Don't Ignore B2B Marketing Triggers

I have never been one to suffer from allergies, and to be honest I always thought people were being unnecessarily dramatic when they would complain about how bad they are. Well, karma decided to come around and bless me with a wonderful cough this spring. Seriously, it’s horrible. Just ask Kelly Pires and Sarah Young who have to listen to it all day, every day in the Hen House.

The only good thing that’s come along with this illness is my idea for this blog post. It struck me last night, as I was convulsing from yet another coughing fit, that a lot of B2B companies are just as miserable as me. OK, that was pretty ambiguous – let me explain.

My allergies didn’t suddenly pop up out of nowhere; there was something that triggered them. Your company’s B2B marketing issues have been brewing up for awhile, but you were probably too distracted with other responsibilities to recognize the warning signs. Chances are, when these issues do decide to surface, they will not disappear on their own. It’s important to find a proper marketing solution that will work for your company.

I have tried all sorts of medicine; everything from DayQuil to Claritin to Delsym to Mucinex. I received recommendations from a lot of people, and a lot of these medicines masked the symptoms for awhile, but didn’t cure the root of the cause. After all of them failed over time, it took a doctor to tell me what would make this issue go away for good.

Many companies spend a lot of money and resources on various marketing methods they think they can tackle themselves, and although there may be some results in the beginning, the campaign usually doesn’t have the structure for longevity. Your first step is to turn to a professional. The B2B marketing professional you decide to turn to, either in-house or outsourced, should specialize in diagnosing your problem, and finding the best solution for your company based on your specific, measurable goals.

I’ve woken up several mornings feeling great, but I know it’s imperative to finish out my prescription to make sure the results last. When you start seeing the results roll in from your company’s B2B marketing campaign, it is not the time to kick back and relax; this is the most exciting part! Sure the numbers look good, but could they be better? What could be improved? Is your target audience reacting in the right manner? Will this campaign be relevant in a year? Five years? It’s important to continuously measure your marketing efforts to make sure they are still performing at the level you desire.  

As time goes on, my prescription will likely change – maybe a higher dose, maybe a completely different medicine. Your marketing solution will also have to be tweaked over time. All marketing efforts should constantly be monitored to make sure they are as efficient as possible.

I’d love to hear about some of your successful B2B marketing campaigns and how you continuously measure the results. Please share!

Elizabeth Baker is an account coordinator for MLT Creative, an Atlanta advertising agency which specializes in B2B marketing.

                   

 

 

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