Features of marketing communications in the b2b market. Encyclopedia of Marketing. Brand Building Tools

“Business for business” (“B2B”)(English) "Business to business"- Russian "business to business", abbreviated as “bi tu bi”) is a term that defines the type of information and economic interaction, classified according to the type of interacting entities, in this case these are legal entities that work not for the final ordinary consumer, but for the same companies, that is to another business. IN Western countries the term “B2B” often refers to any activity of some companies to provide other manufacturing companies with accompanying services, additional equipment, as well as goods intended for the production of other goods (means of production), goods for professional use, etc. This field of activity is focused on obtaining benefits (profits) from the provision of services or the sale of goods, where the “objects” are services or goods, and the “subjects” are organizations interacting in the market field. Organizations and (or) individual entrepreneurs act here as “seller” and “buyer” of services or goods.

There is such a thing interesting definition B2B market - as an environment where supply chains and value chains are created. In this environment, profit-related interests are taken into account.” This implies the essence of the market in question: “The essence of the B2B market is that it works... for the company various fields and industries (public, private, commercial and not-for-profit), as well as persons purchasing for business purposes.”

Interesting considerations about the difference between the B2B market and the B2C market by type of acquisition are given by O.I. Blaichman:

* purchasing decisions are most often made collectively;
* preliminary research of prices and suppliers is carried out;
* competitive tenders are often held;
* in almost all cases negotiations take place, and many others

differences.

B2B communications in a broad marketing sense can be understood as communications necessary to promote a commercial offer, the content of which is the means of production, as well as accompanying goods and services that directly or indirectly serve the production process at one or another stage of the product life cycle. The concept of B2B communications usually broadly includes all means of direct (ATL) and indirect (BTL) market stimulation. The goal of B2B communications is to “establish partnerships, find reliable suppliers for own production, buyers of raw materials or finished products- equipment and devices or various services.” B2B communication tools, that is, channels and media, unlike B2C tools, are fundamentally aimed exclusively at professionals working in a certain field or industry. And they are consumed “solely for the purpose of obtaining information necessary for work.” Conventionally, B2B communication tools can be divided into B2B media (print publications, websites, portals, electronic media, business TV, radio broadcasts and channels), B2B events (industry and cross-industry exhibitions, fairs, conferences, round tables, master classes, presentations , work shops, etc.) and other means. According to the classics of foreign marketing F. Kotler and V. Pferch, “the main communication tools in the sector of industrial goods and services are personal selling, direct marketing, PR, specialized press, sponsorship, trade shows and exhibitions, advertising, sales promotion and e-marketing "

There are also more complex and detailed classifications of B2B communication tools. For example, O.N. Kravchenko proposes the following scheme, focusing on the integrated nature of the channels:

*targeted marketing events: conferences, forums, summits, round tables, business breakfasts, webinars, etc.;
*direct - marketing activities: postal and email newsletter, telemarketing;
*media marketing: advertising and press releases in targeted print media, on Internet portals;
*Internet marketing and advertising on the Internet telecommunications network;
* personal contacts.

The general requirement for B2B communication tools calls for the use of rational argumentation. This is justified by the fact that both the subject of the market offer (a product or service that has an industrial purpose) and its consumer (the person making the decision to purchase a product or service for business use) exist in the sphere of business relations and production process, far from the emotionality and imagery inherent in the B2C sphere. Thus, on the one hand, the B2B buyer and consumer is initially more critical, distrustful and focused on objective information. On the other hand, he is inclined to trust the data received from B2B communications if he is sure that they do not misinform him. B2B channels and media thereby fundamentally stand out to them from the entire flow of information available to them: “The vast majority of managers believe that B2B publications and sites are more informative and reliable sources than mass publications. At the same time, information obtained through the use of b2b-media is often the main part of current information, as well as information about trends in the industry.” It is especially worth noting personal B2B contacts both as a channel and as a communication format. Various marketing and PR sources emphasize that they have exclusively important for the domestic market:

"A special role in Russian business, of course, have a personal relationship.

Attitudes towards a company are usually formed from relationships with the manager.

A good manager can be a plus in cooperation with a distributor, and a bad one can be the main reason for refusing to work. Thus, company managers play two roles: they form the image of the company through the transmission of its rational characteristics.” The importance of B2B communication tools is that they are one of the most important resources for managers influencing them in the adoption process. management decisions, especially purchasing decisions. For example, it is believed that “due to the synergistic effect, B2B media influence buyers at all phases of the purchasing process:

* First thoughts about purchasing: websites, sales managers, B2B magazines.
* Offer research: websites, sales managers, B2B magazines.
*Narrow your choices: sales managers, websites, B2B magazines.
* Final decision making: sales managers, websites,

B2B magazines and exhibitions.

