B2B customers rely on technology throughout the buying process. LinkedIn’s new eBook, Rethink the B2B Buyer’s Journey, reveals crucial points B2B marketers need to consider:

1. Give ‘em what they want

   B2B customers want knowledge. They seek out information and expert advice or thought leadership that add value to their knowledge and help them gain an edge on their competition. Buyers are more willing to engage with marketers if they are able to identify and bring the right knowledge to the table.

2. Go tell everyone

   “Everyone” means the whole buying team. Buying decisions are made across an organisation, and this influences the key decision maker before the final say. For example, the IT department would refer to departments like Finance, Operations, and Business Development before they finalise a buy. So marketers need to develop content to build strong brand awareness that “speaks” across the board.

3. Show variety

   Product demos and data sheets are useful, but marketers can’t go on with the basics alone if they want to provide valuable education to their prospects. Creativity in their content marketing is a must. Case studies and thought leadership will present more in-depth information that can help buyers determine trends and their position in the market.

4. Good to be social

   Buyers rely on social media for information, recommendation and research – their reference point at every stage of the buying funnel. So marketers need to maximise their content for optimum engagement. For example, B2B customers are 7.2 times more connected on social media than the average LinkedIn member, and are 9.2 times likely to share content. Being always on-the-go, they are also 7.2 times more likely to view pages on mobile devices.

5. Grow the love

   Based on LinkedIn’s survey, social media has changed the way marketers nurture their relationship with customers last year. If they engaged on social media, buyer-vendor relationship grew stronger by 55%. The numbers tumbled by 34% for those less social. In other words, buyers want to feel the love. So show it, but don’t smother.

6. Build strong bonds

   In the past, the marketing team and sales team often struggle to play well together. As LinkedIn found out, both teams are now more aligned, thanks to improved sales process technology like Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software. 77% of marketers surveyed with knowledge of this technology said their relationship with the sales team has grown stronger. Sales agreed at 71%. With better knowledge and a common view of the buyer’s journey, this unified team has a clearer focus on their prospects and a higher chance of success.