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B2B Marketing Strategies To Help You Grow Your Business In 2025

Originally posted on May 16, 2024
Last updated on December 5, 2024
Written by Jack Hahn

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This guide walks you through how to create a marketing plan using strategies and tactics that help you connect with businesses and generate leads.

Using effective b2b marketing strategies can lead to more sales and stronger business relationships. If you understand how to execute targeted marketing strategies, you position your company for growth and long-term success.

Let’s get started with an overview of the fundamentals.

What Is B2B Marketing?

B2B marketing, or business to business marketing, is when one business sells products or services to other businesses.

Instead of targeting individual consumers, it focuses on business customers like companies and organizations. When targeting potential buyers, you need to identify the right business decision-makers who make the final call before completing big purchases.

B2B Marketing Vs. B2C Marketing: Key Differences

While business to business marketing targets companies, business to consumer marketing focuses on individual consumers.

In the business to business market, the purchase process is different from consumer markets. It usually involves a longer sales cycle, more steps, and more people.

Business buyers usually need to involve multiple team members before they can complete a purchase. These potential customers need to see that you can add value for their entire company (and often their bottom line) before making a decision.

This makes the process even more complex, and it’s the reason B2B companies tend to have longer sales cycles than B2C companies.

In contrast, B2C marketing aims at potential customers on an individual level. Since they’re the only ones involved in the buying process, they can make quicker decisions.

The sales cycle is shorter, and the focus is on appealing to emotions and personal needs.

Here are the key differences in a nutshell:

  • Target Audience: B2B targets businesses. B2C targets individual consumers.
  • Decision Makers: B2B involves groups. B2C generally involves one person.
  • Sales Cycle: B2B has a longer sales cycle. B2C moves faster.

What Is The Difference Between B2B Marketing Strategies And B2B Marketing Tactics?

Many people use the terms “strategies” and “tactics” as synonyms, but there’s an important distinction.

A strategy is like a roadmap to your goals. You may need to use more than one marketing strategy to reach them.

Tactics are the actual steps you take to achieve your goals.

Aligning your business-to-business marketing strategies with the right tactics is how you create an effective marketing plan.

Think of strategy as what you’ll do in your marketing process, and tactics as how you’ll do it.

Your goals determine the strategies you use, and the strategies you use determine your tactics.

Let’s break this down into a real-world example:

Imagine you own a small business that sells eco-friendly commercial cleaning products to other businesses. Your goal is to increase sales by 20% in the next six months.

The strategies you use to reach that goal could include things like digital advertising campaigns and cold outreach.

The tactics you use are more specific. For advertising campaigns, tactics could include running paid advertisements on platforms like Google or Bing. When marketing via cold outreach, tactics could include cold email or cold calling.

Examples Of B2B Marketing Strategies And Tactics

In the B2B world, companies use various strategies to reach other companies. Here are some common strategies for marketing to B2B, along with tactics often used with each strategy.

Content Marketing

This involves sharing valuable marketing content that helps attract and engage other businesses. Content can include blog posts, white papers, case studies, and more. It makes it easy to nurture leads with relevant content that encourages them to buy from you.

➜ Tactics

  1. Writing Blog Posts: Maintaining a blog allows you to show your expertise in your field. They let you provide relevant content that attracts readers you can turn into customers. They help establish your brand as a knowledgeable resource within your industry.
  2. Developing Lead Magnets: Lead magnets are an excellent way to show value to potential customers. They also let you collect email addresses and grow your mailing list.
  3. Publishing Case Studies: Writing case studies lets you show off the outcomes you help your customers achieve. At the same time, they show readers your expertise, and how you can help them achieve similar results.

Screenshot of the ClearBrand blog page

Email Marketing

This strategy allows you to communicate directly with potential clients. When done right, sending personalized emails can help you generate leads and build relationships.

➜ Tactics

  1. Cold Outreach: Cold outreach involves sending emails to potential clients who haven’t interacted with your business yet. Through targeted emails, you introduce your services and start building relationships. This B2B marketing approach helps you reach a wider audience without the need to pay an advertising platform.
  2. Warm Outreach: Your existing customers are valuable assets. Engage them with deals and new email offers to encourage repeat purchases. strengthen relationships with businesses who have worked with your brand in the past.

Social Media Marketing

Using platforms like LinkedIn for social media marketing helps you connect with professionals. Sharing updates and engaging content can boost your brand’s overall visibility.

➜ Tactics

  1. Running LinkedIn Ads: LinkedIn is the top platform for B2B connections. It offers tools for social media marketing that target professionals. Building your social media presence here connects you with decision-makers and industry experts.
  2. Collaborating On Guest Posts: Partnering with other businesses to create guest posts can help you reach new audiences. Contributing to posts on reputable pages lets you tap into their follower base and increase engagement with your channels.
  3. Influencer marketing: This tactic leverages connections with industry leaders who are popular on social media to promote your brand. Collaborating with the right influencers can increase trust and credibility.

Screenshot of the ClearBrand LinkedIn page

Search Engine Optimization

Search engine optimization (SEO) improves your website’s ranking on search engines. This increases your online presence and helps attract more organic traffic. If you can write content that ranks at the top of search engines, it’s a lot like having an advertisement – except it’s completely free.

