How can B2B marketers weather the storm?

Focus on innovative and creative digital marketing campaigns

A time to innovate

The effect of COVID-19 on B2B events begs the question: How can marketers continue to engage audiences in lieu of face to face engagements? How do you leverage online and virtual event offerings, both industry and proprietary, as well as other digital marketing options? How do you best divert budget from live events to online offerings, content syndication and lead generation campaigns? EI can help you navigate these questions.

EI is proactive in its thinking, adapting to the volatile environment to help clients thrive and continue to engage with their target audiences in creative, innovative ways without the use of in-person events.

What needs to be done?

How do we deal with the media market changes brought about by COVID-19? A two-pronged approach is ideal: being reactive and being proactive. Third-party event organisers will be innovating their product offerings, moving to virtual models, while other types of media (broad business, trade media, associations and networks) will be pushing their own offerings, in many cases developing new products to widen the scope of options, as marketers look for ways to fill the live events gap. Companies should be reactive to these new offerings, experimenting with new media channels and testing the waters with virtual events. However, you should also be proactive in keeping updated on market changes, in order to come up with smart, integrated campaign plans. That's where EI can help.

How can B2B marketers weather the storm?

B2B marketers' challenges

In the wake of COVID-19, B2B marketers are too busy to call every media supplier to find out what they can offer as a replacement to live events.
Many event companies will try to offer new virtual and online events, but how can B2B marketers be certain that these will actually deliver?
There is a sense of urgency, as B2B marketers feel the pressure to move fast and take decisions to divert budgets effectively, in order to bolster Q2 marketing plans and continue to support the business.

EI can help to advise on activities that have a quick turnaround

EI's approach

EI has adapted some of its products to help clients navigate uncharted waters. EI is strategically placed to help clients reallocate Q2 budgets by recommending quick, easily activated engagements. For example, surveys take a long time to produce, so from a content perspective, we would focus on pieces of head-turning content that have quick turnaround. Digital partnerships will be crucial in a new world where face to face is a challenge, with activities like filmed roundtables, webinars and podcasts set to be on the rise. EI can leverage its supplier relationships to uncover the latest developments, stretch-test new offerings and advise the best way to use these platforms against your objectives.

EI's Checklist for B2B Marketers

EI can help B2B marketers by exploring the digital capabilities of suppliers we work with:

Brand awareness: Create high-impact digital campaigns that you can operate at scale for visibility. Elevate brand awareness via broad business or trade media with programmatic buying and amplification, as well as content syndication/gated content that will also boost lead gen.
Thought leadership: Align with special reports, create editorial content, podcasts, videos and webinars. Use topics that were destined for speaking arrangements at cancelled events to create content. This may be the start of more interactive content to serve the gap in interaction owing to fewer in person events.

Lead generation: Besides webinars and gated content, consider using specialist lead gen providers to overcome the drop in leads due to lack of in-person engagement. Strategic targeting with compelling content on platforms like LinkedIn also works towards lead gen.
Virtual events: Participate in event-style engagements online with trade media, broad business and associations. Stay updated on these suppliers' NPD. Find ways to engage with large events that have been moved online. Novel ways of retaining face to face events may include live-streaming presentations or virtual roundtables. It is now more important than ever to innovate on content angles to draw audiences in with hot topics and key speakers.