20 B2B Marketing Tactics to Outperform Your Competitors in 2024
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We connect businesses in the financial services industry with their ideal clients through brand storytelling.
The business-to-business (B2B) market is constantly shifting – think digitalization, market trends, and a constant influx of tech advances. These changes make it difficult for most B2B brands to stay ahead of the curve (and their competition).
So how can businesses lead the pack? It starts with keeping up with latest industry trends, embracing digital transformation, and polishing up those tech skills.
Let’s dive into the best B2B marketing tricks to beat your competition in 2024.
1. Leverage Account-Based Marketing for Personalized Engagement
Account-based marketing (ABM) focuses on identifying and nurturing high-value accounts or organizations. By creating personalized experiences for each account, ABM drives customer engagement, loyalty, and sales.
In a 2022 survey, 72% of companies agreed that ABM delivers a higher return on investment (ROI) than other B2B marketing strategies and tactics. Additionally, 77% of respondents experienced revenue growth, and 84% increased their pipeline.
The key to ABM’s success lies in personalization. Here’s how you can make it work for your business:
Identify Your Target Accounts: Focus on the high-value organizations that would benefit most from your offerings.
Tailor Your Content: Create custom content that addresses the specific needs and pain points of each account. For instance:
Engage Key Decision-Makers: Develop personalized brand experiences and actively engage with the decision-makers at your target companies.
Analyze and Improve: Use data collected from your ABM campaigns to identify what’s working and where there’s room for improvement.
By creating personalized experiences and strategically targeting high-value accounts, you can drive significant growth and stay ahead of the competition.
2. Build a Data-Driven Content Strategy
A data-driven content strategy helps you deliver your message effectively and meet your audience’s needs, leading to higher engagement, conversions, and trust. Using data to inform your content also makes your ABM campaigns more effective by allowing for personalized marketing materials.
Here’s how to get started:
Set Content Marketing Goals
Decide what you want to achieve with your content strategy. Are you aiming for brand awareness, increased sales, customer engagement, or lead generation? Ensure each piece of content aligns with these goals.
Define Your Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Assign specific KPIs to each goal to track progress. For instance, if your goal is brand awareness, monitor website traffic, unique visitors, page views, brand mentions, and social media engagement. Watch your email list growth, too.
Analyze Your Target Audience
Gather data on your ideal customers to understand their needs and preferences. Look into their age, job title, income, and technical expertise. For example, if you’re a PR agency targeting small businesses, create content for marketing managers. Use tools like LinkedIn and B2B databases to discover what content they engage with and their interests.
Review Your Competitors’ Content
Check out your competitors’ websites and social media to see their top-performing content. If a competitor’s blog post about leadership challenges got a lot of attention, you could write on a similar topic but with a unique angle or additional insights.
Measure Content Performance
Use tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console to assess how your content performs. Identify which pieces drive the most traffic and engagement. Use this data to refine your strategy, focusing on high-performing topics and repurposing popular content into formats like white papers, ebooks, or videos.
By following these steps, you can create a data-driven content strategy that effectively engages your audience and supports your marketing goals.
3. Optimize Your Website for Search Engines
Yes, we have to talk about SEO again – SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is essential for ensuring your web pages rank well in search engine results. It involves strategic practices like keyword research, link building, and content optimization to improve visibility.
We get it – SEO might sound like a bunch of complex concepts and yet another set of acronyms to remember. But trust us, you don’t want to miss out on its benefits (it’s essential for competing with your rivals). But, don’t just take our word for it: According to Sagefrog’s 2023 B2B Marketing Mix Report, 49% of B2B companies use SEO in their digital marketing strategy, and 34% consider it their primary source of leads.
Beyond improving rankings, SEO improves user experience (UX), making your site more appealing to visitors. This can boost engagement and encourage users to spend more time on your site.
Still wondering what the f*@! SEO is? Don’t worry – we’ve got a complete guide where we break it down into simple terms and provide actionable steps to get started (without making your brain explode). Check out our guide on what SEO is all about, right here.
4. Use LinkedIn for Lead Generation and Networking
LinkedIn is huge—more than 67 million companies use it to find talent, share info, and connect with others. There are over a billion users, including CEOs and industry leaders, making it a massive professional network.
