B2B Marketing: Welcome to the “New Normal”, Post-COVID-19

Marketing B2B Le début de la Nouvelle normalité à la suite de la crise du COVID-19

B2B Marketing: Welcome to the “New Normal”, Post-COVID-19

Published: 05/05/2020
(Revised: 02/02/2023)
Reading time: 2 minutes

As some regions are planning their return to work post the COVID-19 lockdown, it is critical for B2B marketers to understand that unfortunately, we are returning to a “new normal”.

While the first phase has been to prevent the spread of the virus, the new business situation that we are finding ourselves in is mostly impacted by the following main drivers:

- Attention is still on “COVID-19” – While we see some decline, the level of attention on the topic is very high. See global COVID-19 coverage by CISION (from 138,000 online sources and 190 countries).

- Budget cuts – Companies are cutting spending in order to mitigate losses, prevent layoffs, and avoid going out of business.
- Businesses’ priorities are shifting to recovery mode – Organizations are in need of confidence in themselves and their own ability to survive, if not thrive, during times of disruption and uncertainty.
- Businesses are looking for answers – There is a lot of confusion and uncertainty with very little ability to forecast the mid- and long-term future.
- Higher buyer-seller dependency – Organizations have complex challenges that are in need of fast resolutions and many vendors have an almost ready-made solution for them.
- Stay-at-home and remote working – Potential clients are spending more time online, but this disrupts strategies and marketing tactics that are based on geolocation and IP address analysis.
- No in-person meetings or events in the foreseeable future – All meetings and events have swiftly migrated to the digital space.

“According to Darwin’s Origin of Species, it is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives.
It is the one that is most adaptable to change. ” ¹

¹ Prof. Megginson, Professor of Management and Marketing at Louisiana State University at Baton Rouge (1963)

B2B Marketing Actions in the Post-COVID-19 "new normal"

Here are a few actions that we suggest you employ:

1. Act early – Boston Consulting Group assessed the recovery of 5,000 companies across the last five downturns. An average of 14% of companies increased both their sales growth rate and EBIT margin (Earnings Before Interest and Taxes) despite the challenging circumstances, while 44% declined in both metrics. The thriving companies acted much earlier in the process than the others. Apart from essential defensive actions like cost-cutting, companies need to be proactive in conducting radical changes that will enable them to grow in the long run.
2. Revise your B2B marketing message – Adjust your positioning strategy to the new situation and under no circumstance seek to profit directly from the vulnerabilities and hardships of your customers/prospects. While we are now flooded with content about COVID-19, find the angle that addresses the genuine needs of your target audience.
3. Make marketing “clean-up” a priority – Ensure your website is ready for lead generation acquisition. Start revising your content. Improve your Search Engine Optimization, so that you can easily be found by your prospective clients. Confirm that data stored in your various marketing platforms (e.g., CRM, Marketing Automation, CMS) is of high quality.
4. Implement Agile Process – Reexamine your strategy and go-to-market plan. Aim for the long-term, while constantly altering it based on the short-term results and the new wildcard situations you are presented with.
5. Cause marketing – “We’re all in this together.” Build new vendor-client partnerships with increased transparency and trust. Focus on the problem-solving process. Build collaborative relationships from the start, reducing formalities, and enabling both sides to ask critical questions.
6. Explore new potential markets – IMF (International Monetary Fund) anticipates that the projected Canadian’s annual growth in 2020 will be decreased by 6.2%. Companies should explore non-traditional regions, for example, India and China, that are forecasted to experience slow acceleration and Southeast Asia that is supposed to remain strong. Research a new sector or industry that you previously did not cater to.
7. Analyze data for upselling and cross-selling – Gather data from the field and other analytics indicators to create a scenario-based forecast that deducts on real opportunities for demand. Start with your most trusted clients as they will be the ones who most appreciate your added offering.

What's Your MarketingReady^TM Ranking?

The COVID-19 crisis presents major challenges in the short run, but it also offers the opportunity to introduce transformed marketing and sales operations in the “new normal”, which in turn will help companies come out of the crisis stronger.

If you have specific questions, please contact us and we would be happy to assist you.

