123 eGuides

1 Minute Advice: B2B Marketers Struggle with Technology

From a technology perspective, marketing has become far more complex, and that's proving to be a struggle, especially for B2B marketers. Marketing tends to have more moving parts in B2B than in B2C, largely because selling to B2B prospects is a longer, more involved process. eMarketer reports that a majority of B2B marketers generally feel their use of technology systems is "advanced" in only one area: advertising networks.

This doesn't mean they don't have some competency in other areas: B2B marketers rate their usage of mobile, analytics, and testing and optimization as between advanced and "intermediate."

 The areas in which B2B marketers were most likely to report “basic” usage included content management systems, marketing automation, customer relationship management and sales optimization, according to eMarketer's report.

If you're looking to improve your B2B marketing, consider ordering a copy of B2B Marketing 123. This eGuide presents a 3-step approach for marketing to businesses that is grounded in timeless principles but recognizes and takes advantage of the more complex marketing world we live in. Purchase B2B Marketing 123 today for just $2.99 at the Amazon Kindle store or in any eBook format, including PDF, at Smashwords.com. This title is also available wherever eBooks are sold. 

1 Minute Advice: Amazon Dominates eCommerce

Whether you market your products online or through traditional retail channels, you should not ignore Amazon's dominance in eCommerce. Once known as an online bookseller, Amazon now competes in every product category imaginable.

BloomReach, a marketing applications provider, observes in its new report, "State of Amazon 2016," that the world's leading online seller is the first destination for over half (55 percent) of consumers searching for products online.

Here's an even more stunning statistic: 9 out of 10 consumers will refer to Amazon.com even if they find a product they want on another retailer's website. This phenomenon is undoubtedly driven by two factors: Amazon sells just about everything, and their product offerings are always priced very competitively.

Amazon's eCommerce dominance is influential in another area, namely its superb customer service. According to the BloomReach report, 58 percent of U.S. consumers have gone to Amazon when they have a poor experience at another onsite retailer's site.

Other interesting statistics:

• 94 percent of consumers plan to shop on Amazon this holiday season
• 50 percent of mobile shoppers use Amazon first to search for products vs. 34 percent who use search engines
• 59 percent of consumers who want to shop for a specific gift start searching on Amazon.

1 Minute Advice: Email Continues to Have Best Marketing ROI

Some marketing media are just doggedly dependable... and email is one of them. A survey of U.S. marketers conducted in June 2016 indicated that the median ROI of email was 122 percent. Social media, direct mail, and paid search came in at 28 percent, 27 percent, and 25 percent, respectively. This means that email had an ROI of more than four times other marketing media. Another survey conducted in March 2016 indicated that both agency professionals and in-house marketers lauded the ROI of email.

According to eMarketer, who reported on the survey results, there are over 240 million U.S. email users this year, and by 2020, that number is expected to grow to nearly 259 million users. The research firm believes that for email to continue to be successful, "marketers must consider how and why mobile use, increases in message volume and frequency and data-driven relevancy impact performance."

Email marketing is just one of the tactics discussed in the eGuide, Low Cost / No Cost Marketing 123: 3 Steps to Effective Marketing with Little or No Money. Small business owners are always looking for the most cost-effective way to market their product or service. In fact, many small business owners want to find a way to do effective marketing while spending little or no money. This eGuide documents a practical, proven way to do just that, combining online marketing, public relations, and community engagement – all of which have little or no cost associated with them.

Purchase Low Cost / No Cost Marketing 123 for just $2.99 at the Amazon Kindle store, in any eBook format at Smashwords, or wherever eBooks are sold. 

1 Minute Advice: Using Surveys for B2B Marketing

Lead forms are a common way for B2B marketers to capture information, but often that information is incomplete. Audra Sorman, writing for Marketo, says there is a solution: surveys.

Sorman says surveys are "the perfect complement to lead forms" and suggests four specific ways surveys can improve demand generation:

1. Find out who's ready to buy -- and who many need more cultivation. Sorman recommends a follow up that includes a link to survey with copy such as “Please take our 2-minute survey so we can help you faster, only getting in touch about stuff that matters to you.”
2. Create better nurture programs with surveys that keep warm or cool prospects engaged. Sorman says "if your nurture programs aren’t personalized, or if you feel like they could use a little boost, surveys are a great way to stay on top of the content and industry trends that are affecting your prospects."
3. Use surveys to gain insights. Writes Sorman, "Once you know what your prospects’ biggest pain points are—from their day-to-day tasks to long-term goals—you can develop the right marketing content and arm your sales team with talking points so they don’t have to go in cold."
4. Use surveys after the sale is made. A post-sale survey should ask if a customer would recommend the product or service to a colleague and could also be used to gather customer testimonials.

Read Audra Sorman's entire article here.

Please read Christine's comment on this topic also (see "Comments" below).

And consider ordering a copy of B2B Marketing 123. This eGuide presents a 3-step approach for marketing to businesses that is grounded in timeless principles but recognizes and takes advantage of the brand new marketing world we live in. Purchase B2B Marketing 123 today for just $2.99 at the Amazon Kindle store or in any eBook format, including PDF, at Smashwords.com. This title is also available wherever eBooks are sold. 

1 Minute Advice: The Importance of Transparency

It seems as if the more information is conveyed about brands and products, the more consumers want to discern the truth. That's why there's a new buzzword that has so much importance: Transparency.

Results of a recent study prove the point. The 2016 Transparency ROI Study by Label Insight indicates that 94 percent of consumers responding to the firm's survey about food products say "they are likely to be loyal to a brand that offers complete transparency." The impact on ROI takes this one step further: 73 percent say they would be willing to pay more for a product "that offers complete transparency in all attributes." And transparency can even affect the number of products purchased: 81 percent of consumers say they'd consider purchasing a brand's "entire portfolio of products" if increased transparency caused them to switch to a single one of that brand's products.

According to Label Insight's Chief Marketing Officer, Patrick Moorhead, "...this study reveals what matters most to consumers in terms of the products they use and consume... [the study] draws a clear correlation between transparency and improved consumer trust, enhanced brand loyalty, and overall long term value in repeat purchase..."

This study is in keeping with other research that suggests consumers increasingly favor brands, products and people (like politicians) who are authentic, honest, and transparent.