Use LinkedIn to find potential customers, boost your online presence, and increase sales. According to Sagefrog’s 2023 B2B Marketing Mix Report, networking on LinkedIn is one of the top ways to find leads.
As the biggest professional network, LinkedIn can get your brand out there, helping you build trust and become an authority in your field.
Here are some easy ways to use LinkedIn for B2B marketing:
Not sure how to make the LinkedIn Algorithm work for you? Check out our full guide, “The Linkedin Algorithm Explained: How to Make it Work for You,” here.
5. Automate Your Email Marketing Efforts
According to Sagefrog, email marketing was a top lead source for 22% of companies surveyed.
Email marketing involves using emails to attract, nurture, and convert prospects into customers. It’s also great for upselling or cross-selling products and keeping your customer base engaged.
For the best results, consider using marketing automation software. Tools like Mailchimp, Campaign Monitor, and Omnisend offer built-in automation features, allowing you to send personalized emails at scale without manual effort.
6. Create Educational Webinars to Establish Thought Leadership
Hosting a webinar is like hosting a live online seminar where participants can interact, ask questions, and share information in real time.
Use webinars to educate your audience and position yourself as a thought leader. This helps to build credibility and attract potential customers.
For instance, if you’re a financial advisor, consider hosting webinars on topics such as tax planning, risk management, or enterprise insurance solutions.
7. Get Strategic with Partnerships
Building strategic partnerships means teaming up with other businesses in your industry that complement what you do. It’s a smart way to grow your business and find new opportunities.
For example, if you have a software consulting firm, partnering with a cybersecurity company could be really helpful. Together, you could host webinars about data security, write joint papers on adding security to software, or create combined service packages that blend your software expertise with their cybersecurity solutions.
This partnership not only adds more value for your clients by covering software and security needs but also lets both companies reach more people in the tech world through each other’s networks.Try
8. Video Marketing
While we know that it can be uncomfortable to get in front of the camera, video content can be incredibly effective. How? Let’s take a look.
Engagement Boost: Videos grab attention better than plain text. They’re more interesting and memorable, so they help get your message across in a way that sticks with people.
Building Trust: Seeing and hearing someone talk about their business builds trust faster than just reading about it. Videos let you show off your expertise and personality, which makes your brand feel more real and trustworthy.
Higher Conversion Rates: People are more likely to take action after watching a video. Whether it’s learning about your product, seeing customer testimonials, or watching a demo, videos can convince viewers to make a purchase or reach out to you.
Recommended by LinkedIn
SEO Benefits: Having videos on your website can also improve your search engine rankings. Search engines like Google love video content, so having videos can help your site show up higher in search results.
9. Create Interactive Content to Drive Engagement
Live videos, Q&A sessions, polls, quizzes, and other interactive content require user input. Your audience can engage by asking questions, sharing opinions, or chatting with a host in real time.
According to Semrush, “Interactive content generates 52.6% more engagement than blog posts, news articles, and other types of static content.
From this perspective, it’s one of the most effective B2B inbound marketing tactics.”
10. Use AI-Powered Chatbots to Boost Customer Experience
AI-powered chatbots can make a huge difference in how you interact with customers. They can upsell or cross-sell products, guide customers through the buying process, and capture leads effortlessly.
11. Optimize for Mobile to Reach B2B Decision-Makers
Did you know that mobile traffic made up 54.67% of all web traffic in the last quarter of 2023? Plus, Google now ranks websites based on their mobile versions first. This means having a mobile-friendly website is more important than ever.
A website that looks great on any device helps you reach more buyers and makes their experience with your brand better. It can also boost engagement and improve your search engine rankings.
Here are some easy changes to make your site mobile-friendly:
12. Share Compelling Case Studies and Testimonials
Want to build trust and convert more leads? Publish case studies, customer reviews, and testimonials on your website and social media pages. Adding photos or videos from satisfied customers can make this content even more impactful.
When high-profile customers endorse your product or service, its perceived value goes up. Their approval helps build confidence in your brand, reassuring potential clients they’re making the right choice.
