By: Shanza Anwaar
Did you know that 80% of marketing leads wind up lost, ignored or discarded?
With the numerous facets to B2B marketing, businesses can find it challenging to avoid marketing blunders that can cost them potential clients. Successful online marketing is fundamental for a B2B business and producing worthwhile content on the company’s website can be the difference between attracting future prospects or losing their business. Susan Fantle of b2bmarketingsmarts.com states that “it’s rare for her to not come across at least one of the common mistakes on the company’s Website or other marketing material.” Fantle shares her list of most common mistakes B2B marketers must avoid:
1. Sell the benefits not the product
Information created to produce leads must sell the benefits of “responding to the offer, not the product”.
2. Assuming clients know what they should do
Research has continuously shown that potential customers must be “told exactly what to do and when to do it”. If you direct them, they will come.
3. The content is lost in the graphic elements
Dark fonts on a light background are easy to read and comprehend. If you’re intent on using a light font on dark background, make sure to increase your font size so that your customer is able to easily read it.
4. Putting the ‘WE’ ahead of ‘YOU’
Company credentials must be stated after a potential the “call to action” has been made; doing the reverse has simply been proven as less effective.
5. Using difficult, complex language
The message should always be clear, concise and cohesive. Your marketing collateral must present a unified easy-to-follow call-to-action.
Want to learn how to avoid more pitfalls in B2B marketing? Here are two steps to get you started:
1) B2B Marketers must produce inviting, lucid content in order to create a successful company image for future prospects. To learn more, click here.
2) If you are a RIC client, register for Entrepreneur Workshop on the B2B Sales Process – designed to help you build the skills needed to optimize your sales strategy. Register here for this 3-day workshop to learn expert tips to maximize B2B sales.
Shanza is a Social Media Intern at Altitude Accelerator. Pursuing two undergraduate majors in anthropology and professional writing at the University of Toronto Mississauga, Shanza is also a co-editor and content writer at the Digital Enterprise Management Society. She hopes to make her mark as a Social Media Consultant.
The RIC blog is designed as a showcase for entrepreneurs and innovation. Our guest bloggers provide a wealth of information based on their personal and professional experiences. Visit Altitude Accelerator for more information on how RIC can accelerate your ideas to market.