➜ Tactics

  1. On-page SEO: On-page SEO involves writing content to target keywords users search for when interested in your service. You can optimize landing pages and blog posts to help attract qualified leads to your site and encourage them to reach out to you.
  2. Technical SEO: Technical SEO takes place in the back end of your website. It involves optimizing web page structure so that search engines can understand and rank your content more accurately.
  3. Backlinks: A “backlink” is when a website places a link to your site on one of their pages. Backlinks are a great way to build your site’s authority. Google uses backlinks to determine how much it should trust you and how high it should rank your site when users run relevant searches.

Screenshot of what shows up when you search "ClearBrand" on Google

Referral Marketing

Referral marketing uses incentives to encourage satisfied customers to refer you to others. Even in the age of the internet, word-of-mouth can be a powerful way to get land clients.

➜ Tactics

  1. Offering Commissions and Discounts: When your current customers bring in a new client, you provide cash bonuses (directly send them money via Venmo or cash) and also offer a discount to the person they referred to you. It motivates people to promote your brand by offering better value. Plus, they feel like a winner because they got their friend a discount.

PPC Marketing

Running paid campaigns on platforms like Google Ads places your business at the top of search results. But it does it without the need for the hard work behind strong SEO. This can drive immediate traffic to key pages on your website where you convert visitors to customers.

➜ Tactics

  1. LinkedIn Ads: These are great for getting in front of professionals who can introduce your product or service to their team.
  2. Google Ads: Google is the most popular search engine in the world. When people face problems, one of the things they do is search for a solution on Google. That gives you the opportunity to get your solution in front of them at the perfect moment.

All these strategies can help you connect with leads and grow your business when you execute them with the appropriate tactics.

Screenshot of the Google Ads platform home page.

Building Your Own B2B Strategy: The 4 Laws Of Marketing

If you’re using the strategies and tactics above in your B2B marketing efforts but not seeing results, you might be focused on the wrong areas.

There are a few objectives that all effective marketing strategies have to accomplish. We’ve outlined them below.

Graphic illustrating the 4 laws of marketing: build memories, maximize availability, reach the market, test and validate.

1. Build Memories

To make a strong impression, you need a memorable identity for your brand.

Create a clear story for all your messaging to use.

Develop a distinctive brand by using unique elements like logos, colors, and characters to enhance your brand recognition.

Share relevant content through content marketing to connect with your audience.

Maintain an active social media presence to keep your brand top-of-mind for potential clients.

Focus on building memories and associations that establish a unique, recognizable identity for your brand.

This includes elements like branding and packaging, developing catchy taglines and ad moments, and standing out in the market with marketing tactics that first engage emotions then appeal to logic.

There are two key ways to make your company memorable to potential buyers. The first is to create a Clear Story. The second is to leverage Distinctive Branding.

➜ Clear Story

When you develop a clear story to use in your messaging, don’t make the mistake of focusing on yourself or your brand.

Instead, focus on the customer.

The story your customers want to hear isn’t about your brand. It’s about their real life experience.

To make your story stick, follow the three-act structure (if you haven’t heard of it before, this article goes in-depth on the three-act-structure and brand storytelling).

Build your message around your customers’ challenges, their journeys, and the emotions they’ll feel when they rise past them.

Here’s a quick breakdown of what you can do to create a story for your own brand.

➜ Act I: The Setup

Start by putting yourself in your customer’s situation and showing them that you understand the world they’re living in right now.

Ask yourself:

  • What do they want?
  • Why do they want it?

It’s probably something they can’t have right now, for one reason or another. But if they had it, their lives would be a whole lot better because of reasons X, Y, and Z.

This is your chance to connect and show them that you don’t just understand what they want, but why they want it.

Write out a list of every possible motivation you can think of that would steer a customer to your brand. Then choose the one that’s most compelling and applies to a broad number of people.

The customer’s desires and motivations are the foundation of your brand’s story.

Once you’ve identified what they want and what’s motivating them to get it, you can connect by showing them that you understand the struggle—not from your perspective, but from theirs.

Your customers have desires. They have motivations.

But if they’re coming to your brand for help, there’s likely a clear obstacle that’s stopping them from fulfilling those desires.

This is where you show them that you understand their pain points. Spell them out as explicitly as you can.

Your goal is to demonstrate that you get it. Make another list with of all the pain points your customers might be facing. But instead of narrowing it down to a single answer, this time, choose the top three that apply to a broad number of your customers.

These are the obstacles to focus on in your messaging.

➜ Act II: Contact

In Act I, you’re telling the customer, “We understand your challenges.”

In Act II, you get to show them that you’re here to help overcome them.

It’s where you connect over the shared goal of solving their problem.

Customers didn’t stumble across your brand by accident—they’re here because they’re actively seeking a way to reach their goals, and they’ve decided to consider you.

Your job now is to position your product or service as the solution that helps them overcome their obstacles and get what they want. Show them that you’re the guide ready to give them the solutions they’ve been looking for.

But stay focused on their perspective and be careful about your wording. Act II isn’t just about listing every feature you include in your product or service.

It’s about clearly showing how your solution fits into the story they’re living.

Maybe it’s more efficient, more reliable, or just easier to use than what they’ve tried before.

Whatever advantages you have to offer, you need to describe how your solution bridges the gap between where they are now and where they want to be.

But in order to be compelling, you need to build trust.

In movies, Act II is when the mentor steps in—think Yoda with Luke Skywalker or Morpheus with Neo.

In this case, that mentor role is yours.

To earn it, the customer has to trust that you’re the real deal.

So show your audience they can trust you by sharing proof of your success. Use testimonials or case studies where you helped others achieve the same outcomes they’re looking for.