* Post-purchase review: sales managers, websites, B2B magazines.” Practitioners argue that in any case, when choosing any marketing activity, you should be guided by strategic direction company development. The idea of the functions of B2B communications in order to give them a systematic character is best associated with the named tools and their purpose in work.

So, among the functions of B2B communications we can name:

1) informational: informing about various commercial offers in the B2B sphere - goods, services, solutions, new products, upgrades, etc.;
2) advertising: direct promotion and stimulation in the form of calls for purchase and use;
3) indirect promotion and non-commercial sales stimulation: Public Relations, image, image positioning, image enhancement, differentiation from competitors, formation and maintenance of loyalty;
4) search: searching for new clients, customers and consumers, as well as partners;
5) communication: communication between specialists professional themes, consulting, advanced training of specialists (in principle, this is done for the image of the enterprise and brand, to increase the company’s publicity capital and the value capital of the brand).

In general, both theorists and practitioners emphasize the primary focus of B2B communications on the image of the company and its brands operating in the industrial consumption market. The fact is that, unlike the B2C market, where the greatest effectiveness in the marketing mix comes from direct advertising as a tool that best influences the retail buyer, in the B2B format the key selling tool is the brand image: “... Promotion of services in the B2B sphere consists in a set of measures aimed at creating a positive image of the company, which when making decisions... plays a key role.”

Based on the foregoing, we can draw a conclusion about the main features of B2B communications, which reveal their essence and how they differ from B2C communications. In this regard, the following can be noted:

1) The first feature of B2B communications comes from the nature of competition in the B2B market: we are talking about competition not for individual as the final consumer, and for entity. This means that in the B2B sector the average purchase price is much higher. This also means that “business representatives evaluate much more closely possible risks and potential partners. And the degree of trust in information here is somewhat lower.”
2) The main feature of the “B2B (business-to-business) as opposed to B2C (business-to-customer) sphere is that the buyer’s choice is mainly based on rational considerations” .
2) B2B communications initially have a qualitatively higher level of targeting, that is, the target orientation towards the person or persons making purchasing decisions, in other words, in the B2B area, the requirements for the targeting of messages, channels and media are much higher than in the B2C area .
3) High barriers to information perception: strong critical filters, a serious degree of mistrust, the requirement for the availability of verification of information data, strict criteria for selecting information.
4) Requirements for transparency, efficiency, specificity of information.
5) The sphere of B2B communications is quite conservative, innovations appear and become established in it with difficulty. This is connected both with the rational basis for the argumentation of messages and forms of information, and with the mentality of middle and senior managers of enterprises, at whom, in fact, B2B communications are aimed.
6) Another extremely remarkable feature of B2B communications is that they largely reproduce the features and character of the B2B market itself, which today operates on a very large scale online, that is, on the Internet.

This means that the most important part of B2B communications occurs virtually, through websites, multifunctional information portals, electronic trading platforms, online stores, exchanges, auctions, etc. “The introduction of electronic methods of doing business is determined by production necessity,” says V. Kutukov. - Here everything is decided by the economic benefit from the use of new technologies. Most large and medium Russian enterprises have already understood the convenience they get by using the Internet to conduct business.

Currently more than a quarter Russian companies are implementing or have already implemented corporate Information Systems" However, according to the same source, in terms of development ecommerce We are today at the same level of development that, for example, the USA was 17-20 years ago. It is worth highlighting the most pressing problems of B2B communications in Russia. Based on the literature studied, it seems possible to reduce their diversity to several key positions.

1) The massive shift of B2B to the online format, accessible, mobile, cheap, has made the obvious disadvantages of traditional, offline communications in comparison with virtual ones even more contrasting: hassle in organizing, serious labor and time costs, high cost, local nature, targeted, limited influence.
2) Widespread virtual communications have not yet gained a high degree of trust, since they do not provide the effect of personal communication and personal responsibility.
3) Both online and offline channels, media and B2B communication tools, operating separately, do not produce serious results.

The identification and analysis of these problems forces B2B marketing practitioners to use an integrated approach to organizing their selling communications, develop synthetic tools and look for new forms of positioning, promotion and stimulation, combining ATL and BTL technologies.

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Marketing support

Over the years of working with my clients, most of which are B2B companies, I have formed an unshakable confidence that PR, marketing and even the sales department do not work on their own, but together, solving the general business problems of the company. The role of the communications department is to support marketing and sales initiatives and projects and help implement them within their competencies.

I would classify 70% of my work with B2B companies in the area of “product communications,” which is based on comprehensive assistance to marketing in promoting products on the B2B market. All possible PR tools, digital communications, event communications, standard and non-standard solutions are used here.

Consumer education

If a company produces a complex product, and in most cases this is what happens in B2B markets, then there is a need to explain to customers exactly how it will help solve their business problems. As a rule, this is not a quick process, and it cannot be done without proper communication.

Basically, work within this area is based on interaction with industry and business publications, on the preparation and distribution of content in different forms– texts, infographics, videos and more.

