In general, the goals of B2B and B2C marketing campaigns are the same — both seek to identify and reach potential clients and convert them into customers. Many B2B marketing automation processes will parallel the processes in a B2C campaign.
B2B marketing automation is the use of software and technology to streamline, automate, and measure marketing tasks and workflows, aiming to increase operational efficiency and drive revenue growth. Beyond these generalities, however, there are significant differences.
We’ll explore how B2B marketing differs from B2C and the automation processes most frequently used in B2B marketing campaigns.
B2B vs B2C marketing: What’s the difference?
The biggest difference between B2B and B2C marketing is the customer journey. While B2C interactions can often be closed on the first contact with the customer, the B2B conversion process typically requires multiple contacts and steps.
That’s the essential difference between a business and an individual customer. B2B marketing takes more “touches” because a business has many factors to consider:
- How well does the product or service align with current business needs?
- Will the product or service integrate with existing business processes, and if not, how will those need to change?
- Does the product or service align with the future needs of the business identified in strategic planning?
- What impact will the product or service have on profitability and the bottom line?
Individual customers, on the other hand, answer to no one but themselves. Their decision comes down to whether the product or service meets their needs, is something they can afford, and whether they like it better than the other available options.
As a result, the individual customer can make a snap decision and is much more likely to purchase after a single contact, provided that the product or service fits their criteria.
Because the B2B customer has a wider range of considerations to take into account, they will likely require more — and more personalized — contacts to convert. Before they become a customer, they will most likely become a lead — a promising potential customer.
This journey from searcher to lead to customer has implications for marketing automation.
The goal of B2B marketing automation: Generating leads
The primary goal of B2B marketing is to identify potential customers and convert them to leads, so you can determine the type of personalized attention and information the customer needs to make a decision.
You can use marketing automation processes to make the first contact with potential leads via email or targeted online ads linked to landing pages. Include a contact form on the landing page so that once a potential customer reaches the page, they can enter their contact information. This allows businesses to follow up with additional information or respond to questions.
The contact form is the first step in lead nurturing automation. After a customer becomes a lead by providing their contact information, you can use lead nurturing automation to keep the customer moving through the sales funnel.
For example, if the customer has responded to an offer for a free guide, the marketing system might send a follow-up email, thanking them for requesting the guide and offering links to further information. The system might send another email a week later, offering a free demo or consultation.
This way, lead nurturing automation helps to move the customer further down the sales funnel and makes sure that no leads fall through the cracks.
Lead scoring marketing automation
As the lead moves down the funnel, lead scoring marketing automation comes into play.
Most marketing automation platforms have a built-in lead scoring function, so that every time a lead takes a certain action, they’re assigned a certain number of points. The marketing team establishes a point value that indicates when a lead becomes a prospect. Once the lead reaches this target, marketing sends the lead to the sales team for follow-up.
Lead scoring marketing automation is most helpful for businesses that generate a lot of leads. Automation helps you keep up with the large volume of leads and identify the most promising ones to refer to the sales team for conversion.
Customer onboarding automation
After a lead has been converted to a customer, marketing automation can assist in the customer onboarding process.
For example, you can set up the system to send an email with information resources that will be helpful to new customers. The system can send follow-ups to track customer satisfaction — through surveys — provide additional information or provide news about special offers or new products.
If the marketing automation system is integrated with the CRM system, you can program it to send emails on anniversaries or other occasions pertinent to the customer or the product or service they purchased.
Referral automation
After a lead is converted to a satisfied customer, the referral process can be automated as well. An email to the customer can offer special savings or free products or services for every successful referral.
Referral requests don’t need to be one-off affairs. Annual, biannual, or quarterly emails soliciting referrals can include different offers. Each referral solicitation can include a contact form to collect information for follow-up.
B2B marketing automation can automate much of the process from lead generation to generating referrals, leaving the marketing team free to focus on higher-level activities.
Photo by Kindel Media
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