Build authority by talking about the years you’ve been in business, the number of companies you’ve helped, or the depth of your industry knowledge.

Show them that others like them have faced similar obstacles—and achieved the outcomes they wanted by working with you.

If you do it right, you’ll make them feel confident that they’re not just buying a product—they’re buying a solution from someone who’s already helped others just like them.

➜ Act III: Their Transformation

In Act III, we show them what their life could be like once they find a resolution to the problems they’re facing.

Here, we position our product as the solution, but we still don’t make it about us! We keep the focus on the change and positive outcomes we offer them.

Your customers are looking for results: less stress, faster service, more reliable processes.

Describe how their world looks after solving the problem by answering the following questions:

  • What positive emotions will they feel when they’ve solved their problems?
  • How will their lives change for the better?
  • What solutions will help them feel relief about their problems?

We’re still simply the guide that helps them realize those outcomes. They’re the hero, and we’re the partner who clears the way.

When you develop a Clear Story around the customer’s journey, you solidify that sense of connection. When the customer sees themselves in the story, they recognize that we’re on their side, and we’re equipped to help them along their journey.

➜ Distinctive Branding

Companies can leverage branding elements by carefully choosing every aspect of their image. This includes your company logo, the colors and fonts you use, and unique images, graphics, and characters (like Geico’s gecko).

This phase involves heavy brainstorming, testing, and experimenting with different branding elements until you find the ones that stick.

One way to determine which elements are most effective is by hosting an online survey to a large (500+) group of users.

Explicitly ask them: which logo, font, color, or design looks best? How unique is each option? Ideally, 50% or more of the survey responses should indicate that a design is unique before you use it in your branding.

Once you use their responses to craft a memorable identity, you gain the ability to be quickly recognized. Now, it becomes easier to attract and engage businesses that are looking for your solution in future marketing campaigns.

2. Maximize Availability

Make it easy for businesses to find you.

There are different ways you can go about this. For example, you could invest in search engine optimization to improve your visibility on search engines.

Or you can stay present on various social media channels and optimize your site for mobile devices.

Focus on putting yourself out there and making sure other businesses can find and access your product or service with ease.

It’s like being “in stock” in a grocery store… but digitally.

Do this by:

  • Optimizing your presence on search engines
  • Maintaining an active and informative website
  • Creating listings in online directories
  • Making sure your product is available in stores and online marketplaces (or wherever B2B customers go to find it).

It’s all about making it as easy as possible for potential clients to find and buy your offering.

Maximizing availability can be broken down into two different parts. The first is identifying where people find whatever you offer, then establishing a presence in those places. The second step is to remove friction from the purchasing process to remove barriers for customers.

➜ Be Easy To Find

In highly competitive B2B industries, being easily accessible can often be the deciding factor for converting potential clients.

Don’t underestimate the importance of a strong online presence. Make sure your product is readily available whenever and wherever customers are looking for it.

Sit down with a piece of paper and write a list. If a business wants a product or service in your category, where could they go to get it?

Use every resource you can to help you brainstorm. Online B2B marketplaces, industry-specific publications, and keyword research tools can reveal where customers go to find your product.

There isn’t a number of list items or time limit to aim for when listing possible locations. Take time to consider both digital and physical locations that offer similar products or services to those you offer.

You can even ask yourself where they go to find competing products to help you identify undiscovered distribution channels.

Marketing tactics like targeted advertising and referral programs can also increase your accessibility and visibility to the right audience. The key is finding creative ways to get in front of potential clients. Then, make it as easy as possible for them to become paying customers.

➜ Be Easy To Buy

Maximizing availability isn’t only about making it easy for consumers to purchase from your website or physical storefront. It also involves removing friction from the purchasing process.

This means staying competitive with pricing and features and considering new B2B strategies that place your offer where companies go to look for them.

In short, never give customers a reason not to buy from you.

Create a strong customer experience that’s simple and seamless. Do this by:

  • Limiting the number of steps customers take when making purchases
  • Accepting multiple payment methods
  • Existing across various platforms
  • Optimizing mobile purchase processes

Focus on finding ways to remain accessible when customers need support or have questions. Establish a dedicated customer support channel or use an AI tool to create a chat function that answers FAQs.

Apply these techniques to create a supportive environment for your customers that shows them you’re attentive to their needs. Request and listen to feedback, then make changes accordingly.

Make sure you’re constantly evaluating and improving the purchasing process for consumers. In the end, companies in search of your product want convenience and ease – so give it to them.

3. Reach The Market

To grow, you need to connect with new users.

This sounds obvious, but so many “gurus” are saying to focus on getting more money from your current customers. We don’t disagree with this, but it’s a limited avenue.

You have to take on new customers. Period.

This means expanding your marketing to include different channels, like social media platforms.

Adjust your marketing mix to make sure you’re engaging your full target audience, not just one persona you think will buy from you.

For a company to extend reach, it must do two things: continuously target all potential users, and build connections with the ways they can use your product.

➜ Reach All Potential Users

The traditional B2B approach is to target specific market sectors. This can be helpful for companies who offer industry-specific solutions. But ultimately, your goal is to tap into the entire market.

Limiting yourself to specific, smaller segments of the market means missing out on potential clients. If you miss out on clients, you limit your brand’s growth potential.

It’s like choosing to decrease your sales.

Again, fine when you’re just getting started or you have a limited budget. But the ultimate goal is to reach the whole market.

Instead, focus on reaching all buyers in your service or product category. Do it by utilizing both physical distribution channels and marketing communication tactics.

