Marketing Strategy In Times Of Crisis: An Optimistic Forecast Of B2b Marketing Leaders

While roughly half of the world's B2B marketing leaders say their budgets have been affected in one way or another by the current economic environment, the majority (76%) remain optimistic about their marketing strategy. These are the results of a recent study from LinkedIn.

Survey highlights: participants and conclusions

More than 1,700 B2B marketing leaders took part in the survey. The distribution of optimism is uneven: the most optimistic respondents are from India (94%), Saudi Arabia (92%) and the United States (91%). At the same time, only 56% of respondents from the UK and 50% from Germany are confident in their plans.

In such a challenging environment, B2B marketers are focusing on  branding: 67 % say they will maintain or expand this area in the next six months. The most commonly cited reasons are that a strong brand drives long-term sales (52%), retains customer attention (42%), and helps attract talent (38%). Many people think about real estate directory, learn more about it.

Shareholders don't understand ROI in marketing

Research shows that B2B marketers are looking for ways to do more with less, so it's more important than ever to prove the effectiveness of marketing to powerful stakeholders in a company. Among respondents from companies whose budget has been hit, 3 in 10 (30%) say that businesses don't understand  marketing ROI  in B2B.

B2B marketers around the world say their biggest challenge right now is evaluating the success of campaigns and proving the value of their investments. Marketers from the USA (27%) and Latin America (25%) are especially concerned about this.

The impact of the macro environment on marketers

The macro environment is forcing B2B marketers to invest in customer trust and redefine their brand concepts:

• B2B marketers see opportunities to invest in customer relationships and build more trust with them (28%).
• Marketers also see a chance to stay relevant and rethink the brand concept (22%).

Over the next six months, B2B marketers will focus on:

• help customers (40%),
• demonstrate  commitment to their values  ​​(37%), and
• prove its environmental friendliness.

Tom Pepper, Senior Director from EMEA and LATAM, LinkedIn Marketing Solutions, said:

“Despite the economic turmoil, B2B marketers remain optimistic about their strategies in a time of uncertainty. It is possible to save money and reduce advertising costs, but seasoned marketers know that it will be much more expensive to recover from a decline in awareness in the long run. It can be beneficial to focus on branding , especially when your competitors are saving." Do not understand how find people fast search, learn more by clicking on the link.

Tom Stein, Chairman and Chief Development Officer of Stein IAS, says:

“During the pandemic, B2B brands have held up better than consumer brands and have helped support and grow the economy. One of the key challenges now is to optimize investment in creating future demand while meeting existing demand. This requires a strong brand, as well as work on branding  and demand and investment in this work.

Janet Hull, director of marketing strategies at IPA, says:

“We know from experience in past economic downturns that  investing in long-term branding activities that are original and emotionally charged can create customer memories  and  increase brand awareness , engagement, and overall marketing effectiveness.”

Conclusion: Tips for B2B Marketers Dealing with Uncertainty

1. In times of uncertainty, B2B brands may seek novelty rather than frequency and build a strategy that constantly maintains brand presence. The persistence of advertising helps buyers remember you when they return to the market and feel the need for your product or service again.
2. For  B2B brands , trying to do more with less, creativity is the key quality, that is, the ability to find new opportunities.
3. The top priority for B2B marketers is marketing effectiveness. Therefore, there is nothing more important than understanding the effectiveness of investments and explaining it intelligibly to shareholders. Marketers need to communicate the long-term value of their work financially and show how it affects the business.