While inbound marketing has become a buzzword in recent years (popularized by Hubspot), direct marketing channels still play a crucial role in the overall success of B2B marketing campaigns.
Marketing to B2B companies is challenging. They have a complex buying process, long sales cycles, and hard-to-reach decision-makers. Direct marketing offers B2B marketers a way to overcome these challenges and effectively reach their target audience.
This article will examine popular direct marketing channels available and why they are still relevant today.
Direct Mail Campaigns
Direct mail campaigns are one of the oldest forms of direct marketing, but they remain an effective way to reach decision-makers and generate leads. Mailers can be a creative way to promote brand awareness, drive response rates, and ultimately generate conversions in the offline world.
B2B direct mail marketing campaigns are often neglected because people think that mail is archaic. But the novelty of direct mail is what makes it effective. Conversion rates can be exceptionally high, especially when paired with account-based marketing. For example, Brex sent champagne bottles to prospects at launch. These types of high-value items can be effective. However, it means that you can’t boil the ocean with direct mail. We recommend sending thoughtful, high-quality items to a select few prospects (for example: C-Suite only).
Email Marketing
Email marketing is one of the most cost-effective marketing tactics. The key to successful email marketing is to grow your email list constantly. The only way to do that is to provide value consistently and not bombard your prospects too much.
In addition to being cost-effective, email marketing also offers a high level of measurable metrics, making it easier to track the success of a campaign and adjust strategies as needed. Marketing automation tools like Hubspot or Salesforce have these features built in. You can also use a service like MailChimp if you don’t need a full-on CRM.
{{post-cta="/components"}}
Social Media
Social media is a highly effective channel for direct marketing. Platforms like LinkedIn offer a wealth of information about target accounts and decision-makers, making it easier to craft highly targeted marketing messages. ABM campaigns on LinkedIn can be very effective. It’s much easier to find someone’s LinkedIn profile than their phone number, which makes it more likely that your outreach will be effective.
One common mistake with social media is to ask for the close too quickly. Take advantage of the social aspect to build relationships with customers. Instead of making direct asks, comment and like their posts first. Eventually, when you do ask, it will be a warm relationship.
Webinars
Webinars work hand-in-hand with email and social media marketing strategies. Inviting customers to a webinar can be a lower-friction call to action than filling out a demo request. Webinars are also excellent sources of leads for your sales team because webinar registrants are typically high-intent buyers.
Interested in learning more about hosting webinars to generate leads? Check out Why Webinars Are the #1 Lead Generation Marketing Strategy, You May Not Be Thinking About.
One of the best reasons to run webinars is that it’s a great way for prospects to interact with your company live. While the other direct marketing channels on this list are very short touch points, a webinar attendee can spend hours interacting with you and your brand. After the webinar, your sales team can follow up and schedule a discovery call.
Learn How to Drive Qualified Pipeline and Enable Sales After Your Webinar Wraps
Phone Calls
Phone calls are often overlooked in the world of digital marketing, but they can be a highly effective way to reach decision-makers and generate leads. A well-executed phone call can help to build rapport with a prospect, provide valuable information about a product or service, and ultimately generate a sale.
In addition, phone calls offer a high level of accountability and personalization, making it easier to track the success of a campaign and adjust strategies as needed.
Why Direct Marketing Channels are Still Relevant Today
While inbound marketing has become a popular way to reach prospects and generate leads, direct marketing channels still play a crucial role in the overall success of B2B marketing campaigns. Direct marketing can be a much more targeted way to reach buyers. If inbound marketing is like using a shotgun, direct marketing is more akin to a sniper rifle. Used correctly, it can generate highly qualified leads for your sales team.
