MARKET VIEW 20
Shikha Saxena
HEAD OF MARKETING UK & I
B2B Customer Acquisition: The role of human engagement in a world of digital-first enterprise marketing
In a rapidly changing post-COVID world, what are the biggest challenges that marketers face, and how can they be overcome?
As technology continues to evolve rapidly and we start seeing millennials move into decision-making positions, it’s hard to predict what the B2B sales landscape will look like in ten years. Traditional, twelve-month marketing plans have become redundant as a result. Instead, businesses must focus on being agile and not planning more than six months in advance, ideally reviewing every quarter if possible.
Another risk is making assumptions about - how different generations of buyers engage in the buying process. Different generations have differing buying priorities and engage with marketing channels differently. A ‘one fits all’ approach without proper research into who your buyers actually are can negatively impact the - reputation of your business and can make it trickier for sales teams to win new business.
A ‘one fits all’ approach without proper research into who your buyers actually are can negatively impact the brand reputation of your business and make it trickier for sales – to win new business.
What role should human interaction play in modern B2B sales processes?
When looking at larger B2B sales, typically £50,000 upwards, the need for human interaction in the sales process increases. It’s easy to handle the business mechanics of a deal (quality of the solution, ROI, and so on) over Zoom or Teams meetings, but it’s difficult to build the personal relationships and trust required solely over video calls. Although the sale may be B2B, there is still a large amount of emotional and personal decision-making to be made. Because of this, human interaction will always remain a key part of the enterprise sales process.
One key factor often overlooked is how buyers want to be perceived internally at their own company. If you can tap into that desire for executives to be recognised as leaders internally and offer ways to help them achieve it, you’re able to offer them something more meaningful than just a business transaction, something that also assists them in career development and achieving growth for their organisation . Social experiences, like corporate hospitality at sporting events, remain unrivaled at creating a connection on a personal level. As well as building stronger relationships, they offer the best chance of revealing insights on what matters most to buyers.
When decision-makers are based in different countries or time zones, sales teams won’t always be able to meet them face-to-face. In those situations, how easy you make online interaction for prospective buyers will really help differentiate your brand. Buyers don’t want to sit through 100 slides in a sales deck anymore; they’re looking for a more immersive experience that makes them feel valued and respected. Virtual and Augmented Reality present enormous opportunities to deliver unique sales experiences where buyers can still benefit from engaging content tailored to their needs but presented in a far more experiential and immersive way.
One key factor often overlooked is how buyers want to be perceived internally at their own company. If you can tap into that desire for career growth and offer ways to help them achieve it, you will be able to offer something more meaningful and build stronger relationships.
How can sales teams take advantage of thought leadership?
Whilst thought leadership content is an extremely powerful tool for sales teams to establish authenticity and credibility, many are not used to content creation and simply do not have the time. This is where marketing teams can support their sales colleagues. By understanding industry trends on a week-by-week basis, marketing teams can curate relevant content that will allow sales teams to position themselves as thought leaders externally. Marketing teams can leverage content management applications to help sales disseminate thought leadership content efficiently and in a timely manner, allowing sales teams to focus on converting opportunities.
Thought leadership can also be used to understand your existing clients and future prospects on a deeper level. The first step is to digest any thought leadership content your current clients share - what do they talk about? Why does it matter to them? How can you use this information to have more meaningful conversations? You can then use this insight to guide your thought leadership content creation and present it to your sales team, giving them highly relevant talking points with potential buyers.
By understanding industry trends on a week-by-week basis, marketing teams can curate relevant content that will allow sales teams to position themselves as thought leaders externally.
SHIKHA SAXENA
Head of Marketing UK & I
GLOBANT
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