B2B CMOs are always gaining new skills and experiences. But what is more important is sharing those experiences with new entrepreneurs and marketers. Any B2B CMO has lots of success tips when it comes to the enhancement of the overall customer experience.
In this article, we’ll list a few success tips coming from the experienced CMOs of popular B2B firms. So, let’s get started.
1. Leveraging the power of content
Content is the key if you’re planning to attract a massive audience. However, with so many brands and the large volume of content already out there, we can safely say that we have already reached a saturation point when it comes to content. So, in this scenario, what most CMOs recommend is to focus more on value addition, rather than simply writing sales copies.
CMOs suggests that the only way to entice customers through content is by keeping something new and exceptional in front of them. Many CMOs have agreed to the fact that building a unique content strategy that also adds value, is hard. But, that is the only way out for the B2B marketers. CMOs have also suggested the application of unique tactics like influencer marketing or social listening as a part of innovative content marketing strategies.
2. Tracking the appropriate KPIs in the digital era
To make it big in this digital era, B2B marketers need to track down the appropriate metrics. With the power of real-time analytics, it is no longer a challenge to find out the values of different KPIs. However, what matters is that B2B marketers are prioritizing the appropriate KPIs in the long run.
Many CMOs have also highlighted that identifying suitable KPIs in the digital world is even more challenging because of their consumer-focused nature. Most KPIs give importance to the individual customers and not to the businesses. CMOs believe that we need more KPIs that could explain the impacts of different digital trends and deals in the B2B environment.
3. Gaining more information about customers
In the world of B2B marketing, understanding the customers’ needs and demands is very important. Or else, how can a marketer create a strong customer experience for them? A survey by Salesforce shows that 59% of B2B buyers are more comfortable with searching for products/services online, rather than interacting with the B2B sales professionals. That’s because they believe that B2B sales professionals are extremely pushy and not customer-centric.
So, CMOs often suggest that marketers must understand the requirements of the B2B buyers carefully. One must not forget that a B2B buyer is under extreme compulsion as they are spending the money of their organization. So, B2B marketers should find out major information like the location of the B2B firm, their industry, their goals, and their customers’ journey. Once all these aspects are clear, then only a B2B marketer should pitch a product/service to their B2B prospects. The chances of converting leads are higher in that case.
Also Read: Marketing & Engagement Orchestration
4. Adding as much personalization as possible
CMOs often emphasize the importance of personalization in the case of B2B marketing. A one-solution-that-fits-all approach will not work in B2B marketing. Competition is pretty robust in B2B marketing and to stand out, marketers must come up with products/services that match the needs of the B2B firms.
Focusing on personalization throughout the sales cycle is always a good idea. Whether you’re sending product recommendations to a prospect or selling them something, make sure it fits their needs. CMOs also suggest B2B marketers come up with multiple solutions and ask their clients to select the best one. This strategy works for B2B firms as it promotes flexibility and value addition simultaneously.
Also Read: Why You Should Revamp Your Website Every 2.6 Years
5. Being tech-savvy always pays off
B2B marketers must understand that majorities of their target buyers are already using the latest technological trends. Hence, CMOs always ask B2B marketers to use the technologies that their target buyers are already using. Some of the common technological trends that CMOs often stress upon are automation, machine learning, chatbots, cloud computing, and so on.
Make the most of predictive technologies to forecast customers’ buying behavior; use chatbots to automate your customer support activities, and use the latest web development trends to build responsive websites and eCommerce stores. CMOs believe that these latest technologies can unlock endless opportunities for B2B marketers.
Also Read: Why You Should Move Your Website To HubSpot CMS
6. Pushing doesn’t work, educating does
B2B buyers often criticize how B2B marketers push them to purchase different products and services. CMOs are strictly against this conventional sales strategy. Instead, they advise the B2B buyers to be more empathetic and to educate the buyers. According to IDG, a B2B buyer is five times more likely to purchase from a brand if they offer new information about a product/services as compared to a brand that keeps repeating the same information.
B2B marketers can educate their customers in a number of ways. These include blog posts, ebooks, webinars, podcasts, videos, and so on. CMOs believe that customers today are smart enough. They won’t buy anything just like that. The more you educate them, the better are your chances of converting a lead.
7. Offering post-purchase support always works
B2B buyers should never consider the completion of a purchase as the final stage of their sales cycle. To make sure that a customer is satisfied with your services and will return to you for another purchase, you must always offer them post-purchase services. CMOs consider it as the key to building a long-term business relationship.
B2B marketers should stay connected with the customers even after the purchase is over. If a customer requires any alterations or is facing any issues while using the product/service, it is the B2B marketers’ responsibility to offer them full support. This is the key step to build trust.
8. Focusing on storytelling always helps
CMOs have always been inclined towards storytelling. They suggest B2B marketers build up a story that can tell a brand’s journey in story format. Content creation simply for the sake of “content creation” doesn’t work with B2B buyers anymore. They need to build a story to make a difference.
If you structure your story in the format of a narrative, the B2B buyers understand the flow of your content and find it relatable. Also, CMOs always ask the marketers to focus on the solutions rather than the problems while telling a story. That always attracts the audiences.
9. Building strong teams is important
Finally, CMOs always focus on the power of a strong team. The B2B marketing trends are changing again and again. Hence, ensuring effectiveness is pretty hard in these situations. What CMOs suggest is to build powerful teams that can collaborate and balance the entire system. Also, CMOs always emphasize creating harmony between marketing and sales. That’s the first step in the growth of your brand.
Also Read: 7 Ways To Bring Empathy Back To Your Sales Team
Final Words
We’ve listed some of the best success tips of CMOs from various B2B firms here. We hope you found this article helpful.
Any questions? Shoot! We’re here to help.