Running an email newsletter campaign for the B2B market is a lot like running a newsletter in any other industry segment. You’re going to need to set up situations where subscribers will actually open up your messages.
One of the biggest issues you’ll face with any newsletter campaign is growing stale. There’s a massive number of people who simply let emails waste away in their inboxes.
According to one study, consumers can spend upwards of five hours a day gawking at their inboxes. Check out the four real-world use cases below. See if you can’t get readers to devote a little of their inbox time to you.
1. Managing an International Campaign
Imagine that you’re the head of a successful nationwide B2B sales organization. Your firm is now ready to move onto the international stage. One of the most cost-effective ways to market to buyers in other nations is to reach out to them via email marketing.
It costs no more to email someone on the other side of the planet than it does to email your next-door neighbor. This makes email an especially attractive option. Chances are that you have at least some international buyers already signed up for your B2B email newsletter if you’re in this kind of position. Should that be the case, you’ll want to invest in a piece of email newsletter software. That way, you can divvy up contacts based on their region.
Business owners in one area might have specific needs. Going through the extra step of segmentation can give you the freedom to reach out to them directly. In some cases, you might want to consider hiring an author who is fluent in another language. That way, you can be absolutely certain you’re getting content that’s tailored to the market you’re trying to reach.
Whatever you do, don’t even think about running your email messages through automated translation software. While this might seem like a good way to save time and money, the text that comes out of these is often mangled. It could potentially even be offensive. You’re much better off sticking to your native language. Alternatively, work with bilingual professionals who understand the local tongue of the places where you’re doing business in. Keep in mind that your readers might be in a different time zone. You might want to schedule your email blasts based on their location, not yours.
2. Reaching Out to New B2B Buyers
Before a business starts to really grow, it typically doesn’t make any major purchases. Owners will usually only buy increasingly large stocks of goods once they’re in a stable financial position. No matter what the current economic climate might look like, there are countless businesses all over the world that reach this point every week. When they do, the managers who run them might not have any idea about how to manage their money.
You can use your email newsletter campaign to reach out to these and other business owners. They may be at a total loss when it comes to buying from B2B organizations. When reaching out, make sure you segment your email list properly. Potential new buyers and those you’ve never worked with before should be sectioned off into a category of their own. That way, they can receive tailored messages to their unique position.
Don’t be afraid to dispense tips or helpful advice. You might even want to share a few pointers as to the best way to find organizations that offer the kind of services yours does. That might seem like this could lead them to shop around. However, many business managers and newly minted purchasing directors may start to trust you as a result and come back to your brand. The more your letters start to sound like they’re geared exclusively to marketing, the more chance you won’t actually reach anyone.
People who read online B2B email newsletters on a regular basis are very often trying to glean information. They may need an opportunity to buy something useful for their business. They’re likely to ignore messages that are too one-sided. Give your customers the freedom to configure their own preferences as well. This should help to improve the image of your newsletter with those who might otherwise not invest the time in reading one.
3. Connecting Readers with Your Company’s Values
Social and environmental responsibility have become major issues for many buyers these days. While they’re normally seen as something you might associate with consumer buying habits, they have a place in the B2B marketplace as well.
This is especially true if you ship goods to companies that have built marketing campaigns around the idea that they sell only natural, organic, or low-carbon products. It’s also something that you want to consider if you’re trying to promote a brand that’s built around the concept of fair trade or some other value designed to do more than simply build a business. Use your email newsletter to better explain the source of the goods you’re selling. Inform readers whether or not your clients could use them to further this kind of campaign.
Approximately 52 percent of U.S. consumers consider personal values when making purchasing decisions. Even purchasing departments are taking note. That makes this a great opportunity to position yourself as a legitimately responsible firm. Some companies are dedicated to volunteerism. You might have seen a few consumer products that feature labels showcasing how much work their staff does pro bono. If issues such as these are important to your company, say so in your email newsletter.
Don’t purchase outside email contact lists. Doing so can undermine the idea that you run an ethical firm dedicated to your customers.
4. Offering Deals to Your Regulars
According to some marketing experts, people who receive an email newsletter may spend as little as 26 seconds looking at it. That means you need to offer something fast, right from the beginning, to catch their attention.
Offering deals to select individuals has traditionally been a good way to encourage them to open B2B email newsletter mailings. It’s become even more popular as a result of data retention policies. Newsletters are easy to track as well as use, which makes them a great choice for this kind of marketing.
Some forms of data collection are understandably controversial. However, you probably have a pretty good idea of who your best shoppers are. Consider giving them some rewards for sticking with your brand for so long. On the other hand, you might also send out personalized messages to those who haven’t bought from you in a while. Encourage them to come back somehow.
Marketing specialists have suggested that potential buyers respond best to new messages. You might be able to grab some market share this way as well. On the other hand, perhaps you’re building a firm that’s dedicated to privacy. If that’s the case, then you’ll want to do the exact opposite. Explain to your newsletter readers just how much you care about their right to decide exactly what gets done with their information.
Picking an Angle That Works for Your Company
Depending on the specific type of company you represent, any of the four angles listed above might be right for you.
Spend some time brainstorming. Come up with a list of potential ways you could use a B2B email newsletter to promote your brand. Throw out any that seem too ridiculous. You’ll probably have a decent collection at the end you can actually turn into viable messages.
In any case, make sure that the offers you send are genuinely good deals. Offer something that would get you excited if you were in your client’s shoes. The human aspect is always the most important, no matter what kind of marketing your B2B firm does.