Search on Google for “B2B Marketing Trends for 2023”, and just about every article you find will focus on some aspect of machine learning and artificial intelligence as well as a host of B2B companies, influencer marketing, and content marketing players. From chatbots and virtual assistants to virtual reality, technology is allowing companies and modern marketing agencies to engage with customers in ways that wouldn’t have seemed possible a decade ago.
But these same lists will tell you that the human touch remains a critical element of any successful sales or marketing campaign.
VSA knows the value of employing the “latest and greatest” tools and technologies and is always looking for new ways to better serve our clients. But we also understand that without genuine human connection, the most innovative gadgets in the world won’t help you achieve your sales goals with any marketing initiatives.
The current economic challenges make it even more crucial to build and retain customer relationships and prioritize buyers’ needs. According to Ross Graber, principal analyst at Forrester, “Winning B2B organizations will be those that rethink their relationships with buyers and customers and reestablish how they support the creation of value across all stages of the customer lifecycle.”
As your company and marketing teams prepare for the year ahead, here are five B2B marketing trends that experts predict will play out in 2023, and ways that VSA as subject matter experts can help you capitalize on them:
1. Prioritizing customer health
According to Forrester’s 2023 B2B marketing and sales prediction report, three times as many CMOs will focus on customer health this year, emphasizing content designed for retention, cross-selling, and upselling. That means having the resources and bandwidth to engage with current customers, without sacrificing opportunities for new business or B2B clients.
VSA’s lead generation services and multichannel outreach can help fill that gap. We have developed multiple campaigns over the years focused on reaching out to our client’s existing and lapsed customers, including several current programs. From gathering valuable marketing information to spreading awareness of new products or services to promoting live and virtual events, there are a number of ways we can help you sustain or enhance customer health and increase your revenue stream.
2. Preserving the human touch
Just because your tech stack allows you to eliminate certain human-to-human interactions, it doesn’t mean it’s a wise business strategy. The proliferation of bots and specific applications of digital marketing efforts might allow for more immediate contact with your prospective and current customers, but it’s often seen as an insincere and disingenuous form of communication.
According to statistics shared on Martech.com, 75% of consumers still prefer to interact with a real person, even as technology for automated solutions improves. And 51% of consumers are frustrated with automated phone menus and the inability to speak with customer service representatives.
VSA launched a full-time inbound division in 2022 that allows us to provide live 24/7 customer service support for any client that requires it. Our programs are strategically designed to minimize wait times for customers.
Whether you’re looking for inbound call center services, outbound, or a combination of both, human-to-human telephone communication will remain an effective marketing strategy in 2023. Outsourcing to a company that specializes in such communication can help you provide an elevated customer experience.
3. Emphasizing data privacy and security
With cyberattacks at an all-time high, consumers are more conscious than ever about the vulnerability of their data. Companies, meanwhile, are facing increasingly strict compliance regulations to ensure that their customers’ data is protected. Many of these companies have been forced to develop new systems that allow their customers to feel confident sharing personal information.
Companies that don’t abide by these guidelines, either knowingly or unknowingly, will struggle to keep up with their competitors in the years ahead.
VSA has remained extremely vigilant about understanding the latest privacy laws and doing whatever is necessary to stay compliant—a commitment that has rapidly separated us from many of our competitors. Within the last few years, we have become compliant with multiple industry and geographic regulations. This ensures privacy issues are rarely an impediment to our lead-generation efforts on your behalf.
4. Navigating the remote sales landscape
When the COVID-19 pandemic forced salespeople off the road in 2020, many sales and marketing executives probably assumed the situation would be only temporary. But a McKinsey survey later that year revealed that only 20% of B2B buyers would prefer returning to a traditional sales model.
Two years later, it’s clear we’re never going back to the way things were before the pandemic. According to McKinsey, “hybrid selling is expected to be the most dominant sales strategy by 2024 due to shifts in customer preferences and remote-first engagement.”
The advantage of a digital sales strategy is you can suddenly target a much larger pool of potential customers. The disadvantage is so can your competitors. It’s crucial to make sure you’re targeting the right prospects and delivering the right message to the right decision-makers. Partnering with an experienced lead generation and appointment-setting firm like VSA, with multiple list-building resources at our disposal, can help your company stand out amidst the crowded remote sales landscape.
5. Keeping the message conversational
No B2B buyer wants to read long, essay-like emails or sit through an obvious sales pitch on the phone. Prospects need to have a reason to trust you before they’ll even consider learning about your offering. According to a 2021 Edelman Trust Barometer Special Report, 88% of consumers reported they needed to trust a brand before purchasing.
One of the best ways to build that trust is by talking to people, not at them. A recent LinkedIn post from Illinois-based digital marketing company Amaze Intelligence puts it best: “Personalization and meaningful conversations are the future of B2B sales.”
VSA has been having these types of conversations on our clients’ behalf for more than 21 years. As B2B marketers, we understand the importance of developing and delivering an authentic message that resonates with the decision-makers we’re communicating with. Our Business Development Representatives are adept at sounding like real people on the telephone, not robots monotonously reciting lines from a script. It’s more important than ever to ensure this style of messaging does not fall short of what customers want in a natural, organic conversation that leads to higher conversion rates overall throughout a campaign.
Conclusion
As B2B sales and marketing leaders prepare for the challenges that lie ahead in 2023, it’s crucial to keep up with the latest trends—whether it involves SEO, a social media platform like TikTok, or other marketing channels. Outsourcing your lead generation needs to a company with the experience and expertise to support your sales and marketing efforts can go a long way toward helping you grow your business and stay ahead of the competition.
VSA has seen plenty of changes over the last two-plus decades, so we know how to adapt to the times and are keenly aware of current B2B marketing trends and predictions. If you’re looking for a partner to help you fill your sales pipeline and increase your revenue, give us a call. We’re always excited to discover new ways to help our clients grow and at the same time provide a stellar user experience and strong ROI for their specific campaign budget.