Generic marketing messages just don’t work anymore. Decision-makers want experiences that are specific to their individual challenges, industry context, and position in the buying process. Most marketers recognize the value of personalization, but putting it into practice across multiple channels is still a major challenge. This blog examines actionable personalization strategies for each of the major B2B marketing channels to assist you in building consistent, customized experiences that drive engagement and conversions.
ALSO READ: A Beginner’s Guide to Marketing Workflow Automation for Small Businesses
Email Marketing: More Than the First Name
Email is still the foundation of B2B marketing, yet simple personalization tags are today’s table stakes. To differentiate, do the following.
Behavior-Triggered Sequences
Use automated email sequences triggered by precise actions such as resource downloads, product page views, or webinar registration. For instance, if a prospect downloads a case study on manufacturing efficiency, trigger a sequence emphasizing your manufacturing solutions.
Segment by Purchase Stage
Create different content streams for prospects at various stages. Early-stage prospects would be presented with learning content, while late-stage prospects are presented with more specific product details and customer testimonials.
Dynamic Content Blocks
Utilize email tools that enable dynamic content to replace whole blocks depending on industry, company size, or job function. A CFO may see cost reduction benefits while a CTO sees technical integration benefits—all within a single campaign.
Here’s a pro tip.
Compare personalized subject lines with personalized content and determine which one creates more engagement. Often what’s in the email is more important than the subject line.
Website Personalization: Custom Digital Experiences
Your website is usually the initial impression your prospects get of your brand. Let it make a good one with the following.
Industry-Specific Landing Pages
Design specific landing pages for your leading industries, using applicable terms, case studies, and solutions. A healthcare prospect should be able to instantly understand how you address healthcare issues.
Return Visitor Personalization
Modify homepage content depending on past visits or identified accounts. If a visitor has previously visited your analytics solution, make that stand out during repeat visits instead of requiring them to find it.
Firmographic Targeting
Target based on company size, location, or industry using IP detection or login information to show customized messaging. Enterprise visitors may view enterprise-centric messaging, while SMBs view messaging appropriate for their size.
Is your site already treating everyone the same? If so, you’re leaving huge engagement opportunities on the table.
Content Marketing: Relevance at Scale
Content is still king in B2B, but personalization turns that content into royalty.
Industry-Focused Resource Centers
Develop industry-focused resource centers with aggregated content, which is readily accessible to prospects for information specific to their challenges.
Personalized Resource Suggestions
Implement “related content” widgets that recommend resources based on both browsing history, rather than only the topic of the current page. This results in a more personalized content journey.
Role-Based Content Bundles
Create content bundles for various stakeholders involved in the buying process. For example, put together an “IT Decision-Maker Kit” containing technical details, integration guides, and security documentation.
Look at your last five pieces of content. Would it be possible for someone to determine which exact audience segment each was written for? If not, your content may be too generic.
Social Media: Personalized Engagement
B2B social media doesn’t need to be impersonal.
Account-Specific Interaction
Educate your social media staff to focus on interactions with target accounts, responding intelligently to their tweets and sharing relevant content directly.
Custom Audience Campaigns
Develop highly targeted campaigns for particular industries or job functions, with ad creative and messaging that addresses their specific challenges.
Employee Advocacy with Intent
Allow your team to post company content, but with their own context appropriate to their own networks and connections. A sales representative’s commentary on an industry report is more credible than a standard company update.
The next time you post company content on LinkedIn, include your own view on why it’s particularly important for one slice of your audience.
Events and Webinars: Tailored Experiences
Whether online or offline, events present rich personalization possibilities, and these are as follows.
Pre-Event Personalization
Personalize registration pages and confirmation emails based on the visitor’s industry or previous engagement. Provide agenda highlights most pertinent to their job.
Segmented Event Tracks
Develop role or industry-specific content tracks within bigger events, enabling participants to self-select the most pertinent experience.
Personalized Follow-Up
Instead of sending the same post-event message to all, segment by session attended and level of engagement, with next steps based on their expressed interests.
Ask yourself how unique is the experience for various attendees at your events? If the same experience is offered to everyone, you’re missing out on chances to enhance relevance.
The Integration Imperative
The real value of multi-channel personalization isn’t derived from stand-alone tactics, but connected experiences throughout touchpoints. Achievement depends on the following.
- United Data: Integrate systems to share personalization information across channels
- Unified Messaging: Have personalization elements that convey a cohesive message as prospects transition through channels
- Progressive Profiling: Accumulate more personalized information over time as you find out more about each prospect
The B2B companies experiencing highest returns from personalization aren’t doing it for one channel—instead, they’re building uniform, personalized experiences no matter where and how prospects interact.
