Five Ways To Improve Your B2B Marketing Strategy

By Jim Hollis 

Reaching distributors can sometimes feel overwhelming, and we understand that. We understand that it sometimes feels like screaming into a void, hoping the perfect distributor finds you, but ASI can add a little light to the void and your business. As an established B2B supplier in the promo products industry, you must capitalize on every possible opportunity to reach distributors, especially those who are in your product niche or vertical. We’ve gathered our top five tips for improving your marketing strategy and utilizing the tools ASI provides.

1. Research Your Audience –

   “Work based on what you know,” is a great way to think when you’re first starting your marketing strategy or first starting a marketing strategy revamp/update. Luckily, we no longer live in an age where Google is nonexistent. Researching your audience is like most things in life: What you put in is what you get out. On a free and broad scale, looking into known distributors’ shopping patterns, seeing who they tag and interact with most on social media, and what comes up in “Google suggested” when you Google their names can tell you a lot about your audience and their patterns. It can key you into their interests, who or what others associate them with and how often they may need your services. On a more detailed level, investing in focus groups, surveys and third-party experts can provide honest and more precise information. Surveys and focus groups not only provide your business testimonials, but they also provide an open-ended way for customers to provide feedback to see what your audience may feel they are missing out on.

2. Optimize Your Website for Lead Generation –

   Your website is the power center for sales. Distributors not only want to find out who you are as a supplier but what you can offer them that may just blow the socks off their clients based on your product quality, uniqueness or timeliness. Having an optimized website means investing in the time and energy it takes to make your website SEO forward. Similar to an unboxing or packaging experience, a website experience can be the make-it-or-break-it point for distributors on the hunt. Don’t lose out on sales just because of your website experience. Another great utilization of your website is to implement lead capture forms in exchange for contact information. Offer e-books, webinars, exclusive podcast episodes and whatever else you think will give potential business partners a better idea of who they’re going to be working with.

3. Leverage Social Media –

   Social media is for everyone. It is a common misconception that social media platforms are just for B2C brands or that they are only effective for B2C, but they can also be a powerful tool for your B2B marketing. Be sure to establish a presence on as many social media platforms as you want such as LinkedIn, X (Twitter), Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Be sure to pick the platforms that best align with your brand and your audience. Even if you are extremely active on X, that won’t matter if most of your audience is active on Facebook. Another thought to keep in mind while you’re building your accounts on these platforms is to make content that is authentic to your brand. Consumers are tech and social media savvy these days, so they can tell when content is just for show or doesn’t line up with a brand’s personal experience. Once you have done these things, it’s time to share your industry insights, company updates and valuable content. Social media is supposed to be fun, so provide some behind-the-scenes content or personable content that creates an experience they are not getting through your website, events or other marketing branches. Be sure to engage with your audience by participating in discussions and networking in the industry.|

   Another major social media thought is to create high-quality content that provides value to your audience. While keeping it authentic, create content that is fun to watch and properly edited. If you’re using a phone camera, make sure the settings are set to the right frame and adjustments for the platforms to which you’re posting to ensure that all the content your company produces is of high quality on social media.

4. Invest in Email Marketing –

   Emails are still one of the easiest and most efficient ways to get your brand in front of a distributor’s face. When thinking about your marketing strategy, look to develop targeted email campaigns tailored to different stages of the buyer’s journey. Whether it’s “your shopping cart is waiting,” “here’s an exclusive first-time buyer code” or even a weekly newsletter, the options are endless. Make sure you understand where the audience is in their purchasing journey and think about what information they might be needing to hear or see to finally seal the deal. Provide valuable content, personalized recommendations, and exclusive offers to nurture leads and move them toward conversion.

5. Measure and Optimize Your Efforts –

   Now that you’ve done all the work, it’s important to understand the results. We recommend continuously monitoring the performance of your B2B marketing campaigns and using data-driven insights to refine your strategy. The data can tell you a lot. For example, click-through rates (CTR) on emails can tell you if someone thought your email was worth their time. Engagement on a social media post can show you what kind of content your audience is looking for. Lastly, e-book downloads can give you a broader idea of interest in your brand. Track key metrics such as website traffic, lead generation, conversion rates and ROI to get a fuller picture of how your strategy has performed. Once you collect the numbers, be sure to identify what’s working well and what needs improvement and adjust your approach accordingly.

By following these five tips, you can elevate your B2B marketing game and drive success for your business in today’s competitive marketplace.

Want to learn more tips to fuel your growth? Check out our e-book, Strategies for Growing Your Promotional Products Business.