How to Leverage Personalization in B2B Marketing to Boost Engagement

In today’s digital and data-driven era, people increasingly expect personalized experiences. Even at business-to-business (B2B) companies, personalization is expected for decision-makers.

Among leading marketers, 90% say personalization significantly contributes to business profitability. So, why is it that only 32% of B2B organizations plan to invest in personalization? 

If you’re not using personalization, now’s the time to do it.

Keep reading to discover why B2B personalization matters and how to leverage it for your business!

What is personalization?

Personalization is the process of using unique identifiers in audience data to create unique experiences for everyone interacting with your business. With first-party data collection, businesses can better understand their audience and deliver tailored experiences that result in conversions and revenue growth.

Personalization in B2B marketing

Personalization in B2B marketing has some unique differences compared to B2C marketing. B2B marketing involves selling to individuals who purchase products on behalf of a business. Rather than selling to one individual, you might sell to a team of decision-makers.

B2B marketing also involves showcasing more expertise and building personal relationships. When selling to businesses, you deal with a longer buying cycle where you must pay close attention to user experience at every stage. 

So, because of this, personalization might look different and more intricate. For example, you might personalize the message you send to each decision-maker to focus on the aspect that matters most to them — financial information for the CFO, productivity features for the project manager, etc.

Why is B2B personalization important?

When you face a longer buying cycle and a team of decision-makers who expect expertise, you need personalization to keep businesses interested in your product or service. Here are a few benefits personalization provides your business:

• Improved customer experience: When you utilize data to create personalized marketing, your audience has a better buying experience. They feel your business cares and has the exact solutions to meet their needs. 
• Higher lead generation: Personalization allows you to target the businesses most likely to buy. A higher number of qualified leads means higher conversions as your leads trickle down the sales funnel. 
• Greater customer loyalty: When B2B customers feel that you speak directly to them and their needs, they will likely buy from you multiple times or continue using your service for many years. 
• Better customer lifetime value: Customer lifetime value (CLV) refers to the monetary value a customer contributes to your business over a lifetime. A higher CLV means keeping existing loyal customers rather than spending money on new ones. 
• Improved revenue: B2B companies will drive higher revenue by enhancing the buying process. Businesses looking to improve their bottom line should focus on personalization.

How to personalize and tailor content for your audience

Personalization plays a significant role in content, from the blog posts on your website to the emails you send customers. Learn how to tailor content for your audience with the following steps:

1. Use data to identify and categorize your audience

Customer data platforms allow you to view information about your audience, including demographics and the types of content they prefer to engage with. This data helps you identify your target audience. 

Once you have information about your audience, perform customer segmentation, grouping your client base according to shared qualities, habits, or preferences. Use your segmented customers to create buyer personas that represent your customers.

2. Consider the platforms and content type

Data about your audience helps you decide which channels and content types will best appeal to particular customer segments. Here are a few examples of platforms to use in your content strategy: 

• Emails: Email marketing helps you capture and nurture your leads. Personalized emails may include further reading on a particular topic or recommendations for products or services that appeal to a specific client. 
• Website content: A B2B marketing strategy should include tailored website content for various customer personas. Consider content like informational pages, new products, and services, and trends in your industry. 
• Social media posts: B2B marketers may use social media in their strategies. Use audience data to determine which social media platform will best suit your needs and appeal to your audience.

3. Align your content creation strategy

Your segmented customer base gives you a starting point for tailoring your content and messaging. Start by choosing relevant topics to appeal to each buyer persona. Consider your language and tone to appeal to the business professionals you sell to. 

As you generate content ideas for each market segment, consider which platform will best showcase the content. Your content creation strategy should also include content that meets buyers at every stage of the buyer journey. 

4. Monitor marketing success

As you create tailored content for your business audience, you want to know whether your personalization efforts achieve the desired results. Determine your personalization success by monitoring metrics like:

• Website traffic
• Page views
• Unique visitors
• Comments
• Shares
• Form completions
• Email subscriptions
• Sales

Use these metrics to see what works and what doesn’t. Monitoring marketing success allows you to refine your personalization to achieve better results. 

Drive B2B success with personalized content

Personalization in B2B marketing matters. Businesses looking for your products or services want to know you will meet their needs. Personalization and tailored content show them that you’re the right choice. 

Get expert help and a custom content strategy with WebFX. Our team of over 500 subject-matter experts bring expertise to your campaign.

With the help of RevenueCloudFX, our client-exclusive software, we can help you create personalized campaigns and track their performance to better understand your ROI.

Contact us today or call us at 888-601-5359 to speak with a strategist!