Your first goal should be to maximize reach, not frequency.

Most sales happen the first time someone sees an ad (the idea that someone needs to see an ad 7 or 8 times before they buy is a myth). So start by using your marketing budget to get in front of as many people as possible, once.

After that, your frequency should be spaced out.

It’s not the number of times someone sees your ad that compels them to buy. It’s if they see your ad when they’re ready to buy.

This is where the myth of frequency comes from. Yes, some people will respond the 7th time they see your ad.

But it’s not because they saw it 7 times. It’s because they’re finally ready to buy. The timing is what matters.

This is why continuously targeting the market is important. You want to be in front of people at the moment they’re ready to buy.

While you are continuously targeting the whole market, you also need to make sure your marketing is getting noticed.

The best way to get other companies to notice you is by appealing to emotions.

Lean into your Clear Story. Use storytelling techniques. Make people feel something.

A good way to know if you’ve done a good job is asking, “Is this worth watching over and over?” The answer should be “yes.”

➜ Build Connections With Uses

Second, try to build connections with the specific uses for your product or service.

What are “uses”? They’re the things that make people “check in” to your product or service category. Not just your product, specifically, but the whole category.

Originally, the iPhone did three things: make calls and send texts, browse the internet, play music. Almost no one (at the time) had a device that did all three. The “category” included iPods, computers, cell phones, landlines, etc.

If someone wanted to play music, Apple wanted them to consider the iPhone. There are dozens of ways you can play music. Apple was now in a big category.

But that’s what we’re considering here. Ask these questions:

What

  • What can they do with the product/service?
  • What other products might they be using when they think of your category?
  • What can they accomplish with products in your category?

Why

  • Why would someone want a product/service like this?
  • Why would someone think of your category?

Who

  • Who would someone be with when they think of your category?
  • Who might recommend someone consider a product/service in your category?

Where

  • Where might someone be when they think of your category?
  • Where might someone be when they think of one of the ways they could use your product?

When

  • When might someone think of your category?

Apple’s marketing is largely focused on uses. Check out this ad and this ad. They both tell a story, using emotions, that demonstrate a specific use for the product.

The first ad makes parents think about capturing moments (what) of their kids (who) at sporting events (where) so they can remember key moments (why) at this point in their lives (when).

The second ad makes anyone think about finding their friends (what and who) when they’re at public events (where) so they’re not lost on their own (why).

As Apple shows, you can do this over and over and over.

4. Test & Validate

Measuring your efforts is non-negotiable. If you don’t know what’s working and what’s not, you may end up relying on assumptions that aren’t necessarily true. And assumptions will lead you to invest too much time, energy, and cash in the wrong areas.

Run A/B tests to find out what works best. Pay attention to analytics and KPIs. This will help you confirm your ideas and monitor your progress.

Analyze your data to understand what’s effective. Then refine, test, and repeat.

Don’t make decisions based on assumptions. Assumptions are a decent starting point, but if you are humble enough to put them to the test, you’ll likely discover a better way that makes you more money.

B2B Marketing: What You Need To Succeed

To build memories, maximize availability, and reach the market, you need several key components. Let’s explore the ingredients that can propel your business forward.

A Memorable Brand

Developing a strong brand identity is key. It sets you apart in the market. Building recognition helps clients remember you. Focus on brand positioning to highlight what makes your business unique.

An Irresistible Offer

Your value proposition should clearly show the benefits you provide. Offering real solutions leads to more sales. Make sure your offer addresses the needs of your clients and your features and pricing are competitive.

A Website That Converts

Your website is a powerful tool. Attracting website traffic is just the first step.

Engage your website visitors with compelling content. Effective strategies boost lead generation and help you connect with leads consistently.

Be Available Where People Go Looking

If people can’t find you, they can’t buy. Plain and simple.

If a potential client is searching for a solution you offer, they’re going to pick one of the options they find. If you want them to choose you, you need to show up exactly where they’re looking for whatever it is you want them to buy.

Make it a priority to know where businesses in your category go to find products like yours.

Then make sure you’re there, and make it easy for them to choose you.

Sit down and make a list of every place you can think of where customers might look for solutions in your category. Don’t limit yourself. Think broad: online marketplaces, trade publications, niche directories, LinkedIn groups, and even physical trade shows or conferences.

The point is to get your product in front of anyone actively looking for it.

You can use keyword research tools to identify additional search terms or platforms where your product is in demand.

This is more about being thorough than it is about finding one right answer. You want to show up everywhere potential clients might go looking for a solution, so you’re always in the running when they’re ready to make a choice.

Continuous Advertising

Advertising is gret for reaching new customers, but to make an impact, you have to keep showing up.

Not just once—continuously. This is how you build a connection and stay on your audience’s mind.

Marketing works through a mix of reaching and nudging.

People need to know you exist first, and then they need reminders so they don’t forget about you.

When someone eventually decides they need what you’re offering, the brands that are top-of-mind are the ones that get considered first. Consistent exposure is the key.

Think about it like buying a car.

Most of us don’t shop for a car every day, but when we do shop for a car, we tend to look at the models we’ve seen and remembered. It’s the same for B2B. Your goal is to make sure that when a client decides to enter your category, they remember you—not because you’re the loudest but because you’ve been visible the whole time.

Use continuous advertising to keep your brand in front of your target audience.

Whether it’s paid social, search ads, or retargeting, the point is to reach all potential users consistently, so you’re already on their minds when they’re ready to buy.

