Providing the perfect technology at the right price is great, but it’s not enough to set your brand apart from the competition. Companies have many options when it comes to choosing which brand they partner with. What makes the difference is how you engage your target audience by showing the value your technology company provides.
Companies are more value-driven than ever before and when it comes to choosing a vendor, B2B buyers find the most value in those companies that: demonstrate knowledge of the solution and business landscape (69%) and provide content that makes it easier to build a business case for the purchase (62%). Implementing digital marketing strategies that promote the value of partnering with your technology company is critical to success.
Develop and Execute an Effective Inbound Marketing Strategy
It won’t matter that your technology company offers immense value if prospective customers can’t find your brand, learn what you do, or discover what you offer. That’s why, since the start of the pandemic, 95% of tech executives have increased their marketing efforts. With a comprehensive inbound marketing strategy, you will utilize a wide range of tactics to engage your target audience and demonstrate the value of your brand.
3 Digital Marketing Strategies to Engage Your Target Audience
So, how can your inbound marketing strategy engage your target audience? You have to infuse a sense of mission and purpose into every aspect of your brand’s messaging in order to demonstrate authenticity and build trust.
We’re here to help you get started with 3 strategies to take your digital marketing efforts to the next level.
1. Highlight the Value of Your Motivational Programs
Many times, the reason a company is hesitant to move forward with a new technology company is because they cannot guarantee the relationship will work out or that the product will provide as much value as they hope. Motivational programs that allow your customers to test-drive your product for free (or at reduced cost), or programs that provide an incentive to make the switch to your brand are invaluable tools. It’s a way to demonstrate that what you’re offering is worth it, making it easier for prospects to say yes.
But motivational programs can be a dime a dozen in the technology space. Almost every brand has a free trial, subscription plan, special offer, or discount plan. It’s all about how you strategically use digital marketing to advertise the value of these programs.
For example, B2B companies that utilized free trials saw an average of 66% conversions among users. But to get customers to choose your free trial over a competitor, you need to take it to the next level.
- Create and share a video interviewing a customer who used your free trial and how it helped them make their decision.
- Develop accompanying how-to blogs, podcasts, or webinars that your customers can take advantage of alongside their free trial so they get the most out of their experience.
- Combine the free trial with a training session with your top IT team members.
2. Create a Personalized Content Experience for Your Target Audience
Your goal should be to deliver content that shows you’re exactly what your target audience is looking for. And keep in mind: 62% of B2B buyers said they can now develop selection criteria or finalize a vendor list solely on the basis of digital content.
Deliver blogs, videos, podcasts, infographics, and landing pages that are focused on helping your potential customers meet their needs. (81% of early-stage B2B buyers find listicles relevant, while 72% prefer infographics, and 66% enjoy blogs.) Instead of creating ads talking up your product or brand, develop messaging that helps your target audience solve their problems, use your resources, and improve their experience.
To ensure that you are delivering the right information to the right persona, monitor lead behavior throughout your marketing lifecycle. Select emails, ads, and social posts for each audience that includes messaging that speaks directly to their needs. Be sure to deliver content focused on the products and services that they’ve previously viewed as these will help them easily identify your brand and ensure content relevance.
3. Educate, Inform, and Help Your Customers Through Your Content
Your digital marketing strategy should engage your target audience by addressing their immediate pain points. Discover what matters to your potential customers—timeliness of technology implementation, strong industry knowledge, customized solutions, etc.—and then create digital marketing messaging around those values.
Your potential customers value companies that share their expertise, knowledge, and know-how with them—freely. According to a DemandGen survey, 76% of B2B buyers state that the winning vendor’s content had a significant impact on their buying decision. It’s about making a positive impression with content that actually matters. Effective content ideas include:
- Write a series of blog posts focusing on your target audience’s most common pain points and how your technology provides the most effective solutions.
- Create a case study portfolio that shares a variety of challenges and the solutions that your technology team implemented to resolve them. Don’t forget to include your customer’s positive results from your solutions.
- Host a thought leadership webinar that provides your target audience with insight into how to effectively utilize your technology to address their specific needs.
Digital Marketing for Technology: Focus on Engagement
There are many digital marketing strategies that your technology company can use to engage your value-driven customers. The key is to take a moment to think about what they truly want and how your business can align your messaging to match. It’s all about using a variety of digital marketing tactics to demonstrate and share all that you already do.
It’s truly all about putting your customers at the forefront of your digital marketing efforts, and Mindtap Digital can help. We understand that how you differentiate yourself in the technology solution ecosystem is critical to attracting prospects and leads. And we can help you position your value in the right way to attract, engage, and convert your target buyers.