How To Make Your Trade Show Exhibit Count
by MGB2B
For manufacturers looking to get their products and/or services in the hands of company decision makers and buyers, there’s no better forum than a trade show. Attendees show up in droves specifically looking for new ideas or investments to improve their business. Because of their large scale, trade shows can often be hard to prepare for, especially in the limited timeframe given and the number of moving parts involved. But don’t panic. We’re here to help prepare you to put your best foot forward. (more…)
Continue ReadingFive Don’ts of B2B Email Marketing
by MGB2B
As a B2B marketer, maintaining a positive relationship is vital to your sales funnel. One of the best ways to do that is through B2B email marketing. It’s one of the most productive lead generation tools, but there are many ways to overstep your boundaries. When it comes to content, accessibility, and frequency, here are five things to keep in mind as you construct your next email campaign.
1. Sending Too Frequently
Many things are better in moderation, and marketing emails are no exception. We know what you’re thinking: we just told you that staying in touch with your customers is important. But flooding their inbox can have the opposite effect. Your customers receive hundreds of emails like yours, and it’s your job to ensure your email doesn’t get lost in the clutter. By sending emails less frequently, your customers will be less likely to feel badgered and opt out of future communications.
2. Lack of or Excess Personalization
There’s lots of talk of personalization these days, and with good reason. Consumers want to feel attended to and known. In fact, 82 percent of marketers reported an increase in open rates through email personalization, while 75 percent believe that personalization yields higher click-through rates. But keep in mind, this is more than simply a “Dear So & So.” It’s about knowing what your customers want. Sending them emails with products that match their previous interactions with you is one way to do it. But if you send them emails for products that don’t match their interest, or worse, products they’ve already purchased, your emails will become more white noise in their inbox.
This has to be done with a deft hand, however. Too much personalization can be a turn off in a creepy, big brother sort of way. It’s all about balance, folks. Fine tune your efforts so personalization is gradual, purposeful, and accurate.
3. Mobile-Unfriendly Layout
Though people still use their desktops, more and more people stay on top of their email from their phones. It’s important to make sure your content is optimized for all devices. If your images don’t load or your text is wonky, you can expect a swift delete.
4. Poorly Written Content
Customers are savvy. An elementary voice, grammatical errors, or poorly written content suggest your company shouldn’t be taken seriously. Furthermore, body copy that’s too wordy will be a turn off because no one has the time to read a tome.
5. Bad Subject Line
The subject line is the first written content your customer sees, and will define whether they open or delete it. Short, to the point, with just enough hook to pique their curiosity is the way to go. Otherwise, your email content will never be seen.
Considering that today’s marketers need to do more with less, email marketing gives us a whole lot of bang for our buck. And while other marketing trends come and go, email marketing remains a workhorse. To use it to its fullest potential, make sure you keep yours in line with the tips above.
Continue ReadingINFOGRAPHIC: How Engineers Consume Content
by MGB2B
Ever want to see inside the mind of an engineer? If you run the marketing department of a manufacturing company, the answer is probably a resounding “yes.”
This infographic – Part 1 of a 2-part series – takes a look at how engineers approach content. In particular, it explores which content they consume during the Buyer Journey and where they consume it. You’ll see how the Journey is broken down into four phases: Research, Consideration, Evaluation, and Buy. And content is consumed differently in each phase.
It’s likely no surprise that Case Studies are consumed more heavily in an engineer’s decision-making process earlier in the Buyer Journey. Or that Product Info Sheets are more influential later in the process.
But it’s worth noting how different types of video work better in different phases. And just how much engineers prefer LinkedIn over other social platforms. Take a look at the full infographic to get a better look at the engineer’s decision-making process. It will give you great insights as you fine-tune your Content Marketing Plan in the second and third quarters of 2018.
Read the Full Infographic on How Engineers Consume Content Below:
(And stay tuned for Part 2… coming soon.)