Market formation

If the product is new, unfamiliar and incomprehensible to consumers, and there is no formed market, then selling it is even more difficult. Here, too, communications are needed, within the framework of which the company will actually form the market and demand for its product. The role of communication is to explain to consumers why they need this product, how to use it, what benefits it provides, why it was created in the first place and why they should purchase it.

Value component of the product

IN last years In the PR world, it is generally accepted that B2B and B2C communications fade into the background, giving way to P2P communications (People to People), because ultimately the decision to purchase a product is still made by a person. This is partly true, but there are exceptions, especially when it comes to expensive equipment or equipment and component materials, the quality and features of which determine the safety of the final product for the production of which this equipment and components are purchased.

However, there are indeed goods and services in the B2B market, the demand for which is influenced by the emotional component - the values of the product that evoke positive emotions in the buyer, influence his perception of the product, and, as a result, affect the purchase decision. The value component of a product, both in B2C and B2B, is formed by communications.

Stimulating demand

No matter how strange it may sound at first glance, communications can have a serious impact on stimulating demand for a product among end consumers in the B2B2C chain. As evidence, I will give examples of several cases, without naming companies or names.

One of my clients produces paper towels and liquid soap, which they buy shopping centers, business centers, hotels, restaurants, airports, etc. In order for a company's sales to grow, it is important for it that visitors (end users of the product) of all these places use its products more often. Today, according to various studies, from 20 to 40% of people do not wash their hands with soap or do not wash them at all after visiting the toilet in in public places. Therefore, the company implements many educational projects in the field of hygiene and health. We see a similar story in the B2C sector - with toothpastes, shampoos, washing powders etc. Add more to clean better! Works? Works. True, in B2C this is more the merit of advertising.

The second case concerns a company that produces food packaging. Buyers of packaging are companies producing dairy products, juices, etc. The habit of buying products in eco-packaging was invented not by environmentalists or consumers, but by companies producing this very packaging in order to add value to their B2B product and, as a result, maintain and increase sales. After all, food manufacturers buy what will be in demand by the end consumers of their product.

There are many similar cases that can be cited. But none of them were implemented without well-thought-out communication.

Building a reputation

Of course, it is not marketing or sales that are responsible for a company’s reputation, but any careless step by any company employee can ruin it. Selling a product to an unknown company or a company with a dubious reputation is extremely difficult, no matter what tricks the marketing and sales department resort to. Therefore, the communications department pays great attention to building the company’s reputation. " Corporate Communications" is a separate direction that is developing in parallel with "product communications".

But for building the reputation of a product or trademark“Product communications” are responsible, the task of which is to tell consumers why the product is good and what distinguishes it from other similar ones - premium quality, reliability, durability, etc.

Product perception in certain segments in B2B is especially important. For example, it is important for hotels and restaurants to impress guests, so they purchase products that are considered “premium”. For construction companies For those building luxury housing, the reputation of the product as “durable” and “quality” is important. For manufacturers of children's products, the reputation of an “environmentally friendly” product is important. Forming the correct perception of a product, even a B2B product, and broadcasting it best qualities and engage in communications.

Business protection and crisis prevention

When the management of a B2B company claims that they don’t need any PR, and their sales department does an excellent job without a communications department, a quote from one of the greats immediately comes to mind: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”

It's truly great when a company sells and makes money without any difficulties. But talking about stability these days is at least stupid - you can fall from Olympus much faster than you ascended it. You don’t even need to give unnecessary examples - reading these lines, probably everyone remembers well-known examples.

A well-built communication system is something that can protect a business or even save a company from collapse if something goes wrong. Defective goods on sale, production or supply disruptions, increased taxes and customs duties, industrial accident, restrictions imposed on the company's business by regulatory authorities - there are a great many risks and scenarios for the development of events. Without a PR department and an established communications system, including anti-crisis communications, the company's management will not be able to provide an adequate response to the events that have occurred and an operational set of measures to solve the problem.

Any crisis situation influences sales of the company's products. If the problem is not significant and is not directly related to the product, perhaps in some cases sales managers can talk to customers and reassure them. But if the problem is related to the product - its production, quality, supply, etc. - communication cannot be avoided.

Employer branding in B2B

One day we were contacted by the HR department of one of our clients, whose B2B brand we have been involved in product communications for several years. The HR department was faced with the task of promoting the employer brand, which on our own Every year it became more and more difficult. “You have to run as fast as you can just to stay in place, and to get somewhere you have to run at least twice as fast!” – this is roughly how the problem faced by the HR department was formulated before us.

And as Tatyana Ananyeva (Apostrophe-Media company), moderator of a round table on the topic of employer brand promotion, rightly noted at the B2B Communication Forum held in June this year, no matter how great HR specialists are, they do not have all the necessary competencies in the field communications, allowing them to single-handedly promote the employer brand in the external environment.

