For a person unfamiliar to the world of internet marketing, lingo such as B2B marketing definitely sounds Greek. It involves a learning curve, but not something that an untrained mind won’t be able to pick up. This article discusses the basics of B2B email marketing.

There are two main concepts one needs to understand – B2B and B2C. B2B stands for business-to-business. It involves transactions of information, products and services between businesses intended for use or resale. B2C, on the other hand, stands for business-to-customers. In B2C, it is a business dealing with customers.

B2B email marketing has one of the highest return on investments rate. A large number of people opt in for emails and participate actively. Email is also a popular medium for sharing content.

Nail Your B2B Email Marketing Strategy – 9 Tips

1. You are targeting a very different audience in B2B marketing. These are business houses not customers. Hence, pay attention to the tone. Let your emails be info-rich; content that conveys a sense of reliability. Keep the tone formal with less focus on entertainment and emotive appeal. Combine text, graphics and visuals to tell your story effectively.

2. Understand the needs of the business you are transacting with. Time, money and resources are their priorities. Use analytics to understand the content that goes down well with your business associates.

3. Make work simpler by using an email service provider (ESP). The plus-points of utilizing an ESP are automation, personalization and customization (adding links, images and custom layouts) and analytics. They can also set up across various channels.

4. When it comes to marketing, a one-size-fits-all approach will fall flat in the face. The emails you send out should be personalized, relevant to the business at the receiving end. Adjust your content based on who the recipient is, which field he belongs to and the role he plays. Sending out emails based on previous activity can be a winning action.

5. Time it right. What is the best time of the day or the best day of the week to send out emails? There

6. Put your B2B email marketing on autopilot. Automation helps nurture your leads in a timely and relevant manner. Autoresponders are your best option in this regard. For instance, if your targeted customer has downloaded a file or filled in a form or subscribed to a newsletter as instructed in the mail, it is your responsibility to follow up.

7. As much as automation matters, you should also put a person in charge of your B2B email marketing campaign. He will integrate your ESP with a good content management system. He ensures that all the tools and applications are put to optimum use. He should be able to the co-ordinate and facilitate the whole process from the planning to the execution stage.

8. Know what you want from your B2B email marketing campaign. Do you want to generate leads, sales or increase brand exposure? Decide your objectives before you begin and structure your mails accordingly.

9. Whether for B2B or B2C email marketing, you need to identify who will receive your emails. Create a list with email addresses you can use. It is better to stick to businesses that volunteer to receive the emails, rather that annoying people with unsolicited messages. You can also segment your email lists, based on which customer should receive what type of message.

Increasing brand visibility is a vital part of promoting any business. B2B email marketing can achieve this for you, provided you implement it the right away. So, plan it out well and take your business to new heights.