In this episode, I’m joined by marketing consultants Emma Davies and Ruta Sudmantaite to discuss the current state of B2B marketing. With their wealth of experience and unique perspectives, they delve into the challenges facing B2B marketers today and offer practical advice for thriving in a rapidly evolving landscape.
Key Takeaways:
Economic Impact on B2B Marketing: The current economic climate has led to budget cuts and increased caution in spending, particularly affecting B2B SaaS companies. Marketers are being pressured to deliver the same ROI with fewer resources, leading to a more competitive landscape.
The Rise of Self-Service and Changing Buyer Experiences: Successful B2B companies are optimizing their buyer experiences to match what customers want, not what salespeople prefer. This includes simplifying processes and offering self-service options where appropriate.
The Importance of Social Media in B2B: Some forward-thinking businesses, like Lavendar.ai, have ripped up the ‘boring’ B2B social media rule book and leaned into using creators and influencers to drive their business forward. This speaks to the growing trend in B2C of the ‘professionalisation’ of creators.
Aligning Sales and Marketing: Emma and Ruta highlight the ongoing challenge of aligning sales and marketing teams. They suggest fostering better communication, setting shared goals, and creating a unified revenue team to overcome these obstacles.
Data-Driven Decision-Making: To gain credibility within organisations, marketers need to focus on data and reporting. Understanding financial metrics and how marketing activities tie back to business outcomes is crucial for gaining support from leadership.
Ready to dive deeper into these insights and more? Listen to the full episode of Social 3.0 featuring Emma Davies and Ruta for an in-depth discussion on navigating the complexities of B2B marketing in today's landscape.
The State of B2B Marketing