All advertising programmes aimed at business

audiences require answers to four important questions:

•“Who is it that I want to communicate with?”

•“What do people look for who are buying my type of product (or
service)?”

•“What message (or messages) can I use to get them interested in

my products?”

•“How can I reach these people?”

How Can I Reach My Target Audience?
b2b marketing communications tools

1. Website – A B2B website helps buyers connect with manufactures, wholesalers

and exporters and vice versa. It acts as your online shop window and is the most
likely go-to place for any prospective customer or end user wanting to investigate
your services or products. B2B buyers aren’t shoppers they’re researchers and
therefore you need to ensure that your website not only communicates the right
level of information but also appeals to your customers as well as end users – two
distinct audiences with two distinct demands. Your trade customers will require
detailed, easily accessible information on products, whilst your end users tend to
take a broader approach, being, attracted to you as a company, your
professionalism and what you have to offer. Therefore building an easy to
navigate, information rich, professional and clearly branded website to satisfy all
channels is essential. Taking into account how they use the site and on what
platform – mobile/tablet/laptop – also goes without saying.

2. Branding – Branding is said to directly affect lead generation and ultimately sales.
Get it wrong, by using the wrong messages and images and you’ll turn potential
customers away. Create, develop and use it in the right way and your brand will attract
the right people for the right reasons.
3. Social media – As of 2012, 91% of B2B marketers now use social media but its
how you use it that counts. For B2B companies, businesses should go deep, not
broad. It’s better to become a master of one or two channels than struggle in many.
Social platforms allow you to establish your expertise and credibility and also provide
a method for feedback and discussion. Social networks are more like a real-world
networking event. Think about Facebook, YouTube Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+ and
possibly Pinterest. It’s beneficial to choose one platform and one network to focus on
initially, and really n engage with your ideal customers there. As you master those
channels, you can then start to expand into other realms.

4. Technology – Treat technology and technological advances as your ally and you
could seriously improve your marketing communications. From developing product
Apps that your sales people can use as demonstration tools to mobile websites,
dealership sites, improved direct mail logistics and 3d printing, new technologies allow
you to easily and effectively target and connect with potential customers and improve
your ‘pulling power’.

5. Lead generation – Building a database from your own leads, gives you a powerful
marketing tool. Using a range of marketing techniques both online and offline to
generate and nurture leads will help to increase your potential customer base,
communicate to existing and potential customers and promote your company’s
offering. Your website, social media channels, targeted email marketing, direct mail,
exhibitions and telemarketing are all tools to aid data capture and build your customer
relationship marketing (CRM).
6. Email marketing – Used as an important CRM tool, it will help you retain as
well as gain customers. Well executed, targeted email campaigns to potential
buyers in the market or regular e-newsletters are an effective way of engaging
and staying in touch with existing and potential customers.

7. The Right Sales Team Support – Statistics show that a high percentage of
sales reps are typically not well enough prepared for initial sales meetings.
Making sure that your sales team or dealers are equipped with the most relevant
information is essential, so give them easy access to product details and tech
info through dealership sites, product apps; mobile friendly websites and up-to-
date, well branded sales literature and brochures. The right information,
accessible at the right time can make the difference between a sale and a fail.

8. Traditional marketing techniques: Print, direct mail, and telemarketing can still
be a very effective way to target prospective customers in the B2B world.
Correctly targeted and effectively produced direct mail can be more effective
than email at converting potential customers, whilst trade shows and exhibitions
offer face to face meetings, data collection possibilities, strong brand messages
and the demonstration of new products and initiatives.
 Testing Effectiveness of B2B Ad

• What are first reactions to the advertisements

• What are the “stab points” that jump out of the advertisements
• What are the advertisements saying to people in a general sense
• What is the clarity of the messages
• What are the benefits that are communicated by the advert
• How important are these benefits in the minds of respondents
• How effective are the ads in terms of being compelling (“stop-
ability”), relevance, links to the positioning of the advertiser and
clarity?
• What are the success of the advertisements in “calling the
customer to action”
• Do respondents think anything is missing from the advertisements
• How clear is it what people should do next having seen the advert
(i.e. how effective is the response mechanism and instructions).
Measures Ad 1 Ad 2 Ad 3 Ad 4 Ad 5 Ad 6
Of
Effectivenes
s
Compelling 50% 67% 54% 58% 36% 56%
(% saying it
is
compelling)

Relevance 54% 79% 65% 67% 61% 66%

(% saying it
is relevant)

Appropriate 58% 83% 23% 67% 60% 59%

(% saying
links closely
to
advertiser)

Clarity (% 37% 79% 62% 50% 51% 50%

saying it is
clear)