Six B2B Marketing Myths Debunked
7/31/2018
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With so many marketing options available, it’s hard to know what is most effective for small and medium-sized businesses. This is especially true for B2B marketers, 58 percent of whom, in a research study, indicated that generating high-quality leads is their top issue. At American Speedy Printing, we focus on helping B2B brands and nonprofits grow through targeted, multi-platform marketing efforts, because we’ve heard the marketing myths and can debunk them.
It’s too hard to build an email list from scratch
The secret to building – and maintaining – an email list for a marketing campaign is simple: be diligent. Take inventory of the email addresses you already have and organize them in a simple spreadsheet. To grow your list, try something creative, like offering a giveaway where you can engage with customers and prospects in exchange for their name and email address. Kissmetrics estimates that offering a giveaway could increase email subscribers by up to 11 percent. Remember to keep your list updated so you can easily reach your target audience.
My business is too small to need social media
Social media is critical for reaching customers and potential customers for businesses of all sizes – not only those that can afford extensive online ad campaigns. A study by Social Media Examiner showed that Facebook is still king when it comes to social media marketing for small businesses. More than 60 percent use Facebook for marketing purposes. The same study showed that LinkedIn is also popular for B2B companies, with 41 percent of small businesses using the channel for marketing to their audience.
The more content, the better
Though it feels like the general advice about content marketing is “create as much content as possible,” the truth is that it’s better to have targeted, relevant content than simply more of it. The Content Marketing Institute shared that though the majority (88 percent) of B2B marketers use content marketing as a strategy, the median time people spend on an article is 37 seconds. That means your 3,000-word article is skimmed for a few seconds and then dismissed. So what’s the solution? Speak concisely. It’s worth the time and resources it takes to produce quality content.
Direct mail is ineffective
Yes, we’re all carrying around tiny computers in our pockets and yes, the move to digital is all-encompassing, but print is still powerful. The Content Marketing Institute found that audiences are more engaged than ever thanks to many brands’ integrated approach to information sharing. Research has shown that brands are cutting through digital clutter with dynamic, personalized print material. This means an integrated approach including direct mail and online tools, information and response mechanisms, such as personalized URLs, are more important than ever.
Digital marketing is extremely complicated and difficult to learn
Digital marketing can help you amp up your organization’s digital footprint and draw in new business. Digital marketing can include content creation, email marketing, SEO and social media. The key, according to the Content Marketing Institute, is cohesive and current messaging across all platforms.
Promotional products are expensive and people throw them away
This is definitely false. A recent study by the Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI) showed that U.S. and Canadian customers currently own – and hold on to – an overwhelming number of promotional items, from corporate gifts to general business promotional items. The numbers are significant – 58 percent of consumers across all age ranges own and retain promotional shirts, 50 percent have promotional bags and another 50 percent own promotional outerwear. There’s great value in offering quality promotional products to customers and prospects.
Need assistance with brainstorming and implementing email, social media, content creation, digital, print marketing and promotional product marketing options? Let us know, American Speedy Printing can help.
Joe is passionate about helping SMBs. He’s spent the last 30+ years building the American Speedy Printing Marketing • Print • Mail brand – and sharing best practices and marketing trends with his customers. Through research, in-person visits and this blog, he hopes to engage with and empower local business owners and marketing professionals.
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