Fifty years ago, when disco was king and fashion was questionable, the average consumer was exposed to 1,600 adverts a day.
This was the period when technology started to help marketers and agencies gather information on their target audience. More sophisticated profiles of the ideal customer could be built. Brands were better able to analyse behavior, make projections, and develop positioning for their products and services.
Despite this, only a fraction of these ads were consciously noticed. An even smaller number drove a reaction. Between billboards, newspapers, magazines, radio, and television, consumers were faced with 100 ads per hour during the waking day. But even then, in the non-digital decade of the 70s, it was hard for marketers to cut through.
The digital age: Opportunity and obstacle
Today, depending on where an individual lives and the job they do, they might be exposed to between 4,000 and 10,000 ads a day. Digital marketing has expanded the channel mix to unprecedented levels. But this explosion of opportunity in B2B marketing has made effective targeting and creative distribution more important than ever if you’re to reach your audience and be visible in the fog.
This growth in opportunity has been mirrored by the growth in scrutiny on marketing ROI. In uncertain economic times, C-Suites put marketing budgets under the microscope. All activity must demonstrate value.
As a result, we know that creative optimisation of content and assets, and maximising the resonance and reach of marketing activity will be a fundamental B2B marketing trend in 2024.
Understanding your target audience, who they are, what they need, and how they consume content is vital to achieve cut-through. Assumptions are dangerous and can lead to insipid, uninspiring, and irrelevant messaging and distribution.
Resonance
Audience research is vital. If budget doesn’t allow for a full research piece, then talking to your existing customers and clients is the very least you should do. Find out what challenges they face. How did they find out about you? Why did they choose you over competitors? How do your products or services help solve their pain points? How do they stay up to date on industry news and trends? These insights will help you craft benefit-led messaging and increase your chance of engagement.
Reach
Knowing your audience will also help determine the right channel mix for your marketing assets and content. With potentially 10,000 touch points throughout a day – and most of these digital – the need for accurate, laser-like targeting across the most relevant mix of channels and formats gives you the best chance of building brand awareness and driving reactions from your activity.
Optimisation
In an environment of tight budget scrutiny, optimising your content is as important as your messaging and channel mix. For example, you hold a great webinar attended by high-quality leads. Use the content of the webinar to write a whitepaper; share blog articles around the topics discussed; create infographics pulling out key data points; share snippets across your social media channels.
Your 2024 marketing plans
2024 will be a crucial year for B2B marketers. With so much uncertainty swirling around the political and economic environment, businesses from all sectors will have to work hard to simply tread water. Those who leverage the key trends in the B2B marketing space will be best placed to push forward.
In our latest annual trends report, Stand out from the crowd, we explore the key areas B2B marketing teams should consider when planning activity for the year ahead. While we can’t promise any 70s disco fashion to help you stand out from the competition, we do know a thing or two about launching, refining, and amplifying brands in the tech and telco space. Find out more about us, download our report, or contact us for a chat about your marketing challenges