Promoting an employer brand is another task that cannot be solved without communications.

Instead of output

According to all the canons of such manifesto texts, there should be a conclusion about how important communications are for B2B companies. But readers of our online magazine who are engaged in B2B communications and B2B marketing definitely do not need anything like that.

Therefore, instead of making a conclusion, I will only say that on the pages of the B2B Journal we will together look for solutions to the problems that we constantly face while working in a difficult B2B business, where it is not always obvious how, on what basis and at what point decisions are made. purchasing decisions, how to evaluate the contribution of communications specialists to the overall result and whether this should be done at all, how the behavior of buyers of B2B products is changing in the era of smartphones and social networks and whether it changes.

Find answers to these and other questions in the B2B Journal, as well as at our annual conferences “PR in the B2B sector” and B2B Communication Forum.

We are always open to any forms of cooperation, your suggestions, ideas, recommendations and criticism. For any questions write: .

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We all, to one degree or another, use various communication channels and methods of communicating with clients. What online communication methods are most effective for communicating with clients in the b2b sales segment?

B2B marketers say the most effective: Email, organic search engine results, company-issued releases and publications, webinars and LinkedIn are the most effective digital customer communication methods and tactics for generating sales. This is the finding released by DemandWave based on a recent study.

Popular communication methods in B2B

The most popular online marketing communication methods among B2B marketers are:

social networks (95%),
email (93%)
SEO for the purpose of TOP search engine results (91%).

But this is about popularity... and this does not mean that the effective marketing methods and tactics are listed. What is effective in b2b online marketing?

How do you attract B2B clients?

When it comes to performance, Email leads the way as the leading channel for generating leads (73% of respondents say this is the case), followed by marketing professionals citing SEO and organic search (70%).

B2B Marketing Content

The most common types of content created by B2B marketers are:

white papers: technical and information releases, corporate materials are rated as the main type of content for attracting potential clients (53% of respondents say they use this),
webinars – 50%;
case studies, reports containing experience and practice – 44%;
blog posts (82% say they publish professional posts);
videos are published by 35%

But these are the results of the study. Would you like me to tell you a little about another experience of attracting B2B clients, which does not contradict the above data, but complements the picture of the survey and without which information about the source of attracting clients in B2B would not be complete.

This is data from a Google Analytics report about visitors to one of my B2B websites.

Thus, most of the traffic to a site comes from search engines, which may indicate that the content of that site:

is present and relevant to customer needs;
has been properly optimized for search engines.
what a company sells in the b2b segment is clear and familiar to its customers.

If you find that your site receives significant traffic from another source (from webinars, say). If so, you need:

Do you understand why your CEO is not sending client traffic?
dig deeper into this online method that generates traffic to determine the reason.

About the study:
The report was based on survey data conducted in November and December 2016 among 179 B2B merchants at leading companies in the United States. Respondents work for firms in a variety of industries, with the largest share being in B2B software product sales (39%) and B2B business services (17%).

“Never promise more than you can deliver.
Publius Sirus, Roman poet, 1st century BC. e."

The targeted nature of a branding strategy makes it typically much cheaper for industrial goods and services companies to implement than for consumer companies. The content of communications of an industrial brand also has its own characteristics in comparison with a consumer brand. In the B2C space, the primary purpose of content is to create awareness and emotional experience that leads to brand preference, while in the industrial space it serves important practical functions. However, you should avoid communicating too much complex information about the company: this may lead to the reader's inability to assimilate the information received. Communication tools should be clearly focused on the benefits of the product or service, as well as the specific needs that can be satisfied with its help. These needs may include, for example, reducing costs, reducing overhead, increasing productivity and/or quality, flexibility and expandability.

Confidence that current and potential customers, as well as the press, are interested in your product or even product category and are as aware of it as you are, may cause poor communication practices. Buyers are not interested in the product itself: as a rule, they are interested in solving their problems. Before a company can offer any specific solution that highlights and promotes any type of specific capability it has, it must first identify the needs of its customers. However, many B2B companies continue to bombard their potential clients with mountains of paper detailing their competencies and capabilities.

In the industrial goods and services sector, especially when using a corporate brand strategy, effective segmentation and targeting are key. Typically, information that is relevant to investors is not motivating to potential buyers. A company with a diversified range of products and services must understand that different target groups often value different benefits. It is very rare that one communication strategy will suit everyone without exception.

In addition, B2B buying center participants may have different motivations and involvement in the decision-making process. It is unlikely that all members of such a center will be equally interested in the same brand values. Selling strategies used by companies in business markets must be supported by a clear understanding of the information processing that occurs in the decision making of B2B buyers. While the nature of many industrial products and markets may require special attention to functional brand values, it is important to understand that those making organizational purchases may be influenced by emotional factors such as trust, safety and peace of mind in making their decisions.

