where a service person comes on call and gives suggestions) is crucial in improving the confidence customers have on the brand.
The Bottom Line:
There is no denying that the face of B2B marketing has been entirely altered owing to the pandemic. In today’s world organisations have to reach out to customers and attract them by providing all the information and services they need. At the end of the day, the customer is the king, and the onus of marketing to them should be shifted to the organisations, Instead of it solely resting on the customer.
References:
- https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/marketing-and-sales/our-insights/these-eight-charts-show-how-covid-19-has-changed-b2b-sales-forever
- https://smartblogger.com/blog-tagline/
- https://www.dennisgzill.com/blog-taglines-ideas-and-examples/
- https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2020/09/17/15-ways-b2b-marketing-can-adapt-to-a-post-covid-world/?sh=33e9f3d33470
