B2B Marketing Post-COVID-19: Making Positive Improvements

Publitek’s parent company, Next 15, surveyed marketing decision makers to see how they believed business and marketing strategy would evolve due to COVID-19. Among B2B marketers—Publitek’s clients—many have a surprisingly positive view!

Overall, despite the dramatic and lasting changes to business models, COVID-19 could be responsible for positively changing the way we all work.

Positive business impact overall from the COVID-19 outbreak

27% of all respondents

48% of tech/software respondents

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20% expect dramatic change in business models

15% no change

Illustration of Covid virus cells
Illustration of briefcase

Changes in work habits, technologies, products and metrics

97% The top area of change is in everyday work habits, such as remote and flexible working becoming more commonplace.

To what extent do you expect to evolve as a business in each of the following areas over the coming year?

Significant changes

Some changes

No changes

Way in which people are working

62
35
3

Taking products to market

36
55
9

Technologies used

27
60
13

Products/services offered

21
52
27

How success is measured

19
57
24

Those in strategic and marketing roles see COVID-19 changes as being more permanent – due to efficiency and beliefs that customer expectations will shift.

COVID-19 will act as a catalyst to digitization

Digital sales team
Demonstrating products and services remotely
Fewer physical events
Business expect rise in 'digital events'

Coming year: Content accelerates digital marketing

What proportion of activity is currently conducted via digital channels?

75%In one year
58%Currently
Chart with arrow pointing up or rising

Which areas will be prioritized?

58%

Content marketing

58%

Social media

55%

Virtual events

54%

Demand/lead generation

49%

Thought leadership campaigns

48%

Search marketing (SEO,PPC)

48%

Marketing automation

A picture emerges, driven by the need to increase demand to reverse sales slumps, rebuild reputations, and demonstrate expertise through content.

2/3of tech b2b marketers see content as strategic

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73% of tech B2B marketers want c-suite thought leadership on social media

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That’s why B2B marketers will ramp up content marketing and elevate C-suite leaders on social platforms.

Marketers will tend to consolidate agency relationships

Do you expect to diversify or consolidate your partner/ supplier landscape in the coming year?

 Graph - 5% Clear diversification strategy, 13% General movement to diversify, 49% No change, 26% General movement to consolidate, 6% Clear consolidation strategy
 Graph - 5% Clear diversification strategy, 13% General movement to diversify, 49% No change, 26% General movement to consolidate, 6% Clear consolidation strategy
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Top skills they look for:

  • Ability to demonstrate ROI and value
  • Ability to make evidence-based or data-driven decisions

Businesses are increasingly looking to their partners for genuine insight, based on data and evidence.