Emotional Stimuli- a means by which marketers can draw attention to the presentation of other functional brand values. For a retailer, brand value communication that demonstrates an understanding of the psychological concerns of the industrial buyer can be a powerful source of differentiation in markets dominated by a functionality orientation. Brand communication that does not take into account the value that various members of the buying center associate with the intangible components of that brand can damage the sales process, leading to company failure. Creating successful B2B brand communications requires sales strategies that incorporate brand values that relate to the social, psychological, and rational concerns of various buyers.

In order to create an appropriate communications strategy, you need to know exactly who your message is intended for. This can be done using a holistic approach that recognizes that B2B relationships are complex interactions that are influenced by a variety of participants. Such a holistic marketing approach involves external and internal marketing, as well as interaction marketing, as can be seen from the “branding triangle” presented in Fig. 3.8. The figure shows the intersecting relationships between the three most important market participants: the company, the buyer and intermediaries. External marketing is related to permanent job in the field of pricing, distribution and promotion of goods and services to customers. Internal marketing includes all activities that train and motivate intermediaries to turn them into true brand ambassadors. Work with external and internal communications is directly influenced by the company, and interaction marketing is influenced mainly by internal marketing activities.

Figure 3.8 clearly shows that all three communication approaches are of equal importance. Today, if you want to build a successful brand, you can no longer rely on external marketing alone. However, there are still many industrial companies that do not effectively communicate the essence and values of their brand to their employees internally. If no one takes the time to educate a company's employees about the meaning of its brand and, most importantly, what its promise is, most branding efforts are doomed to fail. It is necessary to understand the meaning of what is happening within the company and develop internal programs to explain to employees what the brand represents, where the company is going and what steps need to be taken to get there.

Rice. 3.8. The Branding Triangle

Holistic Marketing is of primary importance in the service sector, where customer commitment and consistent service quality depend on many variables.

Because B2B relationships are complex relationships influenced by a wide variety of stakeholders, taking a holistic approach is particularly important. Such a marketing approach involves external, internal, and interaction marketing, which follows from the “branding triangle.” Today it is no longer enough to rely only on external marketing. However, there are still many industrial companies that do not effectively communicate the essence and values of their brand internally. The purpose of this chapter is to demonstrate and highlight the importance of motivating and empowering your employees to turn them into true brand ambassadors.

Another criterion for classifying brand communication strategies is the definition common goal appropriate communication activities. Accordingly, we can distinguish corporate, marketing and dialogue communications. Depending on what is the focus - the company itself, its products and services, or personal contacts - creating communication requires the use of different approaches and tools. Figure 3.9 shows individual tools and contact areas various types communications.

Rice. 3.9. Tools and boundaries of interaction between corporate, marketing and dialogue communications

Many of these tools can be used for any purpose. Internal marketing, for example, is important for each of them. As already noted when analyzing the “branding triangle”, it is necessary to communicate corporate values and brand values to their own employees. The success of work in the field of dialogue communications, as a rule, depends on the effectiveness internal communications. Conversational communications, on the contrary, are closely related to interaction marketing. However, this is not the only thing that unites the two concepts. If a company wants to make the most of its communications, it must act in accordance with the principles established by the “brand triangle.” To conduct effective engagement marketing, internal marketing is as important as external marketing. The general public is the “world” surrounding a company and should never be ignored, or considered unimportant or underestimated. Effective strategy brand communications are always based on what is dictated by the “branding triangle”.

One of the most important aspects of brand strategy is consistency, and this should also be taken into account when developing a communication strategy. To create brand equity, it must be distinctive features that the company wants to communicate have been reflected in all marketing materials and communications.

Brand Building Tools

Brand building tools are means of marketing communications with which a company intends to inform, persuade and remind customers - directly or indirectly - about its products and brands. In a sense, they act as the “voice” of the brand and create a platform for establishing dialogue and forming relationships with consumers. Brand building tools used in B2B and B2C are not particularly different. In both cases, the marketing communications program includes the same basic types of communications.

Personal selling.
Direct marketing.
Specialized shows and exhibitions.
Advertising.
Sales promotion.

However, there is usually a significant difference in priorities. In markets for industrial goods and services Special attention focuses on the first type - personal selling. However, understanding brand as a holistic experience suggests that “everything matters.” Therefore, all elements of the marketing communications mix are tools that can be used in building brand equity. They can contribute to brand equity in a variety of ways - by creating awareness of the brand, establishing desirable associations with the brand image, stimulating positive judgments and emotions towards the brand, and/or strengthening the relationship between the consumer and the brand.

Personal selling

Face-to-face interaction with one or more prospects to obtain orders is called personal selling. Direct customer service is more common in business markets than in consumer markets. Due to the fact that in B2B markets the number of consumers is limited, personal selling has become the norm for them. Such selling involves personalized communications that are tailored and tailored to the specific needs of the buyer. At the same time, they are the main driving force in the formation of effective and long-term business relationships based on close personal interaction and in-depth knowledge of the product and market on the part of the sales representatives. This is the most expensive method of communication.

