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Marketing

Getting online strategies right from a b2b marketing angle

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When a website re-launch doesn’t go exactly the way a company had planned it, it is often the task of a B2B marketing expert to explain why. The general trend is that web design companies have done their job correctly and that the website visually looks fantastic, the problem has come from the company employing the designers, and a less than sturdy brief.

The prime reason you will find dissatisfied consumers is that their funky looking new website isn’t enticing the masses of enquiries (and thus sales) that they had in mind. When this happens most b2b marketing specialists will try to explain that the reason they have not got what they had hoped is because they failed to create a specification that tackles every angle of a re-launch.

A lot of companies who re-launch their websites will only think as far as needing more clients, employing web designers and then asking them to get on with the job. What is missing is the understanding that having an attractive looking site is only half of the battle and it will certainly not solely re-align the message that the brand is looking to give out. Planning a website is more than just good looking graphics, a company needs to employ some strategic thinking before they start with the design process What these companies really needed was some strategic thinking in order to target the right people way before they get started on the design stage.

An eye catching website is obviously a fantastic tool to have and will generate a level of interest; however, you have to make certain that when customers delve a little deeper into your site that the substance is as good as the aesthetics. Imagine buying a sandwich that looks tasty but when you taste it, it has gone off.

The trick is obvious, and really not a trick at all. When considering a website overhaul you need to consider the design but you also need to reconsider a great message behind the new graphics. Further to this, the two need to work brilliantly together. The frontage attracts the attention of the intended parties and the message makes them act or, more to the point, buy. They stay interested and interact.

The truth is, both the image and the substance are critical to success, however the point that many miss is that the message must be created first as this will impact everything (Navigation, look and feel, message, image choice, colours). If you don’t do this your chosen graphic design company are designing blindly, and probably won’t attract the clients you require. The impact that this can have on a business can be huge, with companies realising that they need to re-design to create the expected results; creating further cost and further delay which can be terminal.

The point of this article is to explain that attractive aesthetics attract but it’s the message behind the marketing that really seals the sale. So if you have a website that is not performing as you would like it to; don’t have a go at your design company – it was probably you that briefed them!

We blog about b2b design solutions spanning multiple industries. If you wish to learn more about twitter marketing then visit our web site.

Marketing

The New Social Media

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Social media is all-the-rave now, with millions of individuals signing onto sites such as Facebook and Google+ each and every day. With the ever growing market it is especially important to create a social media strategy to appeal to individuals on these sites.

1. Go with the expert

Anyone that is online has the ability to see your social media strategy and the information you place on the Internet, so it is best to go with a professional who knows exactly what they are doing. Interns may be free, but if they put someone online you don’t want up, there isn’t anything you can do about it.

2. Brace for costs

Social networks are looking to make money, just like you, so they are going to charge you to put up your adds, run your features or display your information. It generally is not going to run as much as a magazine add or television commercial, but social media marketing is almost always going to cost something.

3. You live forever online

The beauty of the Internet is that there is no such thing as being too old. Even if your company revolves around retired individuals, it doesn’t mean you don’t have a market online. There is a niche for any product anywhere, so don’t worry, there is no such thing as being too old on the World Wide Web.

4. Keep labour in house

When checking price quotes for producing social media advertising you are probably gong to find many firms overseas charge less than what you find at home. The lower price tag may sound beneficial, but you get what you pay for. The cheap labor is more likely to produce mistakes that may reflect poorly on your company.

5. Results take time

Building any kind of business, marketing platform or commercial income doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time for people to see your marketing in action. This is due to a variety of factors, such as search engines listing the content, not to mention the learning curve your company goes through while designing the marketing strategy.

6. Never rule out social media

Social media is here to stay, whether we like it or not. Because of that, you can’t skip over social media just because you think it’s no good for your company. If you sit on your hands for too long, your competition may decide to jump on the social media bandwagon, leaving you in the dust and possibly causing harm to your business.

7. Social media has unwritten rules

The Internet has rules, as does social media. Sure they aren’t written down anywhere, but eventually you are going to discover what works and what doesn’t work. Once you find something that doesn’t work, change it, otherwise the unwritten rule you find yourself breaking could ultimately destroy your social media marketing platform.

8. Don’t be afraid to take chances

As you go about using your social media strategy you are going to discover you may be able to perform the tasks better, and other tasks just turned out to be giant flops. This is natural, as you can’t learn from your mistakes if you never make them.

We blog about twitter apps thaw would allow you to build your Facebook fans and convert more of your audience into paying customers using your Facebook page. If you want to learn more about how we can help grow you business through Facebook visit our blog and find out more about it.

Marketing

B2B Marketing Strategy 101

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The acronym of FACTS clearly explains what B2B marketing specialist goes through when dealing with clients. Take a close look at the FACTS and avoid some of these pitfalls.

F is for Fear

Fear usually stems from not knowing about something and B2B is no different. On the surface it can appear as technical and complicated, which is what easily scares clients away. Or it is possible the client may have dabbled in B2B before and had a bad experience with it. Whatever their issues make it a point to sit with the client and iron out their problems.

Arrange a meeting with the client and see if you can pin point exactly what their immediate concerns are and then try to offer a solution. Clients know B2B marketing is what their business needs, they are just waiting for you to get them through their fears.

A is for Apathy

You will come across people who are not interested in having their problems solved because they think that it is too expensive or have not recognized the difference this will make in their business operations. A demonstration is a great way to get your message across, but be careful the client is just pretending to be disinterested for the sake of getting free business advice.

C is for Complexity

Clients love it when you come across with simple but effective presentations because a rookie mistake would be to flood the client with tons of information. Your aim when presenting information is to get the client to understand the benefits to them of doing the project. When you are able to gain their trust clients are usually willing to go further with your proposals.

T is for Timing

Missing an opportunity to impress your client could mean the customer will not buy into what you are selling. For this reason timing is everything and an experienced specialist will develop a sort of six-sense that will help gauge whether or not the client is ready to close.

However, this is not fool-proof as you can still mistime the situation and lose your chance at making the deal. Sometimes giving the client space to think and periodically checking-in can sway things to your side, but there are no guarantees of this.

S is for Stuff

Stuff can happen at any time and it can happen to the best of us. In order to cushion the blow of something so disastrous it is always a good idea to get things down in writing in the first place. Arrange how you will be paid and the frequency of the payments. Never accept your clients‘ word over common sense because clients will always take what they can get away with and leave you holding the bag. Once you have things in place you should be ok.

We produce b2b marketing services for a host of clients spanning multiple industries. If you wish to learn more about our experience then visit our web site.