B2B marketing campaigns are thought of being typically boring – but times are changing.
The B2B tech marketing industry is a competitive battlefield. Especially in recent years with the surge of humour, wit and personality-filled campaigns dominating the market.
There are a lot of businesses trying all sorts of different tactics which makes it hard to easily get noticed.
However, not all of them are as effective as they might seem.
But which companies have the best marketing strategies? And why?
Well, this post will look at what some of the leading B2B brands have previously done successfully and explain why they stood out from the crowd so well.
We’ll cover examples from the following businesses:
In 2016, Cisco released its “there’s never been a better time” campaign. And it took the B2B tech marketing world by storm.
Video Credit: Michele Jones
One thing that stands out about this marketing strategy is the hard-hitting positivity that shines through the messaging. The campaign portrays the theme that if tech marketers don’t believe that technology has the power and driving force to make a positive difference, then who will?
The campaign is refreshingly ambitious and covers the issues that span various industries. The relevance of the campaign and the seamless transition throughout is also amazing.
It’s also complemented by top-quality creatives which are incredibly eye-catching. Your creatives need to stand out and grab the reader, otherwise, you’ll just blend in with the competition and into the background.
The video ad humanises technology that Cisco and its partners provide by putting them into everyday scenarios. You can see in the advert the technology in the hands of real people who are all facing a diverse range of challenges.
This allows people to easily relate to the campaign and perhaps see a problem that they need solving included in there too. Their interest will straight away be undivided if you can provide this level of value in your ads.
Global companies like Cisco face having a very diverse customer base. Usually, a business would release different publications for a different area of the world. However, its seamless messaging is cleverly encaptured in one advertisement which is a rarity.
The advert promotes a message for all. Whether it be customers, partners or even employees of Cisco. It encourages creativity and almost brings everybody together as one. A meaningful, relatable message at the centre of your campaign is key for engaging people.
There are various ways you can create a meaningful, relatable message for your next B2B marketing campaign. And they’re not as tricky as you might first think.
Firstly, keep it basic. Explain complex issues in simple terms so that even the biggest tech novice could understand them.
Secondly, tell a story. People can relate well to a good story. And the positives are that everybody is capable of story-telling. Aim to inform, educate and inspire with your marketing campaign.
And lastly, be genuine. As always, honesty is the best policy. Customers will appreciate knowing where they stand and will then be in the best position to naturally move through the journey.
Amex combines the pairing of B2B tech marketing and consumer marketing. And this ongoing campaign just goes from strength to strength every year.
Click here to check it out.
They start by targeting small businesses through various marketing channels. Whether it’s social media, content marketing, email marketing or print too. Their first intentions are to set them up and then prepare them for their “Shop Small” initiative.
On their website, they have an online marketing tools and tips area – which is a great idea. Here you’ll find lots of content pieces that are of great value to the reader.
This is an example of a fantastic content marketing strategy, showing that Amex understands their customers’ needs and that they’re being catered too also.
They’ll then flip from B2B to consumer marketing and promote their “Shop Small” campaign to their cardholders through a variety of methods. This is such a simple idea, yet so effective.
With first-class marketing execution, the campaign delivers revenue and excellent customer experience for both the small business and Amex.
A lot of people are quick to doubt that B2B and consumer marketing can’t be used as a hybrid. However, if you execute it perfectly like American Express, it can be super-effective and help you stand out from the crowd too.
Utilise social media campaigns to reach out and engage businesses with your B2B marketing campaigns. The ‘#shopsmall’ hashtag did this successfully by creating excitement and a general buzz around the campaign.
Hashtags are great for raising awareness for just about anything – from events to your marketing efforts. It gives readers the chance to spark up conversation with yourselves and other like-minded people too.
So, don’t be afraid to get creative with your hashtags and include them in everything you produce. You want to make people remember the hashtag and instantly recognise it as your business wherever they see it.
The main message that came out of the Salesforce World Tour in May 2019 was that the fourth industrial revolution was in full swing. Click here to see the main details of the conference and speakers.
And across the UK, marketers and businesses are using its latest technologies to tackle some of the biggest challenges.
The 10-hour conference was centred around the latest technology that is being introduced into the marketing world and Salesforce’s new customer success platform.
Artificial intelligence and connected devices were two of the areas that would aid the seamless customer connection for Salesforce.
From the off, it was clear how much emphasis they were placing on empowering all the attendees and making them feel valued. Which massively enhances the customer experience – and we all know how important that is in B2B.
And this isn’t just the only instance that Salesforce prioritises the customer experience. It’s at the centre of everything they do. After all, their platform is called the customer success platform, which speaks for itself.
Live events and conferences are a staple of B2B marketing. They’re a great way for a business to show off the different marketing methods and means of communication that they can provide.
But aside from this, what made this event particularly stand out is the attention to detail that Salesforce put into it. From the way that the event was marketed beforehand, even to the way that dinner was served, the event was just amazing.
The carnival-like atmosphere is an ever-present at this event every year which resonates with the attendees without fail.
Firstly, you need to set clear objectives – it seems obvious but you’d be surprised how many marketers try and organise events without objectives and flop massively. So, make sure you set an objective criteria that’ll help you gauge the success of the event once it’s over.
Create a compelling and consistent message. It’s so important that the message you’re providing is consistent, that way it’ll always get tied back to your brand. A contradicting campaign message looks unprofessional messy.
Your branding should be consistent too. It should be easily recognisable that this is your event and you’re owning it.
Your promotion has to be spot on. Before, during and after the event too. Keep in contact with your attendees and provide the ultimate experience that they’ll never forget.
One of the most famous (and controversial) B2B marketing strategies was produced by Havas for ITV News back in 2016. Havas used artificial intelligence (AI) to predict the election of US President, Donald Trump before anybody else did.
Despite the polls saying the opposite, Havas turned out to predict one of the most defining moments of 2016. Click here to see for yourself.
Since this non-traditional marketing campaign, the use of AI has crept into everyday marketing across lots of industries. A more traditional everyday example of AI is companies using live chats and bots to augment human intelligence.
Utilising new technologies is transforming the ways that B2B marketing campaigns are being shaped. As with anything, if you’re not prepared to use the latest technologies and perhaps take a risk on your campaigns, the chances are that you’re not going to stand out from the crowd.
After all, the best things come as a result of stepping out of your comfort zone. So, don’t be afraid to try something completely new to you.
AI gives your business the chance to add virtual marketers to your workforce. This technology is the perfect addition to your team and can help move mountains with your B2B tech marketing campaigns.
AI can help you with:
So, now you’ve seen 4 great examples of different B2B tech marketing businesses you may be full of creative energy. That’s a great sign.
It’s now your time to turn heads with your latest campaign. Don’t just leave it to the big boys to get credit for their efforts, you too can craft the perfect marketing campaign for your target audience and see amazing results.
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