Marketing Tools For B2B Business Owners

You’ve heard it before – marketing is important. It is important for all businesses, large and small alike. Large businesses benefit from brand recognition and credibility. In contrast, small businesses and entrepreneurs lack this advantage, as well as the funds for big marketing campaigns. However, marketing tools for B2B business owners can help level the playing field, providing cost-effective ways to reach their target audience and build credibility.

The majority of the small B2B business owners I work with often struggle with their marketing efforts. Not only because they can’t afford large lumps of money in advertising but also because they don’t know where to start. In a smaller enterprise, it is down to a few people to cover all the functions of the business. And regardless of how talented and smart they are, they can’t be excellent in every department.

With no dedicated marketing department in a small company,  somebody needs to invest the time to educate themselves about the marketing channels and tools out there because being good at marketing oftentimes means being able to survive. Today when virtually almost every company has a web page and is on social media, it is no longer about existing on Google but how you use the options that are there to communicate your value to potential clients.

Before I go into the different options that are easily accessible to small businesses and particularly suitable for B2B businesses, I will start by saying what I always say to my clients first: random efforts here and there aren’t going to take you far. You need to understand your target market first, and secondly, you need to have a marketing plan so your efforts are structured.

Define your target market

Everything starts with your client. I can’t stress enough how important it is to know who your current and past clients are and who you are targeting. You need to get that crystal clear in your mind because whatever efforts you make, whatever marketing tools you use, and wherever you seek clients, will depend on the profile of your targeted customer. Think about the clients you already have, what industries they are in, and what they do. You need to understand this to know where to find and how to approach more people like the clients you have now and had in the past.

Imagine you are a web design company and you are looking to revamp your web page. You know what the web trends are and you would like something trendy and simple, less business-like. If you look at your customers, however, you discover that 80% of them are solicitors, architects, accountants, etc. – all professionals who generally look for a strictly business appearance on their web pages. It is often subconscious but people will trust other people that they feel are somehow similar to themselves. By changing your web page to a more trendy one, while your clients are traditional in their taste, you might find that you no longer attract the type of clients you have.

You see, knowing who your customers are and what they are like means that you know their needs and requirements which in turn means that you understand what would be interesting, appealing, and valuable to them. In other words, you will know what to offer to them and how.

Put a marketing plan in place

There are various ways to go with your marketing strategy. As you can imagine, what is suitable, will very much depend on the business you are in and again – the clients you are targeting.  However, if you are an entrepreneur or a small company offering B2B services, don’t stress about the fact that you might not be in a position to spend a lot on your marketing. Many options are inexpensive or even free. What is important is that you are consistent across the tools you use and that there is a plan in place.

You have to be patient and keep it up even at busy times. First, you need to decide what tools you will use: i.e. social media (and what in particular), blogs, events, speeches, etc.  And how often you will do it: i.e. 3 times a week, once every two weeks, one networking event per month, etc. As you put together your marketing plan, be honest with yourself. Think about how much time per week you can realistically spend on your marketing. It is better to start with modest but consistent efforts rather than have periods where you are super productive and then not make any marketing efforts for months.

You might not have a lot of funds to invest in your marketing and that is ok, we live in an era full of possibilities where reaching out to clients is much easier. The problem is that clients are bombarded with too much information. This overload often leads them to ignore the messages, as they feel overwhelmed. Ultimately your success will depend on the quality of what you put out there. Is it relevant, interesting, or useful? Are you being helpful? And so on. Here are a few marketing ideas that I find particularly suitable for B2B business owners:

Social Media

This comes as no surprise, I know. But Social Media can be beneficial when it comes to reaching out to business clients. Once you’ve identified who your clients are, you can afford to spend a little bit of time every week posting articles and information relevant to them. It costs you nothing and can help you build a reputation for somebody who understands that specific group’s needs and problems. For argument’s sake, say that your target group was retail shop owners, you might post articles such as ‘5 creative ways to increase client loyalty in stores’. All you need to do is do a little research on the Internet to come up with your content.

LinkedIn is great for B2B. You can join groups that match your target market and tailor your posts to each group. You can start conversations on topics of interest and share advice, you can re-post how-to videos, infographics, etc. The same applies to Twitter which is a little bit ahead in terms of several users in Ireland.  LinkedIn, however,  is the media that is designed for and targeted at professionals.

Blogs

Blogs are popular with B2B professionals who share experiences and offer advice by posting articles on their websites. Again, always keep in mind who your target market is and think about what you can offer to these people that is valuable. There are different types of blogs, i.e. Advantages / Disadvantages blogs, How-to blogs, Tips & Reviews blogs, etc.  As an accountant targeting small businesses, you could write about specific bookkeeping software, highlighting its pros and cons. You might also offer tips on making document filing easier and more efficient. If you lack the confidence or time to write articles, professional blog writers can help. They offer affordable services to handle your blog content.

Start with the end in mind. Focus on posting articles regularly, covering topics relevant to your clients. Blogs can also be shared on Social Media.

Attend Events

I’ve talked about this before but networking is really important today and particularly suitable for B2B small business professionals. Nothing can compare to face-to-face communication where people get to know the real person behind a business. Contacts can bring you leads and prospects as people get to know you better and the services you offer. What is important to mention here is that you shouldn’t try to sell at these events, it puts people off. Have a clear presentation pitch prepared in your mind so that when people ask you about what you do, you can give them a clear and concise answer.

However, keep in mind that these events are more about listening than talking. Go with an open mind, listen to people and if you can offer advice, always do – people will never forget you if you’ve helped them. Not to mention the word-of-mouth potential that such situations present.

Choose the events you attend and the networking groups you join carefully. You may attend networking events once or twice a month. However, if you’re with the right people and in your target market, it can be beneficial.

Stay in touch

Your goal is to build a reputation as someone knowledgeable and helpful. This is achieved through efforts like writing blogs and using social media. If you can do that, business will come to you. You won’t need to spend thousands on aggressive marketing campaigns to prove your worth. Simply demonstrate it through the work you do. Word-of-mouth is a powerful tool. If your posts, blogs, and work genuinely help others, clients will follow.