Effective communications Brand values are essential to realizing the full potential of B2B brands. The main form of brand communication in most industrial markets is the use of proprietary sales staff companies. Because these people are the direct link between the buying and selling organization, their communication skills and abilities play a critical role in determining how the brand's values are perceived by customers.

Number of buyers per industrial markets limited, and they tend to buy goods in large quantities and need technical support. Taken together, these factors provide a strong economic incentive for companies to advertise their offerings directly to consumers themselves. Thus, direct channels are practical and cost-effective, supported by popular direct marketing tools such as catalogues, e-mail ordering systems and e-business. For example, Cisco company Systems has built its entire business around its Global network company» (GNB, Global Networked Business) - a direct online information channel.

Personal selling is an important brand building tool: everything that goes into it has a real impact on how the brand is perceived by customers. Appearance and the demeanor of a sales agent are no less important than his actual knowledge of the goods or services. Every contact with a brand communicates something to customers and therefore leaves a certain impression about the brand and/or company, which can be either positive or negative.

Direct Marketing

Direct marketing tools include the use of direct mail, telephone marketing, fax, Email, advertising brochures, catalogues, Internet, etc. for direct communication with existing and potential consumers. Other definitions of direct marketing include personal selling, which we have already discussed separately. Direct marketing tools provide companies with several compelling ways to communicate personalized messages to individuals. These messages usually contain daily updated information, so preparation time may not be taken into account. Although they can be used immediately, they must be included in the long-term corporate brand message.

Over the past two decades, the use of direct marketing tools has been constantly growing. This is due to the increase in the technological level of new and more advanced direct marketing channels, but also has to do with the decline in the effectiveness of traditional marketing tools such as advertising. Direct marketing is a tool that allows marketers to reduce the number of irrational communications with non-target buyers or groups of buyers.

In the last decade, the direct marketing tool e-shopping has experienced significant growth. In the context of B2B markets, e-commerce sites such as Grainger.com or auction portals such as COVISINT or SupplyOn are becoming increasingly important. Interactive messaging via CD-ROM or mini-CD-ROM databases (sometimes even linked to online portals or websites) is becoming an increasingly accessible and effective means of direct marketing.

The benefits of direct marketing tools include special opportunities to adapt and personalize the messages conveyed. They help establish long-term relationships with customers. They are also among the most cost-effective tools because marketers are able to measure the success of each campaign based on customer response.

When using direct marketing tools, it is important to achieve consistency in the visual characteristics of the brand. Building a brand through direct marketing is only possible if the brand's activities meet customer expectations. Therefore, companies must listen and respond to feedback from customers regarding their positive and negative experiences with the brand.

PR

Public relations (PR) provides media coverage that covers different groups interested parties. They involve the use of a variety of programs designed to promote or protect a brand's image. Well-designed programs, coordinated with other elements of communication, can be extremely effective. Their appeal is determined mainly by the higher persuasiveness of news and reviews, especially compared to advertising. Due to their reliability, they enjoy great trust among readers. Additionally, PR efforts can reach potential buyers who tend to shy away from salespeople and advertising.

Many industrial marketers underuse PR or even misuse it, wasting PR dollars on plastering press releases on the walls of executive offices. Most publishers still receive every day great amount press releases from a variety of companies. In order to count how many of them are used by the end of the working day, you only need the fingers of one hand. However, when they do make it into the media, it allows brands to gain significant attention through well-crafted newspaper and magazine reports.

Effective PR efforts should be carefully managed by constantly monitoring the attitudes of buyers and other groups that may have an actual or potential interest in your company. Because PR does not involve the cost of obtaining space or time in the media, it can influence brand awareness at a fraction of the cost of other communications elements. Interesting story, picked up by means mass media, can cost millions of dollars in advertising dollars.

In their 2002 book, The Fall of Advertising & the Rise of PR, Al and Laura Rice attribute the remarkable success of the high-tech industries to successful PR work. They note that PR activities are most effective during brand building, while advertising is more suitable for maintaining an existing famous brands. High-tech companies such as Microsoft, Intel, SAP, Cisco, and Oracle are examples of companies that built their identities through PR before spending big on advertising campaigns.

The reason PR events are so effective is that they inspire trust. With limited resources, PR delivers the greatest value per dollar invested while simultaneously building a high level of trust. PR builds brands by generating positive, compelling word of mouth. PR is one of the most effective ways get people talking about your brand and believing you. This method is most effective when building and maintaining a business.

