B2B Marketing Strategies Others Can Learn

Digital Silk is a creative digital agency that is dedicated to growing the reputation of brands online. This agency identified fourteen digital marketing strategies for businesses to increase leads. Although these techniques are targeted at businesses trying to generate customers in the business-to-business (B2B) market, many of the suggested tactics are relevant to other audiences such as educational institutions, non-profits organizations and even hospital systems. For the vast majority of B2B marketers, content is the most important digital marketing method to generate customers. Digital Silk noted that companies with live blogs get 67% more leads than those who eschew this format of engaging with their potential customers. Yet, less than half of hospitals have a blog - blogs can be used to assist with public relations, promotion of hospital-related news, and for patient education. This distribution channel is not only advantageous in disseminating information but also in increasing internet traffic. Employing media-rich landing pages, or pages that have streaming video, applet programs that launch dynamic content, and/or rollover ads (a static image that will change when the user's mouse passes over it), can also generate leads in B2B marketing. Digital Silk reports that videos facilitate buying decisions for 90% of customers. An excellent example of video use in an academic center, Columbia Business School utilizes video to allow faculty to “sell” their elective offerings or research. Video is able to engage the audience, and “brand films” sell not only the product but also company values. According to Digital Silk, social media is the source of information that informs next purchases for more than half of B2B buyers. Charities and non-profits recognize the importance of social media and more than 80% use Twitter. In contrast, 94% of hospitals have a Facebook account, but less than half report using a Twitter account. Educational institutions, non-profits organizations and hospital systems must engage their audience on different social media platforms to increase outreach, especially since different user demographics have different rates of consumption for varying social media outlets. Although the aforementioned digital marketing strategies are meant for B2B businesses, many of these tactics have applicability to increase brand reach for other audiences. Other institutions such as undergraduate and graduate schools, charities and non-profits, and healthcare systems can benefit