Mailings and newsletters are a marketing tool often underestimated, but wrongly so. This classic communication channel is used to address end consumers and establish a dialogue with B2B customers.
Whether it is a measure to support sales or to win new customers, B2B newsletters are a very effective means of communication in the professional field. We have gathered the primary information on B2B email marketing and revealed some tips for establishing an effective dialogue with your customers.
Email marketing: customer loyalty tool in B2B
B2B products are often complex, expensive, and require explanations. It is, therefore, a real challenge for the companies that market them. A lengthy purchasing process often characterizes these products, and through a well-written newsletter, we can best optimize support for this process. With plenty of relevant information and valuable tips, attracting attention to your business and building long-term customer loyalty is easier.
These one-to-one emails allow communication to be personalized according to the different stages of the purchasing process and to send individualized emails with targeted information. Email marketing is, therefore, the ideal strategy for lead nurturing because contact and the relationship with the prospect are maintained continuously until the final act of purchase and until the latter becomes part of the company's customers.
Email marketing in B2B and B2C: what are the differences?
Very often, the range of products in the B2B sector is expensive and requires a lot of explanation and advice before purchasing. Generally, companies do not make impulse purchases but rather engage in lengthy purchasing processes.
In this case, purchasing incentives must be implemented in other areas. Added to this are the particularities of each target group you are addressing, i.e., business partners whose time is precious and who do not necessarily have the time to read your newsletter. Also, consider these things when choosing the layout, tone, and content of your newsletter. Note that B2B email marketing campaigns have their dynamics.
Target group and means of distribution
In most companies, the B2B mailing service is less extensive than that of B2C. The challenge is to exploit the potential of this market, which is undoubtedly smaller than in B2C but essential. The first step is to take care of your contact list. In the B2B field, as in B2C, every contact is precious.
It is also necessary to monitor undelivered messages (bounce) because the address is incorrect or no longer valid. You must also continually look for new contacts to stay on companies' radar. With the right B2B newsletter software, you can identify and segment groups of prospects and customers, ensuring proper management of recipient lists.
Technical implementation
The technical implementation of B2B email marketing can be complex. Using sophisticated tools, marketing managers can manage different target groups' automation, localization, and precise segmentation. But even in the professional field, newsletters often end up in spam folders, and a well-established emailing strategy can only sometimes counter this problem. This is why it is essential to pay attention to the following points:
Anti-spam testing tools: in the B2C sector, many Internet users use free email services like Gmail or Free. With these providers, the spam filter systems have a less strict mode of operation than in the corporate environment. Emails from unknown senders must meet more security criteria in the B2B sector. As a general rule, the use of safe listing is not permitted. This is why conducting tests before sending B2B newsletters is essential to check whether the email addresses are correct. In addition, most professional newsletter-sending services have a built-in anti-spam testing tool, which helps prevent possible problems before sending.
Attachments: if you want to contact customers with high security criteria (banks for example), there are often more protection mechanisms than in B2C. Many systems identify attachments as a potential threat and block email access or mark them as spam. One possible solution is to download the attachments via the server and embed the download link. Even HTML newsletters are sometimes flagged as potential threats to specific businesses. This is why it is recommended to send either body-text or multi-part emails (composite messages) or to ask the recipient if they prefer HTML newsletters when registering.
Optimization for professional clients: to optimize your emails, favor professional email clients such as Microsoft Outlook or IBM Notes because free email services are rarely used in the B2B sector. Remember the mobile-friendly approach by opting for an adaptive design for smartphone screens running iOS, Android, or even Blackberry systems.
Mobile optimization: many companies need to pay more attention to mobile optimization of their newsletters while mobile users grow. Landing pages and content included in external links should be remembered. These elements should be Responsive Web design.
Legal conditions for B2B email marketing
A common mistake in the B2B field of email marketing is to believe that double opt-in (double confirmation of registration) is inappropriate. However, the law stipulates that the consent of the Internet user is mandatory for him to receive emails.
This helps combat spam and fraudulent use of email addresses. The double opt-in, as its name suggests, consists of two steps. First, the interested party must enter their email address in the registration form, and then during the second step, they must confirm their consent to receive the newsletter.
Determine the right moment
A crucial factor is the timing of sending the B2B newsletter. In email marketing, this criterion is decisive for the click-through and opening rate. Rather than relying on theories that have often been repeated (for example, the fact that you should avoid sending newsletters on Friday afternoons), companies should instead rely on their own experiences. Carry out numerous tests until you find the day and time that is best suited for sending the B2B newsletter.
With the appropriate tools for sending emails, A/B testing can be easily set up, i.e., offering several variations of the same newsletter to determine which version gives the best results among consumers. With B2B emails, the sending time is even more critical than in B2C because the period during which the recipient can open your newsletter is even shorter.
Relevant content
Far too often, B2B newsletters need more appeal and consist of more blocks of text. Many marketers want to integrate as much information as possible to sell their products and highlight what they offer over the competition. This often results in shorter text passages that need more clarity. But even in B2B, it is essential to create a newsletter with quality content to be successful and successfully engage with the customer.
To do this, favor concise formulations and catchy texts, which always align with the customer's needs. Regarding the layout, this plays a secondary but still important role. Choose newsletter colors that are in harmony with those of the logo so you can effectively convey your company's (corporate identity). On the other hand, images and videos should only be used if they are relevant and their purpose is to reinforce your message. It is also of primary importance to avoid generalities and banalities.
Three tips for B2B newsletters:
- favor short formulations
- highlight the unique selling proposition (USP)
- avoid ready-made ideas and generalizations
Always remember which target group the newsletter is aimed at.
Effectively plan an email campaign
For your B2B email marketing campaign to be a success, it is necessary to plan its implementation well. In addition to defining your target group, segmenting each recipient group and defining a long-term editorial calendar is essential to organizing your campaign step by step. It is vital to juggle long-term planning with the ability to adapt to current trends quickly.
In the B2B field, it is also essential to ensure the project's sustainability by planning regularly and in advance the development of quality content adapted to the client's pace while finding the right moment to issue offers.
Email marketing in B2B:
To do:
- Remember what sets you apart from the competition
- Multi-step campaign planning
- An adapted implementation from a technical and legal point of view
To avoid:
- Promotions or sales arguments that are not very catchy
- Impersonal formulations
- Mailings that are inconsistent and inconsistent