A Capable CRM

Managing relationships is vital. Using a robust CRM like HubSpot keeps your contacts organized. Implement automation using native tools or a third-party application like Zapier to streamline tasks, save time, and improve efficiency.

Powerful Testimonials

Showcasing feedback from existing clients builds trust. Positive testimonials help people recognize your brand. They demonstrate real-world success and encourage others to choose your services.

Click here to learn how to help your clients write powerful testimonials.

A/B Tests

Testing different approaches refines your strategy. Conduct A/B tests to see what works best. Analyze results using analytics and KPIs. You can set and track desired metrics through GA4 in Google Analytics. Studying your campaign data helps you make informed decisions.

Analytics and KPIs

Tracking performance is essential. Use analytics and KPIs to measure success. Reviewing campaign metrics provides insights into what’s effective.

The 7 Steps To Create A B2B Marketing Strategy

We’ve covered the fundamental elements of a successful strategy. Now, let’s walk through how you can put them into action and build a solid B2B strategy for your business.

We’ve broken the recipe for a successful strategy into 9 steps and outlined each of them below.

1. Identify Your Target Market And Target Audience

You understand the problems, solutions, and outcomes your customers are looking for. Now, define who those potential customers are.

But that doesn’t mean looking at super specific criteria, like ethnicity, age, hobbies, and interests.

Why? Isn’t that what you’re supposed to do?

Sure, it’s what a lot of people say to do. But it’s wrong.

What it actually does is shrink your market smaller than it needs to be.

Think of Harley Davidson. How would you create a target audience for them? What would it look like? Maybe something like this:

  • Male
  • Has tattoos
  • Has a beard
  • Wears leather jackets
  • Finds his identity in his motorcycle
  • Spends weekends riding
  • Often rides in a group (or what we could call a “biker gang”)

Very good. Now, what percentage of Harley Davidson’s sales come from this target audience?

Less than 5%.

Let me repeat that: less than 5% of Harley Davidson’s sales come from the group of people that we would assume buy Harley Davidsons.

This is the primary problem with target audiences: it is nearly impossible for us to get them right. Any “avatar” we create, will be unnecessarily restrictive.

And, if we use it for targeting, will cause us to miss out on a ton of potential customers. (In Harley Davidson’s case, over 95%.)

So, what should we do instead?

Identify a general profile of people who could use your product or service. We want to start with the broadest group possible.

In other words, what you’re looking for is the “lowest common denominator” among prospective buyers.

Here’s an example: Slack.

They sell an application that makes it possible to communicate with teammates in real time. Some fields, like customer service, might need real-time communication more than others. But that doesn’t mean other industries can’t benefit from it, too.

The Slack team realized that effective communication is a universal need that extends beyond customer service teams. So instead of focusing on selling to specific industries, they sell to any business that needs streamlined communication.

Which is any business.

If they had limited their audience with overly specific criteria, they wouldn’t be as popular as they are today.

So how can you avoid falling into the trap of targeting too narrow an audience?

Start by asking: What is the most broad way to define my target market?

If you’re Apple, the answer is: everyone.

Apple has no limits on who it’s targeting.

If you are confident that you’re not targeting everyone, you can use these questions to figure out all groups you should try to appeal to through your marketing.

  1. What problem does my product or service solve? (Hint: You already answered this question in step1!)
  2. Who faces that problem?
  3. Who doesn’t face the problem I solve?
  4. What industries do the organizations with this problem belong to?
  5. Are there specific company roles that experience the problem more often than other roles?

You can use these questions to dial in which industries and positions to market to. Be careful to focus on relevant questions. For example, if you’re not selling something that is only for women, then you don’t need to ask Are they typically men or women?

➜ A Note On Niches

It is commonly advised for small businesses to “niche down.” This can be a great short term strategy, understanding that the way to grow is to get more customers.

If you can get more customers by focusing on a niche (aka smaller target audience) then do it. Having an industry or specific type of customer you focus on can make you a big fish in a small pond. Which is great.

A lot of small businesses should start with a niche.

But understand that one day you will need to expand beyond that niche if you want to keep growing.

Not all entrepreneurs want to grow forever. That’s fine. You can find your niche and stay in it. And just be happy.

But if you do want to grow and grow and grow, you may need to reconsider your niche down the road.

2. Understand The B2B Buyer’s Journey

In B2B, the buying process is often complex and involves multiple decision-makers.

Map out each stage of their buyer journey. This helps you guide them through your marketing funnel.

There are three main phases in a funnel:

Top of Funnel: Awareness

Middle of Funnel: Interest (Information Gathering)

Bottom of Funnel: Decision

Some folks add in a 4th step, “Action,” but we think it’s unnecessary to separate that step from Decision.

➜ Top Of Funnel

At the Top of Funnel, we want to know where your customers’ journey will start. Thinking back to the 4 Laws Of Marketing, we want to uncover:

  1. How can you Be Easy To Find?
  2. Key Question: Where do people look for what you sell?
  3. How can you Reach All Potential Users?
  4. Key Question: How can you get noticed by everyone who might buy?
  5. Who are they?
  6. Where are they?
  7. What will it take to get noticed by them?

Here are some more specific questions that will help you dig deeper into these questions:

  1. What problems are people facing when they’re looking for a product or service like yours?
  2. Are they aware of these problems?
  3. Where do they go to look for solutions?
  4. Do they look for solutions at all?
  5. Who needs to be in the call/room to make a decision?
  6. Where are these people in the digital world? (Social media, groups, apps, platforms, who do they follow, etc.)
  7. Where are these people in the physical world? (Locations, networking events, conferences, business groups, etc.)
  8. How can you get in front of those people?
  9. What kind of content or media will they notice (actually pause and think about)?