Testimonials

“Ranking our Web site high on search engines results, designing a professional Web site look and developing engaging relevant content for a heavy technology company like us resulted in a dramatic increase in client leads that we receive from our Web site.”

Simon Robin CEO, Hardent

March 17, 2020February 2, 2023

Five Simple Tips to Guide Your B2B Marketing During the COVID-19 Crisis

Five Simple Tips to Guide Your B2B Marketing During the COVID-19 Crisis

Published: 17/03/2020
(Revised: 02/02/2023)
Reading time: 2 minutes

While life is halted and most companies have decreased their operations to a minimum by sending their employees home, it seems that this period will not be a short one. Our clients ask us what we can do to ensure their survival. We suggest five simple tips during these difficult times:

1. Look for ways to help – This is not a time for selling – it is a time to join forces and help each other. It might not affect your company immediately but your employees, your community, and your clients will remember your efforts when the crisis is over.
2. Make sure you are being found – As the business community sits at home, the Internet is the dominant tool to search for information and solutions; thus, we encourage you to improve your search engine optimization. This way, customers seeking your product/services will be able to find you.
3. Stop non-essential marketing activities and refocus – Define what marketing activities still yield results and place a temporary hold on those that fall on deaf ears. Remember, much research has been conducted on business behaviour in slowdown times and it all indicates how companies that did not stop 100% of their marketing activities performed dramatically better (after the crisis) than companies that halted all of theirs.
4. Stay relevant and sensitive to your audience – If you have something to say that relates to the current situation, say it! Develop relevant and useful content that potential clients will appreciate reading that might assist them during this crisis. After all, they have tons of time to spend at home.
5. Invest moderately in your digital channels – This is the time to make sure your social channels are up-to-speed. Why not organize free webinars on important matters for your clients, conduct live broadcasts, or record brief, useful videos for distribution?

We hope to overcome this period quickly and safely. Maintain physical isolation and be well!

What's Your MarketingReady^TM Ranking?

If you have specific questions, please contact us and we would be happy to assist you.

Testimonials

Simon Robin CEO, Hardent

August 17, 2011February 2, 2023

What’s Special This Coming September?

What's Special This Coming September?

Published: 17/08/2011
(Revised: 02/02/2023)
Reading time: 2 minutes

If this September is anything like the last one, a lot of organizations are going to be ramping up their B2B marketing efforts. Last year, when the end of summer came around, the search volume for business-to-business marketing in the United States started to increase, reaching its apex near the end of September. Canada saw similar results, as demonstrated in the charts below.

The summer months, in comparison, are much more relaxed. Many people take their vacations and delay major B2B marketing projects until the fall. This means the competition is lower during the summer season. But, when September comes around, what are you going to do to stay ahead?

The Slowdown and Marketing Strategy

The economy has experienced another slowdown this summer, but does that mean it is time to halt your B2B marketing? Make no mistake, this time it will be most challenging for the companies that target federal clients. Private businesses have mostly recovered since the last economic crisis. A good indication of this is a recent report by Gartner, Quarterly IT Spending Forecast July 2011, which claims that despite the current global economic climate, IT spending forecast has been revised up from 5.6% to 7.1% quarter over quarter. That means it is unwise to cut back on B2B marketing, instead adopting an aggressive marketing strategy to get ahead.

Similarly, a report published a few years ago by BMO Financial Group investigated how Canadian businesses were affected by the global economic recession. It indicated that the most successful and least impacted organizations all had a few things in common: they were always seeking to expand into new and unknown markets, they were refocusing their customer bases and getting rid of non-core business, and they were not afraid to forego the familiar and instead embraced the risks that can ultimately lead to further success.

Take your cue and use these times to go on the offensive. Ramp up your B2B marketing, introduce new products, and invest effort into reminding your customers that you’re still there and of course your value. By taking a weaker economy head-on, not only can you plow through the tough times, but you are ideally poised for rapid growth the moment there is an upswing.

What's Your MarketingReady^TM Ranking?

This coming September, your competitors might be considering all of the above, which means you should too! Don’t fall behind, call Direct Objective to grow your customer base and expand into less familiar B2B marketing tactics or strategies.