In fact, 39% of companies surveyed by the Content Marketing Institute (CMI) said that case studies delivered the best results for their content marketing strategy over a 12-month period between 2020 and 2021.
13. Use Social Media Advertising for Targeted Reach
Social media advertising lets you place highly targeted ads on platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and others. Done right, it helps you reach your audience more precisely and generate quality B2B leads. Plus, it’s great for raising brand awareness, gaining visibility, and boosting website traffic.
According to the CMI, 77% of marketing teams use social advertising and promoted posts. LinkedIn was the top choice for 79% of marketers, followed by Facebook (54%), Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and YouTube.
14. Analyze Your Competitors to Gain Market Insights
Yes, you heard us right – we’re suggesting you go take a good look at your competition. Pop on over to their websites and social media to see what they are doing right and where you can improve.
Using tools like Semrush can help you understand what your competitors are doing. By using these insights, you can better understand your audience, make better content, and improve your SEO.
15. Conduct Market Research to Make Smart Decisions
Market research is all about making informed decisions – the more you know about your audience and industry, the better you can target your efforts. This means reaching more people, saving time and money, and using your resources wisely.
When doing B2B market research, you’ll need info on your competitors, potential clients, and the industry as a whole. You can get this data from both internal and external sources.
Internal Data (Stuff You Gather Yourself):
External Data (Stuff From Other Sources):
By combining data from both internal and external sources, you get a complete picture of your target market and how to best approach your marketing strategy (and outperform your competitors).
16. Create Virtual Events
Creating virtual events is a fantastic way to engage your audience. Webinars are just one option. You can also include events such as product launches, virtual workshops, and more.
Online events let you engage with potential customers in real-time, getting instant feedback about your brand. They also help educate your audience by sharing useful information in an interactive way.
17. Boost Sales with Retargeting Campaigns
Retargeting is about targeting people who already showed interest in your brand. It involves running paid ads aimed at visitors who interacted with your site but didn’t convert.
For example, imagine a B2B customer checks out your website but leaves without making a purchase. Or maybe someone signed up for your email list but hasn’t taken the next step, like scheduling a call.
Here’s how it works in action:
One of the best parts? You can target these prospects precisely based on what they did on your site before. For instance, if someone downloaded an ebook on search engine marketing (SEM), you can show them ads specifically about SEM services.
When they click on your ad, it takes them to a landing page where they can learn more and possibly make a purchase. This personalized approach can significantly boost your chances of turning interest into sales.
18. Maintain Brand Consistency Across All Channels
Imagine scrolling through different platforms and seeing the same brand, but with different messages and vibes. It’s confusing, right? That’s why it’s important to keep your brand consistent across all channels – your website, social media, ads, you name it.
Sure, each platform has its own rules and quirks, but your core message should always shine through. Consistency isn’t just about using the same logo; it’s about reinforcing what your brand stands for and building trust.
19. Create an Interactive Online Tool or Calculator
Make an interactive tool or calculator online. It can give your audience personalized insights or solutions related to your industry. For example, you could create a tool to calculate return on investment (ROI), plan budgets, or compare industry standards.
These tools attract attention and show your brand as helpful and knowledgeable. People who use them may come back to your website, boosting engagement and potential sales. Plus, these tools can be easily shared, helping more businesses find out about your brand in the B2B world.
20. Embrace Your Values: Supporting Social Causes
Today, customers look beyond products—they want brands that stand for something meaningful. That’s where values come in.
For example, companies supporting environmental initiatives or championing diversity don’t just enhance their reputation—they attract like-minded customers. According to a 2022 AMA New York survey, 72% of B2B buyers prefer companies with strong social and environmental practices.
Any Questions?
Download our Ultimate Guide to B2B Marketing for Financial Services Companies here (yes, you’ll want to check this out).
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We start every engagement with a Brand Storytelling Session where we identify your unique brand voice. Then, our team uses bi-weekly client calls, and shared content calendars to make sure you know what’s happening.
We’ll bring you fresh ideas from our kick-a** creative team from a relationship built on trust. Because that’s the beauty of digital marketing.
For those who are interested in learning more about the difference between outsourced marketing and in-house marketing, read on here.