B2B Monday Myth: No One Is Receptive to B2B Marketing Over a Holiday Weekend
by MGB2B
The Myth: No One is Receptive to B2B Marketing Over a Holiday Weekend
The Truth: That 4th of July Email Might Be Much More Well-Received Than You Thought
Holiday weekends in the summer usually mean a few things: Fireworks. Sun (hopefully). Swimming. Maybe a few beers, a trip to the beach, or grilling hamburgers out on the deck.
For most people, it doesn’t mean a day in the office, being stuck inside responding to email. or dialing into a call. But that doesn’t mean you can’t turn the holiday into an opportunity. Occasions like 4th of July weekend are actually the perfect time to reach out with an email campaign. Why? Because what you don’t achieve in mass, you’ll make up for in quality. Prospects who actively engaging with your emails over holiday weekends have taken time out of their holiday weekend to read what you have to say.
Here Are Some Marketing Tips for July 4th Weekend:
- Make It Count. If someone is opening your email over the holiday weekend, they are genuinely interested in what you’re offering. Give them some meat instead of holiday “fluff.”
- Establish the Context: Even if you are writing a substantial email, you may actually be able to find a link between your brand and the holiday. If you’re in an industry that embodies American innovation and quality, emphasize this!
- Make a Special Offer: This is one area in which we can take a lesson from consumer marketing, especially where holidays are involved. If you want to introduce a brand new product or service, or offer a limited-time deal, holidays are a great time to do this. And the relaxed holiday mood we all get into might refresh and energize your client enough to make them want to look into new decisions once they get back into the office.
- Think for Mobile: Even if your prospects are out on the deck, many have their phones an arm’s reach away. You should assume that your audience will be receiving your email on their mobile device, so keep this in mind as you decide on format. Don’t forget a snappy — and preferably short — subject line to catch their attention.
- Coordinate Your Social Media: A full-fledged social campaign might not be necessary for every holiday, but your message will be reinforced tremendously if you can coordinate your different channels. If you email out a summer holiday message, repeat the same message on your Twitter and Facebook feed. You can get more lighthearted with your content here as well, complementing your substantial email with some fun posts that really show your brand’s personality. Bonus: this is an easy way to incorporate some eye-catching color into your posts and your timeline.
Remember That B2B Decision Makers Are People Too
You’re targeting businesses with your marketing, but that doesn’t mean your audience isn’t made up of real people. And everyone enjoys a well-meaning message every now and then, just so they know you’re thinking about them, the customer. While holidays are always a time to advertise deals and encourage sales, it’s also the perfect opportunity just to simply wish your clients well. On that note, have a very Happy 4th of July!
Continue ReadingWorth Their Weight: Marketing Videos for Manufacturers
by Emily Swet
Marketing Videos for Manufacturers
Video content is king these days, and the manufacturing industry is no exception. If you’re a manufacturer and have passed on the video spend, it might be time to rethink. A quick glance at the stats, and you’ll see why marketing videos for manufacturers are an important sales tool:
- According to Cisco, video traffic will represent 82% of all consumer internet traffic by 2021.
- 62% of B2B Marketers reported video as an effective tactic in 2016 to the Content Marketing Institute.
- Millennial B2B buyers are on the rise: 34% reported being sole decision-makers, and 25% share in the process (fact: millennials love video.)
Lower-cost technology like drones, the GoPro, and the high-def filming options on digital SLR cameras make it possible for your marketing partner to produce video with much lower spend. But because video is now relatively simple to make, it’s easy to overlook the details that count. A well-crafted video can position your company as a trustworthy authority and become a lead-generation workhorse. In contrast, a poorly done video can have the reverse affect; looking like an amateur never helped a bottom line.
Before you sink any money into video, here are 3 things to consider:
- The Importance of a Well-written, Professional Voiceover. The narration of your video has an end game: persuasion. A good voiceover sets the mood, whether it be light-hearted, trustworthy, or authoritative, to move the viewer to action. Don’t leave that to the amateurs.
- Rich Visuals and Clean Edits. In other words, for a video to reach its potential, don’t use your smartphone. You don’t need Steven Spielberg, but you do need high-quality production to look professional and gain credibility. (You can use your smartphone for live video though).