That will give us a good idea of where we want to be to get people to discover you.

➜ Middle Of Funnel

Now, we move to the Middle of Funnel. What’s the next step they want to take?

Warning: do not overcomplicate this!

You do not NEED lead magnets, white papers, webinars, coffee dates, or anything else that “marketing gurus” harp on these days.

Look around the room you’re sitting in right now. Actually stop reading for a minute and look around at all the things you’ve bought. How many of those did you go through a “funnel” before purchasing? How many did you NEED to download a lead magnet before purchasing?

At my desk, I have a laptop, headphones, mouse, keyboard, coffee cup, glasses, water bottle, computer screen, backpack, cell phone, books, bookshelf, pictures. I’m wearing a shirt, pants, shoes, watch, ring, etc. There is not a single thing – not ONE – in this room that I downloaded a lead magnet or watched a webinar before purchasing.

What you NEED is to serve your customers. What do they need?

Typically, people need to know what you offer. And understand it really well.

If they need a white paper in order to understand your offer well, then do it.

If they need a video explaining how your product or service works, then do it.

You can give it a fancy name (like “VSL”), but don’t fall for the BS floating around that you need all these different steps in your funnel. You don’t.

You just need to give your customers what they need. So figure out what they need and give it to them, in the format that works best for them.

Apple is, again, a great example. They provide TONS of information, in a variety of formats (text, images, video) so that you can learn what you need in order to buy from them.

➜ Bottom Of Funnel

This is the purchase phase. If there’s no sales call needed, just make it easy.

If there is a sales call, do a good job selling.

Since this is an article about marketing, we won’t dive into sales strategies here. It’s a big topic.

3. Run A Competitive Analysis

Knowing how your competitors discuss similar products or services makes it easier to see how yours stands out. Your goal with a competitive analysis is to gain a deep understanding of what competitors are doing.

You can examine your competitors’ strategies and any available data using tools like SEMRush, Google Search, and the Meta Ad Library.

Start by looking at their websites and targeted keywords in SEMRush. Then check how their SEO and look for Google Ads using Google Search. Finally, look at their paid social media marketing using the Meta Ad Library.

Here’s how to do it, step by step.

➜ SEMRush

Start by logging into SEMRush and clicking “Trends” in the left menu. Then open the Market Explorer tool.

Screenshot of the SEMRush Market Explorer tool

Enter your website and your top competitors. If you haven’t identified them beforehand, you can use the “Find Competitors” option to find brands that work in the same space as yours.

Screenshot of the "Find Competitors" option in the Market Explorer tool.

Then go back to the Market Explorer, enter your competitors’ URLs, and click “Create List.”

The resulting page shows whether your competitors are targeting similar keywords and audiences as you. It also breaks down their web traffic to show you how visitors find them under the “Total Traffic Trends” panel. Take a look at where they’re getting their traffic and look for opportunities and methods you can use to increase your own.

Screenshot of the Total Traffic Trends panel in SEMRush

Next, go to the Domain Overview tool (under SEO in the left menu) and run it for each competitor. Take a look at the authority score for each domain. The higher it is, the more likely it is to be a high-performing website.

Screenshot of the Domain Overview tool

Then, click on the Keyword Gap Tool under SEO in the left menu. Enter your domain and up to four competitor domains, then click compare.

Screenshot of the SEMRush Keyword Gap tool

Scroll down to the panel that says “All keyword details” and click on “Shared” to view the organic keywords you and all of your competitors have in common.

Note the position of your own site and search volume for each term, and decide whether or not you should focus on strengthening your SEO for shared terms.

Screenshot of shared keywords in SEMRush

Next, click “Untapped” to view keywords that your competitors are targeting, but you’re not. Look through the list for high-traffic keywords where competitors have gained traction. These opportunities are perfect fuel for your own SEO strategy.

Screenshot of untapped keywords in SEMRush

Next, you can use SEMRush to better understand competitors’ paid strategies. To do this, you’ll use the Advertising Research tool in SEMRush.

Screenshot of the Advertising Research tool in SEMRush

Look at the keywords your competitors are paying for and take note. You’ll probably want to invest in some of the same (or similar) search terms and adapt the messaging they’re using to capture attention into your own words and brand.

Unfortunately, SEMRush doesn’t display your competitor’s ad copy. So it’s time to move onto the next tool, which you’ll use to research paid ads from your competitors and similar businesses.

➜ Google Search

Now you’re going to go to Google.com and run searches for the paid keywords your competitors are using in their ads, and the SEO keywords they’re ranking for on SEMRush.

Screenshot of a Google search for "ai image generator"

Note: There’s a chance your specific competitors won’t show up for paid keywords you search. That’s just the way ads are served. If you’re looking for specific ads that local or location-bound competitors are running, you can use a VPN like ProtonVPN to change your location and increase the odds that you’ll see their advertisements.

For paid keywords, look at the ad copy. Does it align with your brand’s story? If it does, how can you improve it and use similar messaging in your ads?

Screenshot highlighting ad copy found on the search results page of Google.

For organic keywords, look at the articles in the top positions. Do they use similar title tags? Do they all use keywords in their meta descriptions? What are the common themes between each of the top articles?

If you find these ads and articles all have certain elements in common, then it’s a sign you should include those elements in your own marketing materials, too.

