If you’re in the B2B marketing industry, you may be wondering what innovations and trends are likely to occur in 2019. We’ve put together a list of the trends that we think will be the most significant in the New Year.
1. An Account-Based Marketing & Sales Approach
Account-based marketing (ABM) has been a hot topic in the industry for several years and really picked up steam in 2018. ABM allows for closer collaboration between both sales and marketing personnel who work on the same account, which can be very valuable when landing large clients. Enhanced personalization, collaboration, and alignment between sales and marketing allows for a much more effective business development process.
2. Dominance of Video Marketing
Video marketing will likely continue to become a major part of B2B sales. Around 82% of all internet traffic by 2021 will be streaming video, according to Cisco – and 70% of B2B buyers use videos throughout the buyer’s journey, according to Google. We can expect B2B companies to continue to invest in video production; from testimonials to case stories, how-to videos, product showcases, and more.
3. A Holistic View of Customer Experience
Customer Experience (CX) is a key concept for B2B marketing in 2019. We expect that B2B companies will focus on adopting a more CX-focused approach to marketing this year and use every resource at their disposal to create a truly unique and great customer experience; from sales to marketing and post-purchase customer support.
4. Continued Expansion and Overlap of Marketing’s Role with Sales
Marketing & sales departments are more closely aligned than ever and this has led to great results in the B2B industry. We expect that the lines that separate sales and marketing will blur even more in 2019, resulting in more collaboration.
5. Smarter Measurement, Reporting and Attribution
Modern “big data” and business intelligence platforms are becoming more commonplace and widespread, allowing for better data-driven decisions, smarter reports, and easier measurement of KPIs (Key Performance Indicators).
Adapt to The Future – Know What to Expect In 2019 And Beyond
These five trends are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the future of B2B marketing. As the rapid expansion of digital technology continues to change how marketing and sales collaborate, we’re sure to see even more dramatic changes in the coming years. If you start by understanding these basic concepts, you’re sure to set your B2B marketing team up for success.
