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Why personalisation is critical for B2B marketing

B2B marketing targeted services

Why personalisation is critical for B2B marketing

One of the mistakes that are often made when it comes to B2B marketing is making it too formal and assuming that the target audience is always roughly the same. While B2C marketing is often highly personalised, the same can’t always be said for B2B marketing. But it’s important to recognise that the B2B market isn’t one single audience where everyone is the same. There are still individual people at all levels behind businesses and understanding them is essential to any successful B2B campaign. Getting to know your audience is the vital first step that you should take before driving your outbound direct marketing.

72% of buyers expect B2B companies to make an effort to personalise their communications, according to a report from Salesforce. The evidence also shows that the majority of consumers (69%) are willing to provide their personal information to banks to receive a tailored experience. Business representatives are no different in this regard. After all, they are people too, and they are often in the role of consumer. It’s a mistake to think that consumers make emotional decisions but B2B customers only approach buying decisions with logic and facts.

However, B2B buyers will have different expectations compared to consumers and will often for part of a buying team or group.. They will want to see practical suggestions and examples so that they can assess an offering appropriately. Whereas consumers want to know how a product will benefit them personally, decision-makers in businesses need to understand how it’s going to benefit the company and potentially help them too. They may need to explain to peers or people in more senior positions, who have the real decision-making power, how your product or service is helpful and justify it as part of their budget.

It’s also important to keep in mind that there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Every business is different and the people representing that business are all different too. Personalised marketing in the B2B sector requires you to consider the individuals who are receiving your messaging. Their role in the business, their seniority, the department that they work in, how they like to receive information and other factors can all contribute to how they will respond to your marketing.

73% of B2B executives think that customer expectations for personalised experiences are higher than ever. An overall approach that doesn’t change with your target audience is no longer effective if you want to reach people. You need to know who you’re talking to and tailor your messages to meet their needs. Is your messaging aimed at a key decision-maker who has the power to say yes or no? Are you talking to the Finance Director, the CTO, or perhaps the CEO? What are the buttons you need to press to get them to pay attention to what you have to offer?

Personalisation isn’t just for B2C marketing. It’s just as critical for B2B marketing if you want to reach the right people, with the right message, in the right ways to get the right result.