TRENDS IN B2B MARKETING

The Major Trends in the Business-To-Business Marketing Environment

The Major Trends in the Business-To-Business Marketing Environment

Introduction

2011 is here and that means Business-to-Business (B2B) marketers are in the concluding stages of evaluating plans and have allocated budget for the year. Each organization has unique challenges as well as goals, and what works for one organization may not for another. Therefore, there are no universal marketing solutions. However, the same key trends will impact every company, and marketers who capitalize on these trends will be better positioned to achieve their objectives. Here we discuss the B2B marketing trends and issues.

A snapshot: B2B Marketing trends

B2B barometer is the name of a research study in England, which was developed in order for present and future of B2B marketing trends to better understand. The understanding carried out by the study Circle Research with the support of ABBA (Association of Business to Business Agencies) and IDM (The Institute of Direct Marketing).

The first study was published in April 2009. In the third part will be published shortly. The currently topical and second study (February 2010) reflects the assessment of 200 B2B marketing executives from leading companies and marketing agencies. The investigation comes in the core are the following:

Confidence comes back in the B2B marketing sector

41% r B2B Marketing Manager expect no major change in the marketing budget next year and 30% expect no change

49% of B2B marketing agencies in the past 12 months achieved higher sales. In recent B2B Barometer reported only 34% of an increase and 27% complained of significantly falling sales

64% of B2B agencies reported over the past 12 months, more requests - also a strong increase. In the last survey was only 36% of agencies reported more requests

39% of B2B marketers, according to a plan for 2010, are to increase their marketing budgets.

Increase investments in B2B Social Media

B2B Marketing managers use social media usually three channels: LinkedIn (63%), Twitter (50%) and blogs (43%)

86% also assume that increase their spending on social media in the next 12 months

70% do not have any social media strategy and 79% do not measure the impact on their Reputations

60% have insufficient information, according to its own Skills for Social Media.

YouTube, videos, blogs, Twitter and Facebook have been used extensively in 2009. In 2010, the integration of social media as traditional marketing tool in the foreground.

Switch from print to online advertising is continuing

56% expect that the print advertising will fall in the next 12 months

68% expect increased spending for online advertising

Positioned for the upturn Many industries and competitors have changed over the past year and the Marketing Manager position themselves for the upturn.

Marketing ROI Stronger focus on accountability and Marketing ROI Now B2B marketing manager are more concerned about the return on marking investments, and these key figures and analysis will continue to gain in importance(Thomas, 2010).

Cheap marketing content The cost structures have changed in 2009 and also after the ...