Until now, our ‘infographic of the week’ features have focused on a particular topic. Whether that be B2B salaries, digital must dos or the evolution of IoT, we’ve selected a subject, and made it our focal point.
However, today we’re going to do something B2B marketers often struggle with. We’re going to take a step back and employ a holistic approach. We’re going to look at the whole, rather than the individual. After all, what use is a fantastic website without the right search marketing tactics? Or, what’s the point in creating compelling content if you’re not shouting about it on social?
So, get your notepad and get your pen at the ready. Here are seven steps to brilliant B2B marketing:
Step 1: Develop a B2B strategy
The foundation of any successful business is its strategy. And, according to the infographic, a staggering 51 per cent of businesses don’t have one.
Suggested tactics include clearly defining your target audience, developing a comprehensive SWOT analysis and subsequently creating a detailed strategic framework based on the results of said analysis.
According to the infographic, the most popular content marketing tactics are social media content (93 per cent), eNewsletters (80 per cent), website articles (78 per cent) and illustrations/photos (75 per cent).
Interestingly, infographics placed near the bottom of the popularity chart, although, by the very nature of this series, we’d be inclined to disagree.
Step 2: Effective websites
What use are all these content tactics without a decent website to play host to them? A company’s website is rated the number one marketing touchpoint while potential B2B buyers are deliberating over a purchase decision.
A website doesn’t just need to be regularly updated, it needs to be consistently refined to meet the demands of an ever-evolving digital landscape. Optimise your customer journeys, review lead gen devices, and use analytics software to track and fully comprehend your website metrics.
Step 3: Search marketing
You’ve created a gorgeous website. It’s crammed with engaging content, and is perfectly placed to encourage those golden conversions at every touchpoint. But, what’s the point if no-one can see it?
According to the infographic, 30 per cent of B2B marketers don’t spend any time implementing SEO, while over half dedicate no time to PPC. B2B websites need to think people first, keywords second. Who are your buyers? What problems to they have? What content on other sites are they engaging with? And how can you personally solve these problems, through compelling content, on your own site?
Step 4: Content and inbound marketing
Content is king. We’ve heard it all before, and we’ll hear it hundreds of times again. Yet, it wears the crown for a reason: almost half of B2B companies will increase content marketing spend in the next year.
Create a blogging platform on your site, target influencers and consider using a PR agency to boost brand awareness. As the infographic states: “You need to create a content marketing machine that helps your audience learn and work smarter.”
Step 5: Social media for B2B marketing
Let’s get social. Social in B2B is all about knowing your audience. Sure, setting up an account on Pinterest may sound like a cool concept, but only if it’s something your customers would be inclined to engage with. LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook are often cited as the top dogs in B2B social media marketing, so focus on mastering these platforms first.
Get your sales team on LinkedIn, highlight your creativity on Facebook, and show your company’s personal side on Twitter.
Step 6: Lead generation and eCRM
You’ve worked your socks off generating those leads, but how can you turn them into conversions? Only 27 per cent of B2B leads are sales ready when first generated, so developing an effective lead nurturing strategy is essential.
The infographic suggests prominent calls-to-action, welcome emails and profiles, optimised landing pages and effective follow-up conversations; all while listening to your customer’s needs and wants.
Step 7: Analytics and improvement
Last but not least is the overarching theme of improvement through analysis. Use analytics tools to constantly monitor the effectiveness of your campaigns, and tinker accordingly. Behind every strategy, campaign or framework, should be exhaustive data analysis.
Establish goals and funnels, but don’t be afraid to set your targets high. If you normalise those average figures, you’ll be sure to stagnate. Make the extraordinary ordinary, and you’ll find yourself constantly pushing your limits.

Infographic courtesy of Smart Insights. Want to get your infographic featured on our ‘infographic of the week’ series? Send it to [email protected].