The digital revolution killed off traditional techniques. Or did it? Recent anecdotal evidence suggests that some offline marketing techniques are making a surreptitious comeback – a feeling that was backed up at a roundtable of B2B Marketing’s members. Joel Harrison reports
The demise of offline or traditional marketing channels has been much discussed in recent years – or as some might say, much exaggerated. Up to the early noughties, the main weapons in the B2B marketer’s armoury were predominantly offline.
With the exception of email, these were: direct mail, telemarketing, events and print advertising. Of course, there were other tools that were used, but these were the mainstays.
In the years since the credit crunch, however, much has changed with new channels emerging and doing so rapidly, increased pressure on ROI and changing buyer behaviour. It means much of the emphasis these days is now on digital marketing, with traditional or offline techniques left by the wayside. At least, that’s the theory – what’s it like in reality? To what extent are B2B marketers still using so-called old-school techniques and channels? And what is preventing them from wholeheartedly embracing the new model of marketing?
We sought to find the answers to these kinds of questions at a roundtable last November for our premium members, where participants were invited to freely discuss issues around how they use both traditional and digital channels.
Those attending were from a mixture of companies and sectors (finance, recruitment, technology, engineering, professional services),
with correspondingly different experiences of marketing and digital and traditional channel usage. All bar one of the attendees were still using offline marketing channels, mostly to a significant extent, although all were embracing new opportunities where relevant. But what was certainly true in terms of their marketing spend, there had been no wholesale migration to digital to date, and this seems unlikely to happen in the future. For the majority, traditional channels have retained their resonance, and their importance is actually slightly increasing in the current environment. That’s not to say that we’re going to see a profound shift away from digital, but a noticeable readjustment is taking place.
Below is a summary of some of the key points to emerge at the roundtable.
1. The audience dictates the channel
Despite the digital revolution, the fundamentals of marketing still apply, and to be effective in your communications you must use a channel that is relevant to your target audience. In many B2B sectors, the demographic of the target audience is a world away from the ‘digital natives’ – they are often technologically inept males in their 40s or 50s. Digital or social campaigns therefore have very little impact with this audience. They often simply aren’t active on social platforms, and even if they are, would be reluctant to respond. Traditional channels, e.g. direct mail would have far more resonance with this audience. Understanding the preferences or your decision makers is critical in channel selection.
2. Digital ‘noise’ is becoming overwhelming
The amount of digital activity, in various forms – including social but more particular through email – is stifling these channels. Initiatives such Google’s Priority Inbox are attempts to address this issue, but many people see these as futile – too little, too late. Ultimately you can’t fight against the tide, and many companies are using the migration to digital simply as an excuse to blast out more emails. Meanwhile, competition for attention in many traditional channels has declined dramatically – direct mail, in particular, is now a rarity. As a result, it arguably has more ‘interruption value’ now than it did 10 years ago, simply because there’s less of it these days.
3. Telemarketing is the best way to stimulate ‘action’
While digital has allowed brands to become much more effective in how they utilise the AIDA (attention, interest, desire, action) model, it isn’t necessarily the best way of driving the final ‘action’ component, which leads to making an enquiry or contact. Despite advances in technology, through things like marketing automation platforms that allow the generation and dissemination of information in a far more effective fashion, ultimately telemarketing is still often the best way of creating that engagement. So despite new technology, traditional still plays a role.
4. Traditional channels work best for ‘considered purchase’
Much B2B activity falls into the criteria of ‘considered purchase’, involving complex products or services with a high price tag. This requires approval from multiple decision makers or stakeholders, many of whom are high up in the organisation. Consequently, the buying cycle for such products and services can be long and convoluted, and each individual may require a significant amount of information to assist in decision-making. The gravity and resonance of traditional activity can be more effective in convincing these senior decision makers. While digital, by contrast, has much less impact, but may be more effective for commoditised products/services, where less consideration is required.
5. Social channels will only grow in importance
Although there’s been a lot of hype around social media, its ability to demonstrate ROI is at best questionable. This is partly due to the fact that social channels have relatively little resonance with senior decision makers within organisations. However, as time goes on, the balance will shift. Business leaders will become increasingly social savvy, and social tools and platforms will become more widely accepted and mainstream for business discussions and information sourcing. This shift may happen gradually, but it does not mean brands and marketers can ignore social – they must ensure their social communication strategies are relevant to the market – otherwise they risk being left behind as the migration takes place, and loosing out to more socially savvy brands.
6. Social or traditional, targeting is still key
Although digital marketing has opened up a host of new opportunities and communication channels, segmentation and targeting are still critical for effective marketing – just as they were in the DM era. You have to know who your audience is, where they are, what they think, and so on, in order to target them effectively. Only once you understand this, can you start thinking about channels and deciding between traditional or digital.
7. Attitudes are more important than experience
There has been lots of discussion about skills, whether digital marketing skills were as advanced as they should be, and whether traditional marketing skills and knowledge of things like DM were eroding as the marketers who were expert in these things left the profession. However, the panel believed, in terms of staffing, skills and hiring, that attitudes are more important than experience or specific skills. Individuals with the right attitude can pick up new skills and learn new techniques – be they digital or traditional. By contrast, those with the right expertise but the wrong attitude may not be the right ‘fit’ for your organisation, in both the short and long term.
8. The social media goldrush has ended
The hype and enthusiasm around social media is nothing like it was in 2008, when the uncertainty surrounding the credit crunch was turning the world upside down and causing many of us to abandon old certainties. Consequently, the free-for-all that characterised B2B brands’ attitude to social media has also changed. There was very little planning in that earlier period, mostly unfettered experimentation – and consequently activity was very hard to measure and ROI extremely difficult to determine. Fast forward to the end of 2012, however, and attitudes are very different – the pendulum has swung back the other way and marketers are increasingly thinking very carefully about what they are doing with social. They are acting far more responsibly and building business cases first before acting.
9. Content is king
Digital or traditional, content underpins everything, and must determine your whole strategy. Buyers now understand they are in control of the information flow, and can access what information they need, when they need it, in order to make purchasing decisions. While this self-service mentality strengthens the hand of digital, the growing reliance on content also plays to the strength of traditional marketing channels – hence the small but growing group of organisations that are branching out and launching their own customer magazines for both customers and prospects.
10. Some traditional channels have faired better than others
In terms of traditional channel usage and trends, telemarketing, it seems, has never gone away, while in the last two years events have significantly come back into fashion (demonstrating increased spend) and direct mail has seen a moderate return to favour. Meanwhile, print advertising remains very much in the doledrums – although this is partly because so many business or trade publications have folded since 2008.
On the panel
Taking part in this B2B Marketing roundtable were:
- Anne Byrne, marketing communications manager, SL Investments
- Gill Greenwood, EMEA marketing director, ACI Worldwide
- Lucy Howes, marketing coordinator, Fugro GeoConsulting
- Kate Kilpatrick, marketing manager, PMI Healthcare
- Jonita Macyte, marketing manager, Campbell Black
- Jane Wade, field marketing & programmes manager, Mentor Graphics
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