Top 5 most effective B2B tech marketing strategies for 2021

Before the era of high-speed Internet, acquiring software used to be a difficult and time-consuming process for businesses and individuals alike. Just think for a moment. You had to purchase floppy disks (or CDs) and install the program on every device that needed to use it. Now, it’s a completely different story. These days, software is one click away, and new applications can be accessed through a web browser with little to no effort. 

Software-as-a-service (SaaS) is not only one of the most admired but also one of the most adopted business models. We’re not saying that you should go into competition with the likes of Microsoft or Google. You need piles of cash to be able to compete with such tech giants. You can make an excellent living as a SaaS entrepreneur, offering smaller niche products. 

The paths to startup success are many and varied. If you’d like to drive your business forward and see a significant return on the investment, create a brand that reflects who you are. It doesn’t matter if you’re launching your first digital product or trying to expand internationally, having a strong marketing plan is of the essence. In this article, we’ll take a close look at the five most effective B2B tech marketing strategies you can use this year. 

1. Create content with one eye on the customer and the other on ROI

More content is being created and distributed than ever before. B2B tech startups actively take advantage of content marketing to develop brand affinity and, most importantly, drive leads and sales by appealing to other businesses. They can satisfy customers’ curiosity and address the main pain points. The most popular distribution channels through which content can be shared and promoted are: 

• Website articles
• eNewsletters
• Blogs 
• In-person events
• Social Media

If we take a close look at the Content Marketing Institute’s 2021 report, we can see that roughly 21% of content marketers don’t have a sound strategy in place. They have something in mind but the idea isn’t written down or it’s not shared with the team. The best action plan doesn’t come out of thin air, just so you know. 

Develop content with the user in mind. B2B buyers want input from industry thought leaders, so share your unique perspective, experiences, and educate rather than sell. Perhaps there’s nothing more important than thought leadership when it comes to forging a future for your organization. Look at the ROI from the entire perspective; don’t take into consideration individual pieces. The return on the investment focuses on the actual money and time spent on creating and promoting the content. 

2. Offer free tools and education 

If you haven’t been living under a rock, you’re surely familiar with HubSpot. It’s an American developer and marketer of software products for inbound marketing, sales, and customer service. HubSpot makes available free tools and training courses for all kinds of professionals. This may not seem as much, but these efforts strongly support the tech company’s marketing strategies. The products sell themselves, bringing about an immense value to the firm’s target audience, who doesn’t have to spend a dime. 

Step up to the plate to help out your fellow entrepreneurs and reward them with free products and educational tools. This will entice them to visit you and spend more. Try to offer something they have to redeem in a way that promotes further spending. Yet again, HubSpot offers the best example from the business world. Their certifications, which are free of charge, have significantly increased in popularity among professionals who like to display them on LinkedIn, contributing to the spread of brand awareness. 

3. Leverage social media to your advantage 

As far as b2b tech marketing for startups is concerned, it’s a good idea to take advantage of social media as part of your integrated strategy. A good rule of thumb is to post content on social media channels a few times each week for the best results. However, an  evaluation is important when reviewing the core social channels like Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram. In some cases, it’s not practical to post on all channels so always do your due diligence in the form of a Social Media Audit each year. Start by hiring a good Social Media Strategist. They can review competitors and propose a good Social Media plan for your business. This includes automating scheduled posts to be pushed into the digital ecosystem. 

If you want to make your software stand out in this crowded market, add tutorials and videos into your Marketing plan. People will get a basic understanding of your digital product and become comfortable with it. Modern customers want to see your software in action. Undoubtedly, video is the best addition to your promotion toolbox. Studies have discovered that the understanding of information can reach up to 95% with the introduction of images. Don’t hesitate to ask satisfied customers to leave reviews. Facebook business pages, for instance, let users leave reviews.    

4. Include more visuals 

To produce better product marketing materials for B2B customers, include lots and lots of visuals. It’s easier to sell technology-based products when you have pretty pictures. Besides videos, you can use photos, graphics, apps, memes, and so on to communicate complex ideas. If you want to become a well-known leader in your industry, start with data-driven visuals. Sales pitches with graphs and charts are more successful because they demonstrate that your offering can significantly improve the buyer’s life.  

The clarity gained from the aforementioned visuals will set your digital product apart from the competition. Technical topics become more fun and engaging. Because of this, customers come back to you time and time again. Just so you know, more than 90% of information is processed visually. This translates into the fact that it’s important for your business to create engaging visual content for the target audience. 

5. Transform complicated tech into simple marketing messages 

Salesforce, which has been dominating the tech space for a long time, has made tremendous efforts to streamline its marketing messages so that the brand identity remains clear. You should follow in their footsteps. To be more precise, transform complicated tech into simple marketing messages. If people don’t understand your software, they won’t buy it. To spark a connection with the target audience, rephrase your brand messaging so that it has a personal impact. 

It’s important to show real examples of how your software can be deployed by various businesses. Imagine the ideal scenario when using your product or service. Summarize everything in a couple of words and use the simplest terminology possible. It’s not recommended to use fancy language. Salesforce’s value proposition has changed over the years. It’s living proof that change is constant in marketing.