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 ReadingB2B Monday Myth: Social Media Advertising for B2B Brands Isn’t Important
by MGB2B
The Myth: There’s No Need For My B2B Brand To Advertise On Social Media
The Truth: B2b Advertising On Social Media Has A Number Of Benefits Which Encourage Prospects To Move Through The Sales Funnel.
B2B brands have finally come on board to social media, and many boast a large posting presence. But when it comes to social media for B2B brands, this is often where the buck stops. It’s a misconception that social media advertising is a playing field for B2C brands only. Unfortunately, that type of thinking keeps new leads from getting into your prospect stream. Now more than ever, there’s compelling reasons why platforms like Facebook offer serious lead generation simply from social advertising. The number of benefits of social media advertising for B2B brands is undeniable – and we’ll break them down for you.
B2B Buyers Are On Social Media
It takes a number of touch points before a buyer is ready to make purchase decision. The more visibility your brand has, the better. These B2B buyers are absolutely present on social media. If you want to place your brand in front of your target audience, this is where you need to be.
If you ignore social media advertising, you’re missing out on a crucial chance to interact with your audience. Remember that behind every social media account is an actual human, and emotion goes much further into the B2B buying decision than you may think. While promoting business value may seem like the logical angle to take, you may find that other strategies that create a personal connection could reign supreme when reaching people on their own networks.
Targeting Options
There are robust capabilities across every social media platform that allow your brand to reach relevant audiences. The nature of social media allows us to analyze different behaviors and actions of users. Then, we can target our ads to those who do what we want. While there are different tools on each social platform, most allow you to segment your audience by age, location, gender, and occupation.With Facebook, you can even target by events, which is helpful if your brand is participating in a trade show or conference. And Twitter allows you to advertise based on intent, using interest and keyword targeting, to create meaningful campaign insights.
It’s Cheap
Social media advertising for B2B allows you to set your own budget, so you can spend exactly what and where you’d like. Whether you choose a long-game strategy or short-term bursts, you can customize your social media advertising campaign to fit exactly your budget.
Flexibility Of Message
When you release a print ad, you’re stuck with what is published. Not so with a social media advertising. Change your message as frequently as you’d like. This is especially helpful if your campaign is evolving, long-term, or if you’re unhappy with the insights produced from your original ad. Plus, with the many audiences active on social media, you are able to change your message for different targeted segments.
Social media advertising for B2B brands is just as necessary as it is for B2C. Utilizing platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn allows businesses to reach and segment their target audience, maintain message flexibility, and stay within budget. Not only does this build brand awareness, but also generates new prospects.
Continue Reading5 B2B Instagram Marketing Campaigns That Are Nailing It – And How You Can Too
by Emily Swet
Instagram usually isn’t a first priority for B2B marketing and sales teams – and it’s easy to see why. In a platform teeming with rich visual content, it seems a playing field best suited for B2C brands. Set that skepticism aside, because as we like to remind you, there’s still a human behind your leads, and B2B Instagram marketing campaigns can be incredibly compelling.
To get the ball rolling, think about how you view your B2B brand itself. When you start to view your brand (as well as your buyer personas) as a unique group of people with individual stories, backgrounds, and interests, you can craft a visual message that resonates. And that opens the door for a whole lot of visual opportunity and engagement.
Check Out These B2B Instagram Marketing Campaigns for Inspiration:
1. Maersk Line – Shipping Containers. Angle: Aspiration
Who would have thought a shipping container company could get 64k+ followers? Maersk uses striking travel photos and ship imagery to resonate a narrative of world interconnectedness and communication – that they “move more than cargo.”
2. MailChimp – Email Marketing Service. Angle: Artsy, Irreverent, Anything But Boring.
This small business email marketing service could be a snooze fest. But a well-timed podcast advertisement tapped them into where they wanted to be, and an Instagram sensation was born. As one of their comments reads: “Your campaigns are [thumbs up]. I would use Mailchimp just because it’s fun and artsy.” And that says it all.
3. Fedex – Global Shipping. Angle: Affinity
Fedex is already a household name, so the focus here is instead on sustaining brand affinity. Sending cargo never seemed so lofty or fun – and we see how Fedex is always there, rain or shine, in all corners of this beautiful planet.
4. Adobe – Software. Angle: Product Showcase
This one is a no-brainer. With a product that lends itself to visual design, Adobe can really stretch its content legs – and it does. They emphasize their product capability with a striking display of visuals that inspire designers of all levels to give their products a go.
5. HP – Technology. Angle: Cutting Edge
HP is another brand that doesn’t need to put much effort into brand recognition. Instead, their approach is a cutting edge image. From virtual reality at Coachella, to gorgeously curated product shots, to technology that’s as fashionable as the models holding them, it’s clear HP lives on the edge of what’s hot now – and what’s next.
The time is ripe for your B2B brand to get on board with Instagram, but we advise you to move fast – early adopters have a much easier go at grabbing attention because the space isn’t crowded… yet. Need help developing an Instagram strategy? Drop us a line – we can help you with that.
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