Once you’ve taken notes on the commonalities between competitor Google ads and articles, do the same thing with their Meta Ads.

➜ Meta Ad Library

The Meta Ad Library lets you see all of the ads that are running on Facebook and Instagram. If you’re not sure where to get started with your own ads, it’s a great place to seek inspiration.

Start by opening the Meta Ad Library and searching for your competitors’ advertising profiles. If they have ads on Facebook, the library will let you see all of the copy, images, videos, and CTAs they’re using.

Screenshot of the Meta Ad Library search bar.

Your goal here is the same as it was when you researched Google Ads for specific keywords. You’re looking for shared themes, similar styles of creatives, and similar messaging between people running ads for similar products and services.

Again, ask yourself and take notes: Are competitors framing the problems they solve in a certain way to make their marketing more appealing to a certain audience? If so, how can you tweak that message to show what makes your products and services even more unique and appealing?

Asking and answering questions like these helps you refine your own marketing plan because it allows you to find opportunities to differentiate your message from the competition’s.

Remember to also consider:

  • Are there any problems they don’t touch on that they should be addressing?
  • Are they targeting specific terms or queries in their SEO that you should be targeting on your own site?
  • Are they running ads on social media or search engines, and do the ads from different competitors have a lot in common?

Be curious. Keep asking questions. And keep digging until you gain that understanding.

4. Determine How Your Brand Positioning Compares To Your Competitors

Brand positioning is the space you carve out in your customers’ minds. It’s a term that describes how customers see you compared to everyone else in the market.

Great brand positioning uses design and messaging to create a specific impression that sticks.

➜ Why Does Brand Positioning Matter?

To put it simply, the right brand positioning gives you a strategic edge over competitors. Strong brand positioning sets you apart and helps customers immediately understand what makes you different.

And why they should choose you.

In a crowded B2B market, it’s the difference between standing out and blending in.

➜ How To Assess Your Brand Positioning Against Competitors

Assess your positioning in relation to competitors. Evaluate your brand’s identity and the level of recognition you have right now.

Start by listing all the competitors you can think of within your industry.

Then narrow down your list by focusing on the brands that sell similar products to customers like yours.

Review their websites, social media, and any ad campaigns you can find using tools like the Meta Ad Library.

Do competitors use branding elements that are memorable and related to the problems they solve with their services? If so, how can you adapt and improve upon them for your own brand?

Pay special attention to the visuals they use in their content (like logos, colors, fonts, and images) and take notes on anything that catches your eye.

Look at what they’re saying on their websites. Can you say it better?

One way to do this is to use your value proposition to highlight what sets you apart. Use findings from your analysis to strengthen your position in the market.

5. Choose Your Marketing Mix (Using The 4 Laws Of Marketing)

To create a marketing mix that works, start by refreshing yourself on the 4 Laws of Marketing:

  1. Build Memories: Give your brand an identity that sticks. You want people to remember you—not just recognize you.
  2. Maximize Availability: Be present and easy to find wherever your audience goes to look for answers. This is your “inbound” strategy.
  3. Reach the Market: Reach out so new customers can discover you. This is your “outbound” strategy.
  4. Test and Validate: Always test what’s working so you’re investing in the right tactics.

Graphic illustrating the 4 laws of marketing: build memories, maximize availability, reach the market, test and validate

The first two laws—building memories and maximizing availability—keep you visible and memorable.

The third and fourth focus on expanding reach and refining your approach.

Together, they give you a complete roadmap for reaching the right customers with the right message.

Building a strong marketing mix means maximizing both reach (outbound) and availability (inbound).

As you choose your marketing mix, keep two questions front and center:

  1. Availability: Are we in the right places where people look for our products or services?
  2. Reach: Are we reaching potential clients where they already spend their time?

➜ Maximizing Availability

If people can’t find you, they can’t buy from you. It’s as simple as that.

You need to be present wherever potential clients go when they’re searching for a solution.

Make a list of every place your ideal customers go to find products or services like yours. This could mean online spaces (like Google, LinkedIn, or industry directories) or physical locations (like trade shows or retail shelves).

The point is to be visible in all the places they’re actively looking so they can always consider you as an option.

Here’s an example. If most customers in your category find products through online searches, then SEO and Google Ads are priority channels.

But if they also turn to directories or trade publications, be sure you’re listed there too. The more places you’re available, the easier it is for customers to choose you when they’re ready.

➜ Maximizing Reach

Outbound efforts like advertising and outreach are how you build reach. But why does it matter?

For many products, the decision to purchase isn’t something we make every day. It’s more like buying a car.

When someone decides to buy, they’ll think of the brands they’ve seen recently.

That’s why maximizing reach matters. You want to be on their radar, so you can nudge them with reminders and relevant content until the moment they’re ready to buy.

Ask yourself:

  • Where are our potential clients? What are our competitors doing to reach them?
  • What do we need to do to get in front of them?

Every activity you choose for reach should answer one question: what’s the most effective way to connect with our audience now?

Some strategies, like social media, take more time but are cost-effective.

Others, like ads, require more investment but can deliver faster results.

If you’re hacing trouble deciding what to do, we’ve put together a chart to make it easier. It contains common marketing methods ordered by their price, speed, and scalability. Decide what to do based on where your resources are strongest—whether that’s time, money, or people.

Graphic showing common marketing techniques ranked by cost, speed, and scalability

6. Create Your B2B Marketing Plan And Be Consistent

Now that you’ve chosen your strategies, it’s time to make it happen.