Testimonials

Simon Robin CEO, Hardent

August 9, 2010February 2, 2023

The Summer Lull & Reassessing Your Marketing

Reassess Your Strategic Marketing Plan: Profit from the Summer Lull

Published: 09/08/2010
(Revised: 02/02/2023)
Reading time: 2 minutes

Most businesses tend to slow down in the summer months. Since everyone is on vacation, now is a key opportunity to generate or reassess your strategic marketing plan. Create an advantage for yourself by examining whether your existing marketing action plan will deliver the requested sales you need in the fall. Will you reach your goals by the end of this year?

Here are a few questions to ask yourself as you reevaluate your marketing action plan:

1. Are you targeting the right market? Are there new niche markets you could, or should, be addressing?
2. Have events in the past year impacted your business model viability? What new trends or changes in the marketplace may impact the effectiveness of your current marketing action plan?
3. Has your website effectively generated leads? Are prospects able to easily find you on search engines? If you have invested in search engine optimization, have you targeted the right keywords that drive a high level of relevant traffic?
4. Do you have any new avenues for bringing in clients? Have your past marketing lead generation activities been successful? Measuring the results of your marketing campaigns is crucial, and is an important benchmark for validating the effectiveness of your strategic marketing plan.
5. Have you invested in social media marketing? Do you know what strategy you should employ
6. What automation tools to use?

These are just a few of the questions you should be asking yourself as you begin to re-examine your marketing plan. Remember, your plan is the foundation of all of your campaigns, so it pays to use the summer to prepare for the fall—especially if you want to get ahead of the competition.

In September, people come back to work refreshed and ready to roll. With better strategic marketing plan, you’ll ensure your business comes out stronger than ever!

What's Your MarketingReady^TM Ranking?

If you want advice, consult with us to make sure you have the most effective action plan for your business.

Testimonials

Simon Robin CEO, Hardent

November 20, 2008February 2, 2023

Tips for Lead Generation in a Down Economy

Tips for Marketing Lead Generation in a Down Economy

Published: 20/11/2008
(Revised: 02/02/2023)
Reading time: 2 minutes

All businesses look to save money while still growing their client base, especially in a down economy. Here are a few tips for marketing lead generation which highlight how to achieve this goal:

Marketing Lead Generation Strategy

- Isolate a target market that is less affected by the economic downturn and single out a segment that will benefit from your solution.
- Make sure your product/service is attractive when compared to the competition.
- Target the competition’s customers. Make sure they know you are still going strong and want their business.

Marketing Materials and Online Lead Generation

- Have a website that drives strong, focused leads with a view to converting these leads into clients. Web sites are great for online lead generation and for fostering communication with customers.
- Have marketing materials that are up-to-date and accurately represent your core competencies. Ensure that these materials are consistent with your product/service positioning.

Advertising to Get Clients

- When the budget comes down to branding vs. marketing lead generation, focus on driving leads. For the most economical – and effective- marketing approach, online lead generation is the way to go.
- Commit to long-running advertising campaigns to get clients, thus allowing you to lock-in to pricing at a very low rate possible.Also look for value-added opportunities for editorial features and promotions to enhance your standing as a preferred advertiser.
- Use small advertisements, but run them more frequently.
- Check with publishers for any left-over advertising space. Get on their list for last-minute cancellations and let them know you’re interested. Be sure to have some standard advertising material which can be used at short notice.

Partnerships and Public Relations

- Seek out economical public relations exercises to keep your product name visible to prospects. Working with partners is a win-win scenario.
- Join forces with another business selling complementary products and promote one another to clients.
- Consider approaching potential partners that were previously unattainable. They may be more flexible during an economic downturn.
- Don’t limit yourself to your usual suppliers. Instead, shop around for production quotes, thereby increasing your likelihood of obtaining competitive pricing.
- Maintain marketing communication with clients. Fuel their loyalty by creating flexible and low-cost word-of-mouth opportunities.

What's Your MarketingReady^TM Ranking?

Direct Objective Consulting has over 20 years’ experience helping clients develop successful marketing lead generation strategies. Contact us today to discuss how your business can benefit from a structured marketing approach.

