The business landscape of 2018 has changed immensely from the previous year – perhaps more quickly and definitively than any year over year measurement before it. However, there are still many marketing tactics that work in any market, regardless of the technology spurring disruptive change. Here are some of the older B2B techniques that continue to work to this day – techniques that you will probably be able to count on for many years to come.
Inside Sales Rep Magic
Twenty years ago, the inside sales rep was the person working phone magic day in and day out. Today, as communication portals have been invented and streamlined, the inside sales rep gig has expanded – but the essentials of the position remain the same.
Today, the rep you love knows how to conduct robust email correspondence, administrate multiple campaigns through automated platforms, and analyze data just as easily as he collects it through your company CRM. Follow up is now a simple process as well, with much less human error involved. If you have a choice, always invest in a great inside sales rep (or team) as a core of your marketing strategy.
Trade Shows
Despite all of the new technology making it easier to communicate with people remotely across seas, there is nothing better for a long-term business relationship than face-to-face correspondence. Trade shows allow representatives to see your products and your brand up close. They can ask questions in real time and receive answers just as quickly, which tends to impress buyers much more than even the most robust communications across the digital landscape.
So basically, before you begin investing in the latest, greatest technology to speak to someone across the world, get involved locally with events and trade shows in your area.
Personalization
This is a technique that crosses over technological boundaries. Any method of communication you use will instantly become more effective if you find a way to personalize the correspondence. Even automated systems come with the ability to add personal touches to form letters that are sent out in the thousands of prospects.
In every new technology that you consider, make sure that you are creating a one-on-one relationship with the recipient. If you do this, regardless of the technique, you will have the chance to build a long-term relationship that your prospects will remember.
There is definitely something to be said for having a vision in your marketing strategy. However, there is also something to be said for learning techniques that work through time and space. The strategies above are a short list of the most effective B2B marketing moves, but only you can determine how best to utilize them for your company.