Specialized shows and exhibitions

Specialized shows and exhibitions are of particular importance in the B2B sector. They provide a good opportunity to build brand awareness, knowledge and interest. In addition, they provide buyers with access to many potential suppliers and customers within short term time and at a cost that is low compared to conventional information collection methods. Buyers get the opportunity to compare competitive offers in one place. In Europe and Japan, specialty shows and exhibitions can attract tens of thousands of active and knowledgeable business marketers from all walks of life. For example, Germany hosts four of the ten largest exhibitions in the world. There are venues for industrial fairs in 20 German cities. About 130 international and national trade and industrial exhibitions take place in Germany every year. More than 1,400 thousand participants present their products there. Almost 45% of organizations taking part in exhibitions are foreign companies. Among them, 15% are representatives of Asian countries. Trade fairs held in Germany attract about 9 million visitors, of whom 1.5 million come from other countries.

Amphenol-Tuchel Electronics

A common mistake B2B companies make is preparing their trade show booths without using clear messaging and consistency in their branding efforts. Amphenol-Tuchel Electronics, for example, left nothing to chance in preparation for the Electronics 2004 trade fair in Munich. "Electronics" is one of the most important international exhibitions in the electronics industry, which covers such sectors as electrical engineering, electronics, trade (distributors), telecommunications, development, service providers, software technology and data processing. Amphenol-Tuchel Electronics is an independent company within the Amphenol Corporation. This is one of the leading companies in the development, production and marketing of a variety of electrical and electronic connectors (see materials from the current Amphenol advertising campaign in Fig. 3.10).

In order to present a coherent company image at the exhibition, Amphenol hired an agency to help it prepare the exhibition and develop a communications concept, including a slogan, advertising brochure and invitations to clients. The result of the work done was the successful advertising campaign “Fly Higher”. As already mentioned, everything was controlled: from the identification of target figures, the multi-level concept of invitations, special training of personnel serving the exhibition stand, consistent planning of the exhibition program and ending with the comprehensive preparation of all related events and processes (before the start of the exhibition and after its completion) with the final analysis return on investment (ROI). Indisputable confirmation High Quality The developed marketing concept became a huge success for the company during the exhibition and subsequent sales growth.

Rice. 3.10. Advertising campaign Amphenol under the motto “Fly Higher”

Lapp Cable

Another example of branding in the B2B sphere is the story of the company Lapp Cable, also operating in the electronics industry. Lapp is a family-owned company with its headquarters in Weihengen, a suburb of Stuttgart. Lapp Cable is part of the Lapp Group, which includes more than 50 companies, approximately 60 agencies and approximately 2,600 employees. In 2004, the company, which is one of the world's leading suppliers of wires and cables, cable accessories, industrial connectors and communication technologies, took part in the Hannover Fair. The slogan chosen for the exhibition was “Get in Contact”, captivatingly depicted in a short film with a slow motion effect. This emotional film showed various scenes of establishing contact, and its purpose was to create a metaphorical connection with the company's real products (Figure 3.11).

Rice. 3.11. Sample stills from the Lapp exhibition film

Sponsorship

Sponsoring social events, such as world-famous bicycle and car races, is widespread among B2B brands. Corporate goals Sponsorships can increase profits, provide a platform for developing relationships, provide opportunities to entertain customers in a unique environment, and provide employee incentives. Thus, FedEx uses sponsorship very actively. However, while many organizations try to raise brand awareness by sponsoring high-profile events, FedEx's sponsorship efforts focus on business development rather than awareness. The company even includes sponsorships in its marketing mix. Certain events serve as content that can be used in media, promotions, employee recognition and online distribution. Examples include campaigns centered around the National Football League (NFL) and television commercials associated with the Professional Golf Association (PGA).

Master Yachting

Another example of sponsorship in the B2B sphere is Master Yachting. In August 2005, the luxury yacht charter company began providing sponsorship the Eichin Racing team, participating in the German Porsche Carrera Cup car racing. The yacht charter agency from Wuersburg, Germany, is something of a pioneer in this field: for the first time, a German yacht company has shown an interest in motorsports. The main purpose of the sponsorship is to increase interest among the immediate environment of the Porsche team and companies that have a stake in motor sport. This type of B2B marketing is achieving some success: more and more companies are discovering the appeal of yachting as an event that attracts buyers and can be used for their own promotion. Therefore, the results of the sponsorship activities initiated by Master Yachting very soon exceeded even its own expectations. Today the company is considering the possibility of sponsoring Formula 1 car racing in the future.

Bearing Point

In 2005, Bearing Point, one of the largest consulting and systems integration firms, announced that Masters golf champion Phil Mickelson had signed a three-year contract with the company under which he would continue to wear Bearing Point branded headwear. during tournament games and in other public places. Mickelson will also continue to speak on behalf of Bearing Point at various promotional events and client meetings.

UBS

Another example is UBS. The Swiss bank was pleased to renew its partnership with Chicago's Ravinia Festival as a major sponsor, and must be looking forward to another summer of great music courtesy of the festival's new Music Director, James Conlon. List innovative types sponsorship can be continued further; Consider how municipalities such as the city of Chicago invest in advertising time on CNN or a nightly tour of Chicago blues clubs and bars for people visiting the city for business purposes. In all these cases, to justify any B2B promotion, it is necessary to evaluate the effort spent on it, the purpose and success.