Don’t overthink it—do it. You can add or adjust tactics later if you need to.

➜ Systematize Your Plan

Write down each specific action you and your team will take to drive momentum. Make sure your plan outlines your key objectives and identifies which activities will get you there.

➜ Get it on the Calendar

Scheduling is non-negotiable. Once your plan is written, add it to your calendar.

Set dates for each marketing activity, and commit to maintaining a steady pace.

Consistency is what turns plans into results.

➜ Assign Roles and Responsibilities

Decide who’s doing what.

If you’re handling tasks in-house, assign responsibilities to each team member.

For anything outside your team’s expertise, consider outsourcing.

Just focus on getting it done—whether that’s by you, your team, or a third-party provider.

Once you start, don’t stop. Consistency creates momentum.

Don’t change direction on a whim—stick with the tactics you’ve committed to unless they’re clearly not delivering results.

If a tactic isn’t working, think critically about why. Instead of stopping altogether, consider adjustments or try other tactics that might align better with your goals.

The bottom line? You’ve done the planning. Now, focus on execution and consistency.

7. Iterate

Albert Einstein once said, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.”

This applies to marketing just like it applies to the scientific process.

Analyze your KPIs on a regular basis. Ask yourself what works, what doesn’t work, and what could be better.

Then use analytics and KPIs to measure success in each channel.

Notice that one channel is bringing in particularly strong results? Great! See if you can find a way to strengthen them even more.

Is another channel bringing in no results? Then either adapt your strategy and try something new, or nix it from the list of tactics altogether.

Iterate by creating A/B tests to try new ideas and optimize strategies you’re already using.

Boost Your Marketing Efforts With A Comprehensive, Custom Digital Strategy From ClearBrand

No matter how you slice it, creating a marketing strategy that works is hard.

We’ve outlined everything you need to know to make your own above. But if it’s too much, fear not – that’s where ClearBrand comes in.

At ClearBrand, we craft custom digital marketing strategies built just for your business.

We use the same process we’ve discussed in this article to develop tailored marketing plans that get you more qualified leads.

Partner with ClearBrand and get a powerful marketing strategy built just for your business today.

If you enjoyed this article, here are a few more articles about strategy that we think you’ll love:

B2B Marketing Strategy FAQs

Is It OK to Use AI in Marketing?

Yes, it’s okay to use AI in marketing. AI can boost your productivity and let you get much more done without sacrificing quality (if you use it right). It’s a great starting point for content creation, as long as you humanize the content to avoid sounding too robotic.

Can You Use Free Tools Only, and Still Succeed at Marketing?

Using free tools can help, but they might not be enough. A solid marketing plan often needs investment. Free tools can limit your marketing strategies and impact.

Try mixing free and paid resources. This approach can offer better results without raising your costs too much.

What Is the Best Marketing Strategy For Business To Business?

The best marketing strategy for B2B depends on your business and goals.

There isn’t one-size-fits-all answer to this question. Focus on understanding your audience and offering value. Explore different marketing strategies to see what works.

What Are the Best Digital Channels?

The best marketing channels vary from business to business.

Common ones include digital marketing platforms like social media and email. Online marketing through social media channels like LinkedIn or Facebook can be powerful. And Email marketing remains effective for direct communication. Choose the channels where your audience is most active.

Is Influencer Marketing a Good Idea?

Yes, influencer marketing can be beneficial. It leverages trusted voices in your industry, and combining it with social media marketing can amplify your reach.

Influencers can share your marketing content with a wider audience. This can build trust and attract new customers.

How Can I Figure Out My Competitors’ Marketing Strategies?

Conduct an analysis to learn about your rivals. Look at their marketing B2B strategies and note their tactics.

Analyze their messaging and campaigns across different channels. This helps you understand their marketing tactics and find opportunities to stand out.

How Can I Make My Marketing Stand Out from My Competitors?

Develop a strong brand identity that reflects who you are. Focus positioning your brand to highlight what makes you unique.

Clearly communicate your value proposition. Use content marketing strategies to share valuable information. This approach helps you connect with your audience and differentiate your brand.

How Can I Determine My Target Audience?

Identify your target audience by researching who needs your product or service. Analyze your target market to understand what those people have in common.

How Can I Scale My Marketing?

Scaling your marketing is possible with marketing automation. Using marketing automation software streamlines repetitive tasks and saves time. Embracing new technology is a great way to improve efficiency as you scale.

What Is Programmatic Marketing?

Programmatic marketing uses marketing technology to automate ad buying. It relies on marketing automation to purchase digital advertising in real-time.

What Are the Benefits of Using a CRM?

A CRM platform helps you manage customer interactions. It stores valuable data about clients and leads. With the right CRM software, you can automate follow-ups and segment contacts to make it easier to communicate about relevant offers.

Which CRM Is Best?

The best CRM platform depends on your business needs. Look for one that integrates with any marketing automation software you use.

Consider factors like ease of use, features, and the ability to scale. Research options to find the best fit for your company.

How Many Marketing Channels Should I Focus On?

As many as it takes to reach your audience effectively. Your plan should include tactics that you apply to platforms where your customers are active. Start with a few channels and expand as needed. Align your choices with your overall marketing plan.

What Email Marketing Tactics Are Hardest to Learn and Master?

Advanced email marketing tactics like segmentation and personalization can be challenging when working at scale. Learning complex marketing tactics requires time and skill. It’s also important to make sure you’re staying up to date with best practices for email deliverability.

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