- Music Selection. There’s a trove of good-quality, inexpensive stock music available these days. A seasoned ear can match up the right sound for you at very little cost.
What kind of videos work for manufacturers? Lots.
- Explainer Videos: These vids explain who you are and how you solve a problem. Tip: a simple animated short can simplify a complicated manufacturing process.
- The How To: The beauty of a how-to video is you can position yourself as a trustworthy industry resource, and feature your product or service at the same time without taking too much of a promotional tone.
- Facility Tours: Let your audience get to know your facility, and the people that work there. This gives your company credibility, humanity, and lives well on all the social networks.
- Products and Services: A succinct, digestible breakdown of your offerings is a great way to get in front of a busy decision maker, perhaps one that is a little further along on the sales cycle. Your salespeople can use these as a tool when trying to convert a lead.
- Customer Case Studies: A strong case study is the proof of your value. Video gives more depth to your case studies, making them more impactful.
No matter what type you choose (and you should strongly consider producing several), marketing videos for manufacturers can live virtually anywhere. Video has a home base on your website, but serves well as an independent sales tool, in a company newsletter, and can be especially compelling on social sites. Need help building a video strategy? Give us a call.
Continue ReadingB2B Monday Myth: I Don’t Need LinkedIn Ads For My Business
by MGB2B
The Myth: I Don’t Need LinkedIn Ads for My Business
The Truth: LinkedIn Is a Top Platform for B2B Lead Generation
Professionals and businesses alike know that a presence on LinkedIn is important. But what you might not know is that you don’t have to stop at just creating a profile. LinkedIn can actually become a lead generator when used correctly. Let’s take a closer look at the benefits of LinkedIn ads for B2B marketing and the best way to use the medium.
Why LinkedIn?
According to LinkedIn back in 2015, 80% of leads from social media come from LinkedIn. The professionals who are on LinkedIn are already in a business mindset, which makes them more receptive to strategic B2B advertising. You have the unique opportunity to reach the people in executive positions and all along the decision-making chain with significant purchasing power. You can even target by job function to make sure you’re reaching the right people.
Sponsored Content
LinkedIn has several different capabilities for advertising. First, you can create Sponsored Content that reaches audiences on desktop, mobile, and tablets. These ads can spark conversation and reach a specifically targeted group of professionals. And, best of all, you can set your own budget by choosing from cost-per-click or cost-per-impression options.
Sponsored InMail
Another option is Sponsored InMail. This feature lets you send personalized messages to prospects on LinkedIn messenger. It’s a great way to send event invitations or insightful content to those who will be receptive to it. They will only be sent while the recipient is active online, and there is a limit to how frequently they are sent, which optimizes viewing.
Text Ads and Target Audiences
Next, the more traditional Text Ad lets you create your own advertisement and choose the audience you want to reach. Using LinkedIn Matched Audiences, you can very precisely customize your targeting. You will be able to target by company, experience, education, industry, and even job function, which can greatly increase the effectiveness of your B2B ads. Real, member-generated demographic data is used to ensure you’re reaching a higher quality target audience.
Data and Analytics
You also have the opportunity to track conversions with LinkedIn. The platform lets you record website conversions from your Sponsored Content or Text Ad campaigns, so you can track things like downloads, sign-ups, and purchases. You’ll do this by adding the LinkedIn Insights Tag to your website — a piece of JavaScript code that lets you track conversions from your campaign. What’s particularly helpful is that you determine what a conversion is; you specify which actions qualify.
Campaign Manager
As your campaign runs, LinkedIn’s Campaign Manager will let you monitor your results. You’ll be able to calculate your LinkedIn advertising ROI with their built-in analytics tool within the Campaign Manager. You’ll also be able to see the value you’re getting from both desktop and mobile, including return on ad spend, cost per conversion, and conversion rate. And most important – you can fine-tune your campaign to make it more effective over time.
While LinkedIn is likely not the right approach for most consumer brands, the platform is ideal for B2B brands. With detailed targeting capabilities and a variety of ad content options, LinkedIn is an avenue you should at least take into consideration.
Continue Reading