Advertising

Many people feel that much of today's advertising has lost its focus. Because the goal of many television commercials and print advertisements is to grab consumers' attention and get noticed, they focus on the fun and entertaining aspects of the product and service - the experiential side of the product. Sometimes it seems that this is the only purpose of the message. In such cases, only minor awareness of the company or brand is generated. Many marketers argue that this trend, if left on the surface as a mere advertising approach, is misleading to consumers. We are also of the opinion that every advertisement must convey a clear message clearly related to the offer; Otherwise, it makes no sense to create advertising that is not reflected in the product or service.

It is best to find a compromise between factual information and emotional appeal. The use of advertising is most effective when it strengthens the foundation of a brand that already exists. The buyer must be informed, and when this cannot be achieved through sales representatives because their reach is limited, the company must deliver the message through mass marketing. However, this poses a dilemma: mass marketing is expensive, and we know that every cent counts. Few large companies can afford to penetrate the minds of all potential buyers through mass marketing. This is possible by shifting attention from customers selling the manufacturer’s goods under their own brand to their own B2B customers, as Deutsche Post clearly demonstrated by changing its name to the new name of the international brand DHL (Fig. 3.12).

Luckily there is another one affordable way advertising, which is cheaper. A good option for use in the field of industrial goods and services - specialized press. That is why there are specialized magazines in every industry. They can combine PR, product information and advertising, and control their distribution to members of a selected audience. This means getting the maximum and fastest results from your marketing communications budget investment.

Rice. 3.12. DHL advertising campaign

The advertisement we'll discuss next was developed for The McGraw-Hill Companies in 1958 and is considered one of the most effective and influential works in the genre. "The Man in the Chair" has lost none of its timeliness and relevance and continues to provide compelling evidence of the value of advertising in the industrial sales cycle. In 1999 the magazine Business Marketing called it “the number one advertising in the B2B sphere for all times and peoples” (Fig. 3.13).

One of the main tasks of B2B communication is to provide buyers with specific, possibly technical information about certain products and services. An excellent example of a company that has begun to think outside of traditional B2B categories is Covad Communications Group. Founded in 1996, the organization is the nation's leading provider of broadband telephone and data services to small and medium-sized businesses. In addition, Covad is the primary provider of high-speed Internet access to firms competing in telephone and online services. The company owns and operates the only nationwide DSL broadband network in the United States. Just three years after its founding, the Covad network reached more than 40% of American homes and businesses.

Rice. 3.13. Advertisement "Man on a Chair"

A creative and intriguing advertisement for VoIP (Voice over IP) technology, which involves transmitting voice traffic over the Internet, was released in early September 2004. The plot of the initial 30-second video, which was based on the theme "Who did it?" ("Who Dunnit?"), revolved around a police investigation, three suspects and Covad VoIP. The appeal of Covad's approach to marketing its B2B offerings rests on the fact that the company doesn't take itself too seriously. The ad initially leaves viewers in the dark about its actual content, surprising them at the end with a clever solution. The entertaining commercials have been featured on the company's website, www.voipthemovie.com, where they can be viewed at any time. As can be seen in Fig. 3.14, Covad's print advertising also combines topical communications with elements of humor.

Rice. 3.14. Covad advertising

To maintain its presence in the minds of consumers, Intel attracts celebrities. As we already know, Intel isn't just targeting a limited number of B2B buying center members as buyers: it's reaching out to the mass buyer to attract them. Currently, in light of its component branding concept, the company is focusing on corporate brand as the main message for potential buyers and attracts them to spread their news famous people(Fig. 3.15).

Rice. 3.15. Intel advertising campaign in print media

Sales promotion

Sales promotion involves the use different types motivating factors that help increase the value of a market offering over a period of time. Traditionally, the purpose of such promotion is to encourage customers to try or increase their use of the product or service. When we act as consumers, we are surrounded by a myriad of products that try to entice us with small “gifts” or other “bonuses” in order to force us to make a purchase. In the B2B sector, this concept typically does not work: industrial buyers only purchase what their organizations actually need.

Unlike promotions aimed at consumers, trade promotions are aimed at retailers, distributors and other members of the trade channel. This often comes in the form of financial incentives or discounts, the purpose of which is to secure shelf space for the new brand and its distribution.

Incentives for companies and sales personnel at specialized exhibitions, for example, can be carried out in the form of competitions for sales representatives or other similar events.

1 SOR (share of requirements) - the share of the brand purchase in relation to all products of the same category. - Note scientific ed.

2 This metaphor plays on the similarity in the pronunciation of the English words “byte” (“byte”) and “bite” (“bite”). - Note lane