The tech sector is one of the most competitive sectors for a B2B company to operate in. It is also one of the most profitable. In order for a B2B company to gain measurable market share in the tech sector, they need to invest heavily in marketing, preferably, in B2B technology marketing. But what is B2B technology marketing?
B2B technology marketing is a very niche area of marketing. B2B technology marketing focuses purely on pushing tech-focused products. This may be SaaS, IT services, SEO services, marketing software, etc. It is a specialist niche due to how competitive tech is, and how fast-paced marketing has become in tech.
If a company isn’t specialized in B2B technology marketing, then it may not be able to do a great job.
Let’s go into a bit more depth on what is B2B technology marketing. We want to explain how it works and why it is so important for B2B companies.
What is B2B Technology Marketing?
As mentioned, operating in the B2B market is tough. Operating in the B2B tech market is even tougher. It is much more difficult to convince a business to part with its cash than it is the average consumer. It is even more difficult in the tech world where chances are there are plenty of competing products.
So, what is B2B technology marketing? Simply put, B2B technology marketing is really just ultra-focused niche marketing. A collection of techniques that can help a business thrive in the B2B tech sector.
B2B technology marketing can involve any combination of techniques including:
- Paid advertising
- Content marketing
- Social media marketing
- Email newsletters
- Direct mail
- Search engine optimization (SEO)
It is up to the marketing company behind the B2B technology marketing campaign to determine the best strategy for promoting a business. In almost all cases, the marketing will heavily focus on educating potential customers. This is because most people making purchasing decisions for businesses are not going to buy something on a whim.
The Importance of B2B Technology Marketing
Marketing is important for any business. A business that is not actively engaging in marketing is going to struggle to grow, especially in this increasingly tech-focused world where word-of-mouth marketing doesn’t quite work as effectively as it did before.
Specialist B2B technology marketing is vital for any B2B business in the tech sector. Different techniques are required, and a lot more marketing is focused on education rather than pure product advertising. Tech companies that don’t invest in specialist B2B tech marketing are leaving a lot of money on the table.
Get Ahead of Your Competitors
The bulk of B2B tech companies are marketing. Companies that aren’t marketing aren’t going to last long in the business. No matter what niche your B2B tech company operates in, your competitors are marketing themselves. If you don’t join them, then your competitors will be sweeping up the potential clients and customers, leaving nothing on the table for you.
Businesses Educate Themselves Before Making a Purchase
A recent study by DemandGen indicated that B2B customers depend more on marketing than ever before. The economy is tough, and business buyers are much less likely to spend their cash on any old service. They want something that will deliver value to their company. The DemandGen study indicated that 61% of all B2B purchasers consume several pieces of marketing material before they make a purchase. This means they are not blind-buying. They are making genuine, well-informed purchasers.
This number is potentially higher in the tech sector, especially if a potential buyer isn’t that well-versed in the product or service. As mentioned, the bulk of B2B technology marketing will be focused on educating people. Not directly advertising a product, but subtly hinting at why that particular product or service may be beneficial to a business.
This is normally done through content marketing (e.g., blog posts, educational eBooks, videos, etc.), but customer education can also happen through social media marketing.
When a business invests in B2B technology marketing, the marketing company will be working to produce informational content. This is because informational content has been proven to draw in potential buyers.
It has been proven to convert better. Remember, with 61% of B2B purchasers reading marketing materials before purchasing a product, this is 61% of potential sales that a business could be leaving on the table if they aren’t actively marketing themselves.
The Sales Process for Tech is Lengthy
Most B2B purchasing decisions aren’t made on a whim. In most cases, there will be multiple groups involved in the decision-making. The more people involved, the longer a decision can take. Even simple purchases could take months to approve, with larger businesses often spending upwards of a year approving major tech purchases.
This makes B2B technology marketing far different from standard marketing. B2B tech marketing requires the marketing to happen over several months. It requires regular communication with potential purchasers (potentially through targeted paid ads), email marketing, information sharing, etc. All of this marketing will have to appeal to different decision-makers, all of whom will have their own ideas about what makes a good ‘purchase.’
A good B2B technology marketing company will know how to plan the marketing process to ensure that people make purchasing decisions quickly and with the ‘right’ company.
If B2B tech businesses don’t make it a goal to keep ‘reminding’ potential purchasers that their business exists, they could lose the sale by the time the decision to make the purchase is made.
Increased Leads
B2B technology marketing companies are specialists in tech marketing. As mentioned already, this is different from other forms of marketing. It involves much more education, and certain techniques to reach the right target market.
When B2B technology marketing is implemented properly, there will be an increase in the number of leads. A well-planned marketing strategy will ensure that many of these leads are ‘hot,’ i.e., they will barely need any convincing when they reach out to the sales team. They are ready to buy.
Increased leads mean more profit. Depending on the marketing techniques used, gaining these leads can be highly affordable too. For example, leads generated through content marketing are often 40-60% cheaper than leads gained through traditional marketing methods. Again, more profit.
Boost Branding
Technology marketing isn’t just about making instant sales. It is about boosting a brand. During a B2B purchase, the purchaser needs to know they are buying from a reputable company, preferably one that they can work with long term. This is especially important with tech products, since most companies really do not want to invest heavily in one system and then have to change later on.
B2B technology marketing will seek to strengthen a brand. It will show that the brand knows what it is talking about (through information sharing) and shows the brand cares about interacting with clients (social media, email marketing, etc.). It is basically about helping to ensure that the brand is the ‘go-to’ brand for a purchasing decision in the future. The marketing would have already shown that the company is reliable, after all.
Why Hiring a Specialist Firm for B2B Technology Marketing is Essential
Because B2B technology marketing is unique, it is vital that a B2B business works with a company that has experience in the tech sector. An experienced company will know how to run a marketing campaign in a fast-paced tech sector known for notoriously slow decision-making processes.
A specialized tech marketing agency will not only know what is B2B technology marketing, but also have a full array of effective tactics to assist you in capturing significant market share. They will know how to reach the right decision-makers and provide them with the information they need to make an informed decision. Work with a specialist B2B technology marketing company, and sales will increase.
Final Thoughts: What is B2B Technology Marketing
The tech sector is one of the most competitive and profitable markets to operate in. Those companies that want to succeed are going to need to invest heavily in marketing. Preferably, they should be investing in specialized B2B technology marketing services. This niche area of marketing allows organizations to focus solely on the tech-focused products they are trying to sell.
All of that said, it is important for any company considering this approach to understand the capabilities of their chosen B2B technology marketing provider. Companies can do a lot on their own, but when it comes to succeeding in such a highly competitive field, having a specialist at your side can make all the difference.
Hopefully, this blog post provided a comprehensive answer to the question, “what is B2B technology marketing?” It is essential to understand that companies selling tech products and services need to adopt a specialized marketing approach tailored specifically to their industry.