10 Predictions for B2B Marketing in 2012 (Part 2)
Yesterday, I shared my first 5 predictions for the year ahead in B2B marketing. Here are another 5 that may prompt some resource and investment discussions in your office:
1. Mobile matters now, so just stop pretending it doesn’t: When I started my career in PR, my job was to get our clients into the Wall Street Journal. But, things have changed. U.S. adults now spend more time on mobile devices each day than they do with print media. What’s more, understand that mobile users are young and wealthy. Start to build a relationship with them now.
- 2012 checklist: You need a website and marketing content that works easily in mobile platforms. Use MobiReady to assess your weaknesses.
2. B2B thought leaders become “influencers:” B2B marketing has a rich tradition in strategic thought leadership, since B2B companies often use people to communicate the value of their business offering. As businesses begin to harness the value of the web, they are slowly becoming convinced of the need for digital “footprints” for their key business rainmakers.
- 2012 checklist: While you may not need your thought leader to have a Klout score, are you prepared to value their individual efficacy online? It’s probably not enough to have a robust company presence – you still need people to embody your brand promise.
3. Email is not a silo: Online marketing is a battering ram that’s knocking down pre-existing marketing silos. In 2012, 47% of businesses are planning to increase investment in email to drive growth in social media channels. How much time have you spent thinking about email and social as “partners,” not program elements?
- 2012 checklist: Adding a social share button to your email is not what I’m talking about – take it up a level with a strategy that does justice to both platforms.
4. Content Marketing forcing packaging diversity: While white papers will always find a place in most B2B marketer’s hearts, new data suggests that e-books, webinars and blogs are now a permanent part of the mix.
- 2012 checklist: Look at your editorial plans for the coming year…have you devoted some resources to experiment with new ways to excite your audience?
5. Get Inspiration: Talking conceptually is boring and unconvincing. If you need to rally the troops around new marketing or digital PR ideas, find some stories to galvanize the situation.
- 2012 checklist: Are you using competitor activity to justify your marketing investments? That may not be enough, develop an RSS inspiration feed to find a wider set of inspiring marketing programs and case studies.
What’s in your crystal ball for 2012?
Connect with Elizabeth:
Phone: 212.840.0017
Email: elizabeth@blisspr.com
Twitter: @elizabethsosnow
LinkedIn: Elizabeth Sosnow