The Most Effective B2B Marketing Tactics for 2015 and 2016

Finding the right marketing tactics in the B2B industry may seem like a labyrinthine path, but studying statistics helps you see what's working for others, and how you should strategize. While it all depends on what type of buyer demographic you're trying to reach and your company's structure, recent data has indicated which marketing techniques are profitable.

Statistics show that 76 percent of all B2B companies are already increasing their marketing content this year. Integrating marketing content frequently goes hand in hand with other marketing tactics, and you should never underestimate how effective content is. While the study cited shows that social media is the marketing tactic that gets used the most often, you may be surprised at what B2B companies cite as the tactic that has had the best results.

Let's take a look at each marketing strategy and how you can apply them to your own marketing plan in 2016:

1. IN-PERSON EVENTS

The above stat show that in-person events are the most effective marketing tactic for B2B companies. Studies showed this earlier in the year, with an uptick in the percentage since then. This may surprise you, if you’ve been focusing on creating content for social media or working primarily on digital marketing.

When you consider that buyers want to learn as much as possible about the companies they buy from, it's not so surprising to see why in-person events do so well. With in-person events, you can meet a prospective buyer face-to-face, and integrate much of your marketing content into demonstrations or on-site videos.

Plus, visitors to your event can actually see the products you sell and try them out on their own. When they have the opportunity to test a product and see how it solves problems, you have the perfect marketing platform that the online world can't always provide.

2. WEBINARS AND WEBCASTS

Webinars and webcasts proved to be the second-most-effective B2B marketing media. Sometimes in-person events aren't practical if you can't travel in order to keep your B2B business running. With better webcams and content delivery networks, webinars and webcasts are now easier to navigate without having any cyber hiccups.

Many of these events are interactive as well, so those watching can take action and buy your products while they watch live. And when you hold your webinar directly in your company headquarters, you'll own the video rights so you can archive it for later viewing.

3. CASE STUDIES AND WHITE PAPERS

These two marketing tactics are third and fourth on the list of most useful marketing tactics, and their popularity is growing. They’re so popular because you can integrate them into live events and webinars for the ultimate consolidation of personal marketing and educative information.

Having case studies and white papers available on your website helps buyers find out about your products before they even initiate contact. Many of those buyers are going to research you in advance while whittling down their best buying prospects. When you provide solid information about your products and proof of how they solve typical business problems, you already have a lot of your marketing done.

In short, the most effective marketing methods for 2015 and 2016 all involve more personalized ways of reaching buyers. Those methods help nurture better buyer relationships, and focus on providing the information that buyers need in order to make a final purchasing decision.