SAP Concur also immediately focused more on digital events. Hanneke van Leeuwen (SAP Concur): “Events are a huge lead generator for us. We made the switch from personal to digital in a very short period of time. A large event in the US, which was normally personal, was already held digitally last spring. As a result, all events were held digitally last year and that is the trend for the future. We still have to see the very short time long-term effects. In the short term, people are inclined to participate because there is no alternative and they are working from home anyway. What the returns will be in terms of lead generation in the long term, compared to the personal, we do not yet know.”
Uniserver mainly compensated for the loss of trade fairs through Digital Round Tables and online campaigns. Laura Bakker says: “Sales suddenly found itself at home. That required a different approach. We had to get the activation going and started running overall lead campaigns to generate leads for partners. We compensated for the dip due to the loss of events through Digital Round Tables. That way, we still came into contact with C-level prospects.”
New forms of content
Most B2B marketers are already used to creating content in the form of blogs and white papers, among other things. Since the outbreak of the pandemic, they have accelerated their focus on other forms of content. Think of digital classrooms, podcasts, vlogs and short videos such as reference videos. Laura Bakker says that Uniserver is going to record short product videos: “Normally, Sales takes information with them when they go to prospects. In addition to the product sheets, we also have videos that explain a few things. People like that, now that we speak to and see them less.”
Richard Bordes also sees a shift emerging: “People are reading less and less. That’s why videos and podcasts work incredibly well. You have to adapt your content to that. Make your message more compact and split it up. You shouldn’t tell the whole story in one go. It just has to be a bit ‘nicer’, otherwise no one will listen anymore. Focus more on sharing knowledge, giving examples and much less on the old-fashioned pushing of product specs.”
B2B Marketing Expectations for 2021 very short time
Digital is definitely the trend and that will not change. It will only continue to develop. Because organizations have become acquainted with it, whether or not accelerated, they now also endorse the advantages of digital. Certainly in organizations that operate in an international market. Everyone will continue on the chosen path anyway. At the same time, people are yearning to come together. To senegal phone number library be able to brainstorm with colleagues, to be able to go to prospects and customers for a cup of coffee, to be able to show and feel products. The expectation is that meeting each other physically and digitally will continue to exist side by side.
Paul Honout (Microsoft): “My expectation for 2021 is that our shift to webinar-like digital communication will bounce back as soon as it can. People need contact. At the why do people fall into the trap of going from marathon to marathon? same time, we have proven that you don’t have to do everything physically, but that you can also do it remotely in a creative and interactive way. So a hybrid event format will emerge with a physical part, where you also give people the opportunity to participate remotely so that they don’t necessarily have to travel. I expect that this hybrid format, certainly with us, will be permanent.”
Nurturing very short time
SAP Concur also continues to school email list focus on digital. Hanneke van Leeuwen: “We are looking for as many billboards as possible to position our products digitally. Think of titles, platforms and external networks. People sit behind their laptops all day. So we try to find the right media and thus be even more present, where they go. By putting yourself even more in the shoes of your suspect and prospect, you can be part of their buyer’s journey sooner with the right content. Normally they would see you at an event. Because they now hear or see from you sooner, you can position yourself immediately. It is important that you have the nurturing of leads in order. Make sure that your marketing automation system is aligned with your CRM. Lead nurturing has become even more important than it already was.”
