This document provides 50 tips for powering up B2B marketing efforts. It recommends including both push and pull elements in the marketing mix. It also suggests personalizing marketing materials with names, tailoring techniques to different account types, testing marketing strategies, and tying marketing contacts to customer accounts in databases. The document emphasizes understanding customers, developing account-centric data, and focusing on what is most valuable for customers.

2. B2B Marketing Part 4: 50 tips to power up your efforts Michelle Farabaugh Executive Vice President, CognitiveDATA Al Bessin Executive Vice President, CognitiveDATA Carol Worthington-Levy Creative Director, Worthington-Levy Creative

3. What’s up for this session? We’re doing a fast and furious 50 ideas and tips Many of these will be something you can immediately implement

4. Be sure your marketing mix includes both Push and Pull elements Catalog Email Flyer Email SEO SEM SEO SEM

5. Get more mileage out of catalog with wraps Wrap can make catalog more personal, more promotional, increase its power in the mailbox. Also get double duty from already-printed book. Less expensively increase customer contact!

6. Personalize with names and PURLS Use name, PURLs and even a QR code to get people into the place on your site

7. Remember that marketing planning should be iterative Constantly challenge the status quo

8. Think Account-Centric Organize data so that all channels, campaigns, responses and contacts converge at account level

9. Don’t send out the same email over and over Develop two or three different formats to get attention in different ways Provide more added-value in emails that make them useful

10. Tell them it’s coming… then tell ‘em it arrived … by sending emails to customers so they’ll recognize the catalog when it comes in Make a special offer to just go online now and find what you need instead of even waiting for the catalog Even if they do order online now, they will still look at the catalog

11. Tailor marketing techniques to the type of account you target

12. If they can’t read it, they can’t respond Many designers don’t have enough background in what people can read! Avoid high-chroma type colors like lime green and orange! Try not to reverse type at all – it reduces comprehension to less than 10% of what they understand when it’s black on white or light backgrounds.

13. If they can’t read it, they can’t respond Your logo is the most important thing on your catalog cover

14. B-to-B direct marketing is primarily a one-to-one relationship

15. Understand where the account is in the journey Customer Value Average High Time Low Target Acquire Retain Grow First Purchase Up-Sell Dialogue Optimized Develop

16. A QR code is great wherever someone has a Smart Phone! Whether it’s on a webinar slide or an ad, it takes up almost no room!

17. Separate Branded from Competitive terms when evaluating Search results “ Stroller ”

18. Make testing part of every marketing strategy and plan Test Test A Test B Control

19. Offer test – gifts vs. discounts This free personalized post its offer outpulled the discounted offer even though it cost the client less money. Paper premiums like this cost less than some other things Don’t offer too much or they won’t be loyal

20. email: subject lines must vary

21. email: “from” must be meaningful If I don’t know you, I assume you’re spam Who the hell is…… Missed opportunity! This is from ADOBE! Yes, I know this company! And they have some cool things for me to see and do!.., leading us to…

22. email: top inch is critical for readership Top inch or so is where many customers ‘screen’ their email. Make it count.

23. Know who you’re emailing to! In this case Dell ‘rented’ my email address from the iGroup Business Email List – who clearly don’t clean their lists before they sell them -- because I only use Mac! If you MUST rent, look for affiliate relationships that make sense and use those smartly

24. Segment and score your customer and prospect files Core Near Core Tertiary

25. Consider new segmentation variables – there are lots! Number of employees SIC Annual sales Business credit score or bad debt Change in ownership date New / years in business

26. Speak directly to your market The more general your message, the less likely you will get response These two packages were specific to each market – fleet managers for businesses who used trucks

27. Don’t Hesitate To Ask—Customers Get It! 13 unique and most relevant titles presented

28. Aggressively seek to tie contacts with accounts in your database

29. “ If you can’t see this email, click here” Many viewers will have a problem seeing your email if it has images or the programming isn’t compatible with their system

30. “ The customer or prospect doesn’t give a damn about you, your company or your product. “ All that matters is ‘ What’s in it for me?’” - Bob Hacker

31. Type of Account Marketing Program Catalogs x times per year Monthly new product flyers Periodic promotions to incr. AOV Inside sales rep (if potential there) Custom website to simplify ordering One catalog per year Outside sales rep or specialist manages account Have one employee manage bid sites online – add in sales as needed Tailor marketing programs to the type of account Flow Project Bid Customer

32. Fastest to react, most confident to act Lowest advertising costs, highest return on marketing investment Ability to target the best, limit contact to the least interested Customer differentiation The company with the best data and account intelligence will win! Database marketing will get more difficult and sophisticated

33. Unifying your message makes your effort more powerful and effective This whole campaign (on the following slides) is integrated — immediately recognizable! 11/29/11

34. Unify space advertising and DM … Space ads use same strong graphics and also same strong copy platform, with words like Alluring and Class Act… 11/29/11

35. Unify space advertising, DM and Web/email Web also uses similar style of art and copy - and shares one of the promotions! This is true multi-channel campaign 11/29/11

36. Use appropriate intervals for metrics and reporting When actionable ? When a trend ? When available ?

37. Any response measurement scheme is a model – there is no perfect system Direction appears long before absolute clarity

38. B2B offers for lead generation White paper Guides and whitepapers allow you to inexpensively tap the knowledge you have already. You become an authority.

39. Include quality value added content on your site or your catalog pages Helpful tips, authorities sharing experience that will help the business be more successful

40. Build a contact matrix to maximize ROI

41. Identify key accounts and manage them actively!

42. If you’re not using mobile yet, you’re missing out B2B customers are highly responsive to phone messaging and offers Use it for ongoing relationships/special offers Work with an affiliate who has access to your prospects

43. Develop an app! B2B customers are time-impoverished and looking for convenience While it may seem like fun to develop a game app, instead, develop one that saves your customers time and effort Example: Southwest Airlines Smart Phone App makes checking in a one-hand experience (when you’re driving!)

44. Time is your enemy… …think quick wins as well as big wins! Use the 80:20 Rule and beware of Opportunity Cost Now! Future

45. When you redo your site, make it an event! An improved website – needs re-registration – another reason to contact customers Here’s a teaser email to draw them in

46. When you redo your site, make it an event! New landing page/home page that acknowledges the visitor

47. When you redo your site, make it an event! Special catalog wrap for those who don’t check their email

48. Actively manage your affiliate programs! Your Account You

49. Personalization performs better Variable Digital Printing is a great attention getter Not too expensive in short run tightly targeted mailings

50. Use telemarketing as an integral part of your contact strategy

51. Targeting a niche market Develop value added articles to help customers with their business

52. What does YOUR market prefer? Some markets, like attorneys, prefer a printed newsletter to one online. Don’t let it get too long!

53. Think “minimalist” One Page! Functional managers own the detail When developing a marketing dashboard…

54. Competitive advantage in the future will live in how effectively an organization can understand , track , engage , measure & influence consumer behavior at the individual, site and corporation level.

55. Contact Us Carol Worthington-Levy Creative Director [email_address] Al Bessin Executive Vice President, CognitiveDATA [email_address] Michelle Farabaugh Executive Vice President, CognitiveDATA [email_address]