Direct Mail, ABM, Interactivity & More: The Top Trending Articles From 2016

Published: December 21, 2016

B2B marketers in 2016 sought a healthy balance between inbound and outbound initiatives, and a resurgence in direct mail was one result. ABM adoption also continued to spur discussions on different ways to engage key accounts, leveraging interactive content, social media and customer advocacy.

The most-read articles from Demand Gen Report this year spanned a variety of topics that continue to generate buzz in the B2B landscape, including predictive analytics, account-based marketing, artificial intelligence, brand advocacy, social media and marketing/sales alignment.

Here is a breakdown of the trends that sparked B2B marketers’ interests in 2016.

Direct Mail Reborn: B2B Marketers Integrate More Physical Mail With Digital Channels

As B2B companies identified which channels are best for engaging their target audience, many of our readers looked to direct mail as a crucial means of communication. This article spotlights how companies such as Salesfusion, Aptos and Quad/Graphics leveraged direct mail within their marketing initiatives to boost lead generation efforts — while also finding ways to streamline the process within their automated tasks.

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More Than Downloads: How Interactive And Video Content Are Enhancing B2B Marketing

2016 was also a time where B2B marketers looked for new and inventive ways to spruce up their content marketing initiatives and help them stand out in the crowd. This special report put the spotlight on the variety of ways video and interactive content can enhance the level of engagement marketers are having with their prospective buyers.

B2B Marketers Tap Review Sites For Higher Conversion Rates

B2B buyers are doing a clear majority of research on buying decisions themselves, and our B2B Buyer’s Survey Report shows that 62% look to their peers for suggestions and advice during these times. This article uncovers the role of online review sites within the buying process, and shows how B2B marketers can leverage these sites to boost brand credibility and better understand their buyers.

Marketers See Promise In Combination Of Predictive Intelligence And Account-Based Marketing

The two buzzworthy trends in the B2B marketplace for 2016 — predictive and account-based marketing — were topics of many discussions throughout the year. This article talks about the early success many B2B marketers found when combining predictive intelligence and ABM to market to key stakeholders within target accounts.

How Disruptive Will AI Be In B2B Technology?

Artificial intelligence (AI) also burst on to the scene in 2016, with companies such as Salesforce, Oracle and IBM making big strides towards strengthening this area of their product offerings. This article talks about the plethora of AI features and offerings solution vendors have rolled out, while also providing readers an in-depth look at how it can impact their future.

Longer Buying Cycles, Shifting Expectations Cause B2B Marketers To Rethink Strategies

Many of the trends covered in this roundup are gaining traction for one reason: B2B buyers are constantly changing the way they make a buying decision. This article highlights how B2B marketers are responding to their prospects’ buying habits with adaptive buyer personas and content mapping.

B2B Companies Leverage Employee Brand Advocates For Social Engagement                 

Brand advocates can be found in the most unlikely places, but the low-hanging fruit of advocacy marketing can be found within your employee base. This article shares use case examples from IBM, MongoDB and PR Newswire on how leveraging employee advocates and social media can expand brand reach, boost engagement and drive demand.

B2B Marketers Invest More In Social Media To Drive Demand

Success is also being found in social media marketing — especially for driving demand. This article highlights how B2B companies such as Kaspersky Labs and Johnson Controls are investing in social media to fill the top of their sales funnel with hot leads.

B2B Customers Demand More Personalization In Email

Email is a go-to marketing channel for many B2B marketers, and our readers were researching new and innovative ways to better personalize their email messaging and meet buyer needs. This article shares tips and best practices to formulating a personalized email strategy that meets business goals.

B2B Companies Successfully Target Small Businesses Through Content And Education

As B2B companies grow, they begin exploring different markets in which to expand. Accounts are often broken down by company size, and the SMB vertical is one that many companies look to target. This article highlights the common needs of SMB companies and how B2B marketers can build relations through content and education.

B2B Technology Adapting To Growing Importance Of Marketing And Sales Alignment

Marketing and sales alignment continues to be an ongoing discussion topic among our reader base, as well as a common challenge within B2B organizations. This article highlights how tech vendors in the B2B space are adding features and functionalities to meet company demands for better alignment between their marketing and sales teams.

Targeting, Predictive Tools & Intent Data Are Key Trends In Email Marketing Evolution

As B2B marketers look to have their emails stand out within the inbox, they are looking to better understand buyer behavior and uncover buyer preferences. This special report provides a behind-the-scenes look into how B2B companies such as Mack Trucks enhanced their email marketing initiatives with the help of targeting tools, predictive analytics and intent data.

Customer Advocacy Is The New Competitive Difference In B2B Marketing

B2B marketers found a variety of uses for customer advocacy this year, including content production, referrals and social validation. This article highlights how companies such as Citrix and Blackbaud are becoming more buyer centric by working with current clients to gain deeper insight into what prospects want throughout the buying journey.

How B2B Marketers Can Benefit From A More Agile And Intelligent CRM

More tools and technology is being developed every day in the B2B marketplace, and it’s important that these tools easily integrate into your current tech stack. This contributed byline from Katherine Kostreva of bpm’online discusses how B2B marketers can benefit from having an agile CRM that can adapt to your company’s tech and business needs.

Advances In Applications Make ABM More Achievable For B2B Marketers

ABM implementation is often the main hurdle B2B companies face when considering adopting this type of a go-to-market strategy. This special report covers how new technology is making it easier for B2B marketers to develop, implement and execute an ABM program that generates ROI from the start.

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