by GRACE PEOPLES for Altitude Marketing
Email is still alive and well, but marketers are always looking for new ways to make it more interesting and, more importantly, effective. Here are seven B2B email marketing ideas that work.
Have your B2B emails gone stale?
A CMO’s top priority is to drive revenue growth through marketing campaigns. Every activity must be attributable. Every minute and dollar spent must count. So where does that leave email?
More often than not, email activities are scrutinized for not being effective. Meaningful email metrics are more difficult than ever to analyze, making attribution complicated. But there are ways to leverage email as a cost-effective piece of the integrated marketing pie that adds value to the pipeline without overdoing it.
Here are seven B2B email marketing content ideas to help you do just that.
7 Attention-Grabbing B2B Email Marketing Content Ideas
- Share Industry News & Trends
- Infuse Educational Content
- Tell a Story
- Personalize
- Invite to Events
- Share Your Culture
- Prove It
#1. Share Industry News & Trends
Talking about your own products, services, or company gets old … fast. 😴
Instead, try sharing crucial industry developments, trends, and news that provide value to your readers.
This answers questions like:
- What’s new in the industry?
- What’s next in your industry?
- What should your audience do next?
This kind of information can quickly establish your brand as an authority and thought leader. When your emails are a go-to source for relevant information, you’re not just sending messages – you’re building credibility.
Your audience might want to know about your products or services, but really they hunger for insights that can help them navigate the challenges of their industry.
When your emails offer valuable industry insights it becomes a resource. This will have your audience willingly hitting “subscribe” in no time.
#2. Infuse Educational Content
Similarly, your emails should do more than just “sell stuff.” In 2024, you need to be a little more discreet.
What’s the best way to do that?
Dish out some valuable insights to your audience.
You know your potential customers better than anyone (at least you should). You see their pain points and you understand what’s happening in their industry.
Invest in creating insightful, educational and easy-to-understand content that answers your prospects’ most pressing questions and provides much-needed solutions.
An informative webinar, podcast, white paper or explainer video on the latest industry practices, solutions or technologies is an effective way to nurture and convert leads while also building rapport with them.
If your emails are genuinely helpful, your audience will actually read them. (Just like our Monday Marketing Tip!)
#3. Tell a Story
In a world saturated with information, B2B decision-makers crave authenticity.
Sharing real-life examples of how your company has helped other businesses or solved specific challenges is the BEST way to get attention.
Use case studies, client testimonials, or customer success stories to showcase the unique value proposition of your products or services and your reputation for delivering quality results.
Behind every B2B decision-maker is a human who appreciates a good story.
Case studies and testimonials inject that human touch into your emails. Suddenly, you’re not just a faceless entity sending sales pitches – you’re a brand with a story. You’re relatable and trustworthy.
Real success stories? Now, that’s the language decision-makers understand.
#4. Personalize
Personalization is not just about standing out – it’s about cutting through the clutter of emails that are SO generic your audience wants to shut their computer off.
And we’re not talking about personalization in the greeting line. By now, everyone expects that. (Not to mention, it’s awkward if something goes wrong and you end up saying Hi to your recipient’s last name. It happens.)
What we really mean is crafting content specifically for the unique needs of your audience. While it’s impossible to send a personal email to your entire list (though you should at first – outside of the context of a mass nurture), you can start by segmenting your list based on specific criteria like industry, persona, location or activity to make the emails more relevant.
#5. Invite to Events
In a world dominated by virtual interactions, there’s something undeniably powerful about shaking hands and having real conversations. Plus, people like to be invited to things. 🤷
Event invites bring your brand to life, allowing your audience to connect with your team and fellow industry players in a tangible way.
Invite your prospects to workshops, industry conferences, networking opportunities, webinars, or other events (remember to personalize!). You can also use the opportunity to offer free demos, trials, or consultations. This makes for a great conversation starter and can be a stepping stone into a long-term relationship.
#6. Share Your Culture
Let’s face it, in B2B marketing, the focus is often on promoting the functional benefits of products or services to potential customers.
However, adding cultural elements to your marketing strategy can go a long way in establishing a deep-seated relationship with your clients.
Your customers want to know about the people behind the product, the values your company upholds, and its mission.
Listen, some of our clients are delighted when they find out we often have a dog in the office (bonus points if the dog is present during an in-person meeting). Does that help them with their business? No. But it does create an undeniable connection, and our relationships are better for it.
The more your clients feel connected to your company culture, the more they will develop a greater sense of trust and loyalty towards your brand.
So what sets your company apart? What’s interesting about your employees? Have you hosted any events lately? What achievements have you earned this year?
Share what you believe in, what your company values are, and what your team looks like. Share your culture and core values.
This creates a connection beyond the product or service, and people love to support companies that they can relate to or admire.
#7. Prove It
As mentioned earlier, people connect more with people.
Social proof helps to validate your brand in the eyes of prospects and is the tangible evidence that your products or services have made a positive impact on others.
Whether it’s reviews, accomplishments, industry recognition, or customers showing how they use your product in their own day-to-day business – it will help build trust by demonstrating that you’ve delivered value in the real world.
B2B decision-makers are savvy and often skeptical.
This is your opportunity to turn that skepticism into confidence. When your emails feature testimonials from satisfied clients or highlight success stories, you’re providing the assurance your audience needs to believe in the effectiveness of your offerings.
Still not convinced?
It’s all rooted in psychology:
- Human behavior is heavily influenced by the actions of others.
- Social proof leverages this psychological phenomenon to your advantage.
When prospects see that other businesses have benefited from your products or services, it influences their decision-making process. It’s not just a product pitch; it’s actually a compelling narrative that nudges them towards a positive decision.
Conclusion
Email marketing has been around for a long time and is still considered one of the most effective marketing channels out there.
However, it’s easy for your emails to get lost in the constant inbox barrage if they are not individual, valuable, and interesting. If this happens, don’t take your email efforts to the chopping block. Try these B2B email marketing ideas first.
They shouldn’t take too long and much of it can be automated or repurposed from other work. At the end of the day, you’ll have a fresh set of emails that are sure to engage your audience and nudge them through the funnel.
