maboxmarine.com

The future of B2B marine marketing

Our top 10 predictions for 2016

Driven by increasingly sophisticated technology,B2B marketing continues to evolve at a rapid pace.

So what’s coming next?

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To help you prepare for the new opportunities facing marine industry marketing, here are our top 10 B2B trend predictions for 2016.

1. Big data keeps growingBig data keeps on getting bigger. In 2016, B2B companies will continue to use their data to create personalised content for their customers/prospects.

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Historically slow to adopt new practices, the marine sector is behind with B2B techniques that use big data to win business. Maritime companies that employ big data effectively will push ahead; however, it is not just about the data, it is as much about knowing which questions to ask.

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2. Be mobile-responsive90% of B2B buyers already use smartphones to research business purchases. Mobile browsing is set to further increase in 2016.

90%

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With nearly half (44%) of the top 100 maritime websites now being responsive, mobile interaction is becoming a key requisite of marine marketing.

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3. Stop selling. Start guiding.Overt selling is over. No one’s buying it anymore. 2016 will see salespeople becoming advisers. Sales will be achieved by recommending options, not pushing products.

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Across the marine industry, many transactions are relationship-based. These now need to be nurtured. Buyers do not want to be sold to, they want to be guided.

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4. Content marketing continues to drive purchase decisionsToday, 70% of buyers' journeys are complete before they contact vendors. So 2016 is set to be another year where the winning vendors will impress prospects early with content addressing specific business issues.

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With the marine industry traditionally averse to change, firms who embrace content marketing will get a head start.

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5. Listening-led marketingMany businesses make the mistake of talking about themselves, rather than listening to customer needs. However, in 2016, listening-led marketing will prevail – enabling marketeers to address specific customer issues.

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Due to long-term maritime relationships, companies have a great opportunity to ask questions and adapt their activity accordingly.

6. Get moving with video marketingThe way buyers consume information has been changing. Reading brochures is being replaced by viewing websites and videos. Multimedia will continue to be the dominant platform for delivering content in 2016.

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To stay ahead – providing prospects with information in the format they prefer – marine vendors should integrate video into their 2016 marketing.

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7. Get personalRecent surveys reveal that for over 55% of their decisions, executives rely on emotion. In other words, businesses must treat buyers as individuals, rather than faceless companies.

55%

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For the marine industry, longstanding relationships are common. Vendors can take advantage of this to translate the power of one-to-one exchanges into one-to-many communications.

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8. Ensuring employees are on-messageEmployees now have online profiles. This makes them part of PR. Negative messaging can reflect badly on the company while positive messaging creates interest and trust.

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As marine buyers embrace today’s networked world, 2016 will see those vendors who manage employees' online platforms (eg LinkedIn) gaining an edge.

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9. Turn up the volume with paid amplificationAs more firms utilise content marketing, the need to reach large numbers of prospects becomes paramount. In 2016, many will use paid amplification, including sponsored posts and banner ads.

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Investing in amplification is a great opportunity for marine vendors who want to be heard in an increasingly noisy market.

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10. Dare to share B2B businesses are establishing eco-systems of complimentary resources. Sharing information strengthens brand relevance, creates thought-leadership and widens opportunities.

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For the marine industry, abandoning traditional competitive boundaries will be a challenge. But in 2016, vendors who embrace this could watch others slide into the sidelines.

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Here to help» we're the B2B specialist agency for the marine industry» our content marketing expertise encompasses every B2B

discipline – we can ensure shipping industry vendors stay relevant and competitive by keeping up with the latest trends in attracting and converting prospects

» with our cost-effective skills, you can differentiate your brand and generate sales

+44 208 735 9115tim@mabox.co.ukmaboxmarine.com@Mabox_Marine

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