Testimonials

Simon Robin CEO, Hardent

November 10, 2008February 2, 2023

Recent Market Slowdown and Lead Generation

How does the Recent Market Slowdown Affect your Marketing Lead Generation?

Published: 10/11/2008
(Revised: 02/02/2023)
Reading time: 2 minutes

Marketing lead generation may be the last thing on the minds of business owners during a market slowdown as funding for lead generation services is not there. Along with customer service and quality assurance departments, marketing can be one of the first things to go from the budget. However, this is a risky move. Marketing is an investment to get clients. Without it, businesses will find themselves declining as the downturn ends and the market begins to lift again. By that time, a company’s lead generation will have fallen dangerously behind the competition, and businesses will struggle to resecure clients. Contrastingly, this means that during an economic slowdown, more competitive marketing-oriented companies can easily steal the business of other companies.

Surprisingly, history shows that maintaining, or even increasing, a marketing lead generation budget in a downturned economy can be the best investment a company ever makes to get clients. A 1982 study performed by Dr. Valerie Kijewski, in the wake of the early 80s recession, found that when firms spent aggressively on advertising and marketing during a recessionary period, they outperformed firms that cut spending by a margin close to 250%. Similarly, a McGraw-Hill study reviewed the performance of firms between 1980-1985. It found that firms that cut advertising during the recession increased sales by only 19% in the post-recession period, while firms that upped spending increased sales by 275%.

In order to prudently benefit from marketing initiatives during a downturned economy,companies must be mindful of some conditions. There need to already be marketing efforts in place prior to the recession, and a company also needs to make sure they can afford the extra marketing lead generation in order to get clients.

So what exactly should you do to stay ahead when money is tight?

First, spend time evaluating every area of your business, developing new leads to get clients, and building partnerships and customer relationships. All this is a better investment than keeping your money under the mattress when times are tough.

As far as marketing lead generation, you have a lot of options at your disposal, so choose lower-cost, more efficient marketing methods with online lead generation. Virtually every traditional marketing method has a corresponding online lead generation method:

- Direct Mail -> Email Campaign
- Telemarketing -> Online Advertising
- Yellow Page Directories -> Search Engine Optimization
- Live Conferences -> Web Seminars and White Papers
- Public Relations -> Blogs
- Printed Brochures -> Web sites

Online lead generation is faster, cheaper, and more efficient than the old methods, and thus is particularly well-suited to the dilemma of a recession.

All this research demonstrates how increasing market presence and marketing lead generation during slow periods can keep you on top when the market eventually picks up. The effect of marketing efforts during a recession can compound at a time when other companies are cutting back, thus an opportunity arises ensuring your company has a real head start in a strengthening economy.

What's Your MarketingReady^TM Ranking?

To learn more about how your company can benefit from marketing lead generation, even during tough times, contact Direct Objective today.

Testimonials

Simon Robin CEO, Hardent

B2B Marketing: Welcome to the “New Normal”, Post-COVID-19

B2B Marketing Actions in the Post-COVID-19 "new normal"

What's Your MarketingReadyTM Ranking?

Five Simple Tips to Guide Your B2B Marketing During the COVID-19 Crisis​

What's Your MarketingReadyTM Ranking?

What's Special This Coming September?

The Slowdown and Marketing Strategy

What's Your MarketingReadyTM Ranking?

Reassess Your Strategic Marketing Plan: Profit from the Summer Lull

What's Your MarketingReadyTM Ranking?

Tips for Marketing Lead Generation in a Down Economy

What's Your MarketingReadyTM Ranking?

How does the Recent Market Slowdown Affect your Marketing Lead Generation?

What's Your MarketingReadyTM Ranking?

What's Your MarketingReady^TM Ranking?

Five Simple Tips to Guide Your B2B Marketing During the COVID-19 Crisis

What's Your MarketingReady^TM Ranking?

What's Your MarketingReady^TM Ranking?

What's Your MarketingReady^TM Ranking?

What's Your MarketingReady^TM Ranking?

What's Your MarketingReady^TM Ranking?