Humans have an innate desire to connect. It’s part of our DNA. Consider how the pandemic magnified our need to connect and how in the absence of in-person connections, we leaned on technology to create new ways to connect digitally, whether it was through a video call, over social media, texts, or emails. In this article, we will discuss the power of connection for effective B2B engagement.
While the pandemic may be over and we’re back to connecting in person, the ways we connect digitally have persisted. These digital-first behaviours are even more apparent in B2B marketing. For instance, it’s no longer enough to depend on an in-person sales meeting at your prospect’s offices. They may no longer even have an office. Or they may take offence at a cold call to their cell phone instead of an office phone line. And in the face of today’s economic headwinds, they may no longer have the budget to travel to a conference. This means that we need to continue to evolve our approach to establishing meaningful connections in the channels where our audiences are.
Fortunately, we have at our fingertips a bevy of marketing technologies that support deeper and more meaningful connections. Below are considerations for choosing technologies that enable better B2B marketing connections in our new world.
Connect Your In-Person & Digital Data
To be sure, every marketer has likely witnessed first-hand the gap between the data collected at an in-person conference and the data that exists in their CRM. Whether it’s the wrong company or the wrong email address, this disconnect in data can spiral quickly into wasted marketing efforts.
In fact, according to a recent survey by Integrate and Demand Metric on the 2023 State of B2B Marketing Budgets, the biggest challenge that B2B marketers face is the ability to use data to inform decisions and measure performance. Meanwhile, approximately 90% of surveyed marketers say that data compliance and accuracy are a priority at their company.
Today, it’s an important foundational step to connect all your data, whether it’s from social, in-person events, digital events, digital ads, content syndication, email, and other channels. Take for instance the data gap between the information collected at a conference or a VIP dinner and what exists in your CRM. How do you use the power of connection to connect those dots and facilitate better, more connected B2B marketing experiences?
Look for solutions that can bring your in-person and digital data together into a single platform and also ensure your data is clean and privacy regulation-compliant. Ultimately, good, connected data is at the core of good B2B marketing.
Better Data, Measurement, and Customer Connections
Good data leads to good measurement, which in turn results in a better understanding of your buyer and their preferences. But it’s important to ingest that data into a comprehensive view across channels.
When you can take a cross-channel view of campaign performance, you can better understand what content resonates with your buyers and in what channels. This is an important part of iterating on your strategies and tactics to determine the next best action.
Understanding your buyer intrinsically leads to more meaningful and connected buying journeys. Today’s buyers are not only used to but want the personalized, connected B2C experience in their B2B lives. They buy products that connect to what they care about, resonate with what they’re experiencing, and address their challenges.
Look for technology solutions that can aggregate your data into a simple, single, cross-channel dashboard view. This 360-degree view of your customer empowers marketers to make informed investment decisions, connect metrics to value, and tailor campaigns to resonate with their audience.
Toward a Connected MarTech Landscape
In the complex and fragmented landscape of B2B marketing, it has become evident that effective connections with buyers are more crucial than ever before. By embracing good data, and in turn good measurement, you can continue to evolve how to communicate and connect with your customers. After all, in the fiercely competitive landscape of B2B marketing, only the strong survive. Those who adapt, innovate, and persevere are the ones who will succeed.
By Colby Cavanaugh, SVP of Marketing, Integrate
