The business-to-business audience can be a hard nut to crack, as these buyers are typically more well-researched and cautious with their dollars than the normal customer would be. It makes sense, especially when you consider that making a wrong buy can get executives into some real trouble.
As it turns out, email newsletters may be the nutcracker that advertisers need to get through this tough shell. Business executives tend to be avid knowledge-seekers, and email newsletters are one of the best ways for them to consume and share this insight. According to some B2B email marketing statistics compiled by ClickZ, a whopping 81 percent of U.S. executives subscribe to industry email newsletters to get product information and business intelligence.
Perhaps an even more attractive tidbit for online advertisers: As many as 60 percent of business decision-makers claimed the Internet and email are some of the best ways for brands to reach them. If you’re going engage B2B prospects, online advertising – particularly through email messages – seems like the best way to accomplish this task.
Don’t forget about mobile email
Of course, it’s crucial that B2B advertisers keep in mind the fact email isn’t just relegated to desktop computers. As the days go by, a growing number of people are utilizing their mobile devices, ranging from smartphones to tablets, to consume email messages. Our own first quarter 2014 report found that nearly half of email ad impressions stem from mobile devices, and that figure is sure to grow as people get more friendly with their smartphones and tablets.
When it comes to reaching B2B executives, mobile should be a cornerstone in advertising initiatives. Digital Marketing Magazine recently asserted that smartphones are vital business tools, with many executives utilizing them for a number of mission-critical activities. Nine in 10 executives polled in a recent IDC survey use their smartphones for business purposes, with three-quarters of those individuals leveraging these devices to conduct product and service research. Probably not too surprising, considering the Blackberry was a status symbol for company executives for the better part of a decade.
That figure jumps even higher the younger people get, with millennial decision-makers even more likely to own a smartphone. Some survey respondents said they’ve even replaced their laptop computers with tablets – that’s how much they utilize mobile devices.
“The ‘mobile evolution’ is having a profound effect on consumers and businesses,” added Christina Carstensen, an associate at IDG Global Solutions. “It has kick-started the ‘always-on’ culture, presenting brands with unprecedented opportunities to develop closer relationships with their customers. We have moved beyond media convergence to a convergence of technology and humans, and brands more than ever need to show their human side to communicate in a relevant, engaging and intuitive way.”
Mobile email is king for B2B
Just to recap, email newsletters are some of the most effective tools to engage B2B prospects, with a significant portion of them turning to email to learn about products and services. Additionally, many of them also use mobile devices to conduct business research. If you do the math, it would appear that mobile email advertising is therefore the best way for advertisers to reach B2B prospects.
By leveraging the right B2B publications, advertisers can get their message in front of pertinent customers in a meaningful way. These people respect the contents of these newsletters, and if the ad is optimized for mobile devices and conveys a meaningful message, you can be sure to set a great first impression.
