In February 2011, the American Institute of CPAs found that the top business IT issue of today is the use of mobile devices. Companies are starting to let their younger hires use personal mobile devices for business purposes. The mobile device revolution is here, and you need a B2B marketing plan. Because B2B mobile marketing cannot simply mimic the form of successful B2C mobile marketing campaigns. Consumers enjoy making purchases. They’re buying products as a form of leisure, and use brand adherence to signal who they are. B2C marketing campaigns focus mostly on a building a feeling of community and connectedness. Business clients don’t really care how your product makes them feel. Ordering is part of their job description, another task on an endless to-do list. For most business clients, their main concerns are usually:
-Remaining within Budget
-Purchasing a High Quality Product
-Ease of Ordering
-Customer Service and Complaint Resolution
While a B2C mobile marketing plan can focus on being flashy and enticing, a B2B plan has a more difficult task: it must provide utility to the customer, or end-user. To implement a successful B2B mobile marketing plan, the marketer must often work closely with their corporate IT, ordering and customer service departments.
Step 1: Build a Mobile Friendly Website
Does your company have a mobile-friendly website? While smartphones can display normal websites, small screens make navigation slow and frustrating. If a business client is trying to access your site from an out-of-the-way location like a warehouse basement or a rural area, his or her connection speed might not be fast enough for a complicated site. If you don’t have a mobile friendly site, you are losing business customers. When you’re talking to the IT department about designing a new site for mobile devices, be sure to ask for the following features:
-Small, Low Resolution Images. Low resolution images display well on a small screen and download quickly. If a customer has to wait for images, he’ll leave your site.
-No Flash Animation or Animated GIFS. Many mobile devices cannot handle animated websites, and animation slows download times. Your business customer wants to get in, get the information he needs, and get out again. Don’t include any gimmicks that might slow him down.
-Add a Click to Call Button. Many smartphones have “click to call” functionality. Users can hit a button on a website and the phone will initiate a call to the business. Your business users don’t want to have to scrawl your number on a scrap of paper and then dial. They want to be able to contact you with minimal effort.
-Keep it Clean, A Single Column, and Easy to Navigate. A mobile site is no place for bells and whistles and is not a place for creative web design. The site needs to be clean, efficient, and easy to navigate. Test the new mobile site using a wide range of wireless devices. Count how many clicks it takes to get to useful information. If possible, have clients beta test the mobile site. This site should be the core of your B2B mobile marketing plan, and you need to get it right.
Step 2: Teach Customer Service to Text
If you own a mobile device, you may be used to SMS marketing that amounts to little more than wireless spam. However, SMS is an important part of your B2B mobile marketing strategy. Texting is a quick and efficient way to communicate. Your customer service department should incorporate texting into its communication strategy. Provide a number for customers who want to text with quick questions, and have a representative ready to text back with an answer. Offer a service where your business clients can sign up for text-based ordering reminders. For instance, if a company orders your product once every three months, send a “is it time to reorder?” message a few days before the normal ordering date. If you make your customers jobs easier and less stressful, they’ll consider your company for future purchasing decisions.
Step 3: Develop a Mobile Ordering App
Most mobile devices have cameras. Consumer sites already allow customers to order or reorder products by scanning a barcode or serial number. Your business should follow suit. Currently, if your customers want to place an order, they have to go to the supply closet, see what’s running low, write down what they need to order, and then return to their desks to order from the company website. Your mobile app should allow customer to photograph an item’s barcode and input the number of replacements they would like. Confirmation can be sent separately, via email.
Step 4: Use Video and Photos to Enhance Customer Service
Even the low-end mobile devices have phone and video capabilities. B2B mobile marketing must take advantage of these features. When a customer has a problem with one of your products, encourage him to photograph it and send the image to your customer service department. Make sure that you have a phone number (it can be the same one as the texting number) that is able to receive these images easily. Create trouble-shooting videos for common problems and make them available for free on iTunes and the Android market. Be prepared to direct customers to these videos. If your clients can do most of their trouble-shooting on their own, your product will gain a reputation for being reliable, convenient, and easy to use.
Step 5: Make Your App, Mobile Site, and Videos Easy to Share
According to a recent report by the McKinsey Group, 2/3 of the business economy relies on personal recommendations and social networking. If your customers find your company easy to work with, they will tell their friends at other firms. Make sure that your mobile site, apps ordering facilities, and videos are easy to share via LinkedIn, Facebook, and Google+. B2B Mobile marketing takes careful planning and teamwork. However, your best B2B mobile marketing strategy is a strong relationship with satisfied customers who feel that you make their jobs easier. And, a mobile site might be just the ticket to do that!
Via Hubspot