Industry Spotlight
Channel marketing: standing out in an overcrowded digital space
There is no getting away from it Covid-19 dramatically changed the IT-channel landscape. And while, in the short term, many reaped the benefits of the rush for digital, channel marketers now need to shift their approach for a changed audience. Zoe Bevis, Client Services Director at Revere, explores how the market has transformed and why the channel’s approach to B2B marketing is evolving with it.
W
e all know the impact Covid-19 has had on our lives, both during and post pandemic, but what impact has
it had on channel sales and marketing? When the global pandemic hit, it fast-
tracked digital transformation. Digital consumption skyrocketed, not just in our business lives but our personal lives too. In the rush to digital, IT channels really benefitted as buyers scrabbled to kit up their workforces with the technology to live and work remotely. Marketing strategies were very much focused on short-term sales and companies opted for quick, tactile wins. However, what we’re seeing now is a shiſt the other way.
Marketing to and through the channel has become saturated with brands – both B2B and B2C – squeezed into the same digital space. While the lines between B2C and B2B were already blurring before the pandemic, the accelerated adoption of digital and the merging of consumers’ home and work lives has quickly aligned the two markets. In this crowded space, B2B marketers are thinking differently about their marketing strategies to stand out from the noise. Teir audience and market have changed, and they are moving with them.
The channel audience post-pandemic and the affect on B2B strategies B2B buyers are much more intuitive now. Tey’ve been bombarded by the same messages via the same channels for so long, that they’re immune to many of the traditional B2B marketing approaches. Many people I talk to mention they’re fatigued by them. As a result, they’re highly perceptive towards brand authenticity. Tey’re no longer won over by the same, predictable B2B marketing churn and best-price offerings, instead they’re looking for next-best experiences. Even their buying journey is more complex, involving multiple
stakeholders that each have their own opinion and influence over the purchasing process. B2B brands need to cut through with marketing that connects with their customers on an emotional level and delivers genuine
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meaning. Channel marketing needs to become more emotionally intelligent. Tere’s a great quote from American memoirist, Maya Angelou, which I think neatly sums up what resonates with today’s audience, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you make them feel.”
How can B2B marketers shake-up their marketing strategies? Te rules of engagement with B2B customers have changed. Tis presents a real opportunity to shake-off legacy ways of working and reset
marketing strategies to reflect today’s market. For brands to stand out they need to create meaningful marketing for today’s buyers. Doing this starts with data and research. Brands need to take
the time to really know their audience. You might discover the assumptions you previously made were way off the mark. Build a detailed picture of them and the sphere of influencers that sit around them. Once you’ve got this depth of knowledge you can start to see the world through their filter and understand their challenges – what’s really keeping them awake at night? Channel sales were once all about the funnel. Now you need to
look beyond it. Leads are irrelevant if you’re not reaching the right people. B2B marketing is no longer a numbers game and brands need to really join their audience on the buying journey. Tis is where having an in-depth understanding of them really helps. Focus on applying human-centred value to develop long-term
relationships rather than sporadic interactions. Tis may mean trying new marketing channels and stepping out of your brand’s comfort zone, but to get noticed you need to be bold. You want to motivate your audience to take notice rather than trying to sell to them. And when they do, surprise them with experiences that keep them engaged. When it comes to being heard and seen in a crowded digital
space, human intelligence needs to be the new B2B subconscious. Emotional marketing is key to finding common ground with the audience, in turn making brands memorable in a complex and noisy market.
December/January 2023 | 41
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