Seven Ways to Target B-to-B Technical Buyers
Identifying technical buyers is only part of the equation; marketing to them is the tricky part. In a webinar presentation last week from Kellysearch.com and Enquiro Research, presenters Gord Hotchkiss, president and CEO of Enquiro, and Phil Manning, marketing development manager at Kellysearch.com, provided their thoughts on how to most effectively market and sell to the B-to-B community. Below are some of the top tips picked up during the session.
1. Segment the technical buyer. Manning referenced the technical buyer as an individual who’s planning to make a purchase of $1,000 or more in the next year of one of the following: software, hardware, supplies, business services, equipment, and parts and components. He further classified the technical buyer into one of four groups:
* Economic: These buyers generally are upper management looking for the best price and what’s in the best interest of the company in the big picture; they have control over the budget and veto power on purchases; often their time is tight and they’re too busy for product details.
* Technical: These buyers are integral to the buying process because their opinion and recommendations go to those making the financial decision, but they have no financial authority to make purchases.
* User: These buyers work regularly with the product or service, and can sway decision makers with recommendations.
* Coach: These buyers could be CEOs, presidents, vice presidents or other management positions, but generally are never in more than one role at a time.
2. Focus on their intent. Know why they go to the search engine in the first place, Hotchkiss said. He noted that early in the buying cycle, technical buyers often focus on organic search results. But as they move through the buying stages, they tend to shift to the purchased, sponsored links. Determine which search terms are driving the most quality traffic to your site, and consider investing in placement for those keywords.
3. Capitalize on search engine optimization (SEO). Create a buzz when technical buyers get to your site, Manning said. Include testimonials from other buyers, relevant content, blogs, videos that show what your product can do, podcasts and webinars, among others.
4. Content is king. Manning recommended Web sites include the following content for technical buyers researching your products:
* product comparisons;
* downloadable info (PDFs);
* clear and easily found pricing;
* technical papers;
* case studies;
* rich media (virtual tours, video testimonials, videos of products in action); and
* your overall company philosophy.
5. Make yourself available. With nearly 90 percent of technical B-to-B buyers looking online, make your presence known, Hotchkiss said. Test to see where your company appears in Google searches. Become a part of the more targeted B-to-B search engines. If you’re migrating from an offline to an online environment, make your URL prominent in all your marketing materials (catalogs, press releases, business cards, etc.). Give technical buyers an incentive to go to your Web site, Manning suggested.
6. Take advantage of microsites. If you’re launching a new product, consider using a microsite, Manning advised. These sites allow you to target a specific audience, measure your ROI and can help customers connect with you and your products. These sites allow you the opportunity to cluster product categories, Hotchkiss added. If you know a consumer is coming to the site for a particular item, you can make a suggestive sell, which Hotchkiss described as placing products together such that, although they may not be related technically, they’re related in the eyes of the user.
7. Position your links carefully. People have been conditioned to look for blue hyperlinks, Hotchkiss said. Include these calls to action under text that’s relevant to the product the customer is viewing. Avoid placing a link near or in a big image graphic as it easily can get lost. Hyperlink a few words that describe your business to optimize its position with SEO.
