Back to Blogs
- Marketing
B2B marketing success does not happen overnight, nor is it down to luck.
The intentionality, planning, and innovation that goes into the marketing process itself brings success. Looking at all other ten Ps of B2B marketing in the 2020s, nothing can happen without effective planning. The keyword here is effective.
We have seen B2B marketing fail even with the most elaborate plans. We have seen the simplest plans drive the most success. The difference comes down to the elements of these plans.
Write it down…
The most crippling factor for most B2B marketers is the lack of documentation.
A CMI/ Marketing Profs report found that only about 37% of content marketers have a documented strategy. After all, why use a documented strategy when you know what you are doing, right?
However, 60% of the top marketers have a documented strategy too. This draws a straight line between being one of the top players and having a documented strategy.
The coronavirus pandemic has separated the good marketing from the bad – and the downright ugly. Finding it hard to create content is one problem but not being able to measure the content ROI and success is an even bigger problem. All of these are indicative of the lack of a robust and effective plan from the start.
A proper marketing plan includes all of the key performance indicators, metrics to be tracked, and how they will be tracked throughout the lifespan of a marketing campaign. The strategy informs which content is produced, when, and how. In short, it provides the guardrails to ensure that B2B marketing stays on track at every point throughout the process. It also means there is useful information to go back to when agility and pivoting is required, in response to current events, or because what was attempted previously just didn’t work.
…But remember it is not set in stone
An effective marketing plan is not rigid, either. If the start of the decade has taught businesses anything, it is how so much can change in such little time.
The pandemic has tested brands to the maximum, favoring those that were equipped to adapt and change direction or pace in the blink of an eye. The traditional marketers who had to always go back to the drawing board for an elaborate plan came up empty-handed. After all, the playing field changed again by the time they started up again. That put all the power in the laps of the agile marketers and their agile teams.
There is a lot to love about agile marketing
Only 2% of companies that have launched an agile process did not get some success from it. That is a 98%-win rate that any marketer would be delighted to achieve. Combine that with:
- Speed – 53% of agile teams get things done faster than traditional teams
- Productivity – 87% of teams recorded boosted productivity through agility
- Efficiency – agile teams are 2 times more likely to succeed than non-agile teams.
With agile marketing, it seems the possibilities are endless…
Creating the right plan
B2B marketing plans affect the whole brand, not just the product or service being marketed. They should be borne of the company’s goals – both long term and short term – and vision.
Every seemingly unrelated process, from acquiring leads, to engaging them with content and communications, should carry the brand purpose at heart. Every stage of the marketing plan should remind the client of why they are doing business with the company. You need to present to the clients a higher calling that they will want to get involved with, not just the product or service you are selling.
This helps you set the pace for other B2B marketing campaigns to come. Since these campaigns will all be tied to the company’s core values and vision, you can maintain a single voice. When all areas of the company speak with the same voice, you have a far greater chance of success.
Our B2B marketing playbook for the 2020s highlights nine other key areas to focus on for explosive marketing success and improved returns. Grab your copy today to unlock greater potential for your business.